The painter, at the request of Pickle, who had a design upon
the count's sense of hearing, favoured the company with the song
of Bumper Squire Jones, which yielded infinite satisfaction to
the baron, but affected the delicate ears of the Italian in such
a manner, that his features expressed astonishment and disquiet;
and by his sudden and repeated journeys to the door, it plainly
appeared, that he was in the same predicament with those who, as
Shakespeare observes, "when the bagpipe sings in the nose, cannot
contain their urine for affection."
With a view, therefore, of vindicating music from such a barbarous
taste. Mr. Pallet had no sooner performed his task, than the count
honoured his friends with some favourite airs of his own country,
which he warbled with infinite grace and expression, though he had
not energy sufficient to engage the attention of the German, who
fell fast asleep upon his couch, and snored so loud, as to interrupt,
and totally annul, this ravishing entertainment; so that they were
fain to have recourse again to the glass, which made such innovation
upon the brain of the physician, that he sang divers odes of
Anacreon.
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