the
same Time so blinded him to his own Demerits, that he hated every Man, who did
not either flatter him or give him Money. In short, he claimed a strange Kind of
Right; either to cheat all his Acquaintance of their Praise, or to Pick their
Pockets of their Pence; in which latter Case, he himself repaid very liberally
with Panegyric.
    A very little Specimen of such a Fellow must have satisfied a Man of Mr.
Booth's Temper. He chose, therefore, now to associate himself with that
Gentleman, of whom Bondum had given so shabby a Character. In short, Mr. Booth's
Opinion of the Bailiff was such, that he recommended a Man most, where he least
intended it. Nay, the Bailiff, in the present Instance, tho' he had drawn a
malicious Conclusion, honestly avowed, that this was drawn only from the Poverty
of the Person; which is never, I believe, any forcible Disrecommendation to a
good Mind: But he must have had a very bad Mind, indeed, who, in Mr. Booth's
Circumstances, could have disliked or dispised another Man, because that other
Man was poor.
    Some previous Conversation having past between this Gentleman and Booth, in
which they had both opened their several Situations to each other; the former
casting an affectionate Look on the latter, expressed great Compassion for his
Circumstances; for which Booth thanking him said, »You must have a great Deal of
Compassion, and be a very good Man, in such a terrible Situation as you describe
yourself, to have any Pity to spare for other People.«
    »My Affairs, Sir,« answered the Gentleman, »are very bad, it is true; and
yet there is one Circumstance, which makes you appear to me more the Object of
Pity than I am to myself; and it is this, that you must from your Years be a
Novice in Affliction; whereas I have served a long Apprenticeship to Misery, and
ought, by this Time, to be a pretty good Master of my Trade. To say the Truth, I
believe, Habit teaches Men to bear the Burthens of the Mind, as it enures them
to bear heavy Burthens on their Shoulders. Without Use and Experience, the
strongest Minds and Bodies both will stagger under a Weight, which Habit might
render easy, and even contemptible.«
    »There is great Justice,« cries Booth, »in the Comparison; and, I think, I
have myself experienced the Truth of it: For I am not that Tyro in Affliction
which