spacious house, wherein all these spirits were assembled. In the house
there were more than fifty different apartments, allotted to different
kinds and subjects of conversation: in some of these apartments they
conversed about such matters as they had seen or heard in the public
places of resort and the streets of the city; in others the conversation
turned upon the various charms of the fair sex, with a mixture of wit
and humor, producing cheerful smiles on the countenances of all present;
in others they talked about the news relating to courts, to public
ministers, and state policy, and to various matters which had transpired
from privy councils, interspersing many conjectures and reasonings of
their own respecting the issues of such councils; in others again they
conversed about trade and merchandise; in others upon subjects of
literature; in others upon points of civil prudence and morals; and in
others about affairs relating to the Church, its sects, &c. Permission
was granted me to enter and look about the house; and I saw people
running from one apartment to another, seeking such company as was most
suited to their own tempers and inclinations; and in the different
parties I could distinguish three kinds of persons; some as it were
panting to converse, some eager to ask questions, and others greedily
devouring what was said. The house had four doors, one towards each
quarter; and I observed several leaving their respective companies with
a great desire to get out of the house. I followed some of them to the
east door, where I saw several sitting with great marks of dejection on
their faces; and on my inquiring into the cause of their trouble, they
replied, "The doors of this house are kept shut against all persons who
wish to go out; and this is the third day since we entered, to be
entertained according to our desire with company and conversation; and
now we are grown so weary with continual discoursing, that we can
scarcely bear to hear the sound of a human voice; wherefore, from mere
irksomeness, we have betaken ourselves to this door; but on our knocking