THE Quaker, who happened to be a Man of Smartness, answered, 'Friend, I take it in good 'part, that thou haft given me the Authority of 'a Father over this comely and virtuous Child; and I muft affure thee, that if I have the giv'ing her, I fhall not bestow her on thee. Thy 'Mirth, Friend, favoureth of Folly: Thou art a 'Perfon of a light Mind; thy Drum is a Type of thee, it foundeth because it is empty. Verily it is not from thy Fulnefs, but thy Emptiness that 'thou haft spoken this Day. Friend, Friend, we have hired this Coach in Partnership with thee, to carry us to the great City; we cannot go any 'other Way. This worthy Mother must hear 'thee if thou wilt needs utter thy Follies; we can not help it, Friend, I fay: if thou wilt, we must 'hear thee: But if thou wert a Man of Understanding, thou wouldst not take Advantage of thy courageous Countenance to abash us Children of 'Peace. с Thou art, thou fayeft, a Soldier; give Quarter to us, who cannot refift thee. Why didft thou fleer at our Friend, who feigned him'felf asleep? he faid nothing; but how doft thou 'know what he containeth? If thou speakest im'proper things in the Hearing of this virtuous young Virgin, confider it as an Outrage against a 'diftreffed Person that cannot get from thee: To speak indiscreetly what we are obliged to hear, by being hasped up with thee in this publick Vehicle, 'is in fome degree affaulting on the high Road.' HERE Ephraim paufed, and the Captain with an happy and uncommon Impudence (which can be convicted and support itself at the same time) cries, Faith, Friend, I thank thee; I should have 'been a little impertinent if thou hadst not repri'manded me. Come, thou art, I fee, a fmoky 'old Fellow, and I'll be very orderly the enfuing 'Part of my Journey. I was going to give myself 'Airs, but, Ladies, I beg Pardon.' THE Captain was fo little out of Humour, and our Company was fo far from being foured by this little Ruffle, that Ephraim and he took a particular Delight in being agreeable to each other for the future; and affumed their different Provinces in the Conduct of the Company. Our Reckonings, Apartments, and Accommodation, fell under Ephraim: and the Captain looked to all Disputes on the Road, as the good Behaviour of our Coachman, and the right we had of taking Place as going to London of all Vehicles coming from thence. THE Occurrences we met with were ordinary, and very little happened which could entertain by the Relation of them: But when I confidered the Company we were in, I took it for no fmall Good-fortune that the whole Journey was not spent in Impertinences, which to the one Part of us might be an Entertainment, to the other a Suffering. WHAT therefore Ephraim faid when we were almoft arrived at London, had to me an Air not only of good Understanding but good Breeding. Upon the young Lady's expreffing her Satisfaction in the Journey, and declaring how delightful it had been to her, Ephraim delivered himself as follows: 'There is no ordinary Part of human Life which 'expreffeth so much a good Mind, and a right in'ward Man, as his Behaviour upon meeting with Strangers, especially fuch as may seem the most 'unfuitable Companions to him: Such a Man, ' when he falleth in the way with Persons of Simplicity and Innocence, however knowing he may 'be in the Ways of Men, will not vaunt himself 'thereof; but will the rather hide his Superiority 'to them, that he may not be painful unto them. My good Friend, (continued he, turning to the Officer) thee and I are to part by and by, and peradventure we may never meet again: But be advised by a plain Man; Modes and Apparel ' are but Trifles to the real Man, therefore do not 'think fuch a Man as thyfelf terrible for thy Garb, 'nor fuch a one as me contemptible for mine. D D |