himself to inform the Court, as to give him a Figure in my Eye, and keep up his Credit in the Country.

I was highly delighted, when the Court rofe, to fee the Gentlemen of the Country gathering about my old Friend, and striving who should compliment him moft; at the fame time that the ordinary People gazed upon him at a distance, not a little admiring his Courage, that was not afraid to fpeak to the Judge.

IN our Return home we met with a very odd Accident; which I cannot forbear relating, because it fhews how defirous all who know Sir ROGER are of giving him Marks of their Efteem. When we were arrived upon the Verge of his Estate, we ftopped at a little Inn to reft ourselves and our Horfes. The Man of the House had it seems been formerly a Servant in the Knight's Family; and to do Honour to his old Master, had some time fince, unknown to Sir ROGER, put him up in a Sign-poft before the Door; fo that the Knight's Head had hung out upon the Road about a Week before he himself knew any thing of the Matter. As foon as Sir ROGER was acquainted with it, finding that his Servant's Indifcretion proceeded wholly from Affection and Good-will, he only told him that he had made him too high a Compliment;

and when the Fellow feemed to think that could hardly be, added with a more decifive Look, That it was too great an Honour for any Man under a Duke; but told him at the fame time, that it might be altered with a very few Touches, and that he himself would be at the Charge of it. Accordingly they got a Painter by the Knight's Directions to add a pair of Whiskers to the Face, and by a little Aggravation of the Features to change it into the Saracen's-Head. I fhould not have known this Story had not the Inn-keeper, upon Sir ROGER's alighting, told him in my Hearing, That his Honour's Head was brought back last Night with the Alterations that he had ordered to be made in it. Upon this my Friend with his ufual Chearfulness related the Particulars abovementioned, and ordered the Head to be brought into the Room. I could not forbear discovering greater Expreffions of Mirth than ordinary upon the Appearance of this monftrous Face, under which, notwithstanding it was made to frown and ftare in a most extraordinary manner, I could ftill discover a distant Resemblance of my old Friend. Sir ROGER, upon feeing me laugh, defired me to tell him truly if I thought it poffible for People to know him in that Difguife. I at firft kept my ufual Silence; but upon the Knight's conjuring

me to tell him whether it was not ftill more like himself than a Saracen, I compofed my Countenance in the best manner I could, and replied, That much might be faid on both Sides.

THESE feveral Adventures, with the Knight's Behaviour in them, gave me as pleasant a Day as ever I met with in any of my Travels.

SI was Yefterday taking the Air with my Friend Sir ROGER, we were met by a fresh-coloured ruddy young Man who rid by us full Speed, with a couple of Servants behind him. Upon my Inquiry who he was, Sir ROGER told me that he was a young Gentleman of a confiderable Eftate, who had been educated by a tender Mother that lived not many Miles from the Place where we were. She is a very good Lady, fays my Friend, but took fo much care of her Son's Health that she has made him good for nothing. She quickly found that Reading was bad for his Eyes, and that Writing made his Head ake. He was let loose among the Woods as foon

as he was able to ride on Horseback, or to carry a Gun upon his Shoulder. To be brief, I found, by my Friend's Account of him, that he had got a great Stock of Health, but nothing elfe; and that if it were a Man's Bufinefs only to live, there would not be a more accomplished young Fellow in the whole Country.

THE Truth of it is, fince my residing in these Parts I have seen and heard innumerable Inftances of young Heirs and elder Brothers who either from their own reflecting upon the Estates they are born to, and therefore thinking all other Accomplishments unneceffary, or from hearing these Notions frequently inculcated to them by the Flattery of their Servants and Domesticks, or from the fame foolish Thought prevailing in those who have the Care of their Education, are of no manner of use but to keep up their Families, and transmit their Lands and Houses in a Line to Posterity.

THIS makes me often think on a Story I have heard of two Friends, which I fhall give my Reader at large, under feigned Names. The Moral of it may, I hope, be useful, though there are fome Circumstances which make it rather appear like a Novel, than a true Story.

EUDOXUS and Leontine began the World with small Estates. They were both of them Men of

Y