hope your ladyship will accept of a gown, till you can get your own clothes.'

'Prithee, woman,' says Mrs. Waters, cease your impertinence: how can you imagine I should concern myself about any thing which comes from the lips of such low creatures as yourself. But I am surprised at your assurance in thinking, after what is past, that I will condescend to put on any of your dirty things. I would have you know, creature, I have a spirit above that.'

Here Jones interfered, and begged Mrs. Waters to forgive the landlady, and to accept her gown: For I must confess,' cries he, our appearance was a 'little suspicious when first we came in; and I am "well assured, all this good woman did, was, as she ⚫ professed, out of regard to the reputation of her 'house.'

Yes, upon my truly was it,' says she: the gen'tleman speaks very much like a gentleman, and I 'see very plainly is so; and to be certain the house is well known to be a house of as good reputation as any on the road, and though I say it, is frequented by gentry of the best quality, both Irish and English. I defy any body to say black is my eye, for that matter. And, as I was saying, if I had known your ladyship to be your ladyship, I 'would as soon have burnt my fingers as have affronted your ladyship; but truly where gentry 'come and spend their money, I am not willing that they should be scandalised by a set of poor shabby vermin, that, wherever they go, leave more lice 'than money behind them; such folks never raise iny compassion, for to be certain it is foolish to have any for them; and if our justices did as they ought, they would be all whipt out of the king'dom, for to be certain it is what is most fitting 'for them. But as for your ladyship, I am heartily 'sorry your ladyship hath had a misfortune, and if

your ladyship will do me the honour to wear my clothes till you can get some of your ladyship's own, to be certain the best I have is at your ladyship's service.'

Whether cold, shame, or the persuasions of Mr. Jones prevailed most on Mrs. Waters, I will not determine; but she suffered herself to be pacified by this speech of my landlady, and retired with that good woman, in order to apparel herself in a decent

manner.

My landlord was likewise beginning his oration to Jones, but was presently interrupted by that generous youth, who shook him heartily by the hand, and assured him of entire forgiveness, saying, ‘If 'you are satisfied, my worthy friend, I promise you 'I am;' and indeed, in one sense, the landlord had the better reason to be satisfied; for he had received a bellyfull of drubbing, whereas Jones had scarce felt a single blow.

Partridge, who had been all this time washing his bloody nose at the pump, returned into the kitchen at the instant when his master and the landlord were shaking hands with each other. As he was of a peaceable disposition, he was pleased with those symptoms of reconciliation; and though his face bore some marks of Susan's fist, and many more of her nails, he rather chose to be contented with his fortune in the last battle, than to endeavour at bettering it in another.

The heroic Susan was likewise well contented with her victory, though it had cost her a black eye, which Partridge had given her at the first onset. Between these two, therefore, a league was struck, and those hands which had been the instruments of war, became now the mediators of peace.

Matters were thus restored to a perfect calm; at which the serjeant, though it may seem so coutrary to the principles of his profession, testified his appro

bation. Why now, that's friendly,' said he; 'd—n 'me, I hate to see two people bear ill will to one ' another, after they have had a tussel. The only 'way when friends quarrel, is to see it out fairly in a friendly manner, as a man may call it, either ' with a fist, or sword, or pistol, according as they like, and then let it be all over; for my own part, 'd-n me, if ever I love my friend better than when 'I am fighting with him. To bear malice is more like a Frenchman than an Englishman.'

He then proposed a libation as a necessary part of the ceremony at all treaties of this kind. Perhaps the reader may here conclude that he was well versed in ancient history; but this, though highly probable, as he cited no authority to support the custom, I will not affirm with any confidence. Most likely indeed it is, that he founded his opinion on very good authority, since he confirmed it with many violent oaths.

Jones no sooner heard the proposal, than immediately agreeing with the learned serjeant, he ordered a bowl, or rather a large mug, filled with the liquor used on these occasions, to be brought in, and then began the ceremony himself. He placed his right hand in that of the landlord, and seizing the bowl with his left, uttered the usual words, and then made his libation. After which, the same was observed by all present. Indeed, there is very little need of being particular in describing the whole form, as it differed so little from those libations of which so much is recorded in ancient authors and their modern transcribers. The principal difference lay in two instances; for first, the present company poured the liquor only down their throats; and, secondly, the serjeant, who officiated as priest, drank the last; but he preserved, I believe, the ancient form in swallowing much the largest draught of the whole company, and in being the only person pre

sent who contributed nothing towards the libation, besides his good offices in assisting at the performance.

The good people now ranged themselves round the kitchen fire, where good-humour seemed to maintain an absolute dominion; and Partridge not only forgot his shameful defeat, but converted hunger into thirst, and soon became extremely facetious. We must, however, quit this agreeable assembly for a while, and attend Mr. Jones to Mrs. Waters's apartment, where the dinner which he had now bespoke was on the table. Indeed, it took no long time in preparing, having been all drest three days before, and required nothing more from the cook than to warm it over again.

CHAP. V.

An apology for all heroes who have good stomachs, with a description of a battle of the amorous kind.

HEROES, notwithstanding the high ideas which, by the means of flatterers, they may entertain of themselves, or the world may conceive of them, have certainly more of mortal than divine about them. However elevated their minds may be, their bodies at least (which is much the major part of most) are liable to the worst infirmities, and subject to the vilest offices of human nature. Among these latter, the act of eating, which hath by several wise men been considered as extremely mean and derogatory from the philosophic dignity, must be in some measure performed by the greatest prince, hero, or philosopher upon earth; nay, sometimes Nature hath been so frolicksome, as to exact of these dignified characters a much more exorbitant share of this office, than she hath obliged those of the lowest order to perform.

To say the truth, as no known inhabitant of this

globe is really more than man, so none need be ashamed of submitting to what the necessities of man demand; but when those great personages I have just mentioned, condescend to aim at confining such low offices to themselves-as when, by hoarding or destroying, they seem desirous to prevent any others from eating-they then surely become very low and despicable.

Now, after this short preface, we think it no disparagement to our hero to mention the immoderate ardour with which he laid about him at this season. Indeed, it may be doubted, whether Ulysses, who by the way seems to have had the best stomach of all the heroes in that eating poem of the Odyssey, ever made a better meal. Three pounds at least of that flesh which formerly had contributed to the composition of an ox, was now honoured with becoming part of the individual Mr. Jones.

This particular we thought ourselves obliged to mention, as it may account for our hero's temporary neglect of his fair companion; who ate but very little, and was indeed employed in considerations of a very different nature, which passed unobserved by Jones, till he had entirely satisfied that appetite which a fast of twenty-four hours had procured him ; but his dinner was no sooner ended, than his attention to other matters revived; with these matters therefore we shall now proceed to acquaint the reader.

Mr. Jones, of whose personal accomplishments we have hitherto said very little, was, in reality, one of the handsomest young fellows in the world. His face, besides being the picture of health, had in it the most apparent marks of sweetness and good-nature. These qualities were indeed so characteristical in his countenance, that while the spirit and sensibility in his eyes, though they must have been perceived by an accurate observer, might have escaped the notice of the less discerning, so strongly was this