Page:Biographia Hibernica volume 2.djvu/424

 420 MATHEW. His house had been chiefly contrived to answer the noble purpose of that endless hospitality which he in tended to maintain there. It contained forty commodious apartments for guests, with suitable accommodations to their servants. Each apartment was completely furnished with every convenience that could be wanted, even to the minutest article. When a guest arrived, he shewed him his apartment, saying, “This is your castle, here you are to command as absolutely as in your own house; you may breakfast, dine, and sup here whenever you please, and invite such of the guests to accompany you as may be most agreeable to you.” He then shewed him the com mon parlour, “where,” he said, “a daily ordinary was - kept, at which he might dine when it was more agreeable to him to mix in society; but from this moment, you are never to know me as master of the house, and only to consider me as one of the guests.” . In order to put an end to a l l ceremony a t meal-time, h e took his place a t random a t the table; and thus, a l l ideas o f precedence being laid aside, the guests seated themselves promiscu ously, without any regard t o difference o f rank o r quality. There was a large room fitted u p exactly like a coffee house, where a bar-maid and waiters attended t o furnish refreshments a t a l l times o f the day. Here such a s chose i t breakfasted a t their own hour. I t was furnished with chess-boards, backgammon tables, newspapers, pamphlets, &c. i n a l l the forms o f a city coffee-house. But the most extraordinary circumstance i n his whole domestic arrange ment, was that o f a detached room i n one o f the extremi ties o f the house, called the tavern. As h e was himself a very temperate man, and many o f his guests were o f the same disposition, the quantity o f wine for the use o f the common room was but moderate; but a s drinking was much i n fashion i n those days, i n order t o gratify such o f his guests a s had indulged themselves i n that custom, h e had recourse t o the above-mentioned contrivance; and i t was the custom o f a l l who loved a cheerful glass, t o adjourn t o the tavern soon after dinner, and leave the more sober folks t o themselves. Here a waiter, i n a blue