Saturday, _April 30. 1720._


It is common with Authors of my Rank to give themselves Airs of
Consequence, when they assume a Right of correcting, or reforming, the
Vices, or Follies of the Age. The late Sir _John Edgar_, of obscure Memory,
pretended to define a Sort of Men whom he called _wrong-headed_, and has
told two or three Stories by Way of Examples, from whence he wou'd have you
think, that a Slip of Memory, is an Error in Judgment; as you may see in
his Instance of the Foot Soldier, who robbed the Gentleman, and forgetting
that he had put the Things into his own Pockets, afterwards changed Coats
with the Gentleman, and by that Means put him again in Possession of
whatever he before had robbed him. Without any Malice to Sir _John's_
Remaines, I shall beg Leave to observe, that the Term _wrong-headed_ more
properly belongs to him, who has an ill Turn of thinking, and judging, than
to him who commits a careless Oversight, which is common to Men of the best
Parts. My Reason for introducing this, is, from some Reflections that I
have made on the Subject of my last Paper; by which it appears to me that
there are Multitudes of this Sort of People in the World, pursuing Fortune
in a very giddy Way. I suppose it will be thought ridiculous, to call him
_wrong-headed_, who by any Artifice shall improve his Estate; yet when the
Misfortunes of others, and those by much the greater Number, and a Decay of
Trade are put in Ballance against that Artifice, I doubt this Charge must
be somewhere, tho' I am not cunning enough to tell where. As I see but
little Company, and retire for my Ease and the Improvement of my Studies; I
was deeply ingaged in Thought the other Night upon this Topick, and in made
such a strong Impression upon me, that it produced a very odd Dream. As it
is the Weakness of Women, and old Men, to be fond of telling their Dreams
to their Friends, I hope my Readers will excuse me this Infirmity of my