per end of a great school, and
having all the lads below him, his arrogance is insupportable. If I
begin to show a little of my Latin, he immediately interrupts: "Uncle,
under favour, that which you say is not understood in that manner."
"Brother," says my boy Jack, "you do not show your manners much in
contradicting my Uncle Isaac." "You queer cur," says Mr. William, "do
you think my uncle takes any notice of such a dull rogue as you are?"
Mr. William goes on; "He is the most stupid of all my mother's children:
he knows nothing of his book: when he should mind that, he is hiding or
hoarding his taws and marbles, or laying up farthings. His way of
thinking is, four and twenty farthings make sixpence, and two sixpences
a shilling, two shillings and sixpence half a crown, and two half-crowns
five shillings. So within these two months, the close hunks has scraped
up twenty shillings, and we'll make him spend it all before he comes
home." Jack immediately claps his hands into both pockets, and turns as
pale as ashes. There is nothing touches a parent (and such I am to Jack)
so nearly, as a provident temper. This lad has in him the true temper
for a good husband, a kind father, and an honest executor. All the great
people you see make considerable figures on the 'Change, in Court, and
sometimes in Senates, are such as in reality have no greater faculty
than what may be called human instinct, which is a natural tendency to
their own preservation, and that of their friends, without being capable
of striking out of the road for adventures. There is Sir William Scrip
was of this sort of capacity from his childhood: he has bought the
country round him, and makes a bargain better than Sir Harry Wildfire
with all his wit and humour. Sir Harry never wants money but he comes to
Scrip, laughs at him half an hour, and then gives bond for the other
thousand. The close men are incapable of placing merit anywhere but in
their pence, and therefore gain it; while others, who have larger
capacities, are diverted from the pursuit by enjoyments, which can be
supported only by that cash which they despise; and therefore are in the
end, slaves to their inferiors both in fortune and understanding. I once
heard a man of excellent sense observe, that more affairs in the world
failed by being in the hands of men of too large capacities for their
business, than by being in the conduct of such as wanted abilities to
execute them. Jack therefore being of