Hearne's Love Of Ale
Thomas Warton, in his Account of Oxford, relates that at the sign of
Whittington and his Cat, the laborious antiquary, Thomas Hearne, "one
evening suffered himself to be overtaken in liquor. But, it should be
remembered, that this accident was more owing to his love of antiquity
than of ale. It happened that the kitchen where he and his companion
were sitting was neatly paved with sheep's trotters disposed in various
c
mpartments. After one pipe, Mr. Hearne, consistently with his usual
gravity and sobriety, rose to depart; but his friend, who was inclined
to enjoy more of his company, artfully observed, that the floor on which
they were then sitting was no less than an original tesselated Roman
pavement. Out of respect to classic ground, and on recollection that
the Stunsfield Roman pavement, on which he had just published a
dissertation, was dedicated to Bacchus, our antiquary cheerfully
complied; an enthusiastic transport seized his imagination; he fell on
his knees and kissed the sacred earth, on which, in a few hours, and
after a few tankards, by a sort of sympathetic attraction, he was
obliged to repose for some part of the evening. His friend was,
probably, in the same condition; but two printers accidentally coming
in, conducted Mr. Hearne, between them, to Edmund's Hall, with much
state and solemnity."
* * * * *