"hovered over the coaft of Norfolk, and was to make "a defcent there, in order to favour the duke's en"terprize with a diverfion on that fide.'

This apothecary was one of the greatest politicians of his time. He was more delighted with the moft paultry packet, than with the best patient; and the higheft joy he was capable of, he received. from having a piece of news in his poffeffion an hour or two fooner than any other perfon in the town. His advices. however, were feldom authentic; for he would fwallow almoft any thing as a truth, a humour which many made ufe of to impofe upon hin.

Thus it happened with what he at prefent communicated; for it was known within a fhort time' afterwards, that the duke was really landed; but that his army confifted only of a few attendants ; and as to the diverfion in Norfolk, it was entirely falfe.

The apothecary ftaid no longer in the room than while he acquainted us with his news; and then, without faying a fyllable to his patient on any other fubject, departed to fpread his advices all over the

town

Events of this nature in the public are generally apt to eclipfe all private concerns Our difcourfe, therefore, now became entirely political. For my ' own part, I had been for fome time very feriously affected with the danger to which the proteftant religion was fo vitibly expofed, under a popish prince; and thought the apprehenfion of it alone fufficient to justify that infurrection: for no real security can ever be found against the perfecuting fpirit of popery, when armed with power, except the depriving it of that power, as woeful expeperience prefently fhewed. You know how King James behaved after getting the better of this attempt; how little he valued either his royal word, or coronation-oath, or the liberties and rights of his people. But all had not the fenfe to foresee this at first; and therefore the Duke of Monmouth was weakly fupported; yet all could feel when the evil

came

came upon them; and therefore all united, at last, to drive out that king, against whofe exclufion a 'great party among us had fo warmly contended, during the reign of his brother, and for whom they now fought with fuch zeal and affection.'

་

What you fay, interrupted Jones, is very true; and it has often struck nie, as the most wonderful thing I ever read of in history, that fo foon after this 'convincing experience, which brought our whole nation to join fo unanimoufly in expelling King James, for the prefervation of our religion and liberties, there fhould be a party among us mad enough to defire the placing his family again on the throne.' You are not in earneft!' answered the old man ; there can be no fuch party. As bad an opinion as I have of mankind, I cannot believe them 'infatuated to fuch a degree! There may be fome hot-headed Papifts led by their priefs to engage in 'this desperate caufe, and think it a holy war: but 'that Proteftants, that are members of the church of England, fhould be fuch apoftates, fuch Felos de fe, 'I cannot believe it; no, no, young man, unacquainted as I am with what has paft in the world for these last thirty years, I cannot be fo impofed upon as to credit 'fo foolish a tale: but I fee you have a mind to sport 'with my ignorance.' Can it be poffible' replied Jones, that you have lived fo much out of the world as not to know that during that time there have 'been two rebellions in favour of the fon of King James, one of which is now actually raging in the very heart of the kingdom? At thefe words the old gentleman ftarted up, and, in a moft folemn tone of voice, conjured Jones by his Maker to tell him, if what he faid was really true: which the other as folemnly affirming, he walked feveral turns about the room in a profound filence, then cried, then laughed, and, at lalt, fell down on his knees, and bleffed God, in a loud thanksgiving prayer, for having delivered him from all fociety with human nature, which could be capable of fuch monitrous extravagancies. After which, being reminded by Jones that he had broke off his ftory, he refumed it again in this manner.

• As

As mankind, in the days I was fpeaking of, was not yet arrived to that pitch of madnefs which I find they are capable of now, and which, to be sure, Į have only escaped by living alone, and at a dif tance from the contagion, there was a confiderable rifing in favour of Monmouth; and, my principles ftrongly inclining me to take the fame part 1 determined to join him; and Mr. Watson, from different motives concurring in the fame refolution, (for the fpirit of a gamefter will carry a man as far upon fuch an occafion as the fpirit of patriotifm), we foon provided ourfelves with all neceffaries, and went to the duke at Bridgewater.

• The unfortunate event of this enterprize you are, I conclude, as well acquainted with as myself. Į efcaped, together with Mr. Watson, from the battle at Sedgemore in which action I received a flight wound. We rode near forty miles together on the Exeter road, and, then abandoning our horses, • fcrambled as well as we could through the fields and bye-roads, till we arrived at a little wild hut on a common, where a poor old woman took all the care of us fhe could, and dreffed my wound ' with falve, which quickly healed it.'

Pray, Sir. where was the wound,' fays Partridge. The ftranger fatisfied him it was in his arm, and then continued his narrative. Here, Sir,' faid he, Mr. ⚫ Watson left me the next morning, in order, as he pretended, to get us fome provifion from the town of Cullumpton;-but- can I relate it or can you believe it-This Mr Watfon, this friend, this bafe, barbarous, treacherous villain, betrayed me to a party of horfe belonging to King James, and, at his return, delivered me into their hands.

The foldiers, being fix in number had now feized me, and were conducting me to Taunton gaol; but neither my prefent fituation, nor the apprehenfions of what might happen to me, were half fo irksome to my mind, company of my falle friend, who, having furrendered himself, was likewife.confidered as a prifoner, though he was better treated, as being to make his peace at my expence.

as the

He

He at first endeavoured to excufe his treachery; but when he received nothing but fcorn and upbraiding from me, he foon changed his note, abufed me as the most atrocious and malicious rebel, and laid all his own guilt to my charge, who, as he declared, 'had folicited, and even threatened him, to make him take up arms against his gracious, as well as lawful fovereign.

This falfe evidencé, (for in reality, he had been 'much the forwarder of the two), ftung me to the quick, and raifed an indignation fcarce conceivable by thofe 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 falfe alarm, that near fifty of the enemy were at hand, upon which they fhifted for themfelves, and left me and my betrayer to do the fame. That villain immediately ran from me, and 'I am glad he did, or I fhould have certainly endeavoured, though I had no arms, to have executed vengeance on his bafenefs.

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

'At last, after rambling feveral days about the country, during which the fields afforded me the fame bed, and the fame food, which nature bestows on our favage brothers of the creation, I at length arrived at this place, where the folitude and wildnefs of the country invited me to fix my abode. The 'first perfon with whom I took up my habitation was. 'the mother of this old woman, with whom I re'mained concealed, till the news of the glorious Revolution put an end to all my apprehenfions of danger, and gave me an opportunity of once more. vifiting my own home, and of enquiring a little into 'my affairs, which I foon fettled as agreeably to my 'brother as to myfelf; having refigned every thing

to him, for which he paid me the fum of a thoufand pounds, and fettled on me an annuity for life.

His behaviour in this laft inftance, as ia all others, was felfish and ungenerous. I could not look on him as my friend, nor indeed did he defire that I 'fhould; fo I presently took my leave of him, as well as of my other acquaintance; and from that day to this, my hiftory is little better than a blank'

And is it poffible, Sir,' faid Jones, that you can have refided here from that day to this?' 'O no, Sir,' anfwered 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 affurance to ask it of you now. Indeed it would be cruel, after fo much breath as you have al ready spent. But you will give me leave to with for fome further opportunity of hearing the excellent obfervations, which a man of your fenfe and know⚫ledge of the world must have made in fo long a courfe of travels.' Indeed, young gentleman,' anfwered the ftranger, I will endeavour to fatisfy your curiofity on this head likewife, as far as I am able.' Jones attempted fresh apologies, but was prevented; and while he and Partridge fat with greedy and impatient ears, the stranger proceeded as in the next-chapter.

6

CHAP. XV.

A brief hiftory of Europe. And a curious difcourfe between Mr. Jones and the Man of the Hill.

'N Italy the landlords are very filent. In France they are more talkative, but yet civil. In Germany and Holland they are generally very impertinent. And as for their honefly, I believe it is pretty equal in all thofe countries. The Laquais à Louange are fure to lofe no opportunity of cheating you: and as for the poftilions, I think they are pretty much alike all the world over. Thefe Sir, are the ob-, fervations on men which I made in my travels; fər thefe were the only men I ever converfed with. My. defign, when I went abroad, was to divert myfelt,