After this, that his actions might agree with his condition, ’twas concluded necessary to wear an air of discontent; that he should with a stately stiffness, like quality, often cough, and spit about the room; that his words might come the more faintly from him; that in the eye of the world he shou’d refuse to eat or drink; ever talking of riches, and sometimes, to confirm their belief, shou’d break into these words; Strange that such or such a seat shou’d disappoint my expectation, that us’d to be blest with so large an increase!  And that nothing might be wanting to compleat the humour, as often as he had occasion to call any of us, he shou’d use one name for another; that it might easily appear how mindful the lord was even of those servants he had left in Africk.

Matters thus order’d, having, as all that wou’d thrive in the world, implor’d the assistance of Heaven, we began our march, but both Gito did not like his new slavery, and Eumolpus’s hir’d servant, bearing most of our baggage, in a little time beginning to be uneasie in his service, wou’d often rest his burden; and with ten thousand wry looks, and as many curses for our going so fast, at last swore he would either leave his charge, or go quite away with ’t. “’Sdeath,” said he, “d’ye think I’m a pack-horse, or a dray, that you load me thus?  I was hir’d for a man, not a horse; nor am I less a gentleman by birth than any of you all; tho’ my father left me in a mean condition.”  Nor content with reproaches, but getting before us, he lift up one leg, and, venturing his choler at the wrong end, filled our nostrils with a beastly scent.

Gito mockt his humour, and for every crack he gave, return’d the like, that one ill-scent might stifle another.

But, even here, Eumolpus returning to his old humour:  “Young men,” began he, “this poetry deceives many; for not only every one that is able to give a verse its numbers, and spin out his feble sence in a long train of words, has the vanity to think himself inspir’d; but pleaders at the bar, when they wou’d give themselves a loose from business, apply themselves to poetry, as an entertainment without trouble; believing it easier to compile a poem than maintain a controversie, adorn’d with a few florid sentences.  But neither will a generous spirit affect the empty sound of words; nor can a mind, unless enricht with learning, be deliver’d of a birth of poetry; there must be the purity of language, no porterly expression, or meanness, as I may call it, of words is to be admitted; but a stile perfectly above the common, and with Horace,—­

“’Scorn the unletter’d herd,
And drive ’em from you.’