For these and other Reasons I shall set out for London to Morrow, having found by Experience that the Country is not a Place for a Person of my Temper, who does not love Jollity, and what they call Good-Neighbourhood.  A Man that is out of Humour when an unexpected Guest breaks in upon him, and does not care for sacrificing an Afternoon to every Chance-comer; that will be the Master of his own Time, and the Pursuer of his own Inclinations makes but a very unsociable Figure in this kind of Life.  I shall therefore retire into the Town, if I may make use of that Phrase, and get into the Crowd again as fast as I can, in order to be alone.  I can there raise what Speculations I please upon others without being observed my self, and at the same time enjoy all the Advantages of Company with all the Privileges of Solitude.  In the mean while, to finish the Month and conclude these my rural Speculations, I shall here insert a Letter from my Friend WILL.  HONEYCOMB, who has not lived a Month for these forty Years out of the Smoke of London, and rallies me after his way upon my Country Life.

  Dear SPEC,

’I Suppose this Letter will find thee picking of Daisies, or smelling to a Lock of Hay, or passing away thy time in some innocent Country Diversion of the like Nature.  I have however Orders from the Club to summon thee up to Town, being all of us cursedly afraid thou wilt not be able to relish our Company, after thy Conversations with Moll White and Will.  Wimble.  Pr’ythee don’t send us up any more Stories of a Cock and a Bull, nor frighten the Town with Spirits and Witches.  Thy Speculations begin to smell confoundedly of Woods and Meadows.  If thou dost not come up quickly, we shall conclude [that] thou art in Love with one of Sir ROGER’s Dairy-maids.  Service to the Knight.  Sir ANDREW is grown the Cock of the Club since he left us, and if he does not return quickly will make every Mother’s Son of us Commonwealth’s Men.

  Dear SPEC,

  Thine Eternally,

  WILL.  HONEYCOMB.

C.

[Footnote 1:  an]

[Footnotes 2:  that]

* * * * *

No. 132.  Wednesday, August 1, 1711.  Steele.

      ’...  Qui aut Tempus quid postulet non videt, aut plura loquitur,
      aut se ostentat, aut eorum quibuscum est rationem non habet, is
      ineptus esse dicitur.’

      Tull.

Having notified to my good Friend Sir ROGER that I should set out for London the next Day, his Horses were ready at the appointed Hour in the Evening; and attended by one of his Grooms, I arrived at the County-Town at twilight, in order to be ready for the Stage-Coach the Day following.  As soon as we arrived at the Inn, the Servant who waited upon me, inquir’d of the Chamberlain in my Hearing what