H

C H A P. VI

Of Hats.

E had now got together a very confiderable Gang, compofed of undone Gamefters, ruined Bailiffs, broken Tradesmen, idle Apprentices, and loofe and diforderly Youth, who being born to no Fortune; nor bred to no Trade or Profeffion, were willing to live luxurioufly without Labour. As thefe Perfons wore different Principles, i. e. Hats, frequent Diffentions grew among them. There were particularly two Parties, viz. thofe who wore Hats fiercely cocked, and those who preferr❜d the Nab or Trencher Hat, with the Brim flapping over their Eyes; between which, Jars. and Animofities almoft perpetually arofe. Wild, therefore, having affembled them all at an Alehouse on the Night after Fierce's Execution, and perceiving evident Marks of their Misunderstanding, from their Behaviour to each other, addreffed them in the follow

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following gentle, but forcible Manner* Gentlemen, I am afhamed to fee Men

* There is fomething very myfterious in this Speech, which probably that Chapter written by Ariftotle on this Subject, which is mentioned by a French Author, might have given fome Light into; but that is unhappily among the loft Works of that Philofopher. It is remarkable, that Galerus which is Latin fòr a Hat, fignifies likewife a Dog-fifh, as the Greek Word Kuvin doth the Skin of that Animál; of which I fuppofe the Hats or Helmets of the Ancients were compofed, as ours at prefent are of the Beaver or Rabbit. Sophocles in the latter End of his Ajax, alludes to a Method of cheating in Hats, and the Scholiaft on the Place tells us of one Crephontes, who was a Master of the Art. It is obfervable likewife, that Achilles, in the firft Iliad of Homer, tells Agamemnon, in Anger, that he had Dog's Eyes. Now, as the Eyes of a Dog are handfomer than thofe of almof any other Animal; this could be no Term of Reproach. He must therefore mean, that he had a Hat on, which, perhaps, from the Creature it was made of, or from fome other Reason, might have been a Mark of Infamy. This fuperftitious Opinion may account for that Custom, which hath defcended through all Nations, of fhewing Refpect by pulling off this Covering; and that no Man is efteemed fit to converse with his Superiors with it on. I fhall conclude this learned Note with remarking, that the Term Old Hat, is at present used by the Vulgar, in no very honourable Sense.

em

"embarked in fo GREAT and glorious an

Undertaking, as that of robbing the Pub

lick, fo foolishly and weakly diffenting "among themselves. Do you think the "firft Inventors of Hats, or at leaft of "thofe Diftinctions between them, really "conceived that one Form of Hats fhould

inspire a Man with Divinity, another "with Law, another with Learning, or an"other with Bravery? No, they meant no "more by thefe outward Signs, than to impose on the Vulgar, and instead of

putting GREAT MEN to the Trouble of acquiring or maintaining the Substance, "to make it fufficient that they conde"fcend to wear the Type or Shadow of it. "You do wifely, therefore, when in a "Crowd, to amufe the Mob by Quarrels "on fuch Accounts, that while they are

liftening to your Jargon, you may with "the greater Eafe and Safety, pick their "Pockets: But furely to be in earnest, and privately to keep up fuch a ridiculous "Contention among yourselves, must argue the highest Folly and Abfurdity. "When you know you are all Prigs, "what Difference can a broad or a narrow

"Brim

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"Brim create? Is a Prig lefs a Prig in "one Hat than in another? If the Pub"lic fhould be weak enough to interest "themselves in your Quarrels, and to pre"fer one Pack to the other, while both "are aiming at their Purfes; it is your "Business to laugh at, not imitate their

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Folly. What can be more ridiculous " than for Gentlemen to quarrel about Hats, " when there is not one among you, whofe "Hat is worth a Farthing. What is the "Ufe of a Hat, farther than to keep the "Head warm, or to hide a bald Crown " from the Public? It is the Mark of a "Gentleman to move his Hat on every "Occafion; and in Courts and noble Af"femblies, no man ever wears one. Let "me hear no more therefore of this "Childish Difagreement, but all tofs up

your Hats together with one Accord, " and confider that Hat as the beft, "which will contain the largest Booty." He thus ended his Speech, which was followed by a murmuring Applaufe, and immediately all prefent toffed their Hats together, as he had commanded them.

CHAP.

2

Shewing the Confequences which attended Heartfree's Adventures with Wild; all natural, and common enough to little Wretches who deal with GREAT MEN; together with Some Precedents of Letters, being the different Methods of anfwering a Dun.

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ET us now return to Heartfree, to

whom the Note of four thousand five hundred Pound which he had paid away, was returned, with an Account that the Acceptor was not to be found, and that on enquiring after him, they had heard he was run away, and confequently the Money was now demanded of the Endorfer. The Apprehenfion of fuch a Lofs would have affected. any Man of Bufinefs, but much more one whofe unavoidable Ruin it must prove. He expreffed fo much Concern and Confufion on this Occafion, that the Proprietor of the

Note