S I was fitting in my Chamber and think. ing on a Subject for my next Spectator,

I heard two or three irregular Bounces at my Landlady's Door, and upon the opening of it, a loud chearful Voice inquiring whether the Philofopher was at Home. The Child who went to the Door answered very innocently, that he did not lodge there. I immediately recollected that it was my good Friend Sir ROGER'S Voice; and that I had promised to go with him on the Water to Spring-Garden, in cafe it proved a good Evening. The Knight put me in mind of my Promife from the bottom of the Stair-Cafe, but told me that if I was fpeculating he would stay below till I had done. Upon my coming down, I found all the Children of the Family got about my

old Friend, and my Landlady herself, who is a notable prating Goffip, engaged in a Conference with him; being mightily pleased with his stroking her little Boy upon the Head, and bidding him be a good Child, and mind his Book.

We were no fooner come to the Temple-Stairs, but we were furrounded with a Crowd of Watermen, offering us their respective Services. Sir RoGER after having looked about him very attentively, spied one with a Wooden-Leg, and immediately gave him Orders to get his Boat ready. As we were walking towards it, You must know, says Sir ROGER, I never make use of any body to row me, that has not either loft a Leg or an Arm. I would rather bate him a few Strokes of his Oar than not employ an honeft Man that has been wounded in the Queen's Service. If I was a Lord or a Bishop, and kept a Barge, I would not put a Fellow in my Livery that bad not a Wooden Leg.

MY old Friend, after having seated himself, and trimmed the Boat with his Coachman, who, being a very fober Man, always ferves for Ballast on thefe Occafions, we made the best of our Way for Vaux-Hall. Sir ROGER obliged the Waterman to to give us the History of his right Leg, and hearing that he had left it at La Hogue, with many Particulars which paffed in that glorious Action,

the Knight in the Triumph of his Heart made several Reflexions on the Greatness of the British Nation; as, that one Englishman could beat three Frenchmen; that we could never be in danger of Popery fo long as we took care of our Fleet; that the Thames was the noblest River in Europe; that London-Bridge was a greater piece of Work, than any of the seven Wonders of the World; with many other honest Prejudices which naturally cleave to the Heart of a true Englishman.

AFTER fome fhort Pause, the old Knight turning about his Head twice or thrice, to take a Survey of this great Metropolis, bid me observe how thick the City was fet with Churches, and that there was scarce a fingle Steeple on this fide Temple-Bar. A moft Heathenish Sight! fays Sir ROGER: There is no Religion at this End of the Town. The fifty new Churches will very much mend the Profpect; but Church-work is flow, Churchwork is flow!

I do not remember I have any where mentioned, in Sir ROGER'S Character, his Custom of faluting every body that paffes by him with a Good-morrow, or a Good-night. This the old Man does out of the overflowings of his Humanity, though at the fame time it renders him fo popular among all his Country Neighbours, that it is thought to

have gone a good way in making him once or twice Knight of the Shire. He cannot forbear this Exercise of Benevolence even in Town, when he meets with any one in his morning or evening Walk. It broke from him to feveral Boats that paffed by us upon the Water; but to the Knight's great Surprise, as he gave the Good-night to two or three young Fellows a little before our landing, one of them, instead of returning the Civility, asked us, what queer old Put we had in the Boat, with a great deal of the like Thames-Ribaldry. Sir RoGER seemed a little shocked at first, but at length affuming a Face of Magiftracy, told us, That if he were a Middlesex Justice, he would make fuch Vagrants know that her Majesty's Subjects were no more to be abused by Water than by Land.

WE were now arrived at Spring-Garden, which is exquifitely pleasant at this time of the Year. When I confidered the Fragrancy of the Walks and Bowers, with the Choirs of Birds that fung upon the Trees, and the loose Tribe of People that walked under their Shades, I could not but look upon the Place as a kind of Mahometan Paradise. Sir ROGER told me it put him in mind of a little Coppice by his House in the Country, which his Chaplain used to call an Aviary of Nightingales. You must understand, fays the Knight, there is no

thing in the World that pleases a Man in Love So much as your Nightingale. Ah, Mr. SPECTATOR! the many Moon-light Nights that I have walked by myself, and thought on the Widow by the Mufick of the Nightingale! He here fetched a deep Sigh, and was falling into a Fit of mufing, when a Mask, who came behind him, gave him a gentle Tap upon the Shoulder, and asked him if he would drink a Bottle of Mead with her? But the Knight being startled at fo unexpected a Familiarity, and displeased to be interrupted in his Thoughts of the Widow, told her, She was a wanton Baggage, and bid her go about her Business.

WE concluded our Walk with a Glafs of Burton-Ale, and a Slice of Hung-Beef. When we had done eating ourselves, the Knight called a Waiter to him, and bid him carry the Remainder to the Waterman that had but one Leg. I I perceived the Fellow ftared upon him at the oddness of the Meffage, and was going to be faucy; upon which I ratified the Knight's Commands with a peremptory Look.