which means he saves three meals, besides coffee-house
expense. Sometimes he is fain to put up with bread and cheese and small
beer for dinner; and sometimes he regales on twopennyworth of ox cheek
in a cellar." "You are a lying miscreant!" cried Medlar, in an ecstacy
of rage; "I can always command money enough to pay your tailor's bill,
which I am sure is no trifle; and I have a good mind to give you a
convincing proof of my circumstances, by prosecuting you for defamation,
sirrah." By this time the violence of his wrath had deprived him of his
appetite, and he sat silent, unable to swallow one mouthful, while
his tormentor enjoyed his mortification, and increased his chagrin, by
advising him to lay in plentifully for his next day's fast.

Dinner being ended, we came down stairs to the coffee room, and Banter
went away to keep an appointment, saying, he supposed he should see
Wagtail and me in the evening at the Bedford Coffee-house. He was no
sooner gone than the old gentleman took me aside, and said, he was
sorry to see me so intimate with that fellow, who was one of the most
graceless rakes about town, and had already wasted a good estate and
constitution upon harlots; that he had been the ruin of many a young
man, by introducing them into debauched company, and setting a lewd
example of all manner of wickedness; and that, unless I were on
my guard, he would strip me in a short time both of my money and
reputation. I thanked him for his information, and promised to conduct
myself accordingly, wishing, however, his caution had been a few
hours more early, by which means I might have saved five guineas.
Notwithstanding this intelligence, I was inclinable to impute some part
of the charge to Medlar's revenge for the liberties taken with him at
dinner; and therefore, as soon as I could disengage myself, applied
to Wagtail for his opinion of the character in question, resolved to
compare their accounts, allowing for the prejudice of each, and to form
my judgment upon both, without adhering strictly to either. The doctor
assured me, that he was a very pretty gentleman of family and fortune;
a scholar, a wit, a critic, and perfectly well acquainted with the
town; that his honour and courage were unquestionable, though some
extravagances he had been guilty of, and his talents for satire had
procured him enemies, and made some people shy of his acquaintance. From
these different sketches, I concluded that Banter was a young f