Some idea of the old man's amusing qualifications may be conceived from
the following description, to which I have added the account he gives
of his heraldic bearings. It must be recollected that the Etonians
encourage these whims in the poor old man, and never lose an opportunity
of impressing Stockhore with a belief in the magnificent powers of
his genius.--After we had heard him recite several of his unconnected
extempore rhapsodies, we were to be indulged with the Montem ode; this
the old man insisted should be spoken in his gala dress; nor could all
the entreaties of his wife and daughter, joined to those of myself and
friend (fearful of appearing obtrusive), dissuade old Herbert from his
design. He appeared quite frantic with joy when the dame brought forth
from an upper apartment these insignia of his laureateship; the careful
manner in which they were folded up and kept clean gave us to understand
that the good woman herself set some store by them. The wife and
daughter now proceeded to robe the laureate bard: the first garment
which was placed over his shoulders, and came below his waist, was a
species of tunic made out of patches of bed-furniture, trimmed in the
most fantastic manner with fragments of worsted fringe of all colors.
Over this he wore an old military jacket, of a very ancient date in
respect to costume, and trimmed like the robe with fringe of every
variety.
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