reverence for piety and virtue, that before he removed the
treasure, he kneeled down, and earnestly and fervently prayed that he
might make a prudent, just and proper use of it. He then conveyed the
chest away; but how he got it to England is not known. It may not be
improper, however, in this place, to give the reader some account of the
philosopher who hid this treasure, and took so much pains to find a true
and real friend to enjoy it. As Tom had reason to venerate his memory,
he was very particular in his inquiry, and had this character of him:
That he was a man well acquainted with nature and with trade; that he
was pious, friendly, and of a sweet and affable disposition; that he had
acquired a fortune by commerce, and having no relation to leave it to,
he travelled through Arabia, Persia, India, Lybia, and Utopia, in search
of a real friend. In this pursuit he found several, with whom he had
exchanged good offices, and who were polite and obliging; but they often
flew off for trifles, or as soon as he pretended to be in distress,
and requested their assistance, had left him to struggle with his own
difficulties. So true is that copy in our books, which says, "Adversity
is the touchstone of friendship."

At last, however, he met in with the Utopian Philosopher, or the Wise
Man of the Mountain, as he is called, and thought in him he had found
the friend he wanted; for though he had often pretended to be in
distress, and abandoned to the frowns of fortune, this man always
relieved him, and with such chearfulness and sincerity, that concluding
he had found out the only man to whom he ought to open both his purse
and his heart, he let him so far into his secrets, as to desire his
assistance in hiding a large sum of money, which he wanted to conceal,
lest the prince of the country, who was absolute, should, by the
advice of his wicked minister, put him to death for his gold. The two
philosophers met and hid the money, which the stranger, after some days,
went to see, but found it gone. How was he struck to the heart, when he
found that his friend, whom he had often tried, and who had relieved him
in his distress, could not withstand this temptation, but broke through
the sacred bonds of friendship, and turned even a thief for gold which
he did not want, as he was already very rich! "Oh!" said he, "what is
the heart of man made of? Why am I condemned to live among people who
have no sincerity, and barter the most sacred