hold them fast, till they became entirely subject to his mercy, a grain of which he never possessed.

Wor. What horrid mischief the love of money does to the human mind!

Free. Why Sir, the mind of lawyer Greedy, is scarcely human. Cruel as the spider when the helpless fly is entangled in his web, which he is sure never to leave till he finishes his existence by sucking his blood; so this unfeeling fiend in human shape, who cares for no one but himself, when he has these unwary sufferers safely toiled in these cruel instruments of law, tortures them at his pleasure; and while there is any blood in them, being as crafty as he is eruel, he is sure to find it out !

Wor. What a mouster of a man !

Free. Sir, he is one who knows no interest but what centers in himself. If ever he appears generous, it is only with some feigned designs. He would be a bearable character, were he merely covetous for himself; but his covetousness urges him on to every thing that is wicked and unjust, while at the same time, he is one of those long-headed, crafty-minded fellows, who scarcely ever expose themselves to the lash of the law; but under the cover of the law, he will act a part the most villanous, and unjust. If he had not been as cunning as he is knavish, he would have been hanged long ago. But out of respect to his nephew, I am ashamed to tell all I know.

Wor. I shall never wound the tender feelings of this amiable youth, by giving him the most distant hint respecting the subject of our present conversation but still I have a curiosity to hear more about him, and his different tricks.

Free. Tricks indeed! I recollect the following master-piece of his villany, which he accomplished about ten years ago. Though he had scarcely any creditable business in his profession, yet he was in the habit of being employed by some, who were as covetous and as mean as himself. Nothing delighted him more, than to make people's wills for them, and

this he was glad enough to do gratis, provided he could secure a legacy for himself. He had a job of this sort in hand, for two old people that were shopkeepers in the same town; Simon Grasper and his wife. In this will he absolutely left all that he was possessed of to her, only empowering her to leave it to his nephew next, if she saw fit. For it seems the young man who once served in his shop, had given him considerable offence by retiring from the town without his consent, as it was a situation he hated, and by marrying a young woman in the West of England, with little or no fortune.

The old man died first, and this put the widow completely into old Greedy's hands. His first attempt was to give broad hints that her nephew was inclined to be improvident, and a spendthrift, and that trustees might be needed, and how happy he should be to perform that office, out of respect to his old friend that was now dead. She however did not choose to take the hint, and thought old Greedy was too far advanced in life for that office, and therefore insisted that another will should be made according to her husband's wish, leaving all her property to the nephew excepting a few trifling legacies, and some comfortable residuary pickings for himself, and foolishly suffered the old harpy, to be whole and sole executor to the will.

Wor. This was giving him an opportunity to fleece them, according to his heart's desire.

Free. Yes Sir, and by all accounts he did it completely, for it seems the old people had mustered together in different effects, upwards of three thousand pounds, and it always was supposed that the round sum of three thousand pounds, was actually left for the poor nephew and his family: bat upon the death of the old lady, which took place about a year afterwards, it was discovered on the opening of the will, £300 instead of £3000 was all that fell to the poor nephew's share, and it is the general conjecture of all, that the old scoundrel altered the word thousand

into hundred for as executor, he kept the will in his own possession, and cheated the old dame with a false copy of the will, which as it is supposed, he took care to destroy as soon as the breath was out of her body.

Wor. Why a less criminal action has brought many a one to the gallows. But were no efforts made to detect the fraud, and to bring him to justice?

Free. It was thought of by many, but he not only took care that there should be no evidence against him, while reports were frequently trumped up, that both the uncle and aunt meant to cut him short, because he had an inclination to be extravagant; or in other words, because he was not so covetous as themselves.

Wor. What a vile wretch ! It seems he is of a great age.

Free. Yes Sir; but the last time I was informed about him. I heard he was as keen after money as ever, grasping after the world as eagerly as if he were never to leave it.

Wor. One would suppose that it is scarcely possible that a single drop of the blood of the Greedys could be found in young Mr. Lovely; he seems to be of such a beautiful turn of mind. But he has the satisfaction of it within himself. As to such wretched creatures as the Alderman it is a righteous judgment of God, that every evil should be attended with its own punishment.

Free. I have that opinion of Mr. George Lovely, that if ever he possesses any part of the family property, he will be a shining character. I hope Sir, his tender delicate wife is upon the recovery, since they have been so hospitably received in your delightful place. The scenery is very enchanting.

Wor. Yes Sir, she is considerably better.

Free. I am sure, if she recovers her health any where, no place can be better calculated for that purpose than this.

Wor. Yes Sir, the kind providence of God has

favoured us with a pleasant situation. If you are not too much tired after your ride, perhaps you would like a walk; for you must not leave me till you have seen the Lovelys.

Free. Oh Sir! I never thought of intruding myself, into your house; I meant to have ridden two miles farther to Mapleton, after I had seen Mr. George Lovely; but just at the bottom of the hill, a little before I came to your park-gates, I passed by a delightfully snug public-house, with a tablet over the door, containing such sort of poetry, as never saw exhibited at any public-house before and it was my design to have taken up my abode there.

Wor. O yes, they are quite orderly people, and would entertain you very decently; and though I shall be sorry to deprive the honest landlord of his customer, yet I must not part with you as my guest; I know the Lovelys will return before the dew of the evening, as the state of her health demands peculiar care Come Sir, we will put on our hats, as we can walk and talk at the same time.

The proposal was agreed to. As the conversation only turned upon the beautiful prospects, and the elegant, yet romantic views about Brookfield-Hall, it need not be repeated. However I should judge, some of my readers may suppose what has been sufficient to startle their credulity, has been reported, respecting the remarkable covetousness of the old Gredition alderman. Should it also be suspected that I may have blended two or three known characters into one, the reader shall enjoy his own conjecture, After all, let him remember the well-authenticated characters of the late Mr. Elwes, (though for many years in parliament for Berkshire :) the famous Baron D'Aguilar, belonging to the Starvation Farm-yard, near Islington: that filthy old economist, Daniel Dancer, Esq. late of Pinner, in Middlesex : who at times, fiterally lived on carrion, and actually died in a sack,

about ten years ago, though worth three thousand pounds annually: his sister also, being just such another economist as himself; and that a living witness of the same sort of unaccountable economy, till very lately existed in the keeper of the dirty warehouse in Leadenhall-street: and then I believe it will be acknowledged, that the character of the miser, as exemplified in the Grediton Alderman, is by no means caricatured, the general conduct of others of the same tribe being brought into consideration.

Let the present subject be concluded, with a remark of the inimitable Bishop Hall." The covetous man is like the spider; he does nothing but lay his nets to catch every fly, gaping only for a booty of these flies, he consumeth his own bowels, so that which is his life, is his death; and yet he is least to be pitied, because he makes himself miserable: like wicked Ahab, the sight of another's vineyard turns him sick at heart; he wants it for himself. He hates his neighbours, as bad as he is hated by them, and would sell his best friend, (if he had one,) for a groat. He pines his body that he may damn his soul; and whenever disappointed of his expected gain, through the accursed discontent of his mind, he would despatch himself, but that he is loath to cast away money

on a cord."