had lost, nor could any one guess who, unless the devil, had won.

But though very probable it is, that this arch fiend had some share in the booty, it is likely he had not all; Mr. Bagshot being imagined to be a considerable winner, notwithstanding his assertions to the contrary; for he was seen by several to convey money often into his pocket ; and what is still a little stronger presumption is, that the grave gentleman, whom we have mentioned to have served his country in two honourable capacities, not being willing to trust alone to the evidence of his eyes, had frequently dived into the said Bagshot's pocket, whence (as he tells us in the apology for his life, afterwards published,*) though he might extract a few pieces, he was very sensible he had left many behind.

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The gentleman had long indulged his curiosity in this way before Mr. Bagshot, in the heat of gaming, had per- ceived him but as Bagshot was now leaving off play, he discovered this ingenious feat of dexterity; upon which, leaping up from his chair in violent passion, he cried out,. 'I thought I had been among gentlemen, and men of honour, but d-n me, I find we have a pickpocket in : company.' The scandalous sound of this word extreme-ly alarmed the whole board, nor did they all show less surprise than the Conn (whose not sitting of late is much lamented) would express at hearing there was an Atheist in the room; but it more particularly affected: the gentleman at whom it was levelled, though it was not addressed to him. He likewise started from his chair, and, with a fierce countenance and accent, said, 'Do you mean me? D. -n your eyes, you are a rascal and a . scoundrel.'. Those words would have been immediately succeeded by blows, had not the company interposed, and with strong arm withheld the two antagonists from each other. It was, however, a long time before they

*Not in a book by itself, in imitation of some other such per- sons, but in the ordinary's account, &c. where all the apologies for the lives of rogues and whores, which have been published within these twenty years, should have been inserted.

could be prevailed on to sit down; which being at last happily brought about, Mr. Wild the elder, who was a well-disposed old man, advised them to shake hands and be friends; but the gentleman, who had received the first affront, absolutely refused it, and swore, He would have the villain's blood. Mr. Snap highly applauded the resolution, and affirmed that the affront was by no means to be put up by any who bore the name of a gentleman, and that unless his friend resented it properly, he would never execute another warrant in his company; that he had always looked upon him as a man of honour, and doubted not but he would prove himself so; and that if it was his own case, nothing should persuade him to put up such an affront without proper satisfaction. The Count likewise spoke on the same side, and the parties themselves muttered several short sentences, purporting their intentions. At last Mr. Wild, our hero, rising slowly from his seat, and having fixed the attention of all present, began as follows: I have heard with infinite pleasure every thing which the two gentlemen who spoke last have said with relation to honour, nor can any man possibly entertain a higher and nobler sense of that word, nor a greater esteem of its inestimable value, than myself. If we have no name to express it by in our Cant Dictionary, it were well to be wished we had. It is indeed the essential quality of a gentleman, and which no man who ever was great in the field, or on the road, (as others express it,) can possibly be without. But alas! Gentlemen, what pity is it, that a word of such sovereign use and virtue should have so uncertain and various an application that scarce two people mean the same thing by it? Do not some by honour mean good-nature and humanity, which weak minds call virtues? How then! Must we deny it to the great, the brave, the noble; to the sackers of towns, the plunderers of provinces, and the conquerors of kingdoms? Were not these men of honour? and yet they scorn those pitiful qualities I have mentioned. Again, some few (or I am mistaken) include the idea of hones

*

ty in their honour. And shall we then say, that no man who withholds from another what law, or justice perhaps, calls his own, or who greatly and boldly deprives him of such property, is a man of honour? Heaven forbid I should say so in this, or, indeed, in any other good company. Is honour truth? No, it is not in the lie's going from us, but in its coming to us our honour is injured. Doth it then consist in what the vulgar call cardinal virtues? It would be an affront to your understandings to supposé it, since we see every day so many men of honour without any. In what then doth the word honour consist? Why in itself alone. A man of honour is he that is called a man of honour; and while he is so called, he so remains, and no longer. Think not any thing a man commits can Look abroad into the world, the

forfeit his honour. PRIG while he flourishes is a man of honour; when in jail, at the bar or the tree, he is so no longer. And why is this distinction? Not from his actions; for those are often as well known in his flourishing estate, as they are afterwards but because men, I mean those of his own party, or gang, call him a man of honour in the former, and cease to call him so in the latter condition. Let us see then; how hath Mr. Bagshot injured the gentleman's honour? Why, he hath called him a pickpocket; and that, probably, by a severe construction, and a long round-about way of reasoning, may seem a little to derogate from his honour, if considered in a very nice sense. Admitting it, therefore, for argument's sake, to be some small imputation on his honour, let Mr. Bagshot give him satisfaction; let him doubly and triply repair this oblique injury by directly asserting, that he believes he is a man of honour.' The gentleman answered, he was content to refer it to Mr. Wild, and whatever satisfaction he thought sufficient, he would accept. Let him give me my money again first,' said Bagshot, and then I will call him a man of honour with all my heart' The gentleman then protested he had not any, which Snap seconded, declaring he had his eyes on him all the while;

but Bagshot remained still unsatisfied, till Wild, rapping out a hearty oath, swore he had not taken a single farthing, adding, that whoever asserted the contrary gave him the lie, and he would resent it. And now, such was the ascendency of this Great Man, that Bagshot immediately acquiesced, and performed the ceremonies required: and thus, by the exquisite address of our hero, this quarrel, which had so fatal an aspect, and which, between two persons so extremely jealous of their honour, would most certainly have produced very dreadful consequences, was happily concluded..

:

Mr. Wild was indeed a little interested in this affair, as he himself had set the gentleman to work, and had received the greatest part of the booty and as to Mr. Snap's deposition in his favour, it was the usual height to which the ardour of that worthy person's friendship too frequently hurried him. It was his constant maxim, thạt he was a pitiful fellow who would stick at a little Rapping* for his friend.

CHAPTER XIV.

In which the history of GREATNESS is continued. MATTERS being thus reconciled, and the gaming over, from reasons before hinted, the company proceeded to drink about with the utmost cheerfulness and friendship; drinking healths, shaking hands, and professing the most perfect affection for each other. All which were not in the least interrupted by some designs which they then agitated in their minds, and which they intended to execute as soon as the liquor had prevailed over some of their understandings. Bagshot and the gentleman intending to rob each other; Mr. Snap and Mr. Wild the elder, meditating what other creditors they could find out, to charge the gentlemen then in custody with the Count hoping to renew the play, and Wild our hero laying a design to put Bagshot out of the way, or, as the vulgar express it, to hang him with the first opportunity. But none of

*Rapping is a cant word for perjury.

these great designs could at present be put in execution, for Mr. Snap, being soon after summoned abroad, on business of great moment, which required likewise the assistance of Mr. Wild the elder, and his other friend, and as he did not care to trust to the nimbleness of the Count's heels, of which he had already had some experience, he declared he must lock up for that evening. Here, reader, if thou pleasest, as we are in no great haste, we will stop and make a simile. As when their lap is finished, the cautious huntsman to their kennel gathers the nimblefooted hounds; they with lank ears and tails slouch sullenly on, whilst he with his whippers-in follows close to their heels, regardless of their dogged humour, till having seen them safe within the door, he turns the key, and then retires to whatever business or pleasure calls him thence so with lowering countenance, and reluctant steps, mounted the Count and Bagshot to their chamber, or rather kennel, whither they were attended by Snap, and those who followed him, and where Snap having seen them deposited, very contentedly locked the door, and departed. And now, reader, we will, in imitation of the truly laudable custom of the world, leave these our good friends to deliver themselves as they can, and pursue the thriving fortunes of Wild our hero, who with that great aversion to satisfaction and content, which is inseparably incident to great minds, began to enlarge his views with his prosperity: for this restless amiable disposition this noble avidity which increases with feeding, is the first principal or constituent quality of these our Great Men; to whom, in their passage on to greatness, it happens as to a traveller over the Alps, or, if this be a too far,fetched simile, to one who travels westward over the hills near Bath, where the simile was indeed made. He sees not the end of his journey at once; but passing on from scheme to scheme, and from hill to hill, with noble constancy, resolving still to attain the summit on which he hath fixed his eye, however dirty the roads may be through which he struggles, he at length arrives at→→→→