THE journey of my daughters to town was now resolved upon, Mr. Thornhill having kindly promised to inspect their conduct
himself, and inform us by letter of their behavior. But it was thought indispensably necessary that their appearance should equal
the greatness of their expectations, which could not be done without expense. We debated, therefore, in full council what were
the easiest methods of raising money; or, more properly speaking, what we could most conveniently sell. The deliberation was
soon finished. It was found that our remaining horse was utterly useless for the plough, without his companion, and equally unfit
for the road, as wanting an eye; it was therefore determined that we should dispose of him for the purpose above mentioned, at
the neighboring fair, and, to prevent imposition, that I should go with him myself. Though this was one of the first mercantile
transactions of my life, yet I had no doubt about acquitting myself with reputation. The opinion a man forms of

his own prudence is measured by that of the company he keeps; and as mine was mostly in the family way, I had conceived no
unfavorable sentiments of my worldly wisdom. My wife, however, next morning at parting, after I had got some paces from the
door, called me back to advise me, in a whisper, to have all my eyes about me.

   I had, in the usual forms, when I came to the fair, put my horse through all his paces, but for some time had no bidders. At
last a chapman approached, and, after he had a good while examined the horse round finding him blind of one eye, he would
have nothing to say to him. A second came up, but observing he had a spavin, declared he would not take him for the driving
home. A third perceived he had a windgall, and would bid no money; a fourth knew by his eye that he had the botts; a fifth
wondered what a plague I could do at the fair with a blind, spavined, galled hack, that was only fit to be cut up for a
dog-kennel. By this time I began to have a most hearty contempt for the poor animal myself, and was almost ashamed at the
approach of every customer; for although I did not entirely believe all the fellows told me, yet I reflected that the number of
witnesses was a strong presumption that they were right; and St. Gregory, upon good works, professes himself to be of the
same opinion.

   I was in this mortifying situation, when a brotherclergyman, an old acquaintance, who had also business

at the fair, came up, and shaking me by the hand, proposed adjourning to a public-house and taking a glass
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of whatever we could get. I readily closed with the offer, and entering an ale-house, we were shown into a

little back room, where there was only a venerable old man, who sat wholly intent over a large book which he was reading. I
never in my life saw a figure that prepossessed me more favorably. His locks of silver gray venerably shaded his temples, and
his green old age seemed to be the result of health and benevolence. However, his presence did not interrupt our conversation;
my friend and I discoursed on the various turns of fortune we had met, the Whistonian controversy, my last pamphlet, the
archdeacon's reply, and the hard measure that was dealt me. But our attention was in a short time taken off by the appearance
of a youth who, entering the room, respectfully said something softly to the old stranger. "Make no apologies, my child," said
the old man; "to do good is a duty we owe to all our fellow-creatures; take this; I wish it were more; but five pounds will relieve
your distress, and you are welcome." The modest youth shed tears of gratitude; and yet his gratitude was scarcely equal to
mine. I could have hugged the good old man in my arms, his benevolence pleased me so. He continued to read, and we
resumed our conversation, until my companion, after some time, recollecting that he had business to transact in the fair,
promised to be soon back, adding, that he always desired to have as much of Dr. Primrose's company as possible. The old
gentleman, hearing my name mentioned, seemed to look at me with attention for some time, and when my friend was gone

most respectfully demanded if I was any way related to the great Primrose, that courageous monogamist, who had been the
bulwark of the Church. Never did my heart feel sincerer rapture than at that moment. "Sir," cried I, "the applause of so good a
man, as I am sure you are, adds to that happiness in my breast which your benevolence has already excited. You behold before
you, sir, that Dr. Primrose, the monogamist, whom you have been pleased to call great. You here see that unfortunate divine,
who has so long, and it would ill become me to say, successfully fought against the deuterogamy of the age.""Sir," cried the
stranger, struck with awe, "I fear I have been too familiar, but you'll forgive my curiosity, sir: I beg pardon."-"Sir," cried I
grasping his hand, "you are so far from displeasing me by your familiarity, that I must beg you'll accept my friendship, as you
already have my esteem."-"Then with gratitude I accept the offer," cried he, squeezing me by the hand, "thou glorious pillar of
unshaken orthodoxy; and do I behold-" I here interrupted what he was going to say; for though, as an author, I could digest no
small share of flattery, yet now my modesty would permit no more. However, no lovers in romance ever cemented a more
instantaneous friendship. We talked upon several subjects: at first I thought he seemed rather devout than learned, and began to
think he despised all human doctrines as dross. Yet this no way lessened him in my

esteem; for I had for some time begun privately to harbor such an opinion myself. I therefore took occasion to observe that the
world in general began to be blamably indifferent as to doctrinal matters, and followed human speculations too much. "Ay, sir,"
replied he,-as if he had reserved all his learning to that moment,-"Ay, sir, the world is in its dotage; and yet the cosmogony or
creation of the world has puzzled philosophers of all ages. What a medley of opinions have they not broached upon the creation
of the world! Sanchoniathon, Manetho, Berosus, and Ocellus Lucanus have all attempted it in vain. The latter has these words,
[Greek quotation], which imply that all things have neither beginning nor end. Manetho also, who lived about the time of
Nebuchadon-Asser,-Asser being a Syriac word, usually applied as a surname to the kings of that country, as Teglat
Phael-Asser, Nabon-Asser,-he, I say, formed a conjecture equally absurd: for, as we usually say, [Greek quotation], which
implies that books will never teach the world; so he attempted to investigate.But, sir, I ask pardon, I am straying from the
question." That he actually was; nor could I for my life see how the creation of the world had any thing to do with the business I
was talking of; but it was sufficient to show me that he was a man of letters, and now I reverenced him the more. I was
resolved therefore to bring him to the touch-stone; but he was

too mild and too gentle to contend for victory. Whenever I made any observation that looked like a challenge to controversy,
he would smile, shake his head, and say nothing; by which I understood he could say much, if he thought proper. The subject
therefore insensibly changed from the business of antiquity to that which brought us both to the fair; mine I told him was to sell a
horse, and very luckily indeed his was to buy one f or one of his tenants. My horse was soon produced, and in fine we struck a
bargain. Nothing now remained but to pay me, and he accordingly pulled out a thirty-pound note, and bid me change it. Not
being in a capacity of complying with his demand, he ordered his footman to be called up, who made his appearance in a very
genteel livery. "Here, Abraham," cried he, "go and get gold for this; you'll do it at neighbor Jackson's or anywhere." While the
fellow was gone, he entertained me with a pathetic harangue on the great scarcity of silver, which I undertook to improve, by
deploring also the great scarcity of gold; so that by the time Abraham returned we had both agreed that money was never so
hard to be come at as now. Abraham returned to inform us that he had been over the whole f air and could not get change,
though he had offered half a crown for doing it. This was a very great disappointment to us all; but the old gentleman having
paused a little, asked me if I knew one Solomon Flamborough in my part of the country; upon replying

that he was my next-door neighbor: "If that be the case, then," returned he, "I believe we shall deal. You shall have a draft upon
him payable at sight; and, let me tell you, he is as warm a man as any within five miles round him. Honest Solomon and I have
been acquainted for many years together. I remember I always beat him at three jumps; but he could hop on one leg farther
than I." A draft upon my neighbor was to me the same as money; for I was sufficiently convinced of his ability. The draft was
signed and put into my hands, and Mr. Jenkinson (the old gentleman), his man Abraham, and my horse, old Blackberry, trotted
off very well pleased with each other.

   After a short interval, being left to reflection, I began to recollect that I had done wrong in taking a draft from a stranger, and
so prudently resolved upon following the purchaser, and having back my horse. But this was now too late: I therefore made
directly homewards, resolving to get the draft changed into money at my friend's as fast as possible. I found my honest neighbor
smoking his pipe at his own door, and informing him that I had a small bill upon him, he read it twice over: "You can read the
name, I suppose," cried I, "Ephraim Jenkinson."-"Yes," returned he, "the name is written plain enough, and I know the
gentleman too,-the greatest rascal under the canopy of heaven. This is the very same rogue who sold us the spectacles. Was he
not a venerable looking man

with gray hair, and no flaps to his pocket-holes? And did he not talk a long string of learning, about Greek and cosmogony and
the world?" To this I replied with a groan. "Ay," continued he, "he has but that one piece of learning in the world, and he always
talks it away whenever he finds a scholar in company; but I know the rogue, and will catch him yet."

   Although I was already sufficiently mortified, my greatest struggle was to come, in facing my wife and daughters. No truant
was ever more afraid of returning to school, there to behold the master's visage, than I was of going home. I was determined,
however, to anticipate their fury by first falling into a passion myself.

   But, alas! upon entering, I found the family no way disposed for battle. My wife and girls were all in tears, Mr. Thornhill
having been there that day to inform them that their journey to town was entirely over. The two ladies having heard reports of
us from some malicious person about us, were that day set out for London. He could neither discover the tendency nor the
author of these; but whatever they might be, or whoever might have broached them, he continued to assure our family of his
friendship and protection. I found, therefore, that they bore my disappointment with great resignation, as it was eclipsed in the
greatness of their own. But what perplexed us most was to think who

could be so base as to asperse the character of a family so harmless as ours, too humble to excite envy, and too inoffensive to
create disgust.