Page:Biographia Hibernica volume 2.djvu/413

 MACKLIN. 409 the honour of breakfasting with him;” which the other very frankly accepted o f , and the conversation becoming general—the stage, o f course, formed one o f the topics; when the baronet took this opportunity t o praise Miss Macklin i n the highest strains o f panegyric. This Macklin thought a good omen for his daughter's benefit-night, and bowed most graciously t o a l l his encomiums. A t last, after a short pause, (arising, a s Macklin thought, from his embarrassment about the manner o f asking for tickets,) the baronet began the following curious conversation — “After what I have said o f your daughter, Mr. Macklin, you may suppose I am not insensible o f her merits.-I mean t o b e her friend, not i n the article o f taking tickets for her benefit, and such trifling acts o f friendship, which mean nothing more than the vanity o f patronage—I mean t o b e her friend for life.” “What d o you allude to, Sir?” says Macklin, roused a t this last expression. “Why, (said the other) I mean a s I say, t o make her my friend for life; and a s you are a man o f the world, and 'tis f i t you should b e considered i n this business—I now make you a n offer o f four hundred pounds per year for your daugh ter, and two hundred pounds per year for yourself, t o b e secured o n any o f my estates during both your natural lives.” “I was a t that time,” says Macklin, “spreading some butter o n my roll, and happened t o have i n my hand a large case knife, which grasping, and looking steadily a t the baronet, I desired him instantly t o quit my apartments, telling him, a t the same time, that I was a s much surprised a t his folly a s his profligacy, i n thus attempting the honour o f a child through the medium o f her parent. He affected not t o mind me, and was pro ceeding with some coarseness, when instantly I sprung from my seat, and holding the knife near his throat, i n a menacing manner, bade him make the best o f his way down stairs, o r I would instantly drive that instrument into his heart, a s the due reward o f such base and infamous proposals. Sir, (continued the veteran) I had n o occasion t o repeat my menaces a second time. B y G–, the fellow