- description
- # Equipped with new clothes and seeking Horne Tooke and John Bridges
## Overview
This subsection, titled "Equipped with new clothes and seeking Horne Tooke and John Bridges," is a textual component extracted from the file [israel_potter.txt](arke:01KG89J1DKC9HHJRKY25JZBEXW). It spans lines 3573 to 3617 of the source text and is part of the larger [Melville Complete Works](arke:01KG89HMDZKNY753EZE1CJ8HZW) collection.
## Context
This subsection is situated within [CHAPTER XIII. HIS ESCAPE FROM THE HOUSE, WITH VARIOUS ADVENTURES FOLLOWING.](arke:01KG8AJJ261FWJ1RK528BTY9AX). It follows the subsection [Morning on the village outskirts and successful acquisition of new clothes](arke:01KG8AK67QTAMZWX7DA1E2E8NC), which describes Israel's acquisition of new attire. It is succeeded by the subsection [Israel departs, contemplating his next move.](arke:01KG8AK67N551J358H8QQV5D9P), which details his departure.
## Contents
The text describes Israel, now dressed in new clothes, inquiring about the whereabouts of Horne Tooke and John Bridges. He seeks them to report on recent events and to confirm information regarding Squire Woodcock. A farmer informs Israel that Horne Tooke, previously a friend of Squire Woodcock, has left Brentford and is now studying law in London. The farmer is unable to provide a specific address for Horne Tooke or any information about John Bridges. Israel reflects on Horne Tooke's unexpected past as an ordained clergyman, noting other examples of ingenious and ingenuous English clergy. The subsection concludes with Israel still perplexed about how to find either individual.
- description_generated_at
- 2026-01-30T20:48:46.293Z
- description_model
- gemini-2.5-flash-lite
- description_title
- Equipped with new clothes and seeking Horne Tooke and John Bridges
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- 3617
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- 2026-01-30T20:47:55.385Z
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- structure-extraction-lambda
- start_line
- 3573
- text
- In ten minutes more Israel was equipped in a gray coat of coarse cloth,
not much improved by wear, and breeches to match. For half-a-crown more
he procured a highly respectable looking hat.
“Now, my kind friend,” said Israel, “can you tell me where Horne Tooke
and John Bridges live?”
Our adventurer thought it his best plan to seek out one or other of
those gentlemen, both to report proceedings and learn confirmatory
tidings concerning Squire Woodcock, touching whose fate he did not like
to inquire of others.
“Horne Tooke? What do you want with Horne Tooke,” said the farmer. “He
was Squire Woodcock’s friend, wasn’t he? The poor Squire! Who would
have thought he’d have gone off so suddenly. But apoplexy comes like a
bullet.”
“I was right,” thought Israel to himself. “But where does Horne Tooke
live?” he demanded again.
“He once lived in Brentford, and wore a cassock there. But I hear he’s
sold out his living, and gone in his surplice to study law in Lunnon.”
This was all news to Israel, who, from various amiable remarks he had
heard from Horne Tooke at the Squire’s, little dreamed he was an
ordained clergyman. Yet a good-natured English clergyman translated
Lucian; another, equally good-natured, wrote Tristam Shandy; and a
third, an ill-natured appreciator of good-natured Rabelais, died a
dean; not to speak of others. Thus ingenious and ingenuous are some of
the English clergy.
“You can’t tell me, then, where to find Horne Tooke?” said Israel, in
perplexity.
“You’ll find him, I suppose, in Lunnon.”
“What street and number?”
“Don’t know. Needle in a haystack.”
“Where does Mr. Bridges live?”
“Never heard of any Bridges, except Lunnon bridges, and one Molly
Bridges in Bridewell.”
- title
- Equipped with new clothes and seeking Horne Tooke and John Bridges