ject runs out Obfequiously to meet the Defire.

Philal. Not always, if you please : There are abundance of Things the Wealthy can't purchafe. All Eftates are abuttal'd and bounded; there's always a non ultra in the cafe, a Profpect into a foreign Jurifdiction, which the Landlord would oftentimes gladly make his own. Befides, Defire is apt to encreafe in proportion to Succefs: A Rich Man stands upon higher Ground than formerly; and a larger Scene of Curiofities lie open to his View. Thefe new Objects follicite the Fancy, multiply his Wants, and make his Power as much fhort of his Will as ever. And, thus fometimes good Fortune disappoints him; the Dropfy grows worse by drinking; and the richer he is without, the poorer he is within. He has fome Neighbour that out-fhines him

-Feftinanti femper locupletior obftat.

fome fine Thing hangs out of reach, fome impracticable Project keeps him uneafy Thus his Satisfactions are fcarce felt, and what he has grows flat upon his Relish. Wealth is a rank Soil, in which, unless carefully manag'd, the Weeds will quickly fpring up, over-top

the

the Plants, and choak the Grain. Flattery and Indulgence, common to fuch Circumftances, makes the Paffions eager and ungovernable; fo that like ill-behav'd Children, they are apt to cry for every thing they fee. Whereas the way to be happy, is to take our Measures from Nature, and keep within the Compass of Convenience; to retrench our Defires, and fink them towards an Indifferency: But when our Fancies are highfed, they are apt to grow Feverish, and rave after Danger or Impoffibility.

Philot. You may fay what you please, but I'm fure my Senfes are ftrangely dwindled fince I came out of the Country: for I neither fee, nor fmell, nor taste with them half fo well as I did before.

Philal. Don't trouble your felf, the lower your Senfes are kept, the better. you may govern them: Appetite and Reafon are commonly like two Buckets, when one is at top, t'other's at the bottom; now of the two, I had rather the Reason-Bucket fhould be uppermoft. But I'm forry to find you dwell fo much upon the Table: What, was your Philofophy diffolv'd there, like an Anchovee, and is your Soul flip'd down into your Palate? Pray, have a care of Epicu

rifm; Don't let Nicenefs and Luxury get the Afcendant: For, not to mention the greatest Misfortune, unless your Purfe is very strong, fuch Senfuality will lay you open to Difappointments, bring you into a State of Servitude, and oblige you to creep after a great many Humours you won't like. Now before I would be thus meanly Palat-ridden, and facrifice my Liberty to fo defpicable a Confideration; I would e'en try to discharge my Tafte, and go on as well as I could with Four Senfes. But granting your Fortune large enough to fupply you, what does all this Variety of Dishes, thefe High Sauces, this Learned Pother in the Kitchen, fignify? I fay, What does it fignify, unless to make Appetite fstronger than Digestion, to kidnap your Conftitution with a Sugar plum, and betray you to fome Diftemper or other? What does it tend to, unlefs to make diffimilar and difagreeing Juices, and unfriendly Fermentations in the Blood? Whereas, would you give your felf leave to be hungry, a plain uncompounded Diet, cleanlily drefs'd, has as much Pleafure and more Health in't. Befides, expenfive and luxurious Eating generally takes up a great deal of time, clogs the Spirits, and clouds the Under

standing.

standing, and makes Life run strangely to wafte.

Philot. For all that, I thought it went off pretty pleasantly. But good Eating is but part of the Advantage. Wealth is wonderfully addrefs'd and complemented every where: A Mannor draws Suit and Service along with it; and a rich Man, like the Sun in Perfia, is worfhip'd at his firft Rifing. I was almost amaz'd to fee the unufual Ceremony that was paid to my old Friend: He was formerly little taken notice of, but now he is faluted with Refpect, he is admir'd for his Conversation, he commands the Attention of the Company, and his Mouth goes for an Oracle. One would think his Pocket had mended his Head, that his Senfe held proportion with his Acres, and that he had purchas'd a new Understanding with his Eftate. And when he makes a Vifit, he is receiv'd with a distinguishing Civility: There is fuch a Preference paid to his Perfon, fuch Application to entertain him, fuch Enquiry into his Fancy, fuch Carving to his new Worfhip, that if I had not known him, I fhould have thought him fome confiderable Officer in the Army, that he had made feveral honourable Campaigns, ftorm'd the Counterfcarp,

and

and planted the Colours in the Breach : Whereas, before he made his Fortune, he could scarce get room at the lower end of the Table; no body minded him, or put the least Question to his Palatę. But now, on my word, the Cafe is alter'd; now he's not only gaz'd at by the Mobb, and admir'd by Flatterers, but People of independent Circumstances, that have no Defign upon him, pay him a particular Regard: Perfons of Condition, are fometimes forward to court him to an Intimacy, to open their Pedigree for him, to take him into their Veins, and give him the privilege of a younger Branch; whereas, in reality, the Confanguinity comes all from the Coffers, and the Relation lies in the Money, not in the Blood. Well he has a fine time on't: How often have I feen Worth ftand clear, and all the Moral Virtues make room for him? How often have I feen Quality, Senfe and Merit, wither in his Company, and be perfectly eclips'd by the Luftre of his Gold?

Philal. I'm sorry to fee you so much fmitten with a little Ceremony: What does all this amount to, more than the Forms of Custom, and the Homage of Ignorance or Defign? It only fhews the fhort Thinking, the mean Fancy, H and