after him, while he was seeking for his cheap bargains, as an old rascal, for that he had put her off with a bad shilling for her carrion pig, on the last market day, and demanded a good one in return.-This he refused; upon which the woman becoming clamorous, the rest of the market women joined in the uproar. They next helped her to seize him; and immediately they all surrounded him, treating him with a variety of such language as they are accustomed to use on the like occasions, threatening to drag him directly to justice, if he did not exchange the bad shilling for a good one; while he sadly against his will, that he might get out of the hobble, submitted to their demand. Thus he procured his escape, though he had still to run the gauntlet through the market, each calling after him; while one asked him what he would give, the next market day for a half-rotten turkey; another offered him an old gander that had been killed by a fox; and a third presented him with a cheap offer of some stinking fish. It is not to be wondered that this treatment kept him out of the market for. above a twelvemonth afterwards; nor could he dare, ever after that time, to appear but quite at the fagend of the day, when he might avail himself of the bargains, without running the risk of such another

rencontre.

Wor. Well, in all my life I never heard of such a creature. No wonder, that whenever his name is mentioned, Mr. Lovely is silent, and shakes his head. But the old woman in the market treated him just as he deserved.

Free. Sir, I can recollect a few more anecdotes, out of a vast abundance, which might be produced, concerning this most contemptible miser. He is so covetous, that he scarcely ever can afford to buy a piece of soap for the purpose of washing himself.

Wor. A nasty old fellow! one would think he would be poisoned by his own filthiness.

Free. Really Sir, notwithstanding this, when you see him out of doors, he, in general looks clean and

wholesome. But he will boast how he keeps his skin clean, by merely rubbing himself with a coarse dry cloth, which he observes, not only has the salubrious effects of a flesh brush, but saves him the expense of soap. In his way it should appear, as though he was no bad physician, but all his knowledge in that line runs one way; he has discovered, greatly to his satisfaction, that the half-starved poor, on the average actually live longer than the rich, who are over-fed with luxuries; so that he seems now quite delighted with living a half-starved life, that he may live the longer and make a larger purse.

Wor. Was it possible that he could go beyond all this?

Free. Sir, he is the same man throughout. Once he had nearly suffered the penalty of fifty pounds, for making, with the assistance of his maid, his own tallow candles; not only that he might evade the duty on his own account, but that he might also make an advantageous swap of a part of his stock, for his black tea and brown sugar, at a poor little neighbouring chandler's shop.

Wor. Had the penalty been levied, I should suppose that the loss of the money might have broken his heart. But if he was the manufacture of his own candles, I suppose he could afford himself a little light?

Free. Sir, I have been told, though he makes his own candles, yet he uses them very sparingly; for in the first instance, he never burns but one at a time, as he has discovered that a strong light is prejudicial to his eyes; and also that it is a sin to burn out day light. His employment therefore, during twilight, they say, is to knit his own stockings, which from the same frugal motives, he has learnt to accomplish in a most dexterous manner.

Wor. Have you any more stories to tell of this curious muck-worm?

Free. Oh Sir! there is such a variety of them that they would almost fill a little volume. At one time he

had nearly lost his life by suffocation, from the fumes of brimstone, having commenced the manufacture o. his own matches, under a discovery, that he could make many more for a farthing, than he could purchase for a halfpenny; and at another time his life was in great danger, from his having been shot at, under a supposition that one moonshiny night he was robbing a rabbit-warren, when the fact was, that he was only engaged in picking up the excrements of the sheep, and other cattle, that he might enrich his own garden by depriving a neighbouring common of its manure. Such are some of the contrivances of this miserable creature, that he may have plenty of ready money, for purposes not less villanous, than they are mean.

Wor. It seldom happens, but where a deal of covetousness exists, cruelty and villany are sure to be connected with it.

Free. I am sure it is the case with that crafty old harpy, for every thing he does, is with an eye to his own interest. It is looked upon as a remarkable instance of extravagance, at least in him, to give sixpence a week to a public news-room: but it is with a design that he may learn from the different advertisements, what is to be sold by the thougtless, and necessitous of every description. And from this principle, he is become a considerable land-jobber, whereby he has made several advantageous purchases of different estates. Some he sells again others he has in his own possession.

Wor. What a long-headed fellow he must be-and what a character he must have among all who know him!

Free. He cares nothing about character; for he will oftentimes tell of his covetous pranks, for the diversion of others, in a measure of the same stamp with himself. I remember one of them was, that bearing, by the papers that an estate was to be sold not far from Grediton, and that London was to be the place of sale; he first contrived to get himself subpoenaed to attend a trial, at an assize in the town, through which

he must necessarily pass. As his departure from home, being a professional man, might prove a considerable loss to him, the charge he made was so high, that it completely paid his stage coach expenses, during a journey of near four hundred miles, before he accomplished his return. He not only lived at free cost while he was on the business of the trial, but when there pocketted sufficient prog to take him to London. On his arrival there, he entered the auctionroom as early as he could; and this being plentifully provided with biscuits, wine, and other good commodities of the same sort, being sharp set, after his long journey, he first made a most plentiful meal, and next loaded his pockets with a quantity, sufficient to furnish him with provisions for his return, that he might not be at the expense of eating at an inn. The whole of his travelling expenses amounting but to fifteen pence, for a little gin and water, or small beer, after so long a journey, and after having purchased an estate amounting to full three hundred pounds a year.

Wor. Sir, If I had the least reason to doubt your veracity, I should at once say it is impossible. But when covetousness is thus reduced to a system, almost any thing may be credited, that the wretched system may be aided by. I am afraid he was a horridly extortionate landlord.

Free. Why Sir, after all, (for I know a deal of the family,) this wretched cormorant, who never got fat by all he devoured, does not over-rate his tenants; but all this is from the same principle, that they may not beggar his estates; for though he is moderate in his demand of rent, yet he can make such immoderate demands of improvements as it respects the planting of timber trees, clearing of wastes, and keeping the lands in a proper condition, that it is supposed, that no estates are in a better trim than his.

Wor. So far as that goes, if he is fair and moderate in regard to reat, what serves the landlord, serves the tenant, and I find all my tenants, as they are used

well, pay well. That mercenary landlord who oppresses his tenants, is generally served as he deserves -they beggar his land, and break in his debt.

Free. Ah Sir! without flattery, your name as a landlord, will live a long time after you are dead. As far as this however, old alderman Greedy follows your example. But if any of them are in arrears, or should perchance, through misfortune fail in his debt, he directly attacks them, as the most opressive vulture that ever lived. The cry of the widow and the orphan, never reaches his callous heart: the accomplishment of their ruin is sure to take place, sooner than he will miss by lenity, what he can extort by law..

Wor. Why of the two, one should rather suppose, he is a greater monster of iniquity than the possessor of the family estate at Grediton Hall.

Free. Sir, in point of principle, the one is as bad as the other but in regard to mere covetousness, so far as it relates to the art of saving, the old alderman far exceeds him. As to usury, it is his supreme delight, so far as he can evade the lash of the law. He is sure to deal with the extravagant spendthrift, if he can cover himself by collateral security from the most distant danger of a loss; and these may depend upon paying most severely for their folly.-A sinking tradesman, is also sure to get money from him, provided he can procure a bond in judgment for himself; for it is no matter with him who is cheated, provided he is benefitted.

Wor. A bond in judgment ! yes, those rascally instruments of legal process, might do well enough for him, while they entirely sweep away the property of other creditors, who may have an equal claim. But can a man of character or conscience, for a moment, bear to possess such villaneus instruments of law?

Free. No matter for all this, or ten times worse. These miserable characters would strike his rapacious eye with infernal delight: like a complete vulture, as sure as he could seize them in his talons, he would VOL II.

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