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' others, particularly a squire, who is thought to be no better than an atheist; who, forsooth, because 'there was a calf with a white face found dead in 'the same lane the next morning, would fain have it that the battle was between Frank and that, as if a calf would set upon a man. Besides, Frank 'told me he knew it to be a spirit, and could swear 'to him in any court in Christendom; and he had 'not drank above a quart or two, or such a matter of liquor, at the time. Lud have mercy upon us, ' and keep us all from dipping our hands in blood, 'I say!'

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Well, sir,' said Jones to the stranger, Mr. Partridge hath finished his story, and I hope will give 'you no future interruption, if you will be so kind 'to proceed.' He then resumed his narration; but as he hath taken breath for a while, we think proper to give it to our reader, and shall therefore put an end to this chapter.

CHAP. XII.

In which the Man of the Hill continues his history. «I HAD now regained my liberty," said the stranger; "but I had lost my reputation; for there is a wide difference between the case of a man who is barely acquitted of a crime in a court of justice, and of him who is acquitted in his own heart, and in the opinion of the people. I was conscious of my guilt, and ashamed to look any one in the face; so resolved to leave Oxford the next morning, before the daylight discovered me to the eyes of any be holders.

"When I had got clear of the city, it first entered into my head to return home to my father, and endeavour to obtain his forgiveness; but as I had no reason to doubt his knowledge of all which had past, and as I was well assured of his great aversion to all

acts of dishonesty, I could entertain no hopes of being received by him, especially since I was too certain of all the good offices in the power of my mother; nay, had my father's pardon been as sure, as I conceived his resentment to be, I yet question whether I could have had the assurance to behold him, or whether I could, upon any terms, have submitted to live and converse with those, who, I was convinced, knew me to have been guilty of so base an action.

"I hastened therefore back to London, the best retirement of either grief or shame, unless for persons of a very public character; for here you have the advantage of solitude without its disadvantage, since you may be alone and in company at the same time; and while you walk or sit unobserved, noise, hurry, and a constant succession of objects, entertain the mind, and prevent the spirits from preying on themselves, or rather on grief or shame, which are the most unwholesome diet in the world; and on which (though there are many who never taste either but in public) there are some who can feed very plentifully and very fatally when alone.

"But as there is scarce any human good without íts concomitant evil, so there are people who find an inconvenience in this unobserving temper of mankind; I mean persons who have no money; for as you are not put out of countenance, so neither are you clothed or fed by those who do not know you. And a man may be as easily starved in Leadenhall-market as in the deserts of Arabia.

"It was at present my fortune to be destitute of that great evil, as it is apprehended to be by several writers, who I suppose were overburthened with it, namely, money." With submission, sir,' said Partridge, I do not remember any writers who have. 'called it malorum; but irritamenta malorum. Ef"fodiuntur opes, irritamenta malorum.'-" Well, sir," continued the stranger, "whether it be an evil, or

only the cause of evil, I was entirely void of it, and at the same time of friends, and, as I thought, of acquaintance; when one evening, as I was passing through the Inner Temple, very hungry and very miserable, I heard a voice on a sudden hailing me with great familiarity by my christian name; and' upon my turning about, I presently recollected the person who so saluted me to have been my fellowcollegiate; one who had left the university above a year, and long before any of my misfortunes had befallen me. This gentleman, whose name was Watson, shook me heartily by the hand; and expressing great joy at meeting me, proposed our immediately drinking a bottle together. I first declined the proposal, and pretended business; but as he was very earnest and pressing, hunger at last overcame my pride, and I fairly confessed to him I had no money in my pocket; yet not without framing a lie for an excuse, and imputing it to my having changed my breeches that morning. Mr. Watson answered, 'I thought, Jack, you and I had been too 'old acquaintance for you to mention such a mat'ter.' He then took me by the arm, and was pulling me along; but I gave him very little trouble, for my own inclinations pulled me much stronger than he could do.

"We then went into the Friars, which you know is the scene of all mirth and jollity. Here when we arrived at the tavern, Mr. Watson applied himself to the drawer only, without taking the least notice of the cook; for he had no suspicion but that I had dined long since. However, as the case was really otherwise, I forged another falsehood, and told my companion I had been at the further end of the city on business of consequence, and had snapt up a mutton-chop in haste; so that I was again hungry, and wished he would add a beef-steak to his bottle." -Some people,' cries Partridge, ought to have good memories; or did you find just money enough

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in your breeches to pay for the mutton-chop?'--"Your observation is right," answered the stranger, " and I believe such blunders are inseparable from all dealing in untruth.-But to proceed-I began now to feel myself extremely happy. The meat and wine soon revived my spirits to a high pitch, and I enjoyed much pleasure in the conversation of my old acquaintance, the rather as I thought him entirely ignorant of what had happened at the university since his leaving it.

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"But he did not suffer me to remain long in this agrecable delusion; for taking a bumper in one hand, and holding me by the other, 'Here, my boy,' cries he, here's wishing you joy of your being so honourably acquitted of that affair laid to your charge.' I was thunderstruck with confusion at those words, which Watson observing, proceeded thus: Nay, never be ashamed, man; thou hast been 'acquitted, and no one now dares call thee guilty; 'but prithee do tell me, who am thy friend-I hope 'thou didst really rob him; for rat me if it was not a meritorious action to strip such a sneaking pitiful rascal; and instead of the two hundred guineas, I wish you had taken as many thousand. Come, come, my boy, don't be shy of confessing to me: you are not now brought before one of the pimps. D-n me if I don't honour you for it; for, as I hope for salvation, I would have made no manner of scruple of doing the same thing.' "This declaration a little relieved my abashment; and as wine had now somewhat opened my heart, I very freely acknowledged the robbery, but acquainted him that he had been misinformed as to the sum taken, which was little more than a fifth part of what he had mentioned.

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"I am sorry for it with all my heart,' quoth he, and I wish thee better success another time. Though, if you will take my advice, you shall have

no occasion to run any such risk. Here,' said he taking some dice out of his pocket, here's the 'stuff. Here are the implements; here are the little doctors which cure the distempers of the purse. Follow but my counsel, and I will show you a way to empty the pocket of a queer cull without any danger of the nubbing cheat.' "

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Pray, sir,

Why that, sir," says the stranger," is a cant phrase for the gallows; for as gamesters differ little from highwaymen in their morals, so do they very much resemble them in their language.

"We had now each drank our bottle, when Mr. Watson said, the board was sitting, and that he must attend, earnestly pressing me at the same time to go with him and try my fortune. I answered, he knew that was at present out of my power, as I had informed him of the emptiness of my pocket. To say the truth, I doubted not, from his many strong expressions of friendship, but that he would offer to lend me a small sum for that purpose; but he answered, Never mind that, man; e'en boldly run a leyant" [Partridge was going to inquire the meaning of that word, but Jones stopped his mouth]; but be circumspect as to the man. I will tip you 'the proper person, which may be necessary, as you do not know the town, nor can distinguish a rum cull from a queer one.'

"The bill was now brought, when Watson paid his share, and was departing. I reminded him, not without blushing, of my having no money. He answered, 'That signifies nothing; score it behind the door, or make a bold brush and take no notice.Or-stay,' says he; I will go down stairs first, and then do you take up my money, and score the ? whole reckoning at the bar, and I will wait for you f at the corner,' I expressed some dislike at this,

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