
separated, Nightingale to visit his Nancy, and Jones in quest of the old
Gentleman.
 

                                  Chapter VIII

What passed between Jones and old Mr. Nightingale, with the Arrival of a Person
                       not yet mentioned in this History.
 
Notwithstanding the Sentiment of the Roman Satyrist, which denies the Divinity
of Fortune; and the Opinion of Seneca to the same Purpose; Cicero, who was, I
believe, a wiser Man than either of them, expresly holds the contrary; and
certain it is there are some Incidents in Life so very strange and
unaccountable, that it seems to require more than human Skill and Foresight in
producing them.
    Of this Kind was what now happened to Jones, who found Mr. Nightingale the
elder in so critical a Minute, that Fortune, if she was really worthy all the
Worship she received at Rome, could not have contrived such another. In short
the old Gentleman and the Father of the young Lady whom he intended for his Son,
had been hard at it for many Hours; and the latter was just now gone, and had
left the former delighted with the Thoughts that he had succeeded in a long
Contention which had been between the two Fathers of the future Bride and
Bridegroom; in which both endeavoured to over-reach the other, and, as it not
rarely happens in such Cases, both had retreated fully satisfied of having
obtained the Victory.
    This Gentleman whom Mr. Jones now visited, was what they call a Man of the
World, that is to say, a Man who directs his Conduct in this World, as one who
being fully persuaded there is no other, is resolved to make the most of this.
In his early Years he had been bred to Trade, but having acquired a very good
Fortune, he had lately declined his Business; or to speak more properly, had
changed it from dealing in Goods to dealing only in Money, of which he had
always a plentiful Fund at Command, and of which he knew very well how to make a
very plentiful Advantage; sometimes of the Necessities of private Men, and
sometimes of those of the Public. He had indeed conversed so entirely with
Money, that it may be almost doubted, whether he imagined there was any other
thing really existing in the World; this at least may be certainly averred, that
he firmly believed nothing else to have any real Value.
    The Reader will, I fancy, allow, that Fortune could not have culled out a
more improper Person for Mr. Jones to attack with any Probability of Success,
nor could the whimsical Lady have directed this Attack at a more
