Thing elfe that could give them a thorough Infight into the Affair; at which my Father and Mafter were fo concerned, they could hardly utter a Word for a long Time. From thence they waited on Mr. Vulture, and he was fo generous as to own that he believed I had never received a Penny Satisfaction for my Note from Mr. Deacon; but that it was the unguarded Miftake of a Youth, whom he would not have been fo fevere with, if he could have afforded to ftay any longer for his Money; but as he did not know, nor I care to tell him, where my Relations lived, he found it neceffary to arreft me, to fecure the Payment of it. Mr. Diaper, who knew him, and who was known to Vulture, blamed him highly for not letting him know the Affair, when he would have bailed me, and not fuffered me to undergo the Difgrace and Pain of Imprisonment; but he excufed himself by faying, that he could not imagine fo much Friendfhip had exifted between us as that came to. Then they talked to Mr. Deacon's Brother, but could not bring him at all to Reason, tho' my Father talked of commencing a Suit in Equity, to recover the Money; and demonftrated, that I could not poffibly be any Thing in his Brother's Debt. Vulture was applied to again after this, to know if he'd come to any Composition; but he excufed himself, by faying he had been the whole Money out of Pocket fo long, that he had been a great Lofer; however,

in

in Compliment to Mr. Diaper, he would deduct the Fees and Law Charges, and give me a Discharge on the Receipt of the 600. Mr. Diaper and your Father, continues this deareft Mother, are now in the Lodge, paying your Fees, and setting you at Liberty; having paid Vulture the Sum, upon the Note, this Morning betimes; but, my Dear, you are quite altered; I never thought I fhould fee my Joey in fuch a Place! or fuch an Habit! She had just finished thefe Words, when in rushed my Father and Mr. Diaper: If they expreffed all the Joy imaginable to see me again, the forlorn Condition I appeared in gave them the utmost Torment; and my Father and he both, tho' very tenderly, chid me for not acquainting them fooner with this Matter, and writing for the proper Support for my Neceffities, whilft I was here. Look ye, my Son, tho' you have acted fo fillily, fo unguardedly, in this Affair of the Note, fays my Father, yet, as I believe you was swayed by Gratitude to my old Friend, poor Mr. Deacon, to do what you did, and cannot be accused of any Thing but Folly and Inattention, in not taking a proper counter Security of him, I fhall make you no Reproaches, and hope your future Conduct will wipe off any Stain your Imprisonment may have occafioned; but now we have got you discharged, and you are at Liberty to go, your Figure is fo rueful, that you can't appear till Dark; but fays my Mafter, I fancy, Sir, a little

a little Money will redeem Mr. Thompson's Cloaths fufficient to appear in; for I suppose he has not fold them, but committed them to the Cuftody of fome Pawnbroker; to this I answered in the Affirmative; upon which my dear Father gave me ten Guineas, and I immediately fent the Runner I used to employ, for my Cloaths, whilft they satisfied their Curiofity in viewing the Prison, the Bare, the CoffeeRoom, &c. and then I got shaved and dressed, and appeared before them like myself. We bespoke a Dinner in the Cellar; and my Fellow-prifoners, hearing of my Discharge, thronged into the Room to wish me Joy, which I returned, defiring them to drink a Glass of Wine; and presenting them to my Father, to whom, when I had informed him of their feveral Characters, he ordered me to make fome Presents, if I thought proper; accordingly I did fo, where I knew it would be acceptable; and gave, in his Name and Mr. Diaper's, a confiderable Sum to the Begging-grate. Amongst the reft, poor Sir William Failer came to congratulate me; but my Father had no fooner fixed his Eyes upon him, than he ran to embrace him; and they exchanged fuch mutual Civilities, as quite furprised me. And is this your Son? cried Sir William; I wish I had known it fooner, how happy. fhould I have been! My Father, who I foon perceived had a great Regard for him, asked him, How long he had been there? He said, Near two Years,

for

for a Debt of 401. Good God! faid my Father,

جوع

nos mutamur

is it poffible! Tempora mutantur, in illis! Ah! my old Chum, replied Sir William, little did I think, fome Years ago, ever to see this Place; but jacta est alea.

Quæque ipfe miferrima vidi;

Et quorum pars magna fui !·

After fome other Difcourfe relative to Sir Wil ham's Affairs, my Father invited him to Dinner ; and that over, called him on one Side, and made hima Prefent of Ten Guineas, which he received with a grateful Transport: Then taking Leave of all my Acquaintance, and clearing all my Scores and Debts in the Place, I once more launched out into the open Air, and immediately, with thefe three dear and much loved Perfons, fet out for Mr. Diaper's Country-house. Mrs. Diaper, at my Arrival, overcame me almoft with Careffes i but, when he had heard my Story, the lifted up her Hands and Eyes; and faid, If her Son was to know it, he believed he would go distracted! and blamed me greatly for not acting with more Regard to myfelf, by letting my Friends know my Diftrefs; declaring fhe would have made away with her Plate, if it could not have been done without, rather than have fuffered me to continue in Prison a Minute. At Supper, talking about the Place we juft came from, I acquainted Mr. Diaper

with the Death of poor Speculift, and the Manner of it, which occafioned a great many curious and ufeful Reflections, on all Hands; but what most furprises me, is to fee Sir William Failer fo deftitute of Friends, fays my Father; tho' indeed, when we come to confider all Things, it is not so strange neither; for he has, to be fure, been a very indif creet and unhappy Man; and the Paffages, I recollect of his Life, are a remarkable Leffon of Prudence to Mankind. I afked him to relate what he knew of that Gentleman, which, being backed by Mr. Diaper, and the two Ladies, he did immediately, to the following Effect:

CHA P. XL.

The Hiftory of Sir William Failer, Bart.

MY

Y Acquaintance with this Gentleman commenced at the University, where he was at that Time a Student, as well as myself; Sir William being of Emanuel, and I of St. John's; and has been continued, till within nine or ten Years; when his various Misfortunes and Diftreffes fo altered Him, that he fought other Friends, of a different Stampfrom thofe he before affociated with. You will obferve, in the Anecdotes I am going to give you of this Gentleman's Hiftory, that the greatest Talents,

the