, or cudgel play; but then he
was very apt to quarrel with his best friends, especially if they
pretended to govern him. If you flattered him, you might lead him like a
child. John's temper depended very much upon the air; his spirits rose
and fell with the weather-glass. John was quick and understood his
business very well; but no man alive was more careless in looking into
his accounts, or more cheated by partners, apprentices, and servants.
This was occasioned by his being a boon companion, loving his bottle and
his diversion; for, to say truth, no man kept a better house than John,
nor spent his money more generously. By plain and fair dealing John had
acquired some plums, and might have kept them, had it not been for his
unhappy lawsuit.

Nic. Frog was a cunning, sly fellow, quite the reverse of John in many
particulars; covetous, frugal, minded domestic affairs, would pinch his
belly to save his pocket, never lost a farthing by careless servants or
bad debtors. He did not care much for any sort of diversion, except
tricks of High German artists and legerdemain. No man exceeded Nic. in
these; yet it must be owned that Nic. was a fair dealer, and in that way
acquired immense riches.

Hocus was an old, cunning attorney; and though this was the first
considerable suit that ever he was engaged in, he showed himself
superior in address to most of his profession. He kept always good
clerks, he loved money, was smooth-tongued, gave good words, and seldom
lost his temper. He was not worse than an infidel, for he provided
plentifully for his family, but he loved himself better than them all.
The neighbors reported that he was henpecked, which was impossible, by
such a mild-spirited woman as his wife was.

* * * * *

HOW THE RELATIONS RECONCILED JOHN AND HIS SISTER PEG,
AND WHAT RETURN PEG MADE TO JOHN'S MESSAGE

From the 'History of John Bull,' Part I.

John Bull, otherwise a good-natured man, was very hard-hearted to his
sister Peg, chiefly from an aversion he had conceived in his infancy.
While he flourished, kept a warm house, and drove a plentiful trade,
poor Peg was forced to go hawking and peddling about the streets selling
knives, scissors, and shoe-buckles; now and then carried a basket of
fish to the market; sewed, spun, and knit for a livelihood till her
fingers' ends were sore: and when she could not get bread for her
family, she was forced to hire them out at journey-work to