79. Three or four roguish Scholars walking out one Day from the University of _Oxford_, spied a poor Fellow near _Abingdon_, asleep in a Ditch, with an Ass by him, loaded with Earthen-Ware, holding the Bridle in his Hand, says one of the Scholars to the rest, if you'll assist me, I'll help you to a little Money, for you know we are bare at present; no doubt of it they were not long consenting; why then, said he, we'll go and sell this old Fellow's Ass at _Abingdon_, for you know the Fair is To-morrow, and we shall meet with Chapmen enough; therefore do you take the Panniers off, and put them upon my Back, and the Bridle over my Head, and then lead you the Ass to Market, and let me alone with the Old Man. This being done accordingly, in a little Time after the poor Man awaking, was strangely surprized to see his Ass thus metamorphosed; Oh! for God's-sake, said the Scholar, take this Bridle out of my Mouth, and this Load from my Back. Zoons, how came you here, reply'd the old Man, why, said he, my Father, who is a great Necromancer, upon an idle Thing I did to disoblige him, transformed me into an Ass, but now his Heart has relented, and I am come to my own Shape again, I beg you will let me go Home and thank him; by all Means, said the Crockrey Merchant, I don't desire to have any Thing to do with Conjuration, and so set the Scholar at Liberty, who went directly to his Comrades, that by this Time were making merry with the Money they had sold the Ass for: But the old Fellow was forced to go the next Day, to seek for a new one in the _Fair_, and after having look'd on several, his own was shewn him for a very good one, O, Ho! said he, _what have he and his Father quarrelled again already_? No, no, I'll have nothing to say to him. 80. Mr. _Congreve_ going up the Water, in a Boat, one of the Watermen told him, as they passed by _Peterborough_ House, that that House had _sunk a Story_; no, Friend, said he, I rather believe it is a _Story raised_. 81. The foresaid House, which is the very last in _London_ one Way, being rebuilt, a Gentleman asked another, who lived in it? his Friend told him Sir _Robert Grosvenor_; I don't know, said the first, what Estate Sir _Robert_ has, but he ought to have a very good one, for no body _lives beyond him in the whole Town_. 82. Two Gentlemen disputing about Religion, in _Button's Coffee-House_, said one of them, I wonder, Sir, you should talk of Religion, when I'll hold you five Guineas you can't say the _Lord's Prayer_, done, said the other, and Sir _Richard Steele_ shall hold Stakes. The Money being deposited, the Gentleman began with, _I believe in God_, and so went cleverly thro' the _Creed_; well, said the other, I own I have lost; _I did not think he could have done it_. 83. A certain Author was telling Dr. _Sewel_, that a Passage he found fault with in his Poem, might be justify'd, and that he thought it a _Metaphor_; it is such a one, said the Doctor, as truly I never _Met-a-fore_.