, and that the
discovery would proceed with a better grace from any body than me.
    Mean while, I was tempted by the richness of the prize, to practise upon
Miss Gripewell's heart, but soon found it too well fortified with pride and
indifference to yield to any efforts in my own character, and I neither would
nor could preserve the title I had borrowed, longer than this night.
    As I expected, every thing came to light next day: The barber, in pure
simplicity of heart, detected himself to Melinda, and discovered the foundation
of his hopes; she sickened at the affront, and was ashamed to shew her face in
publick for many weeks after this accident. Poor Chatter found it impossible to
justify himself to her satisfaction; was in utter disgrace with Miss Gripewell,
for having imposed me upon her as a nobleman; and suffered very much in his
character and influence among the ladies in general.
    Finding my finances diminished more than one half, and my project as little
advanced as on the first day of my arrival in town, I began to despair of my
success, and grew melancholy at the prospect of approaching want. - To dispel
the horrors of this fiend, I had recourse to the bottle, and kept more company
than ever. - I became particularly attached to the play-house, conversed with
the actors behind the scenes, got acquainted with a body of templars, and in a
short time commenced a professed wit and critick. Indeed I may say without
vanity, that I was much better qualified than any one of my companions, who
were, generally speaking, of all the creatures I ever conversed with, the most
ignorant and assuming. - By means of these avocations I got the better of care,
and learned to separate my ideas in such a manner, that whenever I was attacked
by a gloomy reflection, I could shove it aside, and call in some agreeable
reverie to my assistance. - This was not the case with Strap, who practised a
thousand shifts to conceal the sorrow that preyed upon his carcass, and reduced
him to the resemblance of a meer skeleton.
    While I thus posted, in a thoughtless manner, towards poverty, I one day
received, by the penny-post, a letter written in a woman's hand, containing a
great many high-flown compliments, warm protestations of love, couched in a very
poetical stile, an earnest desire of knowing whether or not my heart was
engaged, by leaving an answer at a certain place directed to R. B. and the whole
subscribed, »Your
