a canal in front of his houfe, where he would fometimes take up with the placid amusement of angling from an alcove by the fide of it, with a fervant in attendance for the purpose of baiting his hook, or calling upon him to pull, if by chance he was furprized with a bite; happily for his repose this very rarely was the cafe, though a tradition runs in the family of his having once fnapped an officious perch of extraordinary size.

There was a learned practitioner in the law, one Mr. Driver, who had a house in his parish, and him Ned appointed manager of his estate; this worthy gentleman was fo confiderate as fel dom if ever to give him any trouble about his accounts, well knowing his averfion from items and particulars and the little turn he had to the drudgery of arithmetic and calculations. By the kind offices of Mr. Driver Ned was relieved from an infinite deal of difagreeable business, and Mr. Driver himself fuddenly became a man of confiderable property, and began to take a lead in the county. Ned together with his eftate had fucceeded to a Chancery fuit, which was pending at the death of the late poffeffor: This fuit was for a time carried on fo profperously by Mr. Driver, that nothing more seemed requifite to bring it to a favorable issue, than for Ned to make his appearance in Court for fome

purposes

purposes I am not able to explain: This was an undertaking fo infurmountable, that he could never be prevailed upon to fet about it and the fuit was deferted accordingly. This fuit and the circumftance of a copper mine on his eftate, which his agent never could engage him to work, were the only things that ever difturbed his tranquillity, and upon these topics he was rather fore, till Mr. Driver found it convenient to give up both points, and Ned heard no more of his Chancery fuit or his copper mine.

These few traits of my friend's character will fuffice to make my readers acquainted with him before I relate the particulars of a vifit I paid him about three months ago. It was in compliance with the following letter, which I was favoured with from Mr. Driver.

Sir,

1

"These are to inform you that Mr. Drowsy "defires the favour of your company at Poppy"Hall, which he has ordered me to notify to

you, not doubting but you will take it in good <c part, as you well know how his humour "ftands towards writing. He bids me fay that "he has fomething of confequence to confult you upon, of which more when we meet: VOL. IV.

"Wishing

Wishing you health and a fafe journey I re"main in all reasonable fervice,

"Your's to command,

"DANIEL DRIVER."

In confequence of this fummons I fet off for Poppy-Hall, and arrived there early in the evening of the fecond day. I found my friend Drowfy in company with my correspondent the attorney, the reverend Mr. Beetle curate of the parish, and two gentlemen, ftrangers to me, who, as I understood from Mr. Driver, were Mr. Sparkle fenior, an eminent auctioneer in London, and Billy Sparkle his son, a city beau. My friend was in his easy chair turned towards the fire; the rest were fitting round the table at fome distance, and engaged, as I foon difcovered, in a very interefting converfation upon beauty, which my entrance for a while put a ftop to. This intermiffion however lafted no longer than whilft Mr. Drowfy paid his compliments to me, which he performed in few words, afking me however if I came on horseback, which having anfwered in the affirmative, he fententiously obferved, that he never rode. And now the elder Mr. Sparkle refumed the converfation in the following manner-What I was ⚫ going

your

going to obferve to you, when this gentleman came in, upon the article of beauty is peremptorily and precisely this: Beauty, gentlemen, is in the eye, I aver it to be in the eye of the beholder and not in the object itself; my beauty for inftance is not your beauty, your's is not mine; it depends upon fancy and tafte, fancy and taste are nothing but caprice: A collection of fine women is like a collection of fine pictures; put them up to auction, and bidders will be found for every lot. But all bidders, cries the attorney, are not bonâ fide buyers; I believe you find many an article in fales fent back upon the owner's hands, and fo it is with beauty; all, that is bidden for, is not bought in-Here the curate interposed, and turning to his lay-brother of the pulpit, reminded him that beauty was like a flower of the field; here to-day, and gone tomorrow; whereas virtue was a hardy plant and defied the fcythe of time; virtue was an evergreen and would bloom in the winter, of life; virtue would flourish, when beauty was no more. -I believe it feldom makes any confiderable hoots till that is the cafe, cried Billy Sparkle, and followed up his repartee with a laugh, in which he was himself the only performer.-It is high time now, fays the attorney, directing his difcourfe to me, to make you acquainted with

the business we are upon, and how we came to fall upon this topic of beauty. Your friend Mr. Drowsy does not like the trouble of talking, and therefore with his leave I fhall open the cafe to you, as I know he wishes to take your opinion upon it-Here the attorney feeming to pause for his cue, Drowfy nodded his head and bade him go on. We are in confultation, rejoined he, upon a matter of no lefs moment than the choice of a wife for the gentleman in that eafy chair.And if he is eafy in it, demanded I, what need he wish for more?-Alackaday! he has no heir, and till that event takes place, he is only tenant for life fubject to empeachment of waste; he cannot be called mafter of his own eftate; only think of that, Sir. That was for him to do, I replied; how does Mr. Drowfy himself think of it? I don't think much about it, answered Ned. And how ftands your mind towards matrimony?-No anfwer.-There's trouble in it, added I. There is fo, replied he with a figh; but Driver fays I want an heir. There's trouble in that too, quoth I; have you any particular lady in your eye? That is the very point we are now upon, cried Mr. Sparkle fenior; there are three lots up for Mr. Drowsy or his friends to chufe from, and I only wait his fignal for knocking down the lot, that he likes beft.