Note 206 — A BOOK FOR A RAINY DAY (continued 2)
Reading edition
The wine and wit of Caleb Whitefoord (1734-1810) were both good. Smith reports Mrs. Nollekens as saying: “My dear Mrs. Pardice, you may safely take a glass of it, for it is the last of twelve which Mr. Caleb Whitefoord sent us as a present; and everybody who talks about wine should know his house has ever been famous for claret.” Smith, who often acidulates his ink, suggests that Whitefoord’s little presents and constant attendance on the Nollekens’ household showed the covetous collector rather than the kindly man. Burke, who thought meanly of Whitefoord’s services as secretary of the Commission for concluding peace with America, described him as a “diseur de bons mots.” Goldsmith mourns his wasted abilities in his “Retaliation”—
“Here Whitefoord reclines, deny it who can; Tho’ he merrily lived, he is now a grave man. What pity, alas! that so lib’ral a mind Should so long be to Newspaper Essays confin’d! … Whose talents to fit any station were fit, Yet happy if Woodfall confessed him a wit.”
Whitefoord’s Cross Readings of the newspapers—a form of humour that has been revived somewhat recently—delighted the town in 1766; Goldsmith envied him the idea, and Johnson praised his pseudonym—“Papyrius Cursor.” The following are specimens of these Cross Readings:—
“Yesterday Dr. Pretyman preached at St. James’s— And performed it with ease in less than sixteen minutes”
“Several changes are talked of at Court— Consisting of 9050 triple bob-majors.”
“Sunday night many noble families were alarmed— By the constable of the watch, who apprehended them at cards.”
The wealthy wine-merchant and art lover lived to be the patron in David Wilkie’s painting, “The Letter of Introduction.” He died in Argyll Street, and was buried in the churchyard of St. Mary’s, Paddington, where lie Nollekens, Mrs. Siddons, Haydon, and many others of note.