terbury in his route. As Peregrine manifested an inclination of
being acquainted with the state of his affairs, he very complaisantly
satisfied his curiosity by giving him to know that his spouse had left
off breeding, after having blessed him with two boys and a girl,
who were still alive and well; that he lived in good esteem with
his neighbors; and by his practice, which was considerably extended
immediately after the publication of Roderick Random, had saved some
thousand pounds. He had begun to think of retiring among his own
relations in Glamorganshire, though his wife had made objection to this
proposal, and opposed the execution of it with such obstinacy, that
he had been at infinite pains in asserting his own prerogative by
convincing her, both from reason and example, that he was king, and
priest in his own family, and that she owed the most implicit submission
to his will. He likewise informed the company that he had lately seen
his friend Roderick, who had come from London on purpose to visit him,
after having gained his lawsuit with Mr. Topeball, who was obliged to
pay Narcissa's fortune; that Mr. Random, in all appearance, led a very
happy life in the conversation of his father and bed-fellow, by whom he
enjoyed a son and daughter; and that Morgan had received, in a present
from him, a piece of very fine linen of his wife's own making, several
kits of salmon, and two casks of pickled pork--the most delicate he
had ever tasted; together with a barrel of excellent herrings for
salmagundy, which he knew to be his favourite dish.

This topic of conversation being discussed, the Italian was desired to
exhibit a specimen of his art, and in a few minutes he conducted the
company into the next room, where, to their great astonishment and
affright, they beheld a thousand serpents winding along the ceiling.
Morgan, struck with this phenomenon, which he had not seen before, began
to utter exorcisms with great devotion, Mr. Jolter ran of the room,
Gauntlet drew his hanger, and Peregrine himself was disconcerted. The
operator, perceiving their confusion, desired them to retire, and,
calling them back in an instant, there was not a viper to be seen. He
raised their admiration by sundry other performances and the Welshman's
former opinion and abhorrence of his character began to recur, when,
in consideration of the civility with which he had been treated, this
Italian imparted to them all the methods by which he had acted