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this fucceeded a Welch dialogue, with the humoure of Teague and Taffy: after that came on old Jackfon, with a story between every stanza: next was fung the Duft-cart, and then Solomon's Song. The glafs began now to circulate pretty freely; those who were filent when fober, would now be heard in their turn: every man had his song, and he saw no reason why he should not be heard as well as any of the rest. One begged to be heard while he gave Death and the Lady in high tafte: another fung to a plate, which he kept trundling on the edges. Nothing was now heard but finging: voice rofe above voice, till the whole became one universal shout, when the landlord came to acquaint the company that the reckoning was drank out. Rabelais calls the moment in which a reckoning is mentioned, the most melancholy of our lives: never was fo much noise so quickly quelled, as by this short but pathetic oration of our landlord. Drank out! was echoed in a tone of difcontent round the table. Drank out already! that

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s very odd! that so much punch could be drank out already! impoffible! The landlord, however, seeming refolved not to retract from his first assur ances, the company was diffolved, and a prefident chofen for the night ensuing.

A friend of mine, to whom I was complaining fome time after of the entertainment I have been describing, proposed to bring me to the club that he frequented; which, he fancied, would fuit the gravity of my temper exactly. "We have, at the Muzzy

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Club," fays he, σε no riotous mirth nor awkward "ribaldry; no confufion or bawling; all is conduct,

*ed with wifdom and decency: befides, fome of our members are worth forty thoufand pounds: men of prudence and forefight.every one of them: these are the proper acquaintance, and to fuch I will tonight introduce you." I was charmed at the propofal: to be acquainted with men worth forty thoufand pounds, and to talk wisdom the whole night, were, offers that threw me into rapture.

At feven o'clock I was accordingly introduced by my friend, not indeed to the company; for though I made my best bow, they feemed infenfible of my approach but to the table at which they were fitting. Upon my entering the room, I could not avoid feeling a fecret veneration from the folemnity of the scene before me: the members kept a profound filence, each with a pipe in his mouth and a pewter pot in his hand, and with faces that might eafily be conftrued into abfolute wifdom. Happy fociety, thought I to myfelf, where the members think before they fpeak, deliver nothing rafhly, but convey their thoughts to each other, pregnant with meaning, and matured by reflection.

In this pleafing fpeculation I continued a full half hour, expecting each moment that fomebody would begin to open his mouth. Every time the pipe was laid down I expected it was to speak; but it was only to fpit. At length, refolving to break the charm myself, and overcome their extreme diffidence, (for to this I imputed their filence,) I rubbed my hands, and looking as wife as poffible, obferved, that the nights began to grow a little coolish at this time of the year, This, as it was directed to none of the company

company in particular, none thought himself obliged to answer; wherefore, I continued fill to rub my hands and look wife. My next effort was addressed to a gentleman who fat next me: to whom I observed, that the beer was extreme good: my neighbour made no reply, but by a large puff of tobacco fmoke.

I now began to be uneafy in this dumb fociety, till one of them a little relieved me, by obferving, that bread had not risen these three weeks.-" Ay," fays another, ftill keeping the pipe in his mouth, "that puts me in mind of a pleasant story about "that-hem-very well; you must know, but, "before I begin-Sir, my fervice to you-where was I?"

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My next club goes by the name of the Harmonical Society; probably from that love of order and friendship which every perfon commends in inftitutions of this nature. The landlord was himself founder. The money spent is fourpence each; and they fometimes whip for a double reckoning. To this club few recommendations are requifite, except the introductory fourpence and my landlord's good word, which, as he gains by it, he never refuses.

We all here talked and behaved as every body else ufually does on his club-night; we difcuffed the topic of the day, drank each others health, fnuffed the candles with our fingers, and filled our pipes from the fame plate of tobacco. The company faluted each other in the common manner. Mr. Bellowsmender hoped Mr. Currycomb-maker had not caught cold going home the last club night; and he returned the compliment, by hoping that young Mr. Bel

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lows-mender had got well again of the chin-cough. Dr. Twift told us a ftory of a parliament-man with whom he was intimately acquainted; while the bugman, at the fame time, was telling a better story of a noble lord with whom he could do any thing. A gentleman in a black wig and leather breeches, at the other end of the table, was engaged in a long narrative of the Ghoft in Cock-lane: he had read it in the papers of the day, and was telling it to fome that fat next him, who could not read. Near him Mr. Dibbins was difputing on the old fubject of religion with a Jew pedlar over the table, while the prefident in vain knocked down Mr. Leatherfides for a fong. Befides the combinations of thefe voices, which I could hear altogether, and which formed an upper part to the concert, there were feveral others playing under-parts by themselves, and endeavouring to faften on fome luckless neighbour's ear, who was himfelf bent upon the fame defign against fome other.

We have often heard of the speech of a corporation, and this induced me to transcribe a speech of this club, taken in fhort-hand, word for word, as it was fpoken by every member of the company. It may be neceffary to observe, that the man who told of the ghoft had the loudest voice, and the longest story to tell, fo that his continuing narrative filled every chafm in the converfation.

"So, Sir, d'ye perceive me, the ghoft giving three loud raps at the bed-poft-Says my lord to me, My dear Smokeum, you know there is no man upon the face of the yearth for whom I have fo high-A damnable falfe heretical opinion of all found doctrine

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and good learning; for I'll tell it aloud, and spare not that-Silence for a fong; Mr. Leatherfides for a fong- As I was a walking upon the highway, I met a young damfel'-Then what brings you here? fays the parfon to the ghoft-Sariconiathan, Manetho, and Berofus-The whole way from Iflington turnpike to Doghoufe bar-Dam-As for Abel Drugger, Sir, he's damn'd low in it; my 'prentice boy has more of the gentleman than he— For murder will out one time or another; and none but a ghoft, you know, gentlemen, can-Damme if I don't for my friend, whom you know, gentlemen, and who is a parliament-man, a man of confequence, a dear honest creature, to be fure: we were laughing last night at Death and damnation upon all his pofterity, by fimply barely tafting-Sour grapes, as the fox faid once when he could not reach them: and I'll, I'll tell you a story about that, that will make you burst your fides with laughing: A fox once-Will no-. body liften to the fong As I was a walking up

on the highway, I met a young damfe! both 'buxom and gay'-No ghoft, gentlemen, can be murdered; nor did I ever hear but of one ghost killed in all my life, and that was stabbed in the belly with a-My blood and foul if I don't-Mr. Bellows-mender, I have the honour of drinking your very good health-Blast me if I do-damn -lood-bugs-fire-whizz-blid-tit-rattrip"-The reft all riot, nonsense, and rapid confufion.

Were I to be angry at men for being fools, I

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