382 PAUPERS. [PART n. 



the time these papers were opening, I was 

 wondering what this gentleman could be. 1 

 read, and stared, and read again. I was 

 struck not less by the novelty than the auda 

 city of the thing. " So then," said I, breaking 

 silence, " your sovereign, after taxing you to 

 " your ruin, has been graciously pleased to 

 u give you credentials to show, that he autho- 

 " rizes you to beg in America; and, not only 

 " for yourself but for others ; so that you are 

 " an accredited ambassador from the beggars 

 " in Sardinia !" He found he was got into 

 wrong hands: and endeavoured to put an end 

 to the negociation at once, by observing, that 

 I was not forced to give, and that my simple 

 negative was enough. " I beg your pardon, 

 " Sir," said I, " you have submitted your case 

 " to me ; you have made an appeal to me ; your 

 " statement contains reasons for my giving ; and 

 " that gives me aright to shew, if 1 can, why I 

 " ought not to give." He then, in order to pre 

 vent all reasoning, opened his Subscription, or 

 Begging-book, and said : "you see, Sir, others 

 " give !" " Now," said I, " you reason, but 

 " your reasoning is defective ; for, if you were 

 " to shew me, that you had robbed all my 

 " neighbours without their resenting it, would 

 " it follow that I must let you rob me too?' 

 " Ah ! par lieu" said he, snatching up his 

 " credentials, "je vois que vous &tes un avare" 



