"The following narrative of your friend _Tothall_ may be depended upon, as Captain _Bulstrode_ informs me he frequently heard it from _Tothall_ himself. His father was an apothecary in _Fleet-street_; but dying, as Captain _Bulstrode_ thinks, while his son was young, and in but indifferent circumstances (as his mother afterwards practised as a midwife), he was taken by an uncle, who was a fishmonger. He lived with his uncle some time; but, not approving of the business, ran away from him, and entered on board a merchant-ship going to _The West Indies_. He also went several times to _Newfoundland_. During the time of his being in _The West Indies_, though so early in life, he was indefatigable in the collecting of shells, and brought home several utterly unknown in _England_. He continued at sea till he was almost 30 years of age. In one of his voyages he was taken by the _Spaniards_, and marched a considerable way up the country, without shoe or stocking, with only a woollen cap on his head, and a brown waistcoat on, with a large staff in his hand. He had afterwards his picture drawn in this dress. He continued a prisoner till exchanged. "When he was about 30 years of age, he went as shopman to a woollen-draper at the corner of _Tavistock Court, Covent Garden,_ with whom he continued some years; and his master, finding him a faithful servant, told him, 'as he dealt only in cloth, and his customers were taylors, he would lend him money to buy shalloons and trimmings, and recommend him to his chapmen, if he liked to take the trouble and the profit of the branch upon himself.' He readily accepted the proposal. "About the same time an acquaintance in _The West Indies_ sent him a puncheon of rum. Before he landed it, he consulted his master what he should do with it; who advised him to sell it out in small quantities, and lent him a cellar in his house. He followed this advice; and, finding the profits considerable, wrote to his correspondent in _The West Indies_ to send him another supply; and from this time he commenced rum, brandy, and shalloon merchant. "I cannot learn how long he continued in this way; but his master having acquired a fortune, and being desirous of retiring from business, left him in possession of his whole stock at prime cost, and he was to pay him as he sold it. He now commenced woollen-draper, and continued in this business till he acquired a sum sufficient, as he thought, to retire upon; and he left his business to his shopman, the late Mr. _Job Ray_, on the same conditions his master left it to him. "During his residence in _Covent Garden_, he became a member of the club at the _Bedford Coffee-house_, and of course contracted an acquaintance with _Hogarth, Lambert,_ and other men eminent in their way; and _Hogarth_ lived some time in his house on the footing of a most intimate friend.