keep up the Figure of Mafter of the Fortune which was fo handfomly enjoyed by that honest plain Man. I cannot (with refpect to the great Obligations I have, be it fpoken) reflect upon his Character, but I am confirmed in the Truth which I have, I think, heard fpoken at the Club, to wit, That a Man of a warm and well'difpofed Heart with a very small Capacity, is highly fuperior in human. Society to him who with the greateft Talents is cold and languid in his Affections. But, alas! why do I 'make a Difficulty in fpeaking of my worthy Anceftor's Failings? His little Abfurdities and Incapacity for the • Converfation of the Politeft Men are dead with him, and his greater Qua•lities are even now useful to him. I know not whether by naming thofe 'Difabilities I do not enhance his Merit, fince he has left behind him a Reputation in his Country which would be worth the Pains of the wi'feft Man's whole Life to arrive at. By the way I muft obferve to you, that many of your Readers have miftook that Paffage in your Writings, wherein Sir ROGER is reported to have LS

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enquired into the private Character of the young Woman at the Tavern. I know you mentioned that Circumftance as an Inftance of the Simplicity. and Innocence of his Mind, which made him imagine it a very eafy thing to reclaim one of thofe Criminals, and not as an Inclination in him to be guilty with her. The lefs difcerning of your Readers cannot enter into that Delicacy of Defcription in the Character: But indeed my chief Bufinefs at this time is to represent to you 6 my present State of Mind, and the Satisfactions I promife to my self in ⚫ the Poffeffion of my new Fortune. I have continued all Sir ROGER'S

Servants, except fuch as it was a Relief to difmifs into little Beings within my Manor: Thofe who are in a Lift of the good Knight's own Hand to be taken care of by me, I have quartered upon fuch as have taken new Leafes of me, and added fo many Advantages during the Lives of the Perfons fo quartered, that it is the Intereft of those whom they are joined with, to cherish and befriend them upon all Occafions. I find a confiderable Sum of ready Money, which

I

I am laying out among my Dependants at the common Interest, but with a Design to lend it according to their Merit, rather than according to their Ability. I fhall lay a Tax upon • fuch as I have highly obliged, to beC come Security to me for fuch of their C own poor Youth, whether Male or Female, as want Help towards getting into fome Being in the World. I hope I fhall be able to manage my Affairs fo, as to improve my Fortune every Year, by doing Acts of Kindnefs. I will lend my Money to the Ufe of none but indigent Men, fecu'red by fuch as have ceased to be indigent by the Favour of my Family or my felf. What makes this the more practicable, is, that if they will do any one Good with my Money, they are welcome to it upon their own Se'curity: And I make no Exception against it, because the Perfons who ' enter into the Obligations, do it for 'their own Family. I have laid out ' four thousand Pounds this way, and it is not to be imagined what a Crowd ' of People are obliged by it. In Cafes where Sir ROGER has recommended, I have lent Money to put out Chil

⚫dren,

dren, with a Claufe which makes void the Obligation, in cafe the Infant dies before he is out of his Apprenticeship; by which means the Kindred and Mafters are extremely careful of breeding him to Industry, that he may repay it himself by his Labour, in three Years Journeywork after his Time is out, for the Ufe of his Securities. Opportunities of this kind are all that • have occurred fince I came to my Eftate; but I affure you I will pre'ferve a conftant Difpofition to catch at all the Occafions I can to promote the Good and Happiness of my Neigh❝bourhood.

BUT give me leave to lay be'fore you a little Establishment which has grown out of my paft Life, that, I doubt not, will adminifter great S Satis faction to me in that part of it, whatever that is, which is to come.

THERE is a Prejudice in favour ' of the Way of Life to which a Man has been educated, which I know not whether it would not be faulty to o'vercome: It is like a Partiality to the Intereft of one's own Country before that of any other Nation. It is from one Habit of Thinking, grown upon

me

me from my Youth fpent in Arms, that I have ever held Gentlemen, who have preserved Modefty, Good-nature, "Juftice, and Humanity in a Soldier's Life, to be the most valuable and worthy Perfons of the human Race. To pass through imminent Dangers, fuffer painful Watchings, frightful Alarms, and laborious Marches for the greater part of a Man's Time, and pass the reft in a Sobriety conformable to the Rules of the moft virtuous civil Life, is a Merit too great to deserve the Treatment it usually meets with among the other part of the World. But I affure you, Sir, were there not very many who have this Worth, we 'could never have feen the glorious Events which we have in our Days. I 'need not fay more to illuftrate the Cha'racter of a Soldier, than to tell you he

is the very contrary to him you ob'ferve loud, faucy, and over-bearing in a red Coat about Town. But I was going to tell you, that in honour of 'the Profeffion of Arms, I have fet apart a certain Sum of Money for a Table for fuch Gentlemen as have ferved their Country in the Army, and will please from time to time to fo

'journ