Billy Bachelor

• Posted by mgr on September 1st, 2008 filed in HISTORISCHES, Zeitdokumente
• >

Another of this illustrious junto is Billy Bachelor, an old unmarried petit-maitre. Billy is a courtier of ancient standing; he abounds in anecdotes not of the freshest date, nor altogether of the most interesting sort; for he will tell you how such and such a lady was dressed when he had the honour of handing her into the drawing room: he has a court atalantis of his own, from which he can favour you with some hints of sly doings amongst the maids of honour, particularly of a certain dubious duchess now deceased (for he names no names) who appeared at a certain masquerade in puris naturalibus, and other valuable discoveries, which all the world has long ago known, and long ago been tired of. Billy has a smattering in the fine arts, for he can net purses, and make admirable coffee, and write sonnets; he has the best receipt in nature for a dentrifice, which he makes up with his own hands, and gives to such ladies as are in his favour, and have an even row of teeth: he can boast some skill in music, for he plays Barberini’s minuet to admiration, and accompanies the airs in the Beggar’s Opera on his flute in their original taste; he is also a playhouse critic of no mean pretensions, for he remembers Mrs. Woffington, and Quin, and Mrs. Gibber; and when the players come to town, Billy is greatly looked up to, and has been known to lead a clap where nobody but himself could find a reason for clapping at all. When his vanity is in the cue, Billy Bachelor can talk to you of his amours, and upon occasion stretch the truth to save his credit: particularly in accounting
for a certain old lameness in his kneepan, which some, who are in the secret, know was got by being
kicked out of a coffee-house, but which to the world at large he asserts was incurred by leaping out of a window to save a lady’s reputation, and escape the fury of an enraged husband.

Quoted from: R. Cumberland: The Observer. Vol. III, No. CVIII. London, 1822.

Tweet This Post Plurk This Post Buzz This Post Delicious Digg This Post Facebook MySpace Ping This Post Reddit Stumble This Post