 saves three meals besides
coffee-house expence. - Sometimes he is fain to put up with bread and cheese and
small beer for dinner; and sometimes he regales on two pennyworth of ox-cheek in
a cellar.« - »You are a lying miscreant (cried Medlar, in an exstacy of rage) I
can always command money enough to pay your taylor's bill, which I'm sure is no
trifle; and I have a good mind to give you a convincing proof of my
circumstances, by prosecuting you for defamation, sirrah.« - By this time the
violence of his wrath had deprived him of his appetite, and he sat silent,
unable to swallow one mouthful, while his tormentor enjoyed his mortification,
and encreased his chagrin, by advising him to lay in plentifully for his next
day's fast.
    Dinner being ended, we came down stairs to the coffee-room, and Banter went
away to keep an appointment, saying, he supposed he should see Wagtail and me in
the evening at the Bedford coffee-house. - He was no sooner gone, than the old
gentleman took me aside, and said, he was sorry to see me so intimate with that
fellow who was one of the most graceless rakes about town, and had already
wasted a good estate and constitution upon harlots; - that he had been the ruin
of many a young man, by introducing them into debauched company, and setting a
lewd example of all manner of wickedness; and that, unless I was on my guard, he
would strip me in a short time, both of my money and reputation. I thanked him
for his information, and promised to conduct myself accordingly, wishing
however, his caution had been a few hours more early, by which means I might
have saved five guineas. Notwithstanding this intelligence, I was inclinable to
impute some part of the charge to Medlar's revenge for the liberties taken with
him at dinner; and therefore, as soon as I could disengage myself, applied to
Wagtail for his opinion of the character in question; resolved to compare their
accounts, allowing for the prejudice of each, and form my judgment upon both,
without adhering strictly to either. - The doctor assured me that he was a very
pretty gentleman, of family and fortune; a scholar, a wit, a critick, and
perfectly well acquainted with the town; that his honour and courage were
unquestionable, though some extravagancies he had been guilty of, and his talent
for satire, had procured him enemies, and made some people shy of his
acquaintance.
