us we had been grievously imposed upon by a couple of
sharpers, who were associates; and that this polite, honest, friendly,
humane person, who had treated us so civilly, was no other than a
rascally money-dropper, we made it his business to decoy strangers in
that manner to one of his own haunts, where an accomplice or two were
always waiting to assist in pillaging the prey he had run down. Here the
good man recounted a great many stories of people who has been seduced,
cheated, pilfered, beat--nay, even murdered by such villains. I was
confounded at the artifice and wickedness of mankind; and Strap, lifting
up his eyes and hands to heaven, prayed that God would deliver him from
such scenes of iniquity, for surely the devil had set up his throne in
London. Our landlord being curious to know what reception we had met
with at Mr. Cringer's, we acquainted him with the particulars, at which
he shook his head, and told us we had not gone the right way to work;
that there was nothing to be done with a member of parliament without a
bribe; that the servant was commonly infected with the master's disease,
and expected to be paid for his work, as well as his betters. He
therefore advised me to give the footman a shilling the next time I
should desire admittance to my patron, or else I should scarce find an
opportunity to deliver my letter. Accordingly, next morning, when the
door was opened, I slipped a shilling into his hand, and told him I had
a letter for his master. I found the good effect of my liberality; for
the fellow let me in immediately, and, taking the letter out of my hand,
desired me to wait in a kind of passage for an answer. In this place I
continued standing for three-quarters-of-an-hour, during which time I
saw a great many young fellows whom I formerly knew in Scotland pass
and repass, with an air of familiarity, in their way to and from the
audience-chamber; while I was fain to stand shivering in the cold, and
turn my back to them that they might not perceive the lowness of my
condition. At length, Mr. Cringer came out to see a young gentleman to
the door, who was no other than Squire Gawky, dressed in a very gay suit
of clothes; at parting Mr. Cringer shook him by the hand and told him he
hoped to have the pleasure of his company at dinner. Then turning about
towards me, asked what were my commands? When he understood I was
the person who had brought the letter from Mr. Crab, he affected to
recollect my name