Page:The Works of the Rev. Jonathan Swift, Volume 17.djvu/256

250 J. B. I believe I shall have those two honest majors discount on my side in a little time.

N. F. Why all this higgling with thy friend about such a paltry sum? Does this become the generosity of the noble and rich John Bull? I wonder thou art not ashamed. O Hocus! Hocus! where art thou? It used to go another guise manner in thy time. When a poor man has almost undone himself for thy sake, thou art for fleecing him, and fleecing him: is that thy conscience, John?

J. B. Very pleasant indeed! It is well known thou retainest thy lawyers by the year, so a fresh lawsuit adds but little to thy expenses; they are thy customers; I hardly ever sell them a farthing's worth of any thing: nay, thou hast set up an eating-house, where the whole tribe of them spend all they can rap or ran. If it were well reckoned, I believe thou gettest more of my money, than thou spendest of thy own; however, if thou wilt needs plead poverty, own, at least, that thy accompts are false.

N. F. No, marry, won't I; I refer myself to these honest gentlemen; let them judge between us. Let esquire South speak his mind, whether my accompts are not right, and whether we ought not to go on with our lawsuit.

J. B. Consult the butchers about keeping of Lent. Dost think, that John Bull will be tried by Piepowders ? I tell you once for all, John Bull knows where his shoe pinches: none of your esquires shall