"Uncle Friar,"[72] said one of the women, "what a glorious life you lead! We poor creatures must work hard to get through the day; our husbands have to sweat to gain a morsel of bread; and we are destitute of almost every comfort; but you, through the favour of St. Francis, can live in plenty, without a single care; you have nothing upon earth to do, but to come and tell your miracles to us, in the hope of drawing a little money out of our pockets, for you are never satisfied. Come, work us a miracle, if you can; persuade St. Francis, who has such wonderful power, to cause us to find a good purse of money when we return home: I promise to share it with you." "It is a good joke," observed another woman, "for the friar to seek money of us poor folks. Let him go to the pope; he has got plenty." "Would it not be better," said a fellow who was standing by, "for the friar to make our fortunes, by giving us the lucky numbers in the lottery? We could give him rare contributions then." "Well!" said the friar, "let me go; I see it is of no use my staying here." "No, no!" exclaimed several voices; "you shall not go without giving us the numbers." "These friars," observed an old woman, "have dealings with the devil; they are sure to know what numbers will turn up prizes."[73] "I think," said a boy, "that we had better take the old friar home, and keep him without victuals, till he tells us." Another proposed that he should be taken to the _osteria_, and well plied with wine, in order to get the secret out of him. The friar consented to this latter proposition, on the understanding that the wine was good. Accordingly, off they set in a pretty strong body; and no doubt they got merry enough. This little incident led me to reflect on the cause of the idleness and immorality of the common people; and I saw clearly that it had its origin from the example of this odious class of society, which shuns all manner of employment, detesting industry, and everything tending to produce; while, on the other hand, it is greedy to consume: a parasitical race, living entirely at the expense of others, and on the fat of the land too, without ever troubling their heads about its cultivation. Oh! how I should like to root out these impostors, scandalous alike for their slothfulness, their ignorance, and their vices.