given away the place to a poor simpleton, who had never a soul to speak for him.
With. Who told you this, Mr. Humphry?
Humph. Truly, sir, I called upon his Grace's gentleman, just to make up a kind of acquaintance with him, as his honour desired me, and he told me it was given away this morning.
Roy. What cursed luck!
Humph. Why, says I, I thought my master was to have had it, Mr. Smoothly; and so he would, says he, but one person came to the Duke after another, teazing him about Mr. Royston, till he grew quite impatient; for there was but one of all those friends, says he, winking with his eye so, who did speak at last to the purpose, but then upon Mr. Sucksop's taking up your master's interest, he shrunk back from his word, which offended his grace very much.
Roy. Blundering blockhead!
Humph. But after all, says he, it might have come round again, if the gout had not stung him so wickedly, when in came the doctor, who has promised to cure him these three weeks, and only made it so much the worse, and upon his likewise presuming to teaze him about Mr. Royston, he fell into a violent passion, and gave away the place directly to poor Mr. Drudgewell, who had no recommendation at all, but fifteen years hard service in the office.
Roy. Well, now! well, now! you see how the world goes: simpletons and ideots carry every thing before them.
