This lenten entertainment I had received made me resolve to depart as soon as possible; accordingly, next morning, when I spoke of going, he did not oppose my resolution; he rather commended my design, adding some very sage counsel upon the occasion.  ‘To be sure,’ said he, ’the longer you stay away from your mother, the more you will grieve her and your other friends; and possibly they are already afflicted at hearing of this foolish expedition you have made.’  Notwithstanding all this, and without any hope of softening such a sordid heart, I again renewed the tale of my distress, and asking ’how he thought I could travel above a hundred miles upon one half-crown?’ I begged to borrow a single guinea, which I assured him should be repaid with thanks.  ‘And you know, sir,’ said I, ’it is no more than I have often done for you.’  To which he firmly answered, ’Why, look you, Mr. Goldsmith, that is neither here nor there.  I have paid you all you ever lent me, and this sickness of mine has left me bare of cash.  But I have bethought myself of a conveyance for you; sell your horse, and I will furnish you with a much better one to ride on.’  I readily grasped at his proposal, and begged to see the nag; on which he led me to his bedchamber, and from under the bed he pulled out a stout oak stick.  ‘Here he is,’ said he; ’take this in your hand, and it will carry you to your mother’s with more safety than such a horse as you ride.’  I was in doubt, when I got it into my hand, whether I should not in the first place apply it to his pate; but a rap at the street-door made the wretch fly to it, and when I returned to the parlour, he introduced me, as if nothing of the kind had happened, to the gentleman who entered, as Mr. Goldsmith, his most ingenious and worthy friend, of whom he had so often heard him speak with rapture.  I could scarcely compose myself; and must have betrayed indignation in my mien to the stranger, who was a counsellor-at-law in the neighbourhood, a man of engaging aspect and polite address.

After spending an hour, he asked my friend and me to dine with him at his house.  This I declined at first, as I wished to have no further communication with my hospitable friend; but at the solicitation of both I at last consented, determined as I was by two motives; one, that I was prejudiced in favour of the looks and manner of the counsellor; and the other, that I stood in need of a comfortable dinner.  And there, indeed, I found everything that I could wish, abundance without profusion, and elegance without affectation.  In the evening, when my old friend, who had eaten very plentifully at his neighbour’s table, but talked again of lying down with the lamb, made a motion to me for retiring, our generous host requested I should take a bed with him, upon which I plainly told my old friend that he might go home and take care of the horse he had given me, but that I should never re-enter his doors.  He went away with a laugh, leaving me to add this to the other little things the counsellor already knew of his plausible neighbour.