nor Reason. Their whole Works are à ftrange Medley of the greatest Falfhoods, fcarce covered over with the Colour of Truth: Their Precepts are neither borrowed from Nature, nor guided by Reafon: Mere Fictions, ferving only to evince the dreadful Height of human Pride. It may be, perhaps, expected of me, that I should give fome Inftances from their Works to prove this Charge; but as, to tranfcribe every Paffage tending to prove what I have here afferted, would be to transcribe their whole Works, and as in fuch a plentiful Crop, it is difficult to chufe; inftead of trefpaffing on your Patience, I fhall conclude this firft Head with a small Alteration of the Words of my Text. The Philosophy of the Greeks was FOOLISHNESS.

And here

PROCEED We now in the fecond Place, to confider the Manner in which this inane and fimple Doctrine was propagated. But here, the Punch by entring put a stop to his Reading at this time: Nor could we obtain of Mr. Wild any further Account of the Converfation which past at this Interview.

CHAP.

CHA P. XV.

Wild proceeds to the highest Confummation of human GREATNESS.

TH

HE Day now drew nigh, when our GREAT MAN was to exemplify the last and noblest Act of GREATNESS, by which any Hero can signalize himself. This was the Day of Execution, or Confummation, or Apotheofis, (for it is called by different Names) which was to give our Hero an Opportunity of facing Death and Damnation, without any Fear in his Heart, or at leaft without betraying any Symptoms of it in his Countenance. A Completion of GREATNESS which is heartily to be wished to every GREAT MAN; nothing being more worthy of Lamentation than when Fortune, like a lazy Poet, winds up her Catastrophe aukwardly, and beftowing too little Care on her fifth Act, difmiffes the Hero with a fneaking and private Exit, who had in the former Part of the Drama performed fuch notable Exploits, as must promise to every good Judge among the

Specta

Spectators, a noble, public and exalted End.

BUT fhe was refolved to commit no fuch Error in this Inftance. Our Hero was too much and too deservedly her Favourite, to be neglected by her in his laft Moments: Accordingly all Efforts for a Reprieve were vain, and the Name of Wild ftood at the Head of those who were ordered for Execution.

FROM the Time he gave over all Hopes of Life, his Conduct was truly GREAT and Admirable. Instead of shewing any Marks of Dejection or Contrition, he rather infufed more Confidence and Affurance into his Looks. He spent most of his Hours in drinking with his Friends, and with the good Man above commemorated. In one of these Compotations, being asked, whether he was afraid to die, he anfwered, Dn me, it is only a Dance without Mufic. Another Time, when one expreffed fome Sorrow for his Misfortune, as he termed it, he faid, with great Fiercenefs, A Man can die but once. Again, when one of his intiVOL. III. D d

mate

7

mate Acquaintance hinted his Hopes, that he would die like a Man. He cocked his Hat in Defiance, and cried out greatly, Zounds! who's afraid?

HAPPY Would it have been for Pofterity, could we have retrieved any entire Converfation which paffed at this Season, efpecially between our Hero and his learned Comforter; but we have fearched many Pafteboard Records in vain.

On the Eve of his Apotheofis, Wild's Lady defired to fee him, to which he confented. This Meeting was at firft very tender on both Sides; but it could not continue fo: For unluckily fome Hints of former Miscarriages intervening, as particularly when she asked him, how he could have used her fo barbaroufly once, as by calling her B? Whether fuch Language became a Man, much less a Gentleman? Wild flew into a violent Paffion, and fwore fhe was the vileft of B -s, to upbraid him at fuch a Season with an unguarded Word fpoke long ago. She replied, with many

Tears,

Tears, he was well enough ferved for her Folly in vifiting fuch a Brute; but she had one Comfort however, that it would be the laft time he could ever treat her fo; that indeed fhe had fome Obligation to him, for that his Cruelty to her would reconcile her to the Fate he was Tc-morrow to fuffer, and indeed, nothing but fuch Brutality could have made the Confideration of his fhameful Death (fo this weak Woman called Hanging) which was now inevitable to be born even without Madnefs. She then proceeded to a Recapitulation of his Faults in an exacter Order and with more perfect Memory than one would have imagined her capable of; and, it is probable, would have rehearsed a complete Catalogue, had not our Hero's Patience failed him, fo that with the utmoft Fury and Violence, he caught her by the Hair and kicked her, as heartily as his Chains would fuffer him, out of the Room.

Ar length, the Morning came, which Fortune refolutely ordained for the Confummation of our Hero's GREATNESS: He had himself indeed modeftly declined the Dd 2 public