Ref. Very near, I believe.

Pil. What, the houfe is not a tumbling?
Ref. A pretty large crack.

Pil. Which he wants our affiftance to plaifter. Why, I thought the knight was as firm as a rock.

Ref. I knew better things. I faw the manfion was daily decaying. Hufh, here he comes.

Enter Sir Robert, followed by a Clerk.

Sir Rob. As we have effects in our hands, accept the bills to be fure. But how to difcharge them when they are due.-So, gentlemen, I have sent for you to beg your affiftance. Pil. Sir Robert, we fhall be very happy to ferve you, if you will tell us but how.

Sir Rob. Why, to deal plainly, gentlemen, my affairs are come to a crifis, and without some substantial and speedy assistance, my cre dit will quickly expire.

Pil. You furprize me: I never guess'd it in danger. Pray, Sir Robert, what brought on the disease, was it an alley fever, or a gradual decay?

Not

Sir Rob. A complication of caufes. but I could have weather'd them all, had the

houfe in Holland but ftood, their failure must be followed by mine.

Pil. What, Van Swieten's?

Sir Rob. to-day?

Have you heard any thing of him

Pil. No doubt, I believe, of their stopping; their bills were offered at Garraway's under forty per cent. As your name is not blown upon yet, fuppofe you coin a couple of quires! don't you think the circulation might ferve you?

E 2

Sir

Sir Rob. No, that mint is exhausted, and private paper return'd to its primitive value. My real cafe can be no longer conceal'd. I must ftop, and fhould be glad of your advice how to manage the matter.

Pil. There are two methods in ufe. The choice will depend on how your affairs stand with the world.

Sir Rob. Bitter bad, Mr. Pillage.

Pil. I guess'd as much, by your fending for us. They treat us, Mafter Refource, like a couple of quacks, never apply but in defperate cafes.

Ref. But in all difeafes there are different degrees.

Pil. True; for inftance, if you find you are pretty near on a par, with perhaps a fmall balance per contra, fummon your creditors, lay your conditions fully before them, convince them you have a fund to anfwer all their demands, and crave a refpite for three or four years.

Sir Rob. Just to call in my debts, and make the most of my other effects?

Ref. True; as the English merchants have a good deal of milk in their blood, that is a favour rarely refufed.

Sir Rob. This, Mafter Pillage, will be only deferring the evil,

Pil. That is, Sir Robert, as you manage the cards. Don't you fee that the length of time, with the want or wifh of ready money for trade, will difpofe the bulk of your creditors to fell their debts at a lofs of thirty or forty per cent.?

Sir Rob. True.

Ref.

Ref. No contemptible fum, when a man's dealings are large.

Sir Rob. But how fhall I profit by

Pil. What hinders you from privately buying the debts?

Sir Rob. That, indeed

Ref. A fine fortune fav'd out of the fire.

Pil. True. And now we talk of the fire, for a prefent fupply, you may burn a warehouse or two, after it has been gutted of all its con

tents.

Ref. And recover the full amount of the policy.

Pil. Did you never try that?

Ref. No, I don't think he has done any thing in the fire way yet; have you, Sir Robert? Sir Rob. Never once came into my head.

Pil. May be not; oh! for a fertile brain, there are many means to be used; but what d'ye fay to my plan?

Sir Rob. What, the fummoning fcheme? I am fo involved, that I am afraid that project will never prevail.

Pil. Then you have nothing left but a fta

tute.

Sir Rob. But if my certificate fhould not be granted?

Pil. That is my proper bufinefs, Sir Robert. If we find your creditors inclined to be crufty, there will be no difficulty in creating demands to get number and value.

Sir Rob. That will fwell my debts to a moftrous amount.

Ref. So much the more for your honour; confider you are a knight, and your dignity demands you should fail for a capital fum.

Pil. To be fure. Why, you would not fneak into the Gazette like a Birmingham but-ton-maker.

Ref. Oh fie!

Pil. He would never after be able to fhew his head upon Change.

Ref. Never, never.

Pil. And then, you know, what with the portable stuff, fuch as jewels, or cafh, that he himself may fecrete, and the dividends that fall to the fhare of his friends, which they will doubtless reftore

Ref. He will be fit to begin the world again with eclat.

Pil. In a much better condition than ever. Ref. And his children's children will have reason to thank him."

Sir Rob. But is there not fome danger in concealing the portable stuff, as you call it?

Pil. Not in the leaft. Befides, to colour the business, you may collect a purfe of light guineas, with an old batter'd family watch, and deliver them to the commiffioners, on your first examination.

Ref. That will give an air of integrity.

Sir Rob. You feem to think, then, Gentlemen, that it is the duty of every honeft merchant to break once at least in his life, for the good of his family?

Ref. Not the leaft queftion of that.

Pil. Every day's practice confirms it. Well, Sir Robert, when fhall I provide you the tackle? Sir Rob. The tackle!

Pil. In about a month or fix weeks, I think, you may be made fit to appear in the papers.

Sir Rob. In the Gazette, as a bankrupt? Ref. Aye, but then no time must be loft. Pil. Not a moment, for fhould they smoke his defign

Sir Rob. Gentlemen, I muft decline your affiftance.

Pil. How?

Sir Rob. For, without confidering the private injury I may do to particular perfons, this mifchievous method must foon affect the whole mercantile world.

Pil. Why, what has that

Sir Rob.

Mutual confidence is the very cement of commerce. That weakened, the whole ftructure muft fall to the ground. Ref. Hey!

Sir Rob. From the practice of these infamous arts, as it is impoffible they can be coneeal'd, what fufpicions, what jealoufies must every man in trade entertain ?

Pil. How!

Sir Rob. What an injury befides, to those in my unhappy condition? the rifques and loffes unavoidably connected with commerce, procure the unfuccefsful trader, generally the compaffion, fometimes the friendly aid, of those of his order.

Ref. We know that well enough.

Sir Rob. But when bankruptcy becomes a lucrative traffic, and men are found to fail with a view of making their fortunes, the unhappy and fradulent will be confounded together, and punishment fall on his head who has a title to pity.

Pil. The man's mad.