tr

"There was particularly a man with "a fhock head of hair, and two "wooden legs, who accofted me yefterday, in God's name, to give him "a fhilling. By the fplendour of his "demand, (being eleven times more "than ordinary beggars have the im

pudence to afk) I am perfuaded he "would like to lay his ftumps upon "The Green. If I had given him any encouragement, he would certainly "have undertaken to hop to you in "about forty eight hours; nay, he "worked away upon his timber ten "or a dozen paces to fhow me how " he could move; but I have let him

flip through my fingers. If you "think he is a prize, fir, I will con"trive to pick him up and pack him "in a cart; or, if your Honour "chooses.

"chooses, in a coach, as I come

"back.

Even in this pot-house, (where I am using the vileft pen " and most polluted paper upon the "most virtuous fubject) there are "half a score as pretty, that is to

66

fay, as ugly, objects for the pen

"fion as you could wish. I do not "believe there are twelve ounces of "wholesome human flesh amongst the ten; and, to all appearance, not "above a fhirt and an half, were one * to tack all their flips of linen toge"ther. If these would not be glad "of your Honour's patronage, I do "not know who would. From what "has been faid then, fir, you will "perceive that I could get a number "of recruits (and almost all fuch as "are too frightful for any hofpital

" but

"but your Honour's) as I go along. "Fail not then to let me know the "bounds of my authority, and I re“main, in the mean time,

"Your Honour's

"Most faithful fervant and steward,

"SAMUEL SARCASM."

In answer to this characteristic epiftle, I only defired Mr. Samuel to do as he was directed, and fend me, for the future, more business than wit. After this, he proceeded in his journey. Two months paffed before I heard any further tidings; but at the end of that period, I received Mr. Samuel's fecond epistle, which you will find in the next chapter.

СНАР.

CHAP. XX.

"THE STEWARD STOPS ON THE 'ROAD TO WRITE A LETTER TO THE

486

PROPRIETOR.

To Sir BENJAMIN BEAUCHAMP.

SIR,

"T

~ 66

HINKING you have already been at fome fmall expence in

"the building of Shenftone-Green, I have been fparing of making your Honour pay postage. I forbore to "write till writing was neceffary. It " feems to be particularly fo at

"I fhall fet out by obferving that "I have delivered all your letters to

"are fo charmed with your Honour's "scheme, that, inftead of recommending others, they would, with

'

cr

66

very little perfuafion, accept of your offer themselves. In short,

fir, I have in the course of this

original journey feen more of the "world than I ever faw in all the "former parts of my life. Yet I "knew men before. Why London " is a fort of Shenstone-Green-I mean, "fir, the court quarter-and the ર King of England is only another "Sir Benjamin Beauchamp. His Majefty, like your Honour, pro"videth his fine folks with a house "and an annuity for-doing nothing; "and they are fo tired with the

t

66

fatigue of that employment, that I

fee plainly they would turn them