with the Fore-Finger of his Right towards the second Page, he humbly begg’d Leave to observe, (and, to do him Justice, he did it in somewhat of a _forensic Air_) That the _Parson, John_, and _Sexton_, shewed incontestably the Thing to be _Tripartite;_ now, if you will take Notice, Gentlemen, says he, these several Persons, who are Parties to this Instrument, are merely Ecclesiastical; that the _Reading-Desk, Pulpit-Cloth_, and _Velvet Cushion_, are tripartite too; and are, by Intendment of Law, Goods and Chattles merely of an Ecclesiastick Nature, belonging and appertaining ‘only unto them,’ _and to them only_.—So that it appears very plain to me, That the _Romance_, neither directly nor indirectly, goes upon Temporal, but altogether upon Church-Matters.—And do not you think, says he, softening his Voice a little, and addressing himself to the Parson with a forced Smile,—Do not you think Doctor, says he, That the Dispute in the _Romance_, between the _Parson_ of the Parish and _John_, about the Height of _John_’s Desk, is a very fine Panegyrick upon the _Humility of Church-Men?_—I think, says the Parson, it is much of the same Fineness with that which your Profession is complimented with, in the pimping, dirty, pettyfogging Character of _Trim_,—which, in my Opinion, Sir, is just such another Panegyrick upon the _Honesty_ of _Attornies_. Nothing whets the Spirits like an Insult:—Therefore the Parson went on with a visible Superiority and an uncommon Acuteness.—As you are so happy, Sir, continues he, in making Applications,—pray turn over a Page or two to the black Law-Letters in the _Romance_.—What do you think of them, Sir?—Nay,—pray read the Grant of the _Great Watch-Coat_ and _Trim_’s Renunciation of the _Breeches_.—Why, there is downright Lease and Release for you,—’tis the very Thing, Man;—only with this small Difference,—and in which consists the whole Strength of the Panegyric, That the Author of the _Romance_ has convey’d and re-convey’d, in about ten Lines, —what you, with the glorious Prolixity of the Law, could not have crowded into as many Skins of Parchment. The Apothecary, who had paid the Attorney, the same Afternoon, a Demand of Three Pounds Six Shillings and Eight-Pence, for much such another Jobb,—was so highly tickled with the Parson’s Repartee in that particular Point,—that he rubb’d his Hands together most fervently,—and laugh’d most triumphantly thereupon. This could not escape the Attorney’s Notice, any more than the Cause of it did escape his Penetration.