ushered into the World by an unknown Hand, and being wrote with much
Spirit and Vehemence, the Thing had a prodigious Run upon the Town, so
that the Profits arising from the Sale were very considerable. A
_Bookseller_ in the City, who happened to be the Proprietor of this
_Lucky Hit_, being at his Shop-door one Evening, a Gentleman pretty
humbly habited accosted him, and desired leave to exhibit to him a
_Copy_ upon a curious Subject, which, he said, was his own
Performance, and which he believed _wou'd do_; he told him of what
_University_ he was, and by what Means his Merit had miss'd of it's
Reward: He was going to apologize for the meanness of his Apparel,
when the Bookseller interrupted him with a great Oath, and pointed to
a Warehouse of Waste-Paper, which he said was, to his sorrow, the
Production of Beaus and Blockheads of Quality; adding, it was a Maxim
held by the whole Trade, that _a bad Coat always betoken'd a good
Poet_; and that if he approv'd of his _Work_, his _Dress_ should be no
Obstacle to a Bargain: but that withal he seem'd to be Master of too
much Modesty, he fear'd, to undertake the Business of his Shop; but if
he turn'd out otherwise, and had any tolerable hand at Defamation, he
had a _Fifth Floor_, with other Favours at his Service. The Shopkeeper
said it was not customary to treat of these Matters at home, and
having carried him to his Tavern, he enquir'd the Hour of the _Poet_'s
Appetite. A Bottle, with a monstrous Beef-Stake, were soon upon the
Table. They now come to Business; the Bookseller was ask'd, _If he was
a Man of Honour, and could keep a Secret?_ No Man, _he thank'd God,
could say otherwise, for that he always endeavour'd to preserve the
Character of as honest a Man as the Trade and Business would admit
of_. The Poet then assur'd him, he was the real Author of that severe
Pamphlet against the M--n--ry, which had made such a noise in the
World. The Bookseller had not been acquainted with Books alone, he
knew something of Men also, and had therefore the Presence of Mind to
conceal his Surprize at the monstrous Impudence of the Fellow; and
giving him a fast squeeze by the Hand, says, _Sir, you're my Man:_ and
being willing to have some other Witness of this extraordinary Event,
said, Then I must let you into another Secret; and gave him to
understand that there was a private Contract between him and another
Bookseller in the same Street, by which both their Interests were so
consolidated, that the one durst not engross or monopolize to himself
any Copy or Author, without the Knowledge and Consent of the other;
and so desired he would give leave for his Partner to be sent for,
which was readily comply'd with. The poor Man had now two upon his
hands; the Bottle went briskly about, and the more merry, the more
unmerciful they grew, for the Room was soon fill'd with more
Booksellers, Printers, and Stationers, to see this Prodigy of Wit and
Satyr: who were all recommended to him as _Friends_, and _Well-wishers
to the Cause_. He became more unguarded, till at last they extorted
from him the Profits accruing by the ingenious Pamphlet, for the
writing of which he had set so high a Value upon himself. He was very
particular and prolix on that Head, and so soon as he had ended his
Relation, the first Bookseller produced, before all the Company, a
Receipt, under the Hand of the true Author, for the Money he had paid
him for the Copy.
FINIS.
* * * * *