Page:Adventures of Roderick Random.pdf/97

 for which purpose, I frequented a certain coffee-house; the whole company was in the French interest myself excepted, and a tasty old gentleman. who contradicted every thing with a surliness truly English. This trusty patriot, who had never been out of his own country and drew all his maxims and notions from prejudice and hearsay: was very unequal to his antagonists who were very superior to him in learning and experience. and often took the liberty of travelers in asserting things which were not strictly true because they thought themselves in no danger of being detected. The claim of the queen of Spain to her Austrian dominions in Italy, was fully explained and vindicated by a person who is at opposite to me, and by the solemnity of his manner and the richness of his apparel, seemed to be a foreign ambassador. The discource was afterwards shifted by an old gentleman of a very martial appearance, to the last campaign; then the battle of Dettingen was fought over again with so many circumstances to the honour of the French, that I began to entertain some doubts of my having been there in person; and took the liberty to mention some objections to what he advanced. This introduced a dispute, which was left to the determination of a grave person, whom they stiled doctor. and who under show of great decided against me, with so little regard to truth, Rh