CHAP. II.
IT happened unfortunately for the peace of our neighbourhood, that this young lord had an old cunning rogue, or (as the Scots call it) a false loon, of a grandfather, that one might justly call a Jack of all trades[2]; sometimes you would see him behind his counter selling broad-cloth, sometimes measuring linen, next day he would be dealing in mercery-ware: high heads, ribands, gloves, fans, and lace, he understood to a nicety; Charles Mather could not bubble a young beau better with a toy: nay, he would descend even to the selling of tape, garters, and shoebuckles; when shop was shut up, he would go about the neighbourhood, and earn half a crown by teaching the young men and maids to dance. By these methods he had acquired immense riches, which he used to squander away at back-sword[3], quarter-staff, and cudgel-play, in which he took great pleasure, and challenged all the country. You will say it is no wonder if Bull and Frog should be jealous of this fellow. "It is not impossible (says Frog to Bull)
- ↑ Lewis the XIVth, and hinder the French nation, whose
- ↑ trade and character are thus described, and whose king had a
- ↑ strong disposition to war, from becoming too potent, an alliance was formed to "procure a reasonable satisfaction to the house of Austria for its pretensions to the Spanish succession, and sufficient
