cutting fome Hazel Sticks out of one of his Hedges.

AMONG other pieces of News which the Knight brought from his Country Seat, he informed me that Moll White was dead; and that about a Month after her Death the Wind was fo very high, that it blew down the End of one of his Barns. But for my part, fays Sir ROGER, I do not think that the old Woman had any hand in it.

HE afterwards fell into an Account of the Diverfions which had paffed in his House during the Holidays; for Sir ROGER, after the laudable Custom of his Ancestors, always keeps open House at Christmas. I learned from him, that he had killed eight fat Hogs for this Season, that he had dealt about his Chines very liberally amongft his Neighbours, and that in particular he had fent a string of Hogs-puddings with a pack of Cards to every poor Family in the Parish. I have often thought, fays Sir ROGER, it happens very well that Christmas fhould fall out in the middle of the Winter. It is the most dead uncomfortable time of the Year, when the poor People would fuffer very much

from

from their Poverty and Cold, if they had not good Cheer, warm Fires, and Christmas Gambols to fupport them. I love to rejoyce their poor Hearts at this Season, and to fee the whole Village merry in my great Hall. I allow a double Quantity of Malt to my small Beer, and fet it a running for twelveDays to every one that calls for it. I have always a Piece of cold Beef and a Mince-pye upon the Table, and am wonderfully pleafed to fee my Tenants. pafs away a whole Evening in playing their innocent Tricks, and fmutting one another. Our Friend Will Wimble is as merry as any of them, and fhews a thoufand roguifh Tricks upon these Occafions.

I was very much delighted with the Reflection of my old Friend, which carried fo much Goodnefs in it. He then launched out into the Praise of the late Act of Parliament for fecuring the Church of England, and told me, with great Satisfaction, that he believed it already began to take Effect; for that a rigid Diffenter, who chanced to dine at his House on Christmas Day, had been obferved to eat very plentifully of his Plumb-porridge. AFTER

AFTER having difpatched all our Country Matters, Sir ROGER made feveral Enquiries concerning the Club, and particularly of his old Antagonist Sir ANDREW FREEPORT. He asked me with a kind of Smile, whe ther Sir ANDREW had not taken the Advantage of his Abfence, to vent among them some of his Republican Do&trines; but foon after gathering up his Countenance into a more than or dinary Serioufnefs, Tell me truly, fays he, don't you think Sir ANDREW had a Hand in the Pope's Proceffion

but without giving me time to anfwer him, Well, well, fays he, I know you are a wary Man, and do not care to talk of publick Matters.

THE Knight then asked me, if I had seen Prince Eugene, and made me promife to get him a Stand in fome convenient Place where he might have a full fight of that extraordinary Man, whose Presence does fo much Honour to the British Nation. He dwelt very long on the Praises of this great General, and I found that fince I was with him in the Country, he had drawn many Obfervations together out of his reading in Baker's Chronicle, and other Authors,

Authors, who always lie in his Hall Window, which very much redound to the Honour of this Prince.

HAVING paffed away the greatest part of the Morning in hearing the Knight's Reflections, which were partly private, and partly political, he asked me if I would fmoak a Pipe with him over a Difh of Coffee at Squires. As I love the old Man, I take Delight in complying with every thing that is agreeable to him, and accordingly waited on him to the Coffee-houfe, where his venerable Figure drew upon us the Eyes of the whole Room. He had no fooner feated himself at the upper End of the high Table, but he called for a clean Pipe, a Paper of Tobacco, a Dish of Coffee, a Wax Candle, and the Supplement, with fuch an Air of Cheerfulness and GoodHumour, that all the Boys in the Coffeeroom (who seemed to take Pleasure in ferving him) were at once employed on his feveral Errands, infomuch that no Body else could come at a Difh of Tea, till the Knight had got all his Conveniencies about him. L

N° 270. Wednesday, January 9.

Dicit enim citius meminitque libentius illud
Quos quis deridet quam quod probat—

Hor.

Do not know that I have

I

been in greater Delight for these many Years, than in beholding the Boxes at the Play the last time the Scornful Lady was acted. So great an Affembly of Ladies placed in gradual Rows in all the Ornaments of Jewels, Silks and Colours, gave fo lively and gay an Impreffion to the Heart, that methought the Seafon of the Year was vanished, and I did not think it an ill Expreffion of a young Fellow who ftood near me, that called the Boxes thofe Beds of Tulips. It was a pretty Variation of the Profpect, when any one of these fine Ladies rofe up and did Honour to her felf and Friend at a Distance, by curtfying, and gave Opportunity to that Friend to fhew her Charms to the fame Advantage in returning her Salutation.

Here