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established custom of our newest authors, by a long digression
unsought for and a universal censure unprovoked, by forcing into the
light, with much pains and dexterity, my own excellences and other
men's defaults, with great justice to myself and candour to them, I
now happily resume my subject, to the infinite satisfaction both of
the reader and the author.
SECTION VI.--A TALE OF A TUB.
We left Lord Peter in open rupture with his two brethren, both for
ever discarded from his house, and resigned to the wide world with
little or nothing to trust to. Which are circumstances that render
them proper subjects for the charity of a writer's pen to work on,
scenes of misery ever affording the fairest harvest for great
adventures. And in this the world may perceive the difference
between the integrity of a generous Author and that of a common
friend. The latter is observed to adhere close in prosperity, but
on the decline of fortune to drop suddenly off; whereas the generous
author, just on the contrary, finds his hero on the dunghill, from
thence, by gradual steps, raises him to a throne, and then
immediately withdraws, expecting not so much as thanks for his
pains; in imitation of which example I have placed Lord Peter in a
noble house, given him a title to wear and money to spend. There I
shall leave him for some time, returning, where common charity
directs me, to the assistance of his two brothers at their lowest
ebb. However, I shall by no means forget my character of a
historian, to follow the truth step by step whatever happens, or
wherever it may lead me.
The two exiles so nearly united in fortune and interest took a
lodging together, where at their first leisure they began to reflect
on the numberless misfortunes and vexations of their life past, and
could not tell of the sudden to what failure in their conduct they
ought to impute them, when, after some recollection, they called to
mind the copy of their father's will which they had so happily
recovered. This was immediately produced, and a firm resolution
taken between them to alter whatever was already amiss, and reduce
all their future measures to the strictest obedience prescribed
therein. The main body of the will (as the reader cannot easily
have forgot) consisted in certain admirable rules, about the wearing
of their coats, in the perusal whereof the two brothers at every
period duly comparing the doctrine with the practice, there was
never seen a wider difference between two things, horrible downright
transgressions of every point. Upon which they both resolved
without further delay to fall immediately upon reducing the whole
exactly after their father's model.
But here it is good to stop the hasty reader, ever impatient to see
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