dence. I had established a commonwealth, in which every man was to please and enjoy himself in his own way; nor was there any other reftriction, except that the tradesmen were not to mix in the walks or amusements of the penfioners within the circus, unless particularly invited. For my own part, I confidered myself very impartially as the frank friend and familiar companion of every individual, and, lest any sort of jealousy should arife, I endeavoured, as much as might be, to distribute my attention in equal proportions. greatest anxiety which I experienced, arofe from a certain fear of feeming, in the eyes of fome, to be a man who enjoyed his pre-eminence. To avoid which, I caft off the dignity of the perfon

2

The

perfon of fortune even more than ufual, and brought myself upon a level with the lowest.

To fuch a community, who would not give at least a twelvemonth's unanimity? Had you feen, reader, the joy with which every penfioner spoke of his fituation, while the charm of novelty gilded it; with how animated an eye every man furveyed his little portion of property, with how enraptured a step he walked along his own garden, you would have imagined there was little reafon to expect an alteration.

and

I was myself fo entrapped by appearances, and so much in the heaven I had expected, that, meeting the steward one evening after I had been walking,

walking, like a common parent, from door to door, as was my cuftom, well Samuel, faid I, what do you think of my project now? Confefs man, that your apprehenfions were illfounded; confefs, that ShenstoneGreen is the happiest spot in the whole world.

Many men have many minds, fir, faid Samuel; it would be atrocious in me to break in upon a gentleman's pleasure, though he is, as it were, trufting his hopes to fea in an eggshell. Far be it from me to brew the tempeft; but, as your Honour hath impofed on me this ftewardship, in which if I increase my profits, I increase also my pains, I think it my duty to speak my mind;

5

mind; and this I can do with the more affurance, as I have obftinately refused any kind of family-advantage, from a scheme which I never did, nor ever fhall, relifh. Not that I am without perfons, fir, in my family to whom two hundred pounds a-year would not be a comfortable finecure; but I am an induftrious man myself, and do not like to cherish idlenefs in any of my race. Add to which, your Honour shall never have it to fay that Samuel Sarcalm put it out of his power to fpeak his honeft fentiment (on this atrocious occafion) by taking a fort of bribe. Every one knows the effect of hufh money. I fcorn it. That being the case, I wish your Honour would hear me.

VOL. I.

N

And

And what wouldst thou fay, Mr. Samuel Cicero, the conceited, said I?

I would fay, fir, replied Samuel, that your scheme is not better put together than was that of your renowned rival Don Quixote de la Mancha. Why, fir, do you imagine any human fociety can long preserve its harmony without regulations? Here have you brought together into one little spot of ground more than half an hundred people, all, or mostly all, ftrangers to each other. Do you forget that with that half an hundred of people you have crowded alfo into the fame space at least half a thoufand contrary paffions? You will fay, in reply, that most of these penfioners are exalted from adverfity to profpe

rity;