are
mostly sharping Shopkeepers, who, by being considerable Dealers, hold
numbers of other inferiour Trades-people in a State of Dependency upon
them; Officers of Parishes; old season'd Soakers, who by having serv'd
an Age to Tippling, have contracted a boundless Acquaintance;
House-Stewards; Clerks of Kitchens; Song-Singers; Horse-Racers; Valet de
Chambres; Merry Story-Tellers, Attorneys and Sollicitors, with Legions
of wrangling Clients always at their Elbows. Wherefore, as they have got
the Lead upon a great part of Mankind, they are for ever establishing
Clubs and Friendly-Societies at Taverns, and drawing to them every Soul
they have any Dealings or Acquaintance with.

The young Fellows are mostly sure to be their Followers and Admirers,
as esteeming it a great Favour to be admitted amongst their _Seniors_
and _Betters_, thinking to _learn to know the World and themselves_.
One constant Topick of Conversation, is the _Civility of the People,
the diligent Attendance_, together with the _Goodness of the Wines,
and Cheapness of the Eatables_; with a Side-wind Reflection on another
House. And if at any time, when the Wine is complain'd of, it is
answer'd with _Peoples Palates are not at all times alike; my Landlord
generally hath as good, or better, than any one in the Town_. And
oftentimes the poor innocent _Bottle_, or else the Cork, falls under a
false and heavy Accusation.

In a Morning there is no passing thro' any part of the Town, without
being _Hemm'd_ and _Yelp'd_ after by these Locusts from the Windows of
Taverns, where they post themselves at the most convenient Views, to
observe such Passengers as they have but the least knowledge of; and
if a Person be in the greatest haste, going upon extraordinary
Occasions, or not caring to vitiate his Palate before Dinner, and so
attempts an Escape, then, like a Pack of Hounds, they join in full Cry
after him, and the Landlord is detach'd upon his Dropsical Pedestals,
or else a more nimble-footed Drawer is at your Heels, bawling out,
_Sir, Sir, 'tis your old Friend Mr. Swallow, who wants you upon
particular Business_.

The Sums which are expended daily by this Method, are realy
surprizing. I knew a Clerk to a Vestry, a Half-pay Officer, a Chancery
Sollicitor, and a broken Apothecary, that made a tolerable good
Livelihood, by calling into a Tavern all their Friends that passed by
the Window in this manner. Their Custom was to sit with a Quart of
White-_Port_ before