to proceed, when Bragwell interrupted him
for a moment, by saying, "But stop, friend, before we begin I wish
you would remember that we have had a long walk, and I want a little
refreshment; have you no liquor that is stronger than this cider? I
am afraid it will give me a fit of the gout."

Mr. Worthy immediately produced a bottle of wine, and another of
spirits; saying, that though he drank neither spirits nor even wine
himself, yet his wife always kept a little of each as a provision in
case of sickness or accidents.

Farmer Bragwell preferred the brandy, and began to taste it. "Why,"
said he, "this is no better than English; I always use foreign
myself." "I bought this for foreign," said Mr. Worthy. "No, no, it
is English spirits, I assure you; but I can put you into a way to
get foreign nearly as cheap as English." Mr. Worthy replied that he
thought that was impossible.

_Bragwell._ Oh no; there are ways and means--a word to the
wise--there is an acquaintance of mine that lives upon the south
coast--you are a particular friend and I will get you half-a-dozen
gallons for a trifle.

_Worthy._ Not if it be smuggled, Mr. Bragwell, though I should get
it for sixpence a bottle. "Ask no questions," said the other, "I
never say any thing to any one, and who is the wiser?" "And so this
is your way of obeying the laws of the land," said Mr. Worthy, "here
is a fine specimen of your morality."

_Bragwell._ Come, come, don't make a fuss about trifles. If _every
one_ did it indeed it would be another thing; but as to _my_ getting
a little good brandy cheap, why that can't hurt the revenue much.

_Worthy._ Pray Mr. Bragwell, what should you think of a man who
would dip his hand into a bag and take out a few guineas?

_Bragwell._ Think? why I think that he should be hanged, to be sure.

_Worthy._ But suppose that bag stood in the king's treasury?

_Bragwell._ In the king's treasury! worse and worse! What! rob the
king's treasury! Well, I hope if any one has done it, the robber
will be taken up and executed; for I suppose we shall be taxed to
pay the damage.

_Worthy._ Very true. If one man takes money out of the treasury,
others must be obliged to pay the more into it. But what think you
if the fellow should be found to have stopped some money _in its
way_ to the treasury, instead of taking it out of the bag after it
got there?

_Bragwell._ Guilty, Mr. Worthy; it is all the same in my opinion. If
I were judge I wou