t us, more remarkable, for half a year, than
that one young Lord was seven times drunk at Genoa.

I have lately taken the liberty to stay three or four rounds_
[i.e., of the bottle] _beyond [the toast of]_ The Church! _to see
what topics of discourse they went upon: but, to my great surprise,
have hardly heard a word all the time, besides the Toasts. Then
they all stared full in my face, and shewed all the actions of
uneasiness till I was gone.

Immediately upon my departure, to use the words of an old Comedy,
"I find by the noise they make, that they had a mind to be
private."

I am at a loss to imagine what conversation they have among one
another, which I may not be present at: since I love innocent Mirth
as much as any of them; and am shocked with no freedoms whatsoever,
which are inconsistent with Christianity.

I have, with much ado, maintained my post hitherto at the dessert,
and every day eat a tart in the face of my Patron: but how long I
shall be invested with this privilege, I do not know. For the
servants, who do not see me supported as I was in my old Lord's
time, begin to brush very familiarly by me: and they thrust aside
my chair, when they set the sweetmeats on the table.

I have been born and educated a Gentleman, and desire you will make
the public sensible that the Christian Priesthood was never
thought, in any Age or country, to debase the Man who is a member
of it. Among the great services which your useful Papers daily do
to Religion, this perhaps will not be the least: and it will lay a
very great obligation on

Your unknown servant,

G.W._

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN.

_Poor RICHARD improved, Being an Almanac, &c., for the year of our Lord_
1758.

RICHARD SAUNDERS. Philom.

Philadelphia.

COURTEOUS READER.

I have heard that nothing gives an author so great pleasure as to find
his works respectfully quoted by other learned authors. This pleasure I
have seldom enjoyed. For though I have been, if I may say it without
vanity, an _eminent_ author of _Almanacs_ annually, now a full quarter of
a century, my brother authors in the same way, for what reason I know not,
have ever been very sparing in their applauses; and no other author has
taken the least notice of me: so that did not my writings produce me some
solid Pudding, the great deficiency of Praise would have quite dis