lane, through
which we must pass, and at the other end we should find an alley that
leads to another street, where we should see the sign of the Thistle and
Three Pedlars, and there he lodged. We thanked him for his information,
and went forwards, Strap telling me, that he knew this person to be an
honest friendly man by his countenance, before he opened his mouth; in
which opinion I acquiesced, ascribing his good manners to the company he
daily saw in the house where he served.

We followed his directions punctually, in turning to the left, and to
the right, and to the left again; but instead of seeing a lane before
us, found ourselves at the side of the river, a circumstance that
perplexed us not a little; and my fellow-traveller ventured to
pronounce, that we had certainly missed our way. By this time we were
pretty much fatigued with our walk, and not knowing how to proceed,
I went into a small snuff-shop hard by, encouraged by the sign of
the Highlander, where I found, to my inexpressible satisfaction,
the shopkeeper was my countryman. He was no sooner informed of our
peregrination, and the directions we had received from the footman, than
he informed us we had been imposed upon, telling us, Mr. Cringer lived
in the other end of the town and that it would be to no purpose for us
to go thither to-day, for by that time he was gone to the House. I then
asked, if he could recommend us a lodging. He really gave us a line
to one of his acquaintance who kept a chandler's shop not far from St.
Martin's Lane; there we hired a bed-room, up two pair of stairs, at the
rate of two shillings per week, so very small, that when the bed was let
down, we were obliged to carry out every other piece of furniture that
belonged to the apartment, and use the bedstead by way of chairs.
About dinner-time, our landlord asked how we proposed to live? to which
interrogation we answered, that we would be directed by him. "Well,
then," says he, "there are two ways of eating in this town for people
of your condition--the one more creditable and expensive than the other:
the first is to dine at an eating-house frequented by well-dressed
people only; and the other is called diving, practised by those who are
either obliged or inclined to live frugally." I gave him to understand
that, provided the last was not infamous, it would suit much better with
our circumstances than the other. "Infamous!" cried he, "not at all;
there are many creditable peo