Page:Biographia Hibernica volume 2.djvu/407

 MACKLIN. 403 it was set upon the table; after which the outer room door was ordered to be shut, and no other guest admitted. Macklin himself always brought in the first dish, dressed in a full suit of clothes, &c. with a napkin slung across his left arm. When he placed the dish on the table, he made a low bow, and retired a few paces back towards the sideboard, which was laid out in a very superb style, and with every possible convenience that could be thought of. — Two of his principal waiters stood beside him; and one, two, or three more, as occasion required them. He had trained up a l l his servants several months before for this attendance; and one principal rule (which h e had laid down a s a sine qua non) was, that not one single word was t o b e spoken b y them whilst i n the room, except when asked a question b y one o f the guests. The ordinary, therefore, was carried o n b y signs, previously agreed upon; and Macklin, a s principal waiter, had only t o observe when any thing was wanted o r called for, when h e com municated a sign, which the waiters immediately under stood and complied with. Thus was dinner entirely served up, and attended to, o n the side o f the house, all i n dumb show. When dinner was over, and the bottles and glasses a l l laid upon the table, Macklin, quitting his former situation, walked gravely u p t o the front o f the table, and hoped “that a l l things were found agreeable;” aster which h e passed the bell-rope round the back o f the chair o f the person who happened t o s i t a t the head o f the table, and, making a low bow a t the door, retired. Though a l l this had the shew o f a formality seemingly touching too much o n the freedom o f a social meeting, i t appeared t o have a general good effect: the company not only saw i t a s a thing t o which they had not been accustomed, but i t gave them b y degrees, from the example o f taciturnity, a cer tain mixture o f temper and moderation i n their discourse; and i t was observed, that there were fewer wrangles and disputes a t this ordinary, during the time Macklin kept i t , than could well b e expected i n places which admitted o f s o mixed a n assembly o f people. The company generally con sisted o f wits, authors, players, templars and lounging men