to their ftate, twice; that is,-once drunk, and once fober:Drunkthat their counfels might not want vigour; and fober-that they might not want difcretion.

Now my father being entirely a waterdrinker, was a long time gravelled almoft to death, in turning this as much to his advantage, as he did every other thing, which the ancients did or faid; and it was not till the feventh year of his marriage, after a thousand fruitlefs experiments and devices, that he hit upon an expedient which anfwered the purpofe; and that was when any difficult and momentous point was to be fettled in the family, which required great fobriety, and great fpirit too, in its determination,he fixed and fet apart the first Sunday night in the month, and

the Saturday night which immediately preceded it, to argue it over, in bed with my mother: By which contrivance, if you confider, Sir, with yourself,

*

These my father, humourously enough, called his beds of justice;for from the two different counfels taken in these two different humours, a middle one was generally found out, which touched the point of wisdom as well, as if he had got drunk and fober a hundred

times.

It must not be made a fecret of to the world, that this anfwers full as well in literary difcuffions, as either in military

or

or conjugal; but it is not every author that can try the experiment as the Goths and Vandals did it or if he can, may it be always for his body's health; and to do it, as my father did it,— am I fure it would be always for his foul's.

My way is this:

In all nice and ticklish difcuffions,(of which, heaven knows, there are but too many in my book)-where I find I cannot take a step without the danger of having either their worships or their reverences upon my back

I write one half full,-and t'other fafting;or write it all full,-and cor-. rect it fafting;;—or write it fasting,and correct it full, for they all come to the fame thing:- So that with a lefs. F 3

variation

my

variation from my father's plan, than father's from the Gothick-I feel myself upon a par with him in his firft bed of justice, and no way inferior to

him in his fecond.-These different and almoft irreconcileable effects, flow uniformly from the wife and wonderful mechanism of nature,-of which,-be her's the honour.-All that we can do, is to turn and work the machine to the improvement and better manufactury. of the arts and fciences.

Now, when I write full,-I write as if I was never to write fafting again as long as I live; that is, I write free from the cares, as well as the terrors of the world.I count not the number of my fears, nor does my fancy go forth into dark entries and bye corners to antedate my ftabs.In a word, my pen

takes

takes its course; and I write on as much from the fullness of my heart, as my ftomach.

But when, an' please your honours, I indite fafting, 'tis a different history. I I pay the world all poffible attention and refpect,-and have as great a fhare (whilft it lafts) of that understrapping virtue of difcretion, as the best of you. So that betwixt both, I write a careless kind of a civil, nonfenfical, good humoured Shandean book, which will do all your hearts good

And all your heads too,-pro

vided you understand it.