rs. He! to pretend to make prologues against me! But a man
never behaves himself with decency in his own case; therefore I shall
command myself, and never trouble me further with this little fellow,
who is himself but a tall puppet, and has not brains enough to make even
wood speak as it ought to do: and I, that have heard the groaning
board,[432] can despise all that his puppets shall be able to speak as
long as they live. But, _Ex quovis ligno non fit Mercurius_[433]. He has
pretended to write to me also from the Bath, and says, he thought to
have deferred giving me an answer till he came to his books[434]; but
that my writings might do well with the waters: which are pert
expressions that become a schoolboy, better than one that is to teach
others: and when I have said a civil thing to him, he cries, "Oh! I
thank you for that--I am your humble servant for that."[435] Ah! Mr.
Powell, these smart civilities will never run down men of learning: I
know well enough your design is to have all men automata, like your
puppets; but the world is grown too wise, and can look through these
thin devices. I know you design to make a reply to this; but be sure you
stick close to my words; for if you bring me into discourses concerning
the government of your puppets, I must tell you, I neither am, nor have
been, nor will be, at leisure to answer you. It is really a burning
shame this man should be tolerated in abusing the world with such
representations of things: but his parts decay, and he is not much more
alive than Partridge.

From my own Apartment, July 14.

I must beg pardon of my readers that for this time I have, I fear,
huddled up my discourse, having been very busy in helping an old friend
of mine out of town. He has a very good estate, is a man of wit; but he
had been three years absent from town, and cannot bear a jest; for
which reason I have, with some pains, convinced him, that he can no
more live here than if he were a downright bankrupt. He was so fond of
dear London, that he began to fret only inwardly; but being unable to
laugh and be laughed at, I took a place in the northern coach for him
and his family; and hope he is got to-night safe from all sneerers in
his own parlour.

St. James's Coffee-house, July 20.

This morning we received by express, the agreeable news of the surrender
of the town of Tournay on the 28th instant, N.S. The place was assaulted
at the attacks of General Schuylemburg, and that of