130 MEMOIR OF THOMAS BEWICK. 



as to the accuracy of his scale-beam, he said a 

 hair clipped from the back of his hand would turn 

 his scales either way. For a wager, he turned 

 two billiard balls of such equal weights that the 

 difference was as nothing. He was of a most 

 independent cast of character, and open and frank 

 in his conversation. It had been reported that 

 Prior had said of a proud, high-minded gentleman 

 that " he durst do what neither the gentleman nor 

 any of his family dared do." Prior had never said 

 any such thing ; but this gentleman took him to 

 task about it, and, with great indignation, accused 

 him of saying so. At this, Prior, in his turn, felt 

 offended, and told him, though he had never said 

 so, he would now say so to his face. This produced 

 a wager between them ; and Matthew told him he 

 would double the bet if he pleased. "Now," said 

 the gentleman, in high ill-humour, "what is it 

 you dare do ?" " Do !" said Prior, " I dare spend 

 the last shilling I have in the world !"* 



During a great part of the time I have been 

 noticing, the American War was going on. The 

 "press" broke out just after I landed in London, 

 and, to escape the gang, one of our crew came and 

 took refuge with me. This poor fellow, a decent 

 man, had in his youth been on board a ship of 

 war; and, as far as concerned himself, he said he 

 did not mind going again ; but the thoughts of 

 being dragged from his family threw him into very 

 great distress. Political writings and debatings 

 sometimes ran very high between those who were 

 advocates for a system of corruption, and profited 



* Matthew Prior died June 15, 1800, aged 65, and was buried in 

 St. Nicholas's Church. 



