" The
young spark, having now displayed all his wit and humour, and exerted
his talents to the utmost, thought he had sufficiently recommended
himself to my favour and convinced me he was a gentleman. He therefore
with an air addressed himself to me, and asked me which way I was
travelling? To which I gave him no answer. He then exalted his voice;
but, at my continuing silent, he asked the landlord if I was
deaf. Upon which the landlord told him he did not believe the
gentleman was dunch, for that he talked very well just now. The man
of wit whispered in the landlord's ear, and said, "I suppose he is
either a parson or a fool." He then drank a dram, observing that a man
should not cool too fast; paid sixpence more than his reckoning,
called for his horse, gave the ostler a shilling, and galloped out of
the inn, thoroughly satisfied that we all agreed with him in thinking
him a clever fellow and a man of great importance. The landlord,
smiling, took up his money, and said he was a comical gentleman, but
that it was a thousand pities he swore so much; if it was not for
that, he was a very good customer, and as generous as a prince, for
that the night before he had treated everybody in the house.
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