ike him, and can agree with him, it is possible I may take
him into my service." The landlord took care we should not speak to him
twice, he went and fetched him in himself, and my husband examined him
before he spoke, as to his size, mien, and garb. The young man was clean
dressed, of a middling stature, a dark complexion, and about
twenty-seven years old.

"I hear, young man," says he to him, "that you want a place; it may
perhaps be in my power to serve you. Let me know at once what education
you have had, if you have any family belonging to you, or if you are fit
for a gentleman's service, can bring any person of reputation to your
character, and are willing to go and live in Holland with me: we will
not differ about your wages."

The young fellow made a respectful bow to each of us, and addressed
himself to my husband as follows: "Sir," said he, "in me you behold the
eldest child of misfortune. I am but young, as you may see; I have no
comers after me, and having lived with several gentlemen, some of whom
are on their travels, others settled in divers parts of the world,
besides what are dead, makes me unable to produce a character without a
week's notice to write to London, and I should not doubt but by the
return of the post to let you see some letters as would satisfy you in
any doubts about me. My education," continued he, "is but very middling,
being taken from school before I had well learnt to read, write, and
cast accounts; and as to my parentage, I cannot well give you any
account of them: all that I know is, that my father was a brewer, and by
his extravagance ran out a handsome fortune, and afterwards left my poor
mother almost penniless, with five small children, of which I was the
second, though not above five years old. My mother knew not what to do
with us, so she sent a poor girl, our maid, whose name I have forgot
this many years, with us all to a relation's, and there left us, and I
never saw or heard of or from them any more. Indeed, I inquired among
the neighbours, and all that I could learn was that my mother's goods
were seized, that she was obliged to apply to the parish for relief, and
died of grief soon after. For my part," says he, "I was put into the
hands of my father's sister, where, by her cruel usage, I was forced to
run away at nine years of age; and the numerous scenes of life I have
since gone through are more than would fill a small volume. Pray, sir,"
added he, "let it satisfy y