Chapter ix.

Containing little more than a few odd observations.

Jones had been absent a full half-hour, when he returned into the

kitchen in a hurry, desiring the landlord to let him know that instant

what was to pay. And now the concern which Partridge felt at being

obliged to quit the warm chimney-corner, and a cup of excellent

liquor, was somewhat compensated by hearing that he was to proceed no

farther on foot, for Jones, by golden arguments, had prevailed with

the boy to attend him back to the inn whither he had before conducted

Sophia; but to this however the lad consented, upon condition that the

other guide would wait for him at the alehouse; because, as the

landlord at Upton was an intimate acquaintance of the landlord at

Gloucester, it might some time or other come to the ears of the latter

that his horses had been let to more than one person; and so the boy

might be brought to account for money which he wisely intended to put

in his own pocket.

We were obliged to mention this circumstance, trifling as it may seem,

since it retarded Mr Jones a considerable time in his setting out; for

the honesty of this latter boy was somewhat high--that is, somewhat

high-priced, and would indeed have cost Jones very dear, had not

Partridge, who, as we have said, was a very cunning fellow, artfully

thrown in half-a-crown to be spent at that very alehouse, while the

boy was waiting for his companion. This half-crown the landlord no

sooner got scent of, than he opened after it with such vehement and

persuasive outcry, that the boy was soon overcome, and consented to

take half-a-crown more for his stay. Here we cannot help observing,

that as there is so much of policy in the lowest life, great men often

overvalue themselves on those refinements in imposture, in which they

are frequently excelled by some of the lowest of the human species.

The horses being now produced, Jones directly leapt into the

side-saddle, on which his dear Sophia had rid. The lad, indeed, very

civilly offered him the use of his; but he chose the side-saddle,

probably because it was softer. Partridge, however, though full as

effeminate as Jones, could not bear the thoughts of degrading his

manhood; he therefore accepted the boy's offer: and now, Jones being

mounted on the side-saddle of his Sophia, the boy on that of Mrs

Honour, and Partridge bestriding the third horse, they set forwards on

their journey, and within four hours arrived at the inn where the

reader hath already spent so much time. Partridge was in very high

spirits during the whole way, and often mentioned to Jones the many

good omens of his future success which had lately befriended him; and

which the reader, without being the least superstitious, must allow to

have been particularly fortunate. Partridge was moreover better

pleased with the present pursuit of his companion than he had been

with his pursuit of glory; and from these very omens, which assured

the pedagogue of success, he likewise first acquired a clear idea of

the amour between Jones and Sophia; to which he had before given very

little attention, as he had originally taken a wrong scent concerning

the reasons of Jones's departure; and as to what happened at Upton, he

was too much frightened just before and after his leaving that place

to draw any other conclusions from thence than that poor Jones was a

downright madman: a conceit which was not at all disagreeable to the

opinion he before had of his extraordinary wildness, of which, he

thought, his behaviour on their quitting Gloucester so well justified

all the accounts he had formerly received. He was now, however, pretty

well satisfied with his present expedition, and henceforth began to

conceive much worthier sentiments of his friend's understanding.

The clock had just struck three when they arrived, and Jones

immediately bespoke post-horses; but unluckily there was not a horse

to be procured in the whole place; which the reader will not wonder at

when he considers the hurry in which the whole nation, and especially

this part of it, was at this time engaged, when expresses were passing

and repassing every hour of the day and night.

Jones endeavoured all he could to prevail with his former guide to

escorte him to Coventry; but he was inexorable. While he was arguing

with the boy in the inn-yard, a person came up to him, and saluting

him by his name, enquired how all the good family did in

Somersetshire; and now Jones casting his eyes upon this person,

presently discovered him to be Mr Dowling, the lawyer, with whom he

had dined at Gloucester, and with much courtesy returned the

salutation.

Dowling very earnestly pressed Mr Jones to go no further that night;

and backed his solicitations with many unanswerable arguments, such

as, that it was almost dark, that the roads were very dirty, and that

he would be able to travel much better by day-light, with many others

equally good, some of which Jones had probably suggested to himself

before; but as they were then ineffectual, so they were still: and he

continued resolute in his design, even though he should be obliged to

set out on foot.

When the good attorney found he could not prevail on Jones to stay, he

as strenuously applied himself to persuade the guide to accompany him.

He urged many motives to induce him to undertake this short journey,

and at last concluded with saying, “Do you think the gentleman won't

very well reward you for your trouble?”

Two to one are odds at every other thing as well as at foot-ball. But

the advantage which this united force hath in persuasion or entreaty

must have been visible to a curious observer; for he must have often

seen, that when a father, a master, a wife, or any other person in

authority, have stoutly adhered to a denial against all the reasons

which a single man could produce, they have afterwards yielded to the

repetition of the same sentiments by a second or third person, who

hath undertaken the cause, without attempting to advance anything new

in its behalf. And hence, perhaps, proceeds the phrase of seconding an

argument or a motion, and the great consequence this is of in all

assemblies of public debate. Hence, likewise, probably it is, that in

our courts of law we often hear a learned gentleman (generally a

serjeant) repeating for an hour together what another learned

gentleman, who spoke just before him, had been saying.

Instead of accounting for this, we shall proceed in our usual manner

to exemplify it in the conduct of the lad above mentioned, who

submitted to the persuasions of Mr Dowling, and promised once more to

admit Jones into his side-saddle; but insisted on first giving the

poor creatures a good bait, saying, they had travelled a great way,

and been rid very hard. Indeed this caution of the boy was needless;

for Jones, notwithstanding his hurry and impatience, would have

ordered this of himself; for he by no means agreed with the opinion of

those who consider animals as mere machines, and when they bury their

spurs in the belly of their horse, imagine the spur and the horse to

have an equal capacity of feeling pain.

While the beasts were eating their corn, or rather were supposed to

eat it (for, as the boy was taking care of himself in the kitchen, the

ostler took great care that his corn should not be consumed in the

stable), Mr Jones, at the earnest desire of Mr Dowling, accompanied

that gentleman into his room, where they sat down together over a

bottle of wine.