as they drive by each other, to intimate how much they have got that Day.  They can carry on that Language to give Intelligence where they are driving.  In an Instant my Coachman took the Wink to pursue, and the Lady’s Driver gave the Hint that he was going through Long-Acre towards St. James’s:  While he whipped up James-Street, we drove for King-Street, to save the Pass at St. Martin’s-Lane.  The Coachmen took care to meet, jostle, and threaten each other for Way, and be entangled at the End of Newport-Street and Long-Acre.  The Fright, you must believe, brought down the Lady’s Coach Door, and obliged her, with her Mask off, to enquire into the Bustle, when she sees the Man she would avoid.  The Tackle of the Coach-Window is so bad she cannot draw it up again, and she drives on sometimes wholly discovered, and sometimes half escaped, according to the Accident of Carriages in her Way.  One of these Ladies keeps her Seat in a Hackney-Coach, as well as the best Rider does on a managed Horse.  The laced Shooe of her left Foot, with a careless Gesture, just appearing on the opposite Cushion, held her both firm, and in a proper Attitude to receive the next Jolt.

As she was an excellent Coach Woman, many were the Glances at each other which we had for an Hour and an Half in all Parts of the Town by the Skill of our Drivers; till at last my Lady was conveniently lost with Notice from her Coachman to ours to make off, and he should hear where she went.  This Chase was now at an End, and the Fellow who drove her came to us, and discovered that he was ordered to come again in an Hour, for that she was a Silk-Worm.  I was surprized with this Phrase, but found it was a Cant among the Hackney Fraternity for their best Customers, Women who ramble twice or thrice a Week from Shop to Shop, to turn over all the Goods in Town without buying any thing.  The Silk-worms are, it seems, indulged by the Tradesmen; for tho’ they never buy, they are ever talking of new Silks, Laces and Ribbands, and serve the Owners in getting them Customers as their common Dunners do in making them pay.

The Day of People of Fashion began now to Break, and Carts and Hacks were mingled with Equipages of Show and Vanity; when I resolved to walk it out of Cheapness; but my unhappy Curiosity is such, that I find it always my Interest to take Coach, for some odd Adventure among Beggars, Ballad-Singers, or the like, detains and throws me into Expence.  It happened so immediately; for at the Corner of Warwick Street, as I was listening to a new Ballad, a ragged Rascal, a Beggar who knew me, came up to me, and began to turn the Eyes of the good Company upon me, by telling me he was extream Poor, and should die in the Street for want of Drink, except I immediately would have the Charity to give him Six-pence to go into the next Ale-house and save his Life.  He urged, with a melancholy Face, that all his Family had died of Thirst.