Page:Biographia Hibernica volume 2.djvu/425

 MATHEW. 421 apron, attended (as was the fashion then,) and a l l things i n the room were contrived so a s t o humour the illusion. Every one called for what liquor they liked, with a s little restraint, a s i f they were really i n a public-house, and t o pay their share o f the reckoning. Games o f a l l sorts were allowed, but under such restrictions a s t o prevent gambling: and s o a s t o answer their true end, that o f amusement, without injury t o the purse o f the players. There were two billiard tables, and a large bowling-green; ample provision was made for a l l such a s delighted i n country sports; fishing-tackle o f a l l sorts; variety o f guns, with proper ammunition; a pack o f buck hounds, another o f fox-hounds; and another o f harriers. He constantly kept twenty choice hunters i n his stables, for the use o f those who were not properly mounted for the chase. His plan was s o well formed, and h e had such checks upon a l l his domestics, that i t was impossible there could b e any waste; o r that any article from the larder, o r a single bottle o f wine from the cellar, could have been purloined, without immediate detection. This was done partly b y the choice o f faithful stewards, and clerks o f approved integrity; but chiefly b y his own superintendance o f the whole, a s not a day passed without having a l l the accounts o f the preceding one laid before him. This h e was enabled t o d o b y his early rising; and the business being finished before others were out o f their beds, h e always appeared the most disengaged man i n the house, and seemed t o have a s little conduct o f i t a s any o f the guests. And, indeed, t o a stranger h e might pass for such; a s h e made i t a point, that n o one should consider him i n the light o f master o f the house, o r pay him the least civili ties o n that score: which h e carried s o far, that h e some times went abroad without giving any notice, and staid away several days, while things went o n a s usual a t home; and, o n his return, h e would not allow any gratulations t o b e made him, nor any other notice t o b e taken o f him, than i f h e had not been absent during that time. The arrange ments o f every sort were s o prudently made, that n o mul