He had come home from America in the summer time, and I reminded
him, that it certainly could never be the intention of the
magistrates to light the lamps all the year round; but that in the
winter there was a great need of them; for in our northern climate
the days were then very short, as he would soon experience, and
might probably recollect. But never, surely, was such an endless
man created. For, upon this, he immediately rejoined, that the
streets would be much more effectually lighted, than by all the
lamps I proposed to put up, were the inhabitants ordered to sit with
their window-shutters open. I really did not know what answer to
make to such a proposal, but I saw it would never do to argue with
him; so I held my tongue quietly, and as soon as possible, on a
pretence of private business, left the meeting, not a little
mortified to find such a contrary spirit had got in among us.

After that meeting of the council, I went cannily round to all the
other members, and represented to them, one by one, how proper it
was that the lamps should be set up, both for a credit to the town,
and as a conformity to the fashion of the age in every other place.
And I took occasion to descant, at some length, on the untractable
nature of Mr Hickery, and how it would be proper before the next
meeting to agree to say nothing when the matter was again brought on
the carpet, but just to come to the vote at once. Accordingly this
was done, but it made no difference to Mr Hickery; on the contrary,
he said, in a vehement manner, that he was sure there must be some
corrupt understanding among us, otherwise a matter of such
importance could not have been decided by a silent vote; and at
every session of the council, till some new matter of difference
cast up, he continued cuckooing about the lamp-job, as he called it,