not so good an estate as himself. He would be a good neighbour
if he did not destroy so many partridges. In short, he is a very
sensible man; shoots flying; and has been several times foreman
of the petty-jury.

The other that rides along with him is Tom Touchy, a fellow
famous for TAKING THE LAW of every body. There is not one in the
town where he lives that he has not sued at a quarter sessions.
The rogue had once the impudence to go to law with the Widow.
His head is full of costs, damages, and ejectments: He plagued a
couple of honest gentlemen so long for a trespass in breaking one
of his hedges, till he was forced to sell the ground it enclosed
to defray the charges of the prosecution. His father left him
fourscore pounds a year; but he has CAST and been cast so often,
that he is not now worth thirty. I suppose he is going upon the
old business of the willow-tree.

As Sir Roger was giving me this account of Tom Touchy, Will
Wimble and his two companions stopped short till we came up to
them. After having paid their respects to Sir Roger, Will told
him that Mr. Touchy and he must appeal to him upon a dispute that
arose between them. Will it seems, had been giving his fellow-
traveller an account of his angling one day in such a hole; when
Tom Touchy, instead of hearing out his story, told him that Mr.
Such-a-one, if he pleased, might take the law of him for fishing
in that part of the river. My friend Sir Roger heard them both,
upon a round trot; and after having paused some time told them,
with the air of a man who would not give his judgment rashly,
that much might be said on both sides. They were neither of them
dissatisfied with the Knight's determination, because neither of