Page:The Works of the Rev. Jonathan Swift, Volume 17.djvu/226

220 That ever thou should'st be dazzled with the enchanted islands, and mountains of gold, that old Lewis promises thee! 'Dswounds! why dost thou not lay out thy money to purchase a place at court, of honest Israel? I tell thee, thou must not so much as think of a composition." [Not think of a composition, that's hard indeed: I can't help thinking of it, if I would.] "Thou complain'st of want of money; let thy wife and daughters burn the gold lace of their petticoats; sell thy fat cattle; retrench but a sirloin of beef and a peck-loaf in a week from thy gormandizing guts." [Retrench my beef, a dog! Retrench my beef! then it is plain the rascal has an ill design upon me, he would starve me.] Mortgage thy manor of Bullock's Hatch, or pawn thy crop for ten years." [A rogue! part with my country-seat, my patrimony, all that I have left in the world; I'll see him hanged first.] "Why hast thou changed thy attorney? Can any man manage thy cause better for thee? [Very pleasant! because a man has a good attorney, he must never make an end of his lawsuit.] "Ah John! John! I wish thou knew'st thy own mind; thou art as fickle as the wind. I tell thee, thou hadst better let this composition alone, or leave it to thy

"NIC. FROG." CHAP.