This great blessing makes us merry, we laughed at Philumene's cunning, and her childrens experience in the art, which wou'd profit 'em little with us; for to no other end were they left, but to be heirs to what we had. When reflecting on this sordid manner of deceiving childless age, I took occasion to consider the condition of our present fortune, and told Eumolpus that the deceivers might be deceiv'd, that therefore all our actions shou'd be of a piece with the character we bore. "That Socrates, the wisest of men, us'd to boast he never saw a tavern, nor ever had been in the common company that frequents such places. That nothing was more convenient than a discreet behaviour. All these are truths, nor shou'd any sort of men," added I, "more expect the sudden assaults of ill fortune, than those that covet what's other men's. But how should pick-pockets live, unless, by some well order'd trick, to draw fools together, they get imployment? As fish are taken with what they really eat, so men are to be cheated with something that's solid, not empty hope; thus the people of this country have hitherto receiv'd us very nobly: but when they find the arrival of no ship from Africk, laden, as you told 'em, with riches, and your retinue, the impatient deceivers, will lessen their bounty; therefore, or I'm mistaken, our fortune begins to repent her favours." "I have thought of a means," said Eumolpus, "to make our deceivers continue their care of us." And drawing his will out of his purse, thus read the last lines of it. "All that have legacies in this my last will and testament, my freed men excepted, receives 'em on these conditions, that they divide my body, and eat it before the people. And that they may not think it an unjust demand, let them know, that to this day 'tis the custom of many countries, that the relations of the dead devour the carcase; and for that reason they often quarrel with their sick kindred, because they spoil their flesh by lingering in a disease. I only instance this to my friends, that they may not refuse to perform my will; but with the same sincerity they wisht well to my soul, they might devour my body." When he had read the chief articles, some that were more intimately acquainted with him, enter'd the chamber, and viewing the will, earnestly intreated him to impart the contents of it; he readily consented and read the whole. But when they heard the necessity of eating the carcass, they seem'd much concern'd at the strange proposal; but their insatiate love of the money made 'em stifle their passion, and his person was so awful to 'em, they durst not complain. But one of 'em, Gorgias by name, briskly told him he was willing to accept the conditions, so he might not wait for the body.