fent me word, we fhall certainly come off for a cool fifty a-piece.> Here is a true copy from the journal of this gentleman's employment for feven days, com-* mitted to paper by his own hand. Were we to ballance his accounts at the end of the year, we fhould find, I believe, almost the whole blank of his time filled up with eating, drinking and fleeping; in adorning his perfon, in gratifying his appetites, and grovelling in all the occupations of a brute, but scarce a single hour fpent rationally, ufefully and becomingly.. How much fuperior to this animal, (for he deferves no other name) is Mr. Manley. He is a young man bleft with fine natural parts, which he cultivates with the greatest affiduity. He fees with ecftafy the earliest rays of the fun, and practifes, with an amazing fteadiness, the vir tues of temperance and felf-denial. He is con tinually improving and benefitting himself and his friends. He fcorns the thought of basely injuring any man, and never makes a promise, which he does not fully intend to perform. No importunate creditor troubles his repose at an untimely hour. His acquaintance, like his books, are are not numerous, but well chofen: between thefe, his ftudies, and other neceffary avocations, he divides his time. An unvarying hearfulness of temper gilds each happy moment of his life, not but that religion often demands his most serious attention, and in return beftows upon him that unutterable transport which the unpolluted heart alone can feel. He fmiles with difdain at the loud laugh, the contumelious witticism, and the fneering reproof of those, who seem to despise him publickly, but revere or envy him in fecret for his accomplishments, and the wide difparity between his conduct and their own. Amongst all the vicious examples which furround him, he is refolute, and not to be allured by any of them. No prospect of gain or pleasure, no flattery or folicitation can seduce him from the inflexible discharge of the duties which he owes his Creator, his parents, his friends and himself. And to prove that he has not the ridiculous apathy of a ftoic in his temper, he is at this time paying his most passionate addreffes to a very worthy young lady, who is difcerning enough to distinguish the man of fenfe from the coxcomb, and has confented, with the permiffion of her parents, to make him happy. NUMB. ************************************ NUMB. X. Saturday, May 15, 1756. Vice, if it ere can be abafh'd, I neither know you, nor your name. SWIFT. To NICHOLAS BABBLE, Efq; Dear Nic, A Rriving laft Saturday from Edinburgh, I called at Lownds's library, in order to hear what new publications there had been during my abfence. There, to my no fmall aftonifhment, I was told, that you had enlisted under the banners of Apollo, and begun to attack the town pen in hand. The news shocked me fo much, that I walked out of the fhop, with the World in my pocket, greatly chagrined at thy indifcretion, and could not help crying out peevishly Phaw-what is the man bewitched? I thought he had more sense than to turn feribbler at this time of life-Egad, Nic, let me tell you. as a friend, that you are a very bold fellow, to fet up a Paper in this criticizing, cavilling, cenforious age Several authors as in genious genious as yourself have been kick'd, cuff'd, horfe-whip'd, and pulled by the nofe for prying into other people's affairs, and publishing home truths. But I hope you will always have a regard for your person and reputation, and take care not to run a rifque of being filenced for speaking too plain. My poft under the government, gives me an opportunity of knowing what paffes in the most commercial part of this metropolis. At Jonathan's I am often diverted to fee the ftocks rife and fall, like the liquor in a thermometer, according to the ignorance or cunning of the buyer or feller. Sometimes I affociate with the fons of Galen and Hippocrates at Batson's, and fee a young spruce apothecary, who by dint of a forehead well covered with brafs, and an autumnal perriwig, has lately fet up a chariot, and now orders, his patients to purge, blifter and bleed with the peremptorinefs and self-sufficiency of a R―k. In fhort, Sir, as I have it in my power to communicate a great many useful hints, entertaining stories, and interefting anecdotes to you, if you will encourage a correfpondence, by printing this letter, I will affume the character of a Jackall, and furnish you with food, which you you may cook up and prepare for your guests in what manner you please. If any hugely-waifted alderman furfeits himself at an hofpital-feaft; if any tradefman's wife is catch'd with her husband's journey-man, while the good man is induftrioufly following his occupation; if any boarding-school mifs flies from her gouvernante to the arms of her father's footman, and if any lady of quality carries on an intrigue with her hair-cutter, you shall receive the earliest intelligence. You may also expect fome curious accounts from the Bedford Coffee-Houfe, for the master of it has promised to acquaint me with all the material occurrences which happen among the choice fpirits. And in return, I do hereby declare, that if any young buck fhall prefume for the future to sneak out at the back-door, without leaving his two-pence at the bar, I will fend you his name, which you may publish, without ftriking off the vowels. Farewel, old boy; go on, and prosper; and believe me to be moft fincerely, Your friend, To Squire BABBLE, SIR, JACK TATTLE. -in Kent. I am but a plain fort of a man as you may |