Men are usually, but unjustly, distinguished rather by
their fortunes, than their talents, otherwise this personage would make
a great figure in that class of men which I distinguish under the title
of Odd Fellows. But it is the misfortune of persons of great genius, to
have their faculties dissipated by attention to too many things at once.
Mr. Salter is an instance of this: if he would wholly give himself up to
the string,[346] instead of playing twenty beginnings to tunes, he might
before he dies play "Roger de Caubly"[347] quite out. I heard him go
through his whole round, and indeed I think he does play the "Merry
Christ-Church Bells"[348] pretty justly; but he confessed to me, he did
that rather to show he was orthodox, than that he valued himself upon
the music itself. Or if he did proceed in his anatomy, why might not he
hope in time to cut off legs, as well as draw teeth? The particularity
of this man put me into a deep thought, whence it should proceed, that
of all the lower order barbers should go farther in hitting the
ridiculous, than any other set of men.
Pages:
449
450
451
452
453
454
455
456
457
458
459
460
461
462
463
464
465
466
467
468
469
470
471
472
473