MAJOR SEMPLE LISLEi' 359 



my readers will, perhaps, be much furprifed at 

 not finding it a counter-part to that of Jona- 

 than Wild; but, in truth, my life has rather 

 confided of ferious, than of comic fcenes, and 

 my adventures, befide thofe already enume- 

 rated, are not, I hope, of a very criminal dye. 

 rhave, it is true, had a thoufand hair-breadth 

 efcapes from bailiffs, and among the reft, one 

 or two laughable ones, which I fhall relate ; but 

 as to the trafh fold by Kearfley as my hiftory, I 

 know nothing of it, farther, than that it is, with 

 the exception of a very few inftances, totally 

 falfe, and where true, fhamefully diftorted. For 

 inftance, I was by him accufed of having de- 

 frauded Lord Eardley, Lord Salifbury, and 

 MefTrs. Grimwood, Hudfon, and Barret, all of 

 whom lived in the fame ftreet ; I fent to them 

 to know if they had any charge againft me, and 

 received from each a certificate, acknowledg- 

 ing, that I never had cheated them, and that 

 they had nothing to lay to my charge. I mean, 

 not, however, to deny that I have negledled 

 pun6luality in my payments, and that when I 

 wanted money, I have, without thinking how 

 it would be paid, accepted the loan of a few 

 guineas from any friend ; taylors have, likewife, 

 found me not fo ready to pay as to order ; and 

 thus I became acquainted with bailiffs. 



A a 4 One 



