When you and I, said Morgan, were as young as my grandson John, I am afraid, friend Wilson, we were neither of us altogether as worthy or as wise. I can answer for one; and when our acquaintance commenced as brother ensigns in Barrel’s regiment, I doubt we were not quite such sturdy champions in the cause of virtue, as he now is, or as we ought then to have been. I recollect when you turned out for me as second in my affair with Cornet Flanagan, it was a foolish quarrel for a very worthless cause; but no matter! those days are over and we are now old fellows. You held on in the army, performed honourable service, received honourable wounds and are at length laid up with an honourable, though in my opinion not a very adequate, compensation: I quitted upon the peace; came into possession of an ample property, led an idle, useless and luxurious life, made my neighbours welcome, and kept the bottle moving till the gout laid hold of me, and I could not move myself. What a sorry figure in the calendar of antient British worthies shall I make? A mere man of straw, without one ear of corn, save only a few grains of good will in a bye-corner of my heart for an old friend like you, and perhaps here and there for another of like honest nature with yourself.--And now, Wilson, listen to me.--When I talk of my affairs my steward has just now satisfied me, that I am confoundedly given to involuntary lying; for I am considerably richer than I have believed or represented myself to be.--John will have my land and house and all that he can find about it, but, by the L--d, I won’t leave him a shilling of my ready money. He won’t want it and others will--You for instance: you have a son in the army, a son in the church, and I know you don’t abound: you have a small invalided government, and a small patrimonial lot of barren land--What then? I have left you a bit of money in my will: ’tis true I shan’t keep it from you long at all events, for I am brushing off after my poor daughter: give me the pleasure, brother soldier, before I die, of telling me in what way a moderate sum can be of service to you. The tear that stood on Wilson’s manly cheek when it became his turn to make reply, witnessed his grateful feelings for the good old man--Live only, my dear sir, he said, live and be happy as your benevolence can make you; I ask no more, and nothing can I receive beyond the sincere gratification it now affords me to find myself thus honoured in your friendship, and assured of your esteem.