two are willing, I will ask him to fhew it, for we may as well win fome of his money as any body else: The Flat and the Dropper cry, Do. Then in comes the Sailor, ftaggering as if drunk, and cries, What cheer, brothers? I have juft feen a pretty girl in the fair, and went in to drink with her, we made a bargain, and I gave her a fix and thirty fhilling piece, but an old b-h her mother came and called her away, but I hope fhe will come back to me presently; then the Capper laughs, and fays, Have you got your money of her again? The Sailor fays, No; but she will come to me I'm fure; then they all laugh. This is done to deceive the Flat: then fays the Capper, What have you done with the ftick and the ftring, Sailor? he answers, What, that which 1.bought of the boys; I have got it here, but will not fell it, and then he pulls out the Old Nobb, saying, What do you think I gave for it? I gave but fix-pence, and as much brandy as the two boys could drink; it is made out of a monkey's hide, as the boys told me, and they told me, there is a game to be

played

played at it, which no body can do twice together; I will go down aboard ship, and play with my Captain, and I do not fear but I fhall win his fhip and cargo: then they all laugh, and the Sailor makes up the Old Nobb, and the Capper lays a fhilling, and pricks himself and wins; the Sailor cries, You are a dab, I will not lay with you, but if you will call a ftranger, I will lay again; why if you think me a dab, as you call it, I will get this strange gentleman, or this (pointing to the Flat) Done, cries the Sailor, but you shall not tell him; then he makes up the Nob, and Capper lays a fhilling, Flat pricks, being permitted to go fix-pence; to which he agreeing, wins; and Capper fays to the Flat, Can you change me half a crown? This is done to find the depth of his pocket; if they fee a good deal of gold, Flat must win three or four times; if no gold, but twice. Sometimes, if the Flat has no money, the Sailor cries, I have more money than any man in the fair, and pulls out his purse of gold, and faith, Not one of you can beg, borrow or fteal half this

fum

fum in an hour for a guinea. Capper cries, I have laid out all mine; Farmer, Can you? I'll go your halves, if you think you can do it. The Sailor faith, you must not bring any body with

.1

you;

then the

Dropper goes with the Flat, and faith, you must not tell your friend it is for a wager; if you do, he will not lend it you. Flat goes and borrows it, and brings it to the Sailor, fhews it him, and wins the wager; then the Sailor pinches the Nob again, and the Capper whifpers to the Flat, to prick out purposely this time, faying, it will make the Sailor more eager to lay on; we may as well win his money as not, for he will spend it upon whores: Flat, with all the wisdom in the world, lofes on purpofe; upon which the Sailor fwears, pulls out all his money, throws it about the room, and cries, I know no man can win for ever, and then lays a guinea, but will not let him prick, but throws down five guineas; and the Capper urging the Flat, and going his halves, the Sailar faith, my cabbin, boy will lay as much as that, I'll lay no less than twenty gui

neas;

neas; the Capper cries, lay Farmer and take up forty; which, being certain of winning, he instantly complies with, and lofes the whole. When he has loft, in order to advise him, the Dropper takes him by the arm, and hauls him out of doors; and the reckoning being in the mean time paid within, the Capper and Sailor follow after, and run another way. When they are out of fight, the Dropper faith to the Flat, go you back, and play with the Sailor for a fhilling, whilft I go and borrow money; but when the Flat goes to the house, he finds them gone, and then he knows that he is bit, but not till he has dearly paid for it."

By this fellow's difcoveries Mr. Nafh was enabled to ferve many of the nobility and gentry of his acquaintance; he received a lift of all those houfes of ill fame which harboured or affifted rogues, and took care to furnish travellers with proper precautions to avoid them. It was odd enough to fee a gamefter thus employed, in detecting the frauds of gamblers.

Among

Among the Dedications, there is one from a Profeffor of Cookery, which is more adulatory than the preceding. It is prefixed to a work, entituled, The complete preferver, or a new method of preferving fruits, flowers, and other vegetables, either with or without fugar, vinegar or spirits, &c,

To the very Honourable Richard Nash, Efq;

Honoured SIR,

A

"

S much as the oak exceeds the bramble, fo much do you exceed the reft of mankind, in benevolence, charity, and every other virtue that adorns, enobles, and refines the human fpecies. I have therefore made bold to prefix your name, tho' without permiffion, to the following work, which stands in need of fuch a patron, to excufe its errors, with a candour, only known to fuch an heart as your own; the obligations I have received at your hands, it is impoffible for me ever to repay, except by my endeavours, as in the prefent cafe, to make known the many excellent virtues which you poffefs. But what