"their Sucking-bottle, into the Lifts of Eloquence; than which, by their own Con"feffion, nothing is harder to attain: "Whereas if they would fuffer them to come up by degrees, that their Studies might be temper'd with grave Lectures; their Affections fashion'd by the Dictates "of Wisdom; that they might work them"felves into a Mastery of Words; and "for a long time hear, what they're in"clin'd to imitate, nothing that pleas'd "Children wou'd be admir'd by them.

cr

But now Boys trifle in the Schools, young "Men are laugh'd at in Publick, and, which is worse than both, what ill Ha"bits are foolishly affum'd in Youth, we "refuse to acknowledge in Age.

"And that I may not be thought to "have condemn'd Lucilius's manner of Writing, I will also my felf give you my "Thoughts in Verfe.

By Liberal Arts would you acquire Renown,
And rife to Power by Honours of the Gown?
Strict in your Life, of Conversation chaste,
Far from the Court with just precaution hafte,
The Haughty Great but very rare attend,
Nor drink too deeply to oblige a Friend.
Let no foft Vows your blooming Youth engage,
And flye the lufcious Accents of the Stage,
Whether the Bard of fair Brifeis Sings,
Of ftern Pelides and the Fate of Kings,

Or wounded Gods, the immortal Verfe inspire
Atrides Wrongs, or burnt Scamander's Ire :
Let Homer's Mufe your early Studies guide,
And largely drink of that enchanting Tide.
Next let Philofophy employ your Thought,
And Maxims learn the Wife Athenian taught,
From thence-

*

A fresh Career, with rapid Courses run,
And equal him † oppos'd great Philip's Son.

While I was wholly taken up with Agamemnon, I did not observe how Afcyltos had given me the flip, and being still intent upon his Discourse, a great crowd of Scholars fill'd the Portico, to hear, (as it appear'd afterwards) an extemporary Declamation, of I know not whom, that was defcanting on what Agamemnon had faid; while therefore they ridicul'd Advice, and condemn'd the method of the whole, I took an opportunity of getting from them, and ran in quest of Afcyltos: But the hurry I was in, with my ignorance where our Inn stood, so distracted me, that what way foever I went, I return'd the fame, till tir'd in the purfuit, and all in a sweat, I met an old Herb-woman: I beseech you Mother, fays I, do you know whereabouts I dwell? Pleas'd with the humour of the queftion, Why Should I not? answer'd the, and rifing up, went on before me: I

* Socrates + Demofthenes,

thought

thought her no less than a Witch: But having led me into a bye Lane, he threw off her Pyebal'd Patch'd Mantle, and here, fays she, you can't want a Lådging.

As I was denying I knew the House, I obferv'd a company of Beaux reading the Bills o'er the Boxes, on which was infcrib'd the Name of the refpective Whore and her Price; and others of the fame Function naked, fcuttling it here and there, as if they would not, yet would be feen: When too late I found my felf in a Bawdy-houfe, curfing the Hag that had trapan'd me thither, I cover'd my Face, and was just making off through the midst of them, when in the very Entry Afeyltos met me, but as tired as my felf, and in a manner dead; you'd have fworn the fame old Woman decoy'd him there. I could not forbear laughing, we faluted each other, and I ask'd him what bufinefs he had in fo fcandalous a place? he wip'd his Face, And if you knew, reply'd he, what has happen'd As what, fays I.

to me

He faintly reply'd; When I had rov'd the whole City without finding our Inn, the Master of this Houfe came up to me, and obligingly proffer d to be my Guide; fo through many a cross Lane and blind turning, having brought me to this Houfe, he drew upon me, and prefs'd to a clofer Ingagement. In this Affliction the Whore of the Cell alfo demanded a Reward for the use of ber Apartment; and that loofe Fellow laid fuch violent Hands on me, that had I not been too Strong for him, I had got the worst of it. B 4

While

.

While Afcyltos was telling his Tale, in come the fame Fellow, with a Woman, none of the least agreeable, and looking upon Afcyltos, entreated him to walk in and fear nothing, for if he would not be Paffive he might be Active: The Woman on the other hand press'd me to go in with her. We follow d therefore,and being led among those little Apartments, we faw many of both Sexes imploy'd in the Boxes, fo that we concluded all of them had drank a Love Potion. *

We were no fooner difcover'd, but they wou'd have attack'd us with the like Impudence, and in a trice one of their number with his Coat tuck'd under his Girdle, laid hold on Afcyltos, and having thrown him crofs a Couch, would have charg'd him in the rear: I presently ran to help the undermoft, and uniting our forces, we made Nothing of the troublefome Fool*. Afcyltos went off, and flying, left me expos'd to their Violence; but thanks to my Strength and Courage, I got off without Injury.

I had almost traverft the City round,* when in the dusk of the Evening I faw Gito at the Bench of our Inn *; I placed my felf by him, and enquir'd what Afyltos had got us for Dinner? the Boy fitting down, began to wipe away the Tears that stood in his Eyes; I was much concern'd at it, and ask'd him the occafion; he was flow in his answer, and feem'd unwilling to inform me; but mixing Threats with my Entreaties; Twas that Brother or Comrogue of yours, faid he, that com

ing ere while into our Lodging, wou'd have vialated my Virtue: When I cry'd out, he drew his Sword, and if thou art a Lucreece, faid he, thon haft met a Tarquin.

I heard him, and pointing at Afcyltos, what fay'st thou, thou Catamite, whofe very Breath

is infectious?

*

Afcyltos at first pretended to be mightily furpriz'd, but presently putting my Hand afide, in a higher Voice, cry'd out, Must you be prating, thou Lafcivious Cut-throat, who was condemn'd for murdering thine Hoft*, and fav'd only by the breaking of the Rope? Tou make a noife, you Night-Pad, whofe top Miftrifs was but a Bawd. On what account did you and I keep Company formerly? Upon the fame, I suppose, theBoy is admitted the honour of yourConversation..

And who but you, interrupted I, gave me that flip in the Portico? Why, what a wife Man of Gotham, continu'd he, must I have been, when I was dying for hunger, to hear Sentences, forfooth, as much to the purpose as the ratling of broken Glaffes, or the expounding of Dreams? by Hercules, thou wert by much the greater Rogue of the two, who to get a meals Meat, did not blush to commend an infipid Poet. When at last, turning from Scolding to Laughing, we began to be in a better humour, and to talk of our Af-. fairs with a little more fedateness.

But a sense of the late Injury still sticking in my Stomach, Afcyltos, faid I, I find we shall never agree together, therefore let's divide the common Stock, and each of us fet up for himself : You are a piece of a Scholar,

and