cap

made of brown dyed linen, which seemingly had not witnessed the washing tub for a series of years. A jacket of green frieze stuff; but so completely ornamented with patching, that little remained of the original: the vest, the same as when dressed: his neckcloth something resembling the in stuff and cleanliness: his stockings of the coarsest woollen, hanging to his ancles: his feet stuck into old shoes, completely worn out, and which had not felt the shining qualities of Warren's Blacking for many years. He possessed, however, a good house and garden in the suburbs of the city, well stocked with fruit trees, of all kinds. He had also a handsome carriage, but which was seldom in use, and, when run, was by post horses, as he complained much of the great expense of maintaining a driver and horses. In addition to all this, he had a valuable collection of silver plate, which he called his family plate, (for the Doctor was very clanish), but they were seldom out of their cases, unless to clear up for preservation: and it will surprise the reader, that, although he had the misfortune to have his house broken into,

and various costly pieces of this same plate carried off, yet he bore the loss with the greatest sang froid, and, when condoled with on account of the misfortune, he remarked, in great good humour, that "the rascals could not have pitched on one who could better sustain the loss."

It has already been mentioned, that nothing had a more powerful effect in drawing a favour from the Doctor than a welltimed glass, especially in the forenoon. This was his weak side; and it was so easily discovered, that the needy and designing laid hold of the advantage, and hardly a day passed, in the after part of his life, in which they did not procure the Doctor's subscription to bills of a considerable amount, when under the influence of liquor, and which he seldom failed to have to pay. On these occasions too the Doctor was often induced to engage in cautionary obligations, which he generally had to redeem ; yet so tenacious was he of his money, that he would neither relieve a bill thus elicited from him, or discharge a cautionary obligation, until taken into custody

by ultimate diligence.* These expenses very much increased the original debt; so that by this ill judged opposition the Doctor not only lost his principal debt, but 25 per cent. in addition and it is an undoubted fact that, some time previous to his death, he actually lay a week in the "Heart of Mid Lothian," rather than discharge a considerable cautionary obligation; so that this gentleman, by allowing himself to be taken in by those he called "prowlers," soon acquired a habit for the bottle, so that for many years before his dissolution he was oftener carried than he walked to his own house to dinner, which had the effect not only to undermine his constitution, but to incapacitate him from attending to his private affairs; the consequence was, that his immense fortune decreased every day, and he ultimately sunk under the effects of drink, leaving his affairs in much confusion.

The Doctor, although not a man of brilliant acquirements, was yet thought worthy

* Ultimate diligence is a warrant to apprehend and imprison the debtor's person.

of the title of Doctor of Divinity; and had he rested satisfied with the handsome fortune he got by his two ladies, and managed it in a prudent manner, he might have lived happy. But his avarice prompted him to engage in every speculation that could increase his capital, whereby he nearly sacrificed his original fortune, ruined his character and constitution, and died unregretted, nor left even the "wreck of a name."

ESSAY V.

ON VANITY.

Hast thou seen a man wise in his own conceit? there shall be more hope of a fool than of him.

PROVERBS, Xxvi. 12.

NOTHING lowers one so much in the esteem of rational beings as the vice of vanity; it even sinks him below human na. ture itself. Vanity affects the brain, and pushes on its victims to the most ridiculous actions. It puffs them up with pride; it excites in them a desire of being admired by the world; it leads them into every extravagance, until at last it brings them to ruin! What unprecedented show and pa rade does not the vain man exhibit to attract notice? What preposterous affectation does he not assume, to be thought singular? The vain man is generally made the tool of others: they praise and flatter, while, at the same time, they laugh him to He is made the butt of every com

scorn.