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wickedness of making it a profession, you are really, to my ownknowledge, unfit for it, and it will end in your certain ruin."`Why now, that's strange,' answered he; `neither you, nor any of myfriends, would ever allow me to know anything of the matter, and yet Ibelieve I _am_ as good a hand at every game as any of you all; and Iheartily wish I was to play with you only for your whole fortune: Ishould desire no better sport, and I would let you name your game intothe bargain: but come, my dear boy, have you the hundred in yourpocket?""I answered I had only a bill for L50, which I delivered him, andpromised to bring him the rest next morning; and after giving him alittle more advice, took my leave."I was indeed better than my word; for I returned to him that veryafternoon. When I entered the room, I found him sitting up in his bedat cards with a notorious gamester. This sight, you will imagine,shocked me not a little; to which I may add the mortification ofseeing my bill delivered by him to his antagonist, and thirty guineasonly given in exchange for it."The other gamester presently quitted the room, and then Watsondeclared he was ashamed to see me; `but,' says he, `I find luck runsso damnably against me, that I will resolve to leave off play forever. I have thought of the kind proposal you made me ever since, andI promise you there shall be no fault in me, if I do not put it inexecution.'"Though I had no great faith in his promises, I produced him theremainder of the hundred in consequence of my own; for which he gaveme a note, which was all I ever expected to see in return for mymoney."We were prevented from any further discourse at present by thearrival of the apothecary; who, with much joy in his countenance, andwithout even asking his patient how he did, proclaimed there was greatnews arrived in a letter to himself, which he said would shortly bepublic, `That the Duke of Monmouth was landed in the west with a vastarmy of Dutch; and that another vast fleet hovered over the coast ofNorfolk, and was to make a descent there, in order to favour theduke's enterprize with a diversion on that side.'"This apothecary was one of the greatest politicians of his time. Hewas more delighted with the most paultry packet, than with the bestpatient, and the highest joy he was capable of, he received fromhaving a piece of news in his possession an hour or two sooner thanany other person in the town. His advices, however, were seldomauthentic; for he would swallow almost anything as a truth--a humourwhich many made use of to impose upon him."Thus it happened with what he at present communicated; for it wasknown within a short time afterwards that the duke was really landed,but that his army consisted only of a few attendants; and as to thediversion in Norfolk, it was entirely false."The apothecary staid no longer in the room than while he acquaintedus with his news; and then, without saying a syllable to his patienton any other subject, departed to spread his advices all over thetown.