As soon as they were gone, Frankley began entering into some

Sort of Dissertation on the Characters of these Incomprehensibles; explained to me their Stile of Life, their Amusements, the Rules of their Club, with many other Articles infinitely curious and entertaining. Jack Solecism, says he, is a Fellow of very excellent Abilities, but very rarely sober enough to employ them properly; or to adopt his own Words, is
Allowedly Clever, preposterously so,
but,
Now and then a little Drunk to be sure.
He is not at present a Member of the Terrier Society, but has a very fair Prospect of being speedily admitted, as he excels particularly in the Indian War Whoop, and is allowed by several Sea-Captains who are good Judges, to approach nearer the true Sound

than any European they had ever conversed with.

I hope, continued he, that you find yourself pleased with the Company of these good Folks, as the greater Part infallibly design doing themselves the Honour of Supping with me, and it is an absolute Impossibility to put them off, or prevent them. So you see what you are to expect. In reply to this, I could only say that it was the very Thing which I was most desirous of, provided that he could insure my Carcase from all practical Wit and manual Pleasantry, which I acknowledged myself too stupid to enter into the Spirit of, and consequently to have any particular Taste for. This he undertook to answer for, provided I on the other Hand would do my

Part, by retiring in Case of particular and extraordinary, Combustion, to which Article I with equal readiness assented. So Matters being stipulated between us, we stretched ourselves upon a Sopha, and with the Assistance of Sleep and Chit-Chat, murdered our Interval of Time very handsomely; and by and by, after having enjoyed I believe about an Hour's respite, our Friends the Terriers returned, with Jack Solecism the first Fiddle as usual. As he was still very tolerably drunk, and the Fumes of the Liquor remained in absolute Possession of his Capital, we had hardly eaten three Mouthfulls, (I forgot to tell you we were at Supper) when he was upon his Legs, declaiming with all the Energy of Diction, and

before we had well finished our Meal, entered with an Oration so gloriously absurd and ridiculous, that I could not help committing it to Paper as soon as I quitted them, and now send it to you with absolute Injunctions to be diverted, as you value my Friendship, or regard the Trouble I shall be subjected to, both in