that eccentric and witty porformance, makes one of his personages propose, that judges should be appointed at the avenues of every metropolis, where each person, when he arrives from the country, should be obliged to give an account of the business which brings him to town. Unfortunately, he has only started, without pursuing the thought; and the imagination is left to suppose the general effect of the enquiry, without being led to any particular examination of individuals.

I was mentioning this the other day to a brother Lounger of mine, whom I have for some time remarked as the humourist of his circle in the coffeehouse where we occafionally meet. He catched the idea immediately; and having smiled some moments to himself as if inwardly enjoying it, What a precious catalogue of fools,' said he, might one have had even here, if such an examination had taken place of those who resort to Edinburgh for the winter! But for this season I can in some degree supply the omission you must know I am sworn brother, as Prince Hal says, to some of the most intelligent waiters at one or two of the hotels here in the neigh, bourhood and these rascals, who are as smoky as the devil, entertain me now and then with an account of arrivals as they call it, not only in their own houses, but in those around them; for they have all a hawk's eye for a post chaise or a travelling coach, and mark those who go past as well as those who stop at their doors. I have actually taken down some memoranda of their intelligence; but I have not the pocket-book here at present: put me in mind and I will shew it you to-morrow.'-I did not fail to require the fulfilment of the promise; and next day my acquaintance being in a hurry, gave me the book home with me, from which I made some extracts, which I shall take the liberty of laying before my

readers, along with the notes which the gentleman seemed to have set down as a sort of common place on the facts he had collected. They were entered under several leaves, on the 'first of which was this

motto:

They run,

Some to undo, and fome to be undone.

December 20. A coach with eight insides, besides two boys and their governor in the dilly, came to town for the education of their children;-a large family; could not afford to keep them in the country; therefore taken a house in town at sixteen guineas a month, next door to Lady Rumpus.-The two eldest Missès went straight to the milliner's over the way. -Mamma called for the Assembly subscriptionbook.-Lady Rumpus had been so obliging as to set down her name; she added Miss Eliza's and Miss Sophia's-They must not,' she said, 'be foundered in their education.'-The two young ladies re turned from Mrs. Robertson's with new Hats on their heads, new Bosoms, and new Behinds in a band-box. (Note. Verification of the cant vulgarism about a band-box.)-Miss Sophia tore her hat in getting in at the parlour door.

January 2. Another family with three tall young Ladies come to town for husbands,-'squired by a gentleman in a hunting uniform on a handsome bay gelding. The housekeeper who came some time after, mounted on a pad behind one of the footmen, said the gentleman on the bay gelding was an admirer of the eldest of the three young ladies; that they hoped it would have been a match before now, but people were so shy in the country; they would be better acquainted in town. The young gentleman's valet bespoke a room for his master next door to his sweetheart's.

In the afternoon, two Ladies in mourning, in an old fashioned chariot, drove by a fat coachman in jack-boots, and attended by a plough boy on a rattailed coach-horse. Humphrey called for a tankard of porter, and told all about the Ladies, in the kitchen. The young one, an heiress, who has lately buried her brother, and taken possession of his estate, and is come to town to learn how to make a figure. The elder, a widow, a relation, who has been with her young kinswoman ever since her brother's death; a wise lady, who is to teach her young friend fashion and sentiment. Their carriage was stopped on the street by a drove of cattle, and one of them gored the rat-tailed horse behind. The widow scolded, and asked if they knew whose chariot it was they incommoded.

(Note. A parallel between the widow and the grazier; but he came to town to sell his own cattle.)

The

January 3. Two young gentlemen and a pointer in a chaise and four, splashed to the eyes. youngest called by his companion Sir John. Sir John pulled out his watch at the door Run it in an hour and seventeen minutes, damme.'-Gave the post boys a crown. His companion ordered their beds, and every thing in the house for supper. Sent the boot-ketch to Hart's for a pair of Spanish boots; to Bruce's for patent spurs, a bludgeon stick, a pair of buckles and a tobacco-box.-Called for a bottle of gin, a caraff of water, and a pack of Cards, to take a hand at brag till supper-time.

(Note. The young fellow in scarlet is at present a Natural; his companion will turn him into a Maker.)

Same day. An elderly grave-looking gentleman, with a grey haired servant in a plush-coat, and velvet

cap, riding after him, with a large portmanteau and a wax-cloth bag. An excise-officer, who was passing, talked of examining his baggage. John opened the portmanteau and bag, and shewed him what was within. Nothing but parchments and papers relating to a law-suit, about two roods of ground, which had lasted for six winter sessions, between him and his neighbour Dr. Testy.-A little squat man rode by him on a dun poney: John said this was his master's country-lawyer, who had been of the greatest use to him in his process, and who indeed scarce did any thing else but attend to this gentleman's affairs.

January 5. A jolly, red-faced, middle-aged, gentleman, with his servant in the chaise along with him. and a little medicine chest, as he called it, with square bottles, and labels upon them written in Dutch. Came to town to consult about his gout; but his man told the chambermaid, he always left the country when a club broke up in a little town near him, of which he was the oldest member. John said he wished the winter were fairly over, and they were got safe out of Edinburgh again; because it was hard living in this town of ours. "In the country,' said John, we get drunk but once a day, and are generally in bed by eleven.'

6

January 6. In a return chaise from the west Richard III. and Hamlet Prince of Denmark.― Set down the Queen at the Tap-room. Ophelia and her three children to come by the caravan.

Mem. to the waiter, who is an old acquaintance of Richard's, to send to the waggon for the parcels; my legs and back to my own lodgings: Falstaff's belly, and Bardolf's nose to Hallion's.

January 8. Passed a coach with Ladies; two maid-servants, and an old servant, in a chaise behind, the gentleman and his son on horseback. Mr. fromshire, gone to his own house, No. 7.

Send word to the poor widow who lost her husband last week.

Here the journal stopped short, for that gentleman's good actions are not easily traced; but I could supply the blank, for No. 7. is the house of my excellent friend Benevolus. From the country, where he has encouraged industry, and diffused happiness all around him, he comes at this season, like the sun, to cheer and gladden the inhabitants of another hemisphere. He comes to town to find a new scene for his own virtues, and to shew his children that world which is to profit by theirs. The society which he enjoys, and into which he introduces his family, is chiefly of that sort which is formed to instruct and to improve them. If sometimes of a gayer or more thoughtless kind, it is however always untainted by vice and undebased by folly; for there are no social moments, however much unbent or unrestrained, on which a wise and good man does not stamp somewhat of the purity and dignity of his own nature. At Benevolus's table, I have seen the same guests behave with the most perfect propriety and good manners, who but a few doors from him held a conversation and deportment equally repugnant to both. Nor does his benignity hold out less encouragement to the worthy, than his good sense and virtue impose reverence on the unthinking. Athis table, unassuming merit sits always at her ease, and conscious obligation feels perfect independence. Nobody ever cites his power or his rank, but to illustrate the nobleness of his mind; nor speaks of his wealth, but as the instrument of his benevolence.

Z