very different with the diverfions and pursuits which they follow from choice. A found philofophical reason, might poffibly, with much eafe be affigned for this; but as we are little difpofed ourselves to philofophize, after the entertainment we have received, fo we fancy it will rather pleafe the reader to relate our adventure, than to amuse him with the dry difquifitions of fober fpeculation.

I frequently make it my choice to dine at a certain ordinary in this city, as I feldom fail to meet with characters, and to find matter for fu ture lucubration. At the close of the winter, E took my seat there one day, with about a dozen companions, feated at the fame table. When the rage of hunger was tolerably subdued, we began to grow acquainted, and I quickly found, that almost every individual differed from the other, as well in inclination as in employment.

Tom Sweepstakes opened very obftreperously, with fome fage, remarks on the mischiefs of the militia, and the curfed crofs accident of a late Lord's trial; for by means of thefe, quoth he, our last meeting at New-Market was fo plaguely thin, that a man might almoft fplit his windpipe with fhouting, before he could make another hear on the heath. He then began to ask his next neighbour, what he thought of the match between Babraham and the Godolphin Arabian, and offered, with a tremendous oath,

five to four on the former, which he swore, would beat the other all hollow off the turf. For Babraham, says he, had Silver Shoulders for his fire, who was gotten out of the Duke's famous mare Jenny Diver, whofe fire was the Ancafter's Stirling, whofe dam, &c.

"Pox upon your Babrahams and Jenny Divers, on Dukes and Lords, and New-Markets; fome folks had better be fighting than gambling away their money fo foolishly amongst a parcel of knaves and jockies,” replied his next neighbour, Jonas Crop-cram'd, whofe fleek appearance indicated his near relationship to the commoncouncil.

"For my part, continued he, I have always thought gaming a most deftructive evil, preju dicial to the interefts of a trading city, and deftructive of its upright and antient polity; and of all gaming, your fame horse-racing I judge to be the moft wicked and mifchievous. Can't a man divert himself in a more reasonable manner now, as I do, for example, who love to walk a mile or two into the country, and amuse myfelf with an innocent hour's pastime at a fkittle-ground or nine-pin alley, where one is always fure to meet with fome good company, and never fail to hear public matters discussed in a fober and understanding way. That was a noble stroke, Sir, faid he, turning from Sweeptakes to his left-hand neighbour;—that knock

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ing of the head that there Thurot; a peftilent fellow, he, I can affure you: Well, nobody fhall perfuade me, but that this fame Elliot muft be a Pitt's man, do fee Or you ftand me, Sir?"

you under

"What was you faying, Sir, faid Harry Guittar, carelessly humming a tune, and playing with his fingers upon the table; you spoke to me, I believe, Sir, but in good truth you miftook your man; I concern myself little about your Pitts or your Elliots, or any of this fort of people; I have not the honour, and faith, Sir, I don't court it, of knowing any of them, and I have been very credibly informed, that your very famous Mr. Pitt has no kind of ear for mufic. Indeed, very few of our great people, as they are called, have the leaft fmack of the bon gout, the polite relish in that way. One cannot deny, that they will pretend to have tafte; they will fit, it is true, to hear our best performers; but one may easily discover with what little attention they hear, from the idle chit-chat whispering amongst them. Heavens the rustling of the fmalleft leaf is intollerable on thefe occafions. I muft own it is fome pleasure to find that there are already feveral hundred fubfcriptions of five guineas made to the most delicate and inimitable Mifs F

But for the elegant touches of Pinto, for the fweet, foft, and enrapturing ftrains of

Mattei !

O fright

O frightful! they have no more ears than that. abominable monfter, commonly called, an Afs."

Pleased with what he had faid, Harry's rifible faculties were strongly moved; and felf-fatisfied, he hummed with triumph the laft new Italian air. While with a deep and plaintive voice, old Solomon Tomefwell cried out, lifting up his hands and fhaking his peruke, which had long been unconscious of a curl, "A hundred with their guineas to Mifs F! Shame on them! Shame on them! I am grieved to death with the depravity of the age, so many guineas for mere tickling of the ear, for one dirty girl that has no merit to plead, but the fortunate accident of a tolerably good pipe. When now, mark me, if a man of genius and education goes to folicit a subscription to a work of profound erudition, which, by the way, would reflect more honour than all their titles on the very nobleft of them to fupport and patronize; -One may beat one's heels in their halls long. enough, God knows, before one can get a fixpence from them. You must know, gentlemen (and then he pulled a packet of papers out of his pocket, and mounted a pair of spectacles on the large bridge of his very prominent nose) you must know, I have just published proposals for printing, in two volumes folio, the learned works of the laborious Duns Scotus, a moft profound and elaborate divine, whose writings are mouldring

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mouldring on the dusty shelves of neglected libraries, and whofe fuperlative worth, believe me, is not known amongst us, otherwife no man living would be without thefe volumes. Now as I propofed to decorate the work with cuts, and to print it on a fine paper, and new letter, I offer it at the moderate price of fix guineas; three on fubfcribing, and three on receipt of the book. And would you believe it, gentlemen, O tempora, O mores! Not one of our bishops, nay, fcarce one clergyman, can I prevail upon to fubfcribe! So that I fear, this most divine and exquifite work will never fee the light, to the unspeakable lofs of the eru dite part of mankind."

I must defer the answer of my friend Equation, as well as an account of my other companions, to fome future paper.

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