Note 353 — Chapter XXI · OTHER SIGHTS.

There was a curious entertainment that lasted nearly the whole of Anne's reign; of which the first notice I can find is in the Daily Courant, November 27, 1704. By degrees Clench enlarged his répertoire until he did all described in the accompanying handbill. 'These are to give Notice to all Gentlemen, Ladies and Others, that Mr. Clench of Barnet who imitates the Horn, Huntsman and Pack of Hounds, the Sham Doctor, Old Woman, Drunken Man, the Bells, Flute, Double Curtell,[353] the Organ with three Voices, by his own Natural Voice, to the greatest Perfection; (being the only man that ever could Attain to so great an Art,) will perform,' etc. Clinch is mentioned in the Tatler (No. 51): 'A good company of us were this day to see, or rather to hear, an artful person do several feats of activity with his throat and windpipe. The first thing wherewith he presented us, was a ring of bells, which he imitated in a most miraculous manner; after that, he gave us all the different notes of a pack of hounds, to our great delight and astonishment.' Thoresby went to see him, and reports:[354] 'Evening to hear the memorable Mr. Clench, whose single voice, as he has learned to manage it, can admirably represent a number of persons, at sport and in hunting, and the very dogs and other animals, but none better than a quire of Choristers chanting an anthem, &c.'