no body cares to undertake it, unleſs ſome humble creature of the Tyrant-Head, who is oblig'd to accept of it with a good grace, to ſerve a double policy; as by this means he may conceal from vulgar eyes how bad a condition their affairs are in, and by whoſe fault they became ſo——— For I have heard, by the by, that all Heads of colleges, and Senior fellows, do not pay their Battels as they ought to do.
But I was ſpeaking of my lord Clarendon's hiſtory.—Is it not a very diſcouraging conſideration to all future benefactors that ſo great a man, as this noble author, ſhould watch ſo many nights, and waſte ſo much of his brain, only to enable one man to fare ſumptuouſly every day; to entertain Lords and miniſters of ſtate; to eat French kickſhaws, and drink French wine; to game, to wench, to ſtock-job, and indulge himſelf in all the vanities and vices of the world?
I have indeed often heard it argued in defence, or rather in commiſeration of this venerable deceiver, that he was a very worthy, but unfortunate gentleman; that the moſt urgent neceſſities obliged him at that time to do what he did; that it had been the caſe of a great many very honeſt men, beſides him; and that if we waited with chriſtian patience, and chriſtian charity, he would, no doubt, poor gentleman! honeſtly re-imburſe us; with a great deal more of ſuch old-woman-like ſtuff, which might with as much juſtice be pleaded in behalf of a pick-pocket, or an highway-man.
Nay, don't we, in like manner, often hear the friends of one who comes to the gallows, ſay, with tears in their eyes, alas! poor young man! his miſfortunes brought him to this; neceſſity obliged him to it: whereas, perhaps, if you examined his life, you would find that his vices were his only misfortunes; and that if Neceſſity did oblige him to it, yet
