tridge. The stranger satisfied him it was in his arm, and then continued his narrative.

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'Here, Sir," said he, "Mr. Watson left me the next morning in order, as he pretended, to get us some provision from the town of Cullumpton; but-can I relate it? or can you believe it?This Mr. Watson, this friend, this base, barbarous, treacherous villain, betrayed me to a party of horse belonging to King James, and, at his return, delivered me into their hands.

"The soldiers, being six in number, had now seized me, and were conducting me to Taunton gaol; but neither my present situation, nor the apprehensions of what might happen to me, were half so irksome to my mind as the company of my false friend, who, having surrendered himself, was likewise considered as a prisoner, though he was better treated, as being to make his peace at my expence, He at first endeavoured to excuse his treachery; but when he received nothing but. scorn and upbraiding from me, he soon changed his note, abused me as the most atrocious and malicious rebel, and laid all his own guilt to my charge, who, as he declared, had solicited, and even threatened him to make him take up arms against his gracious as well as lawful sovereign.

"This false evidence (for, in reality he had been much the forwarder of the two) stung me to the quick, and raised an indignation scarce conceivable by those who have not felt it. However, Fortune at length took pity on me; for as we were got a little beyond Wellington, in a narrow lane, my guards received a false alarm that near fifty of the enemy were at hand, upon which they

shifted for themselves, and left me and my betrayer to do the same. That villain immediately ran from me, and I am glad he did, or I should have certainly endeavoured, though I had no arms, to have executed vengeance on his base

ness.

"I was now once more at liberty, and immediately withdrawing from the highway into the fields, I travelled on, scarce knowing which way I went, and making it my chief care to avoid all public roads and all towns, nay, even the most homely houses; for I imagined every human creature whom I saw, desirous of betraying me.

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At last, after rambling several days about the country, during which the fields afforded me the same bed, and the same food which nature bestows on our savage brothers of the creation, I at length arrived at this place, where the solitude and wildness of the country invited me to fix my abode. The first person with whom I took up my habitation was the mother of this old woman, with whom I remained concealed till the news of the glorious revolution put an end to all my apprehensions of danger, and gave me an opportunity of once more visiting my own home, and of enquiring a little into my affairs, which I soon settled as agreeably to my brother as to myself; having resigned every thing to him, for which he paid me the sum of a thousand pounds, and settled on me an annuity for life.

"His behaviour in this last instance, as in all others, was selfish and ungenerous. I could not look on him as my friend, nor indeed did he desire that I should; so I presently took my leave of

him, as well as of my other acquaintance; and from that day to this my history is little better than a blank."

"And is it possible, Sir," said Jones, "that you can have resided here from that day to this?" "O no, Sir," answered the gentleman, "I have been a great traveller, and there are few parts of Europe with which I am not acquainted.' " I have not, Sir," cried Jones, "the assurance to ask it of you now. Indeed it would be cruel after so much breath as you have already spent." But you will give me leave to wish for some further opportunity of hearing the excellent observations, which a man of your sense and knowledge of the world must have made in so long a course of travels." "Indeed, young gentleman," answered the stranger," I will endeavour to satisfy your curiosity on this head likewise, as far as I am able."

Jones attempted fresh apologies, but was prevented; and while he and Partridge sat with greedy and impatient ears, the stranger proceeded as in the next chapter.

CHAP. XV.

A brief history of Europe. And a curious discourse between Mr. Jones and the Man of the Hill.

IN Italy the landlords are very silent. In France they are more talkative, but yet civil. In Germany and Holland they are generally very impertinent. And as for their honesty, I believe it

да

is pretty equal in all those countries. The laquais a louange are sure to lose no opportunity of cheating you and as for the postillions, I think they are pretty much alike all the world over. These, Sir, are the observations on men which I made in my travels; for these were the only men I ever conversed with. My design when I went abroad was to divert myself by seeing the wond'rous variety of prospects, beasts, birds, fishes, insects, and vegetables, with which God has been pleased to enrich the several parts of this globe. A variety, which as it must give great pleasure to a contemplative beholder, so doth it admirably display the power and wisdom and goodness of the Creator. Indeed, to say the truth, there is but one work in his whole creation that doth him any dishonour, and with that I have long since avoided holding any conversation."

"You will pardon me," cries Jones, "but I have always imagined, that there is in this very work you mention, as great variety as in all the rest; for besides the difference of inclination, customs and climates have, I am told, introduced the utmost diversity into human nature.” “ Very little indeed," answered the other; "those who travel in order to acquaint themselves with the different manners of men, might spare themselves much pains by going to a carnival at Venice; for there they will see at once all which they can discover in the several courts of Europe. The same hypocrisy, the same fraud; in short, the same follies and vices dressed in different habits. In Spain these are equipped with much gravity; and in Italy with vast splendour. In France a knave

is dressed like a fop; and in the northern countries like a sloven. But human nature is every where the same, every where the object of detestation and scorn.

"As for my own part I passed through all these nations, as you perhaps may have done through a crowd at a show, jostling to get by them, holding my nose with one hand, and defending my pockets with the other, without speaking a word to any of them, while I was pressing on to see what I wanted to see; which, however entertaining it might be in itself, scarce made me amends for the trouble the company gave me.'

"Did not you find some of the nations among which you travelled less troublesome to you than others?" said Jones. "O yes,” replied the old man; "the Turks were much more tolerable to me than the Christians; for they are men of profound taciturnity, and never disturb a stranger with questions. Now and then indeed they bestow a short curse upon him, or spit in his face as he walks the streets, but then they have done with him; and a man may live an age in their country without hearing a dozen words from them. But of all the people I ever saw, heaven defend me from the French. With their damned prate and civilities, and doing the honour of their nation to strangers (as they are pleased to call it) but indeed setting forth their own vanity, they are so troublesome, that I had infinitely rather pass my life with the Hottentots than set my foot in Paris again. They are a nasty people, but their nastiness is mostly without; whereas in France, and some other nations that I won't name, it is all