'One worthless man that gains what he pretends, 'With what heart-burnings then must any nation see 'themselves obliged to contribute to the support of a set ' of men, of whose incapacity to serve them they are well apprised, and who do their country a double diskindness, by being themselves employed in posts to which they are unequal, and by keeping others out of those 'employments for which they are qualified!' เ 'And do you really think, doctor,' cries the nobleman, 'that any minister could support himself in this country upon such principles as you recommend? Do you 'think he would be able to baffle an opposition, unless he 'should oblige his friends by conferring places often contrary to his own inclinations and his own opinion?' ་ เ เ Yes, really do I,' cries the doctor. 'Indeed, if a minister is resolved to make good his confession in the ' liturgy, by leaving undone all those things which he ought to have done, and by doing all those things which he ought 'not to have done; such a minister, I grant, will be obliged to baffle opposition, as you are pleased to term it, by 'these arts; for, as Shakspeare somewhere says, 'Things ill begun strengthen themselves by ill.' 'But if, on the contrary, he will please to consider the เ true interest of his country, and that only in great and 'national points; if he will engage his country in neither 'alliances or quarrels, but where it is really interested: 'if he will raise no money but what is wanted, nor em'ploy any civil or military officers but what are useful; 'and place in these employments men of the highest integrity, and of the greatest abilities; if he will employ เ some few of his hours to advance our trade, and some 'few more to regulate our domestic government; if he 'would do this, my lord, I will answer for it, he shall ' either have no opposition to baffle, or he shall baffle it by a fair appeal to his conduct. Such a minister may, ' in the language of the law, put himself on his country 'when he pleases, and he shall come off with honour ' and applause.' เ เ And do you really believe, doctor,' cries the peer, 'there ever was such a minister, or ever will be?' 'Why not, my lord?' answered the doctor. It re quires no very extraordinary parts, nor any extraordinary degree of virtue. He need practise no great 'instances of self-denial. He shall have power, and 'honour, and riches, and, perhaps, all in a much greater 'degree than he can ever acquire by pursuing a contrary system. He shall have more of each, and much more ' of safety.' เ เ เ เ 'Pray, doctor,' said my lord, 'let me ask you one simple question. Do you really believe any man upon ' earth was ever a rogue out of choice?' เ 'Really, my lord,' says the doctor, 'I am ashamed to answer in the affirmative; and yet I am afraid experience would almost justify me if I should. Perhaps the 'opinion of the world may sometimes mislead men to 'think those measures necessary which in reality are not so. Or the truth may be, that a man of good inclinations finds his office filled with such corruption by 'the iniquity of his predecessors that he may despair ' of being capable of purging it; and so sits down contented, as Augeas did with the filth of his stables, not 'because he thought them the better, or that such filth was really necessary to a stable; but that he despaired ' of sufficient force to cleanse them.' เ เ เ เ 'I will ask you one question more, and I have done,' said the nobleman. 'Do you imagine, that if any minister was really as good as you would have him, that the people in general would believe that he เ was so ?' 'Truly, my lord,' said the doctor, 'I think they may 'be justified in not believing too hastily. But I beg 'leave to answer your lordship's question by another. 'Doth your lordship believe that the people of Greenland, when they see the light of the sun, and feel his 'warmth, after so long a season of cold and darkness, 'will really be persuaded that he shines upon them?' My lord smiled at the conceit; and then the doctor took an opportunity to renew his suit, to which his lordship answered, He would promise nothing, and could give him no hopes of success; but you may be assured,' said he, with a leering countenance, 'I shall do him all 'the service in my power.' A language which the doctor well understood; and soon after took a civil, but not a very ceremonious leave. CHAPTER III. The history of Mr. Trent. We will now return to Mr. Booth and his wife. The former had spent his time very uneasily, ever since he had discovered what sort of man he was indebted to; but lest he should forget it, Mr. Trent thought now proper to remind him, in the following letter, which he read the next morning, after he had put off the appoint ment. SIR, 'I am sorry the necessity of my affairs obliges me to mention that small sum which I had the honour to lend เ you the other night at play; and which I shall be much obliged to you, if you will let me have some time either 'to-day, or to-morrow. 'I am, Sir, 'Your most obedient, 'Most humble servant, 'GEORGE TRENT.' This letter a little surprised Booth, after the genteel, and, indeed, as it appeared, generous behaviour of Trent. But lest it should have the same effect upon the reader, we will now proceed to account for this, as well as for some other phenomena that have appeared in this history, and which, perhaps, we shall be forgiven, for not having opened more largely before. Mr. Trent then was a gentleman, possibly of a good family; for it was not certain whence he sprung on the father's side. His mother, who was the only parent he ever knew or heard of, was a single gentlewoman, and for some time carried on the trade of a milliner in Coventgarden. She sent her son, at the age of eight years old, to a charity school, where he remained till he was of the age of fourteen, without making any great proficiency in learning. Indeed, it is not very probable he should; for the master, who, in preference to a very learned and proper man, was chosen by a party into this school, the salary of which was upwards of a hundred pounds a year, had himself never travelled through the Latin Grammar, and was, in truth, a most consummate blockhead. At the age of fifteen, Mr. Trent was put clerk to an attorney, where he remained a very short time before he took leave of his master; rather, indeed, departed without taking leave; and having broke open his mother's escrutoire, and carried off with him all the valuable effects he there found, to the amount of about fifty pounds, he marched off to sea, and went on board a merchantman, whence he was afterwards pressed into a man of war. In this service he continued above three years; during which time he behaved so ill in his moral character, that he twice underwent a very severe discipline for thefts in which he was detected; but, at the same time, he behaved so well as a sailor in an engagement with some pirates, that he wiped off all former scores, and greatly recommended himself to his captain. of At his return home, he being then about twenty years age, he found that the attorney had in his absence married his mother, had buried her, and secured all her effects, to the amount, as he was informed, of about fifteen hundred pounds. Trent applied to his stepfather, but to no purpose; the attorney utterly disowned him, nor would he suffer him to come a second time within his doors. It happened that the attorney had, by a former wife, an only daughter, a great favourite, who was about the same age with Trent himself; and had, during his residence at her father's house, taken a very great liking to this young fellow, who was extremely handsome, and perfectly well made. This her liking was not, during his absence, so far extinguished but that it immediately revived on his return. Of this she took care to give Mr. Trent proper intimation; for she was not one of those backward and delicate ladies, who can die rather than make the first overture. Trent was overjoyed at this, and with reason; for she was a very lovely girl in her person, the only child of a rich father; and the prospect of so complete a revenge on the attorney charmed him above all the rest. To be as short in the matter as |