It was for this
reason, Sir Robert Walpole said, he always talked bawdy at his table,
because in that all could join.'
Being irritated by hearing a gentleman* ask Mr. Levett a variety of
questions concerning him, when he was sitting by, he broke out, 'Sir,
you have but two topicks, yourself and me. I am sick of both.' 'A
man, (said he,) should not talk of himself, nor much of any particular
person. He should take care not to be made a proverb; and, therefore,
should avoid having any one topick of which people can say, "We shall
hear him upon it." There was a Dr. Oldfield, who was always talking of
the Duke of Marlborough. He came into a coffee-house one day, and told
that his Grace had spoken in the House of Lords for half an hour.
"Did he indeed speak for half an hour?" (said Belehier,
the surgeon,)--"Yes."--"And what did he say of Dr.
Oldfield?"--"Nothing"--"Why then, Sir, he was very ungrateful; for Dr.
Oldfield could not have spoken for a quarter of an hour, without saying
something of him.
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