03 - Days With Sir Roger de Coverley by Joseph Addison, Richard Steele

Journey into the world of acclaimed writer Sir Richard Steele, as he recounts his intimate experiences living in the household of the intriguing Sir Roger de Coverley for an entire month. This podcast is narrated by Elijah Fisher.

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Chapter three of Days with Sir Roger Recovery. This is
a liverbox recording. All liverbox recordings are in the book domain.
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or recorded by arch Bishop Days with Sir Roger Dicoverley

(00:24):
by Joseph Addison and Richard Stale. Chapter three, The Picture Gallery.
That was this morning walking in the gallery, when Sir
Roger at the end opposite to me, in fancing towards me.
So he was glad to meet me among his relations
with the Decoveries, and hoped I rate the conversation of

(00:46):
so much good company, who were as silent as myself.
I knew he alluded to the pictures, and as he
is a gentleman who does not little value himself upon
his ancient descent, I expected he would give me some account.
Web now arrive at the upper end of the gallery

(01:08):
when the Knight faced towards one of the pictures, and
as he stood before it, he entered into the matter
after his brunt way of saints as they occurred to
his imagination, without regular introduction or care to preserve the
appearance of the chain of thought. It is said he

(01:28):
worth while to consider the force of dress, and how
the persons of one age differ from those of another.
Merely by that home one may as also the general
fashion of an age has been followed by one particular
set of people in another, and by them preserved from
one generation to another. Thus the vast jetting coat and

(01:54):
small bonnet, which was the habit in Harry the sis time,
is kept on in the neomen of the guard, not
without a good and politic view, because they look a
foot taller and a foot and a half broader. Besides that,
the cap leaves the face expanded and consequently more terrible

(02:17):
and fitter to stand at the entrances of palaces. This
predecessor of ours, you see, is dressed after this manner,
and his cheeks would it be no longer than mine
where he and a hat As I am, he was
the last man that want a prize. In the tilt

(02:38):
yard which is now Common Street before Whitehall. You see
lance that lies there by. His right foot is shivered
that lance of his adversary all to pieces and bury himself.
Look you, sir, in this manner, at the same time
he came within the target of the gentleman road against it,

(03:01):
and taking him with increporus before him on the pommel
of his saddle. He led in that manner, rid the
turning and over, and with an error that showed he
did it rather to perform the rule of the wrists
than expose his enemy. However, it appeared he knew how

(03:25):
to use of a victory, And with a gentle trot
he marched up to a gallery era their mistresses set
where they were rivals, and let him down with laudable
courtesy and pardonable insults. And don't know, but it might

(03:45):
be exactly where the coffeehouse is down. You ar to
know this, my ancestor was not only of a military
genius also for the arts of peace, For he played
on the babies vibe as well as any gentleman at court.
You see where his vile hands, by his basket built sword,

(04:09):
the action of the tilt yard. You may be sure
one the fair lady who was a maid of honor
and the greatest beauty of her time, here she stands.
The next picture, you see, sir, my great great great
grandmother has on the new fashioned petticoat, except that the

(04:30):
modern is gathered at the waist. My grandmother appears that
she stood in a large drup, as the ladies now
walk as if they were in a go cart. For
all this lady has bred court, she became an excellent countryway.
She brought ten children, And when I show you the library,

(04:52):
you shall see in her own hand alone, with the
difference of the language, the best who seek now in
England for a a hasty pudding in a white pot.
If you please to fall back a little, because tis
necessary to look at the three next pictures at one view.
These are three sisters. She on the right hand was,

(05:17):
who is so very beautiful, died a mate. The next
to her, still handsomer, had the same fate against her will.
This homely thing in the middle had both their portions
added to her own. It was stolen by a neighboring gentlemen,
a man of stratagem and resolution, for he was poisoned

(05:38):
three mastiffs to come at her, and knocked down two
deer stealers in carrying her off. Misfortunes in all families.
The theft of this wrong in so much money was
no great matter to our estate. But the next hair
that possessed it was the soft gentleman whom you see

(06:01):
there observed the small buttons, the little boots, laces, slashes
of clothes, and above all the posture he has drawn, which,
to be sure, was his own choosing. You see he
sits with one hand from a desk writing and looks
at it as if it were another way, like an

(06:22):
easy writer or a sonneteer. He was one of those
that had too much wit to know how to live
in the world. He was a man of no justice,
but great good matters. He ruined everybody that had anything
to do with him, but never set a rude thing
in his life. The most abdolent person in the world

(06:45):
would sign a deed that pass away half his escape
with the gloves on, but would not put on his
hat before a lady if it were to save his country.
He is said to be the first that made love
by squeezing the hand. He left the estate with ten
thousand pounds death upon it. But however, by all hands

(07:10):
I have been informed that he was every way of
finest gentleman in the world. That debt lay heavy on
her house for one generation, but it was retrieved by
dift from that honest man. You see there a citizen
of our may, but nothing at all attended to us.

(07:30):
I know Sir Andrew Freeport had said behind her back
that this man was descended from one of the ten
children of the Maid of Honor. I showed you above,
but it was never made out it means at the thing,
because money was wanting at that time. Here I saw
my friend a little embarrassed, and turned my face to

(07:53):
the neck or treature. Sir Roger ob done with his
account of the gallery in the following manner. This man
pointed to him, and I looked at I take to
be the honor of our house. Sir Humphrey Recovery was
in his dealings as punctual as a tradesman, and a

(08:13):
generous as the gentleman. He would have thought himself as
much undone by branking his word as if it were
to be followed by a bankruptcy. He served his country
as Knight of the Shire to his dying day. He
found it no easy matter to maintain an integrity in

(08:35):
his words and actions, even in that he regarded the
offices which were incumbent upon him in the care of
his own affairs and relations of life, and therefore dreaded.
Though he had great talents, to go into employment's state,
where he must be exposed to the singers of ambition.

(08:58):
Innocence of life, and great ability were the distinguishing parts
of his character. The latter, I often observed, had led
to the destruction of the former, and used frequently to
lament that great and good had not the same signification.
He was an excellent husband, then, but had resolved not

(09:22):
to exceed such a degree of wealth. All above it
he bestowed in secret bounties. Many years after this sum
he aimed at for his own use was attained. Yet
he did not slacken his industry, but to a decent
old age, spent the light and fortune which was spooreless

(09:44):
to self in the service of his friends and neighbors.
Here we were called dinner, and Sir Roger entered the
discourse of these gentlemen by telling me, as we follow
the servant. Yet this his ancestor, was a birth man,
and narrowly escaped being killed in the civil wars. He

(10:05):
said he was sent out of field on a private
message the day before the Battle of Worcester. The buoya
of narrowly escaping by having been that within a day
of danger, with other matters above mentioned mixed with good sense,
left me at a toss whether and is more convited

(10:25):
with my friend's wisdom or simplicity. End of Chapter three,
read by Elijah Bishop