Popish Priest, among fome for a Wizard, and among others for a Murderer; and all this for no other Reason, that I can imagine, but because I do not hoot and hollow and make a Noife. It is true my Friend Sir ROGER tells them, That it is my way, and that I am only a Philofopher; but this will not fatisfy them. They think there is more in me than he discovers, and that I do not hold my Tongue for nothing.

FOR thefe and other Reasons I fhall fet out for London to-morrow, having found by Experience that the Country is not a Place for a Person of my Temper, who does not love jollity, and what they call good Neighbourhood. A Man that is out of Humour when an unexpected Gueft breaks in upon him, and does not care for facrificing an Afternoon to every Chance-comer; that will be the Master of his own Time, and the Purfuer of his own Inclinations, makes but a very unfociable Figure in this kind of Life. I fhall therefore retire into the Town, if I may make use of that Phrase, and get into the Crowd again as fast as I can in order to be alone. I can there raise what Speculations I please upon others without being obferved myself, and at the fame time enjoy all the Advantages of Company with all the Privileges of Solitude. In the mean while, to finish the Month and conclude

these my rural Speculations, I fhall here infert a Letter from my Friend WILL HONEYCOMB, who has not lived a Month for these forty Years out of the Smoke of London, and rallies me after his way upon my Country Life.

I

Dear SPEC,

Suppose this Letter will find thee picking of Daifies, or smelling to a Lock of Hay, or paffing away thy time in fome innocent Country 'Diverfion of the like Nature. I have however 'Orders from the Club to fummon thee up to 'Town, being all of us curfedly afraid thou wilt 'not be able to relifh our Company, after thy 'Converfations with Moll White and Will Wimble. Pr'ythee don't fend us up any more Stories of a 'Cock and a Bull, nor frighten the Town with Spirits and Witches. Thy Speculations begin to 'fmell confoundedly of Woods and Meadows. If ' thou dost not come up quickly, we shall conclude 'that thou art in Love with one of Sir ROGER'S Dairy-Maids. Service to the Knight. Sir AN'DREW is grown the Cock of the Club fince he left

us, and if he does not return quickly will make

every Mother's Son of us Commonwealth's Men. Dear SPEC, Thine Eternally,

WILL HONEYCOMB.

Qui, aut Tempus quid poftulet non videt, aut plura loquitur, aut fe oftentat, aut eorum quibufcum eft rationem non habet, is ineptus effe dicitur. TULL.

AVING notified to my good Friend Sir ROGER that I fhould fet out for London the next Day, his Horfes were ready at the appointed Hour in the Evening; and attended by one of his Grooms, I arrived at the CountyTown at Twilight, in order to be ready for the Stage-coach the Day following. As foon as we arrived at the Inn, the Servant, who waited upon me, inquired of the Chamberlain in my Hearing what Company he had for the Coach? The Fellow anfwered, Mrs. Betty Arable the great Fortune, and the Widow her Mother; a recruiting Officer (who took a Place because they were to go;) young Squire Quickfet her Coufin (that her

Mother wifhed her to be married to ;) Ephraim the Quaker, her Guardian; and a Gentleman that had ftudied himself dumb from Sir ROGER de CoVERLEY'S. I observed by what he said of myself, that according to his Office he dealt much in Intelligence; and doubted not but there was fome Foundation for his Reports for the rest of the Company, as well as for the whimfical Account he gave of me.

THE next Morning at Day-break we were all called; and I, who know my own natural shyness, and endeavour to be as little liable to be dif puted with as poffible, dreffed immediately, that I might make no one wait. The first Preparation for our Setting out was, that the Captain's Half-Pike was placed near the Coachman, and a Drum behind the Coach. In the mean time the Drummer, the Captain's Equipage, was very loud, that none of the Captain's Things should be placed fo as to be spoiled; upon which his Cloke-bag was fixed in the Seat of the Coach: and the Captain himself, according to a frequent, though invidious Behaviour of Military Men, ordered his Men to look fharp, that none but one of the Ladies fhould have the Place he had taken fronting to the Coach-box.

WE were in fome little time fixed in our Seats,

and fat with that dislike which People not too good-natured ufually conceive of each other at first Sight. The Coach jumbled us infenfibly into fome fort of Familiarity: and we had not moved above two Miles, when the Widow asked the Captain what Success he had in his Recruiting? The Officer with a Frankness he believed very graceful, told her, 'That indeed he had but very little Luck, ' and had fuffered much by Desertion, therefore 'fhould be glad to end his Warfare in the Service ' of her or her fair Daughter. In a word,' continued he, I am a Soldier, and to be plain is my Character: You fee me, Madam, young, found, and impudent; take me yourself, Widow, or give me to her, I will be wholly at your Disposal. 'I am a Soldier of Fortune, ha!' This was followed by a vain Laugh of his own, and a deep Silence of all the rest of the Company. I had nothing left for it but to fall fast asleep, which I did with all Speed. 'Come,' faid he, refolve upon it, 'we will make a Wedding at the next Town: We 'will wake this pleasant Companion who is fallen asleep, to be the Brideman, and' (giving the Quaker a Clap on the Knee) he concluded, 'This fly Saint, who, I'll warrant, understands what's what ' as well as you or I, Widow, fhall give the Bride 'as Father.'