the most learned of any of the House in those of the Stage. Ariftotle and Longinus are much better understood by him than Littleton or Cooke. The Father fends up every Poft Questions relating to Marriage-Articles, Leafes, and Tenures, in the Neighbourhood; all which Queftions he agrees with an Attorney to anfwer and take Care of in the Lump. He is ftudying the Paffions themselves, when he fhould be inquiring into the Debates among Men which arife from them. He knows the Argument of each of the Orations of Demofthenes and Tully, but not one Cafe in the Reports of our own Courts. No one ever took him for a Fool, but none, except his intimate Friends, know he has a great deal of Wit. This Turn makes him at once both difinterefted and agreeable. As few of his Thoughts are drawn from Bufinefs, they are most of them fit for Converfation. Tafte of Books is a little too juft for the Age he lives in; he has read all, but approves of very few. His familiarity with the Cuffoms, Manners, A&tions, and Writings of the Ancients, makes him a very delicate Obferver of what occurs to him in the present

His

World.

World. He is an excellent Critick, and the Time of the Play is his Hour of Bufinefs; exactly at five he paffes thro New-Inn, croffes thro' Ruffel-Court, and takes a turn at Will's till the Play begins; he has his Shooes rubbed and his Periwig powdered at the Barber's as you go into the Rofe. It is for the Good of the Audience when he is at a Play, for the Actors have an Ambition to please him.

THE Perfon of next Confideration, is Sir ANDREW FREEPORT, a Merchant of great Eminence in the City of London. A Perfon of indefatigable Industry, strong Reafon, and great Experience. His Notions of Trade are noble and generous, and (as every rich Man has ufually fome fly Way of Jefting, which would make no great Figure were he not a rich Man) he calls the Sea the British Common. He is acquainted with Commerce in all its Parts, and will tell you it is a stupid and barbarous Way to extend Dominion by Arms; for true Power is to be got by Arts and Induftry. He will often argue, that if this Part of our Trade were well cultivated, we fhould gain from one Nation; and if another, from VOL. I.

B

ano

another. I have heard him prove, that Diligence makes more lafting Acquifitions than Valour, and that Sloth has ruined more Nations than the Sword. He abounds in feveral frugal Maxims, amonft which the greatest Favourite is, A Penny faved is a Penny got.' A general Trader of good Senfe, is pleafanter Company than a general Scholar; and Sir ANDREW having a natural unaffected Eloquence, the Perfpicuity of his Difcourfe gives the fame Pleafure that Wit would in another Man. He has made his Fortunes himself; and fays that England may be richer than other Kingdoms, by as plain Methods as he himself is richer than other Men; though at the fame Time I can fay this of him, that there is not a Point in the Compafs but blows home at Ship in which he is an Owner.

NEXT to Sir ANDREW in the Club-room fits Captain SENTRY, a Gentleman of great Courage, good Understanding, but invincible Modefty. He is one of thofe that deferve very well, but are very aukward at putting their Talents within the Obfervation of fuch as fhould take Notice of them. He was fome Years a Captain, and be

d

haved himself with great Gallantry in feveral Engagements and at feveral Sieges; but having a fmall Eftate of his own, and being next Heir to Sir RoGER, he has quitted a Way of Life in which no Man can rife fuitably to his Merit, who is not fomething of a Courtier as well as a Soldier. I have heard him often lament, that in a Profeffion where Merit is placed in fo confpicuous a View, Impudence fhould get the better of Modefty. When he has talked to this Purpose I never heard him make a four Expreffion, but frankly confess that he left the World, because he was not fit for it. A strict Honesty and an even regular Behaviour, are in themfelves Obftacles to him that nt muft press through Crowds, who endeavour at the fame End with himfelf the Favour of a Commander. He will however in his way of Talk excufe Generals, for not difpofing according to od Men's Defert, or enquiring into it: For fays he, that great Man who has a Mind to help me, has as many to break through to come at me, as I have to come at him: Therefore he will conclude, that the Man who would make a Figure, especially in a Military Way, В 2

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muft get over all falfe Modefty, and affift his Patron against the Importunity of other Pretenders, by a proper Affurance in his own Vindication. He fays it is a Civil Cowardice to be backward in afferting what you ought to expect, as it is a military Fear to be flow in attacking when it is your Duty. With this Candor does the Gentleman fpeak of himself and others. The fame Frankness runs through all his Converfation. The Military Part of his Life has furnished him with many Adventures, in the Relation of which he is very agreeable to the Company; for he is never over-bearing, though accuftomed to command Men in the utmost Degree below him; nor ever too obsequious, from an Habit of obeying Men highly above him.

BUT that our Society may not appear a Set of Humourists unacquainted with the Gallantries and Pleafures of the Age, we have among us the Gallant WILL. HONEYCOMB, a Gentleman who according to his Years should be in the Decline of his Life, but having ever been very careful of his Perfon, and always had a very eafy Fortune, Time has made but very little Impreffion, ei

ther