and his perfecutor, and feemed infinitely pleased at his new fituation. In this manfion of diftrefs, though fecluded from his friends, though denied all the amufements, and even the conveniencies of life, he ftill retained his good humour; laughed at all the little spite of his enemies; and carried the jeft fo far, as to be revenged by writing the life of his gaoler. ALL that the wisdom of the proud can teach, is, to be ftubborn or fullen under misfortunes. The Cardinal's example will inftruct us to be merry in circumftances of the highest affliction. It matters not whether our good humour be conftrued by others into infenfibility, or even idiotifm; it is happiness to ourselves; and none but a fool would measure his fatisfaction by what the world thinks of it. For my own part, I never pafs by one of our prifons for debt, that I do not envy that felicity which is ftill going forward among thofe people who forget the cares of the world, by being fhut out from its ambition. THE happieft filly fellow I ever knew, was of the number of thofe good-natured creatures that are faid to do no harm to any but themfelves. Whenever he fell into any mifery, he ufually called it feeing life. If his head was broke by a chairman, or his pocket pickt by a fharper, he comforted himself by imitating the Hibernian dialect of the one, or the more fashionable cant of the other. Nothing came amifs to him. His inattention to money-matters had incensed his father to fuch a degree, that all the interceffion of friends in his favour was fruitlefs. The old gentleman was on his death-bed. The whole family, family, and Dick among the number, gathered around him.. "I leave my fecond fon, An"drew," faid the expiring mifer, "my whole "eftate; and defire him to be frugal." Andrew, in a forrowful tone, as is ufual on thefe occafions, prayed heaven to prolong his life, and health to enjoy it himself." I recommend Simon, my "third fon, to the care of his eldeft brother, and "leave him befide four thousand pounds." "Ah! "father," cried Simon, (in great affliction to be fure), 66 may heaven give you life. and health to enjoy it yourself." At laft, turning to poor Dick, "As for you, you have always been a "fad dog; you'll never come to good; you'll "never be rich: I'll leave you a fhilling to buy ❝an halter." "Ah! father," cries Dick, without any emotion, "may heaven give you life "and health to enjoy it yourself." This was all the trouble the lofs of fortune gave this thoughtless imprudent creature. However, the tenderness of an uncle recompensed the neglect of a father; and my friend is now not only exceffively good-humoured, but competently rich. YES, let the world cry out at a bankrupt who appears at a ball; at an author who laughs at the publick which pronounces him a dunce; at a general who fmiles at the reproach of the vul. gar, or the lady who keeps her good humour in fpite of scandal; but fuch is the wifeft behaviour that any of us can poffibly affume: it is certainly a better way to oppofe calamity by diffipation, than to take up the arms of reason or refolution to oppofe it. By the first method, we forget our miferies; by the laft, we only conceal them from others. By ftruggling with misfortunes, we are are fure to receive fome wounds in the conflict; but a fure method to come off victorious, is by running away. ESS A Y IV. I REMEMBER to have read in fome philofopher, (I believe in Tom Brown's works), that, let a man's character, fentiments, or complexion, be what they will, he can find company in London to match them. If he be fplenetick, he may ea very day meet companions on the feats in St. James's Park, with whofe groans he may mix his own, and pathetically talk of the weather. If he be paffionate, he may vent his rage among the old orators at Slaughter's coffee-house, and damn the nation, because it keeps him from ftarving. If he be phlegmatick, he may fit in filence at the Hum-drum Club in Ivy-Lane; and, if actually mad, he may find very good company in Moorfields, either at Bedlam or the Foundery, ready to cultivate a nearer acquaintance. Bur, although fuch as have a knowledge of the town, may eafily clafs themselves with tempers congenial to their own; a country man who comes to live in London, finds nothing more difficult. With regard to myself, none ever tried with more affiduity, or came off with fuch indif ferent fuccefs. I spent my whole feafon in the fearch, during which time, my name has been inrolled in focieties, lodges, convocations, and meetings, without number. To fome. I was in troduced troduced by a friend, to others invited by an advertisement; to thefe I introduced myself, and to those I changed my name to gain admittance. In short, no coquette was ever more folicitous to match her ribbons to her complexion, than I to fuit my club to my temper; for I was too obftinate to bring my temper to conform to it.. THE firft club I entered, upon coming to town, was that of the Choice Spirits. The name was entirely fuited to my tafte: I was a lover of mirth, good humour, and even fometimes of fun, from my childhood. As no other paffport was requifite but the payment of two fhillings at the door, I introduced myself, without farther ceremony, to the members, who were already affembled, and had, for fome time, begun upon business. The Grand, with a mallet in his hand, prefided at the head of the table. I could not avoid, upon my entrance, making use of all my skill in phyfiognomy, in order to discover that fuperiority of genius in men, who had taken a title fo fuperior to the rest of mankind. I expected to fee the lines of every face marked with ftrong thinking; but, though I had fome fkill in this fcience, I could for my life difcover nothing but a pert fimper, fat, or profound ftupidity: My fpeculations were foon interrupted by the Grand, who had knocked down Mr. Spriggins for a fong. I was, upon this, whispered by one of the company who fat next me, that I fhould now fee fomething touched off to a nicety, for Mr. Spriggins was going to give us Mad Tom in all B ito its glory. Mr. Spriggins endeavoured to excufe himself; for, as he was to act a madman and a king, it was impoffible to go through the part properly without a crown and chains. His excufes were overruled by a great majority, and with much vociferation. The prefident ordered up the jack-chain, and, instead of a crown, our performer covered his brows with an inverted jordan. After he had rattled his chain, and fhook his head, to the great delight of the whole company, he began his fong. As I have heard few young fellows offer to fing in. company that did not expose themselves, it was no great difappointment to me to find Mr. Spriggins among the number; however, not to feem an odd fifh, 1 rose from my feat in rapture, cried out, Bravo! Encore! and flapped the table as loud as any of the reft. THE gentleman who fat next me, feemed highly pleased with my tafte, and the ardour of my approbation; and whispering, told me, That I had fuffered an immenfe lofs; for, had I come a few minutes fooner, I might have heard Geeho Dobbin fung in a tip-top manner by the pimple-nofed fpirit at the prefident's right elbow; but he was evaporated before 1 came. As I was expreffing my uneafinefs at this difappointment, I found the attention of the company employed upon a fat figure, who, with a voice more rough than the Staffordshire giant's, was giving us "The foftly fweet, in Lydian "measure," of Alexander's Feast. After a fhort pause of admiration, to this fucceeded a Welch dialogue, with the humours of Teague and Taf fy: |