eat, as I said before,
the D----n drank to the Bookseller, the Bookseller to
the Author, and with an obsequious Smile, seem'd to
say ah! Dear Doctor, you have been a Friend to my
Predecessor, can you do nothing for me? The D--n took
the Hint, and after a profound Contemplation, cry'd,
Why ay--Dumpling will do--put me in Mind of Dumpling
anon, but not a Word more at present, and good Reason
why, Dinner was coming in. So they past the rest of
the Meal with great Silence and Application, and no
doubt dined well. Far otherwise was it with me that
Day: I remember to my Sorrow, I had a Hogs Maw,
without Salt or Mustard; having at that Time, Credit
with the Pork-Woman, but not with the Chandler: Times
are since mended, _Amen_ to the Continuance!

The D----n, having eat and drank plentifully, began
his usual Pleasantries, and made the Bookseller
measure his Ears with his Mouth; nay, burst his Sides
with Laughter; however, he found Interval enough to
remind the D----n of Dumpling, who asked him if he had
a quick Hand at Writing: he excused himself, being
naturally as Lazy as the other was Indolent, so they
contrived to ease themselves by sending for a Hackney
Writer out of _Temple Lane_ to be the D--'s
_Amanuensis_, while he and his new Acquaintance
crack'd t'other Bottle.

This Account may be depended upon, because I had it
from the Man himself, who scorns to tell a Lye.

To be short, my Friend had the worst of it, being kept
to hard Writing, without Drinking (Churls that they
were) about three Hours; in which Time the
Dissertation was finished, that is to say, from Page
1. to Page 25. the rest might probably be done at some
other leisure Time, to fill up the Chinks, but of that
he knows nothing; sufficient is it that the D----n was
the Author. Proceed we now to the other Discoveries,
by drawing the Veil from before the Book it self.

* * * * *
* * * *

[Decoration]

A
K E Y

to the
DISSERTATION

on
_DUMPLING_.

I Shall begin with his Motto, which says, _What is
better than a Pudding?_ The Body owns its Power, the
Mind, its Delicacy; it will give Youth to grey Hairs,
and Life to the most Desponding: Therefore are Pudding
Eaters of great Use in State Affairs.

This Quotation is of a Piece with his Motto to the
Tale of a