1.27MB - Global Grey

might have been expected, from the entertainment which Jones had metwith. But here we are obliged to disclose some maxims, which publicanshold to be the grand mysteries of their trade. The first is, If theyhave anything good in their house (which indeed very seldom happens)to produce it only to persons who travel with great equipages. 2dly,To charge the same for the very worst provisions, as if they were thebest. And lastly, If any of their guests call but for little, to makethem pay a double price for everything they have; so that the amountby the head may be much the same.The bill being made and discharged, Jones set forward with Partridge,carrying his knapsack; nor did the landlady condescend to wish him agood journey; for this was, it seems, an inn frequented by people offashion; and I know not whence it is, but all those who get theirlivelihood by people of fashion, contract as much insolence to therest of mankind, as if they really belonged to that rank themselves.Chapter viii.Jones arrives at Gloucester, and goes to the Bell; the character ofthat house, and of a petty-fogger which he there meets with.Mr Jones and Partridge, or Little Benjamin (which epithet of Littlewas perhaps given him ironically, he being in reality near six feethigh), having left their last quarters in the manner before described,travelled on to Gloucester without meeting any adventure worthrelating.Being arrived here, they chose for their house of entertainment thesign of the Bell, an excellent house indeed, and which I do mostseriously recommend to every reader who shall visit this antient city.The master of it is brother to the great preacher Whitefield; but isabsolutely untainted with the pernicious principles of Methodism, orof any other heretical sect. He is indeed a very honest plain man,and, in my opinion, not likely to create any disturbance either inchurch or state. His wife hath, I believe, had much pretension tobeauty, and is still a very fine woman. Her person and deportmentmight have made a shining figure in the politest assemblies; butthough she must be conscious of this and many other perfections, sheseems perfectly contented with, and resigned to, that state of life towhich she is called; and this resignation is entirely owing to theprudence and wisdom of her temper; for she is at present as free fromany Methodistical notions as her husband: I say at present; for shefreely confesses that her brother's documents made at first someimpression upon her, and that she had put herself to the expense of along hood, in order to attend the extraordinary emotions of theSpirit; but having found, during an experiment of three weeks, noemotions, she says, worth a farthing, she very wisely laid by herhood, and abandoned the sect. To be concise, she is a very friendlygood-natured woman; and so industrious to oblige, that the guests mustbe of a very morose disposition who are not extremely well satisfiedin her house.Mrs Whitefield happened to be in the yard when Jones and his attendantmarched in. Her sagacity soon discovered in the air of our heroe