Thus, as I was going to begin, one turned my wig awry, as if by accident, and then asked my pardon.

A second, who stood at some distance, had a knack of spitting through his teeth, which fell in showers upon my book.

A third would cry amen in such an affected tone as gave the rest great delight.

A fourth had slily picked my pocket of my spectacles.

But there was one whose trick gave more universal pleasure than all the rest; for observing the manner in which I had disposed my books on the table before me, he very dextrously displaced one of them, and put an obscene jest-book of his own in the place.