 Holes and Corners of
the World, are in a more dangerous Situation. As we have no publick Notoriety,
no concurrent Testimony, no Records to support and corroborate what we deliver,
it becomes us to keep within the Limits not only of Possibility, but of
Probability too; and this more especially in painting what is greatly good and
amiable. Knavery and Folly, though never so exorbitant, will more easily meet
with Assent; for Ill-nature adds great Support and Strength to Faith.
    Thus we may, perhaps, with little Danger relate the History of Fisher; who
having long owed his Bread to the Generosity of Mr. Derby, and having one
Morning received a considerable Bounty from his Hands, yet in order to possess
himself of what remained in his Friend's Scrutore, concealed himself in a public
Office of the Temple, through which there was a Passage into Mr. Derby's
Chambers. Here he overheard Mr. Derby for many Hours solacing himself at an
Entertainment which he that Evening gave his Friends, and to which Fisher had
been invited. During all this Time, no tender, no grateful Reflections arose to
restrain his Purpose; but when the poor Gentleman had let his Company out
through the Office, Fisher came suddenly from his lurking Place, and walking
softly behind his Friend into his Chamber, discharged a Pistol Ball into his
Head. This may be believed, when the Bones of Fisher are as rotten as his Heart.
Nay, perhaps, it will be credited that the Villain went two Days afterwards with
some young Ladies to the Play of Hamlet; and with an unaltered Countenance heard
one of the Ladies, who little suspected how near she was to the Person, cry out,
Good God! if the Man that murdered Mr. Derby was now present! Manifesting in
this a more seared and callous Conscience than even Nero himself; of whom we are
told by Suetonius, »that the Consciousness of his Guilt after the Death of his
Mother became immediately intolerable, and so continued; nor could all the
Congratulations of the Soldiers, of the Senate, and the People, allay the
Horrors of his Conscience.«
    But now, on the other hand, should I tell my Reader, that I had known a Man
whose penetrating Genius had enabled him to raise a large Fortune in a Way where
no Beginning was chaulked out to him: That he had done this with the most
perfect Preservation of his Integrity, and not only without the least Injustice
or Injury to any one individual Person, but with the highest Advantage to Trade,
and a vast Increase of the public Revenue
