led of all my members,
racked by the gout and gravel, deprived of liberty, robbed of an only
child, or visited with the death of a dear friend like you, philosophy
might have contributed to my consolation; but will philosophy pay my
debts, or free me from the burden of obligation to a set of fellows whom
I despise?--speak-pronounce-demonstrate, or may Heaven close your mouth
for ever!"

"These are the comfortable fruits of your misanthropy," answered the
youth; "your laudable scheme of detaching yourself from the bonds of
society, and of moving in a superior sphere of your own. Had you not
been so peculiarly sage, and intent upon laughing at mankind, you could
never have been disconcerted by such a pitiful inconvenience; any friend
would have accommodated you with the sum in question. But now the world
may retort the laugh; for you stand upon such an agreeable footing with
your acquaintance, that nothing could please them better than an account
of your having given disappointment the slip, by the help of a noose
properly applied. This I mention by way of hint, upon which I would have
you chew the cud of reflection; and, should it come to that issue, I
will use my whole interest with the coroner to bring in his verdict
lunacy, that your carcase may have Christian burial."

So saying, he withdrew, very well satisfied with the revenge he had
taken, which operated so violently upon Crabtree, that, if it had
not been for the sole consideration mentioned above, he would, in
all probability, have had recourse to the remedy proposed. But his
unwillingness to oblige and entertain his fellow-creatures hindered him
from practising that expedient, till, by course of post, he was happily
undeceived with regard to the situation of his affairs; and that
information had such an effect upon him, that he not only forgave our
hero for the stratagem, which he immediately ascribed to the right
author, but also made him a tender of his purse; so that matters for the
present were brought to an amicable accommodation.

Meanwhile Peregrine never slacked in his attendance upon the great; he
never omitted to appear upon every levee day, employed his industry and
penetration in getting intelligence of posts that were unfilled, and
every day recommended himself to the good offices of his patron, who
seemed to espouse his interest with great cordiality; nevertheless, he
was always too late in his application, or the place he demanded chanced
to b