"Pozz," faid I, " you ought to keep a coach."---Pozz "Yes, Sir, I ought."---Bozz. "But you do not, and that

has often furprifed me."---Pozz. "Surprised you! "There, Sir, is another prejudice of abfurdity. Sir, "you ought to be surprised at nothing. A man that "has lived half your days, ought to be above all fur-' "prife. Sir, it is a rule with me never to be surprised. "It is mere ignorance, you cannot guess why I do not "keep a coach, and you are furprised. Now, Sir, if you did know, you would not be surprised."---I faid, tenderly, "I hope, my dear Sir, you will let me

know before I leave town."---Pozz. "Yes, Sir, you' «fhall know now. You shall not go to Mr. Wilkins, "and to Mr. Jenkins, and to Mr. Stubbs, and fay, "why does not Pozz keep a coach? I will tell you "myfelf---Sir, I can't afford it."

We talked of drinking. I asked him whether, in the courfe of his long and valuable life, he had not known fome men who drank more than they could bear?--Pozz."Yes, Sir; and then, Sir, nobody could bear "them. A man who is drunk, Sir, is a very foolish "fellow."---Bozz. "But, Sir, as the poet fays, he i "devoid of all care. --Pozz. " Yes, Sir, he cares for "nobody; he has none of the cares of life; he cannot "be a merchant, Sir, for he cannot write his name ; "he cannot be a politician, Sir, for he cannot talk ; "he cannot be an artist, Sir, for he cannot fee; and "yet, Sir, there is fcience in drinking."--Bozz. "I

"fup

fuppofe you mean that a man ought to know, what he "drinks."---Pozz. "No, Sir, to know what one drinks "is nothing; but the science confifts of three parts. "Now, Sir, were I to drink wine, I fhould wish to "know them all; I fhould wifh to know when I had too “little, when I had enough, and when I had too much. "There is our friend ********, (mentioning a gen"tleman of our acquaintance) he knows when he has too little, and when he has too much, but he knows not when he has enough. Now, Sir, that is the science "of drinking, to know when one has enough."

We talked this day on a variety of topics, but I find very few memorandums in my journal. On fmall beer, he faid it was flatulent liquor. He difapproved of those who deny the utility of abfolute power; and feemed to be offended with a friend of our's, who would alway➜ have his eggs poached. Sign-pofts, he observed, had degenerated within his memory; and he particularly found fault with the moral of the Beggars Opera. I endeavoured to defend a work which had afforded me fo much pleasure, but could not mafter that strength of mind with which he argued; and it was with great fatisfaction that he communicated to me afterwards a method of curing corns by applying a piece of oiled filk. In the early history of the world he preferred Sir Ifaac Newton's Chronology; but as they gave employment to ufeful artifans, he did not diflike the large buckles then coming into ufe.

Next day we dined at the Mitre. I mentioned fpirits. ---Pozz. “Sir, there is as much evidence for the exif"tence of fpirits as against it. You may not believe it, "but you cannot deny it." I told him that my great grandmother once faw a fpirit. He asked me to relate it, which I did very minutely, while he liftened with profound attention. When I mentioned that the spirit once appeared in the fhape of a fhoulder of mutton, and another time in that of a tea-pot, he interrupted me: ---Pozz. "There, Sir, is the point; the evidence is good,

but the fcheme is defective in confiftency. We can"not deny that the spirit appeared in these shapes; but "then we cannot reconcile them. What has a tea-pot "to do with a fhoulder of mutton? Neither is it a ter "rific object. There is nothing contemporaneous. Sir, thefe are objects which are not feen at the fame "time, nor in the fame place."---Bozz. "I think, Sir, "that old women in general are used to fee ghofts."-Pozz. "Yes, Sir, and their converfation full of the "fubject; I would have an old woman to record fuch "converfations; their loquacity tends to minutenefs."

We talked of a perfon who had a very bad character.---Pozz. "Sir, he is a fcoundrel.-Bozz. "I "hate a fcoundrel."-Pozz. "There you are wrong; "don't hate fcoundrels. Scoundrels, Sir, are useful; "there are many things we cannot do without "fcoundrels. I would not chufe to keep company "with fcoundrels, but fomething may be got from

"them."

"them."-Bozz." Are not scoundrels generally fools ♪"

Pozz. "No, Sir, they are not. A fcoundrel must "be a clever fellow; he must know many things of "which a fool is ignorant. Any man may be a fool. "I think a good book might be made out of fcoundrels. "I would have a Biographia Flagitiofa, the Lives of "Eminent Scoundrels, from the earliest accounts to the "present day." I mentioned hanging; I thought it a very aukward fituation. - Pozz. " No, Sir, hang"ing is not an aukward fituation; it is proper, Sir, "that a man whose actions tend towards flagitious ob

liquity, fhould appear perpendicular at laft." I told him that I had lately been in company with some gentlemen, every one of whom could recollect fome friend or other who had been hanged.-Pozz. "Yes, Sir, "that is the easiest way. We know those who have "been hanged; we can recollect that; but we cannot "number those who deserve it; it would not be deco

66

rous, Sir, in a mixed company. No, Sir, that is one "of the few things which we are compelled to think."

[Our regard for literary property prevents our making a larger extract from the above important work. We have, however, we hope, given fuch passages as will tend to imprefs our readers with an high idea of this vaft under-taking.]

Original Letter from the Chief Magiftrate of a certain Corporation.

Sur,

ON Monday next I am to be made a Mare, and shall be much obliged to you, if fo be as you will fend me down by the coach fome provifions fitting for the occafion, as I am to ax my brother the old Mare and the

reft of the bench.

I am, Sur, &c.

Anfwer, by a Wag into whofe Hands it fell.
Sir,

In obedience to your order, I have sent you per coach two bushels of the best oats, and, as you are to trea The old Mare, have added bran to make a ma