Steele says of himself that he was always sinning and repenting. He beat his breast and cried most piteously when he did repent: but as soon as crying had made him thirsty, he fell to sinning again. In that charming paper in the "Tatler," in which he records his father's death, his mother's griefs, his own most solemn and tender emotions, he says he is interrupted by the arrival of a hamper of wine, "the same as is to be sold at Garraway's, next week," upon the receipt of which he sends for three friends, and they fall to instantly, "drinking two bottles a-piece, with great benefit to themselves, and not separating till two o'clock in the morning."
His life was so. Jack the drawer was always interrupting it, bringing him a bottle from the "Rose," or inviting him over to a bout there with Sir Plume and Mr. Diver; and Dick wiped his eyes, which were whimpering over his papers, took down his laced hat, put on
"L. Ch.—Well, simpleton, if I am at first so simple as to be a little taken with myself, I know it a fault, and take pains to correct it.
"L. Ha.—Phsaw! Phsaw! Talk this musty tale to old Mrs. Fardingale, 'tis tiresome for me to think at that rate.
"L. Ch.—They that think it too soon to understand themselves will very soon find it too late.—But tell me honestly, don't you like Campley?
"L. Ha.—The fellow is not to be abhorred, if the forward thing did not think of getting me so easily.—Oh I hate a heart I can't break when I please.—What makes the value of dear china, but that 'tis so brittle?—were it not for that, you might as well have stone mugs in your closet.—The Funeral, Oct. 2nd.
"We knew the obligations the stage had to his writings [Steele's]; there being scarcely a comedian of merit in our whole company whom his "Tatlers" had not made better by his recommendation of them,"—Cibber.
