what is spent in devising how to get rid, as they would have you suppose,
of a Multitude of Engagements. There is a certain veteran Beau of my
Acquaintance, who is highly caressed upon the Credit of his Intimacy with
Persons of Quality whom he never spoke to; he has a Knot of vain young
Fellows attendant upon him, whom he is to introduce into great Company; and
he has dropt some Hints, as if he would use his Interest to recommend some
of them to Employments at Court. These are, for the most part, young Men
stept into suddain great Fortunes, whose Rank and Conversation being at a
such a Distance from Title, they fancy that Men of Quality are not made of
the same Materials with other Men. This industrious merry old Gentleman has
a peculiar Happiness in telling, and making, a Story; and, in the winding
up or Catastrophe of it, never fails to surprize and please you, therefore
he diverts, as well as amuses his Company. It is to these Talents that he
chiefly owes his Subsistance, for he is very little beholding to Fortune,
or his Family. I am pleased to hear him relate the Adventures, that his
very good Friend King _Charles_ the _Second_ and He have met with together;
the Sword he wears (which, it must be confessed, looks something _antique_)
was given to him on the Day of the Battle at _Worcester_ by that Monarch.
This Weapon being reverenced by the Youths his Followers, one of them
sollicited hard to purchase it. For ten Guineas, and to oblige a Friend,
our Humorist was prevailed upon to part with it. Next Day he purchas'd
exactly such another Peice of Antiquity for _Eighteen Pence_ in _Monmouth_
Street, and has been so obliging, from Time to Time, to sell at least ten
of these Weapons to young Fellows well affected to the Royal Family, and
all presented to him by the same Monarch with whom he was so conversant.
The Furniture of his Apartment is not very costly, as may be judged by his
Circumstances; a Gentleman visiting him one Morning, sat down upon a Stool,
which being decrepit and crazy, he was apprehensive of a Fall; and
therefore throwing it aside with so much Negligence that its whole Frame
had like to have been dissolved, the old Gentleman begged him to use it