Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1877-09-14
.(tfan0rla 0axette
FRIDAY EVENING, SEPTR.l4
The Ecceniricitics OF DC Quincy.

| remember him coming 10 Gloucester place
| (an Edinburgh abode Of Professor Wilson. one
stormy night. lie remained hour after hour In
| vain expectation that the waters would assuage
anl The hurley hurley cease. There was moth
log for it but that cur visitor should remain all
night. The professor ordered room to be pre-
pared for him, and they found each other such
good company that this accidental deteul'oI
was prolonged, without further difficulty, for
| the greater part Of the year.
During this visit some O! his eccentricites
did cot escape observation. For example, he
to dine 10 his own room, at his own hour, not
unlrcquenty turning night into day. His
tastes were very simple, though little trouble
some, at least to the servant who prepared his
repast Coffee, boiled rice and milk, and
piece Of mutton from the loin, were the mate
rials that invariably formed bis dict. The
cook, who had an audience with him daily, re-
ccivcd her instructions in silent awe, quite over.
powered by his manner, for had he been ad
dressing duchess he could scarcely have
spoken with more Difference.
lie would couch his request n such terms as
these flowing to dyspepsia affecting my sys
tenn, and the possibility Of any additional disar
rangement of the stomach taking place, conse
quences incaculably distressing would arise, 80
much so. indeed, as TO increase nervous irrta.
ton, aud prevent me from attending to matters
of overwhelming importance, if you do Dot re-
member to cut the mutton in diagonal rather
than longitudinal form. The cook, Scotch
woman, bad great reverence for MIR. DE Quincy
as a man Of genius but alter one OF these in.
terviews her patience Was pretty yell cx
tausted, and she would say, "Weel, never
heard the like O. that in o. my days the bed.s
has an swfu' scht O words. If it had bo, my
ain master that was wanting his dinner he would
ha' ordered hale tsblafu' VII little mair than
q waff O. his hsun, ,a>d here a this c.aver abooL
bit mutton nae bigger than prln. Mr.. DE
Quinshey would mal;'s gran preacher, though
I'm thinking hantle O iho folk wouldna ken
what he was driving at" Betty's observation
wore made with considerable self.sstisiacton,
as she considered her insight o. MIR. De Qulncoy'S
character by no means slight, md many wore
the quaint romatks sho made sometimes hitting
upon Il trulh that entitled her to that shrcWd
in the humble ranks OF Scottish life
But these litl 9 meas wee not the only lndul-
gencc3 that, Wk"a not properly attended TO-
brought trouble TO Mr.. Do Quincey. Regular
ity in doses Of opium was even CT grta;er cons
quen(e An ounce of lsuda1um Ir7 diem pros
traled animal lIls in the early part CT lhe day.
1t was no unfreqnont sigh. to ind him in his
room, lying upon tho rug in front OF the hfe'
his head resting upon a book, with his arms cross
cd orc: Ills breast plunged in profound slumho'.
For several hours he would Iio IN 1hl3 state,
until The ,ii :cts I, + the tnrpor had Ia'sed away
lii tiuio whom he was most brilliant WAS goner-
ally toward tie early morning honr, and IN an
more Ian once in order to shIw him OIL, my
fsther arranged his supper parties, so that h,l'
ting till throo or fur in tho morning, ho brought
Mr.. Ec Quincy to that point which. in charm
and power # conversation, hs WAS so truly won
dci Mrs. Gorlon's "Chris'ophcr North.'