South Sea House had its man of letters, named Henry Man. Henry Man, the wit, the polished man of letters, the author, of the South Sea House. By designation he was only an office boy. He was good at witticisms. The office possessed two fine musicians, plumber and Maynard. There was also a litigious man named Woolliest. Lamb closes on his favorite mystifying note. He suggests that he might have only have been fooling the reader all the time. What if I have been playing with thee all this while peradventure the very names, which I have summoned before thee, are fantastic. But he hastens to add that something answering to thee people really existed in the past.

 

A little less facetious, and a great deal more Obstreperous, was fine rattling, rattleheaded Plumer. He was descended, -- not in a right line, reader, from the Plumers of Hertfordshire. So tradition gave him out; and certain family features not a little sanctioned the opinion. Certainly old Walter Plumer (his reputed author) had been a rake in his days, and visited much in Italy, and had seen the world. He was uncle, bachelor-uncle, to the fine old whig still living, who has represented the county in so many successive parliaments, and has a fine old mansion near Ware. Walter flourished in George the Second's days, and was the same who was summoned before the House of Commons about a business of franks, with the old Duchess of Marlborough. It is certain our Plumer did nothing to discountenance the rumour. He rather seemed pleased whenever it was, with all gentleness, insinuated. But, besides his family pretensions, Plumer was an engaging fellow, and sang gloriously.