This great blessing makes us merry, we laughed at Philumene's cunning,
and her childrens experience in the art, which wou'd profit 'em little
with us; for to no other end were they left, but to be heirs to what
we had. When reflecting on this sordid manner of deceiving childless
age, I took occasion to consider the condition of our present fortune,
and told Eumolpus that the deceivers might be deceiv'd, that therefore
all our actions shou'd be of a piece with the character we bore.
"That Socrates, the wisest of men, us'd to boast he never saw a
tavern, nor ever had been in the common company that frequents such
places. That nothing was more convenient than a discreet behaviour.
All these are truths, nor shou'd any sort of men," added I, "more
expect the sudden assaults of ill fortune, than those that covet
what's other men's. But how should pick-pockets live, unless, by some
well order'd trick, to draw fools together, they get imployment? As
fish are taken with what they really eat, so men are to be cheated
with something that's solid, not empty hope; thus the people of this
country have hitherto receiv'd us very nobly: but when they find the
arrival of no ship from Africk, laden, as you told 'em, with riches,
and your retinue, the impatient deceivers, will lessen their bounty;
therefore, or I'm mistaken, our fortune begins to repent her favours."
"I have thought of a means," said Eumolpus, "to make our deceivers
continue their care of us.
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