it out in
Glasses, Bottles, and the finest Earthen Ware. These he piled up in a
large open Basket, and having made choice of a very little Shop,
placed the Basket at his Feet, and leaned his Back upon the Wall, in
Expectation of Customers. As he sat in this Posture with his Eyes upon
the Basket, he fell into a most amusing Train of Thought, and was
over-heard by one of his Neighbours, as he talked to himself in the
following manner: _This Basket_, says he, _cost me at the Wholesale
Merchant's an Hundred Drachmas, which is all I have in the World. I
shall quickly make two hundred of it, by selling it in Retail. These
two hundred_ _Drachmas will in a very little while rise to four
Hundred, which of course will amount in time to four Thousand. Four
Thousand Drachmas cannot fail of making Eight Thousand. As soon as by
this means I am Master of Ten Thousand, I will lay aside my Trade of a
Glass-Man, and turn Jeweller. I shall then deal in Diamonds, Pearls,
and all sorts of rich Stones. When I have got together as much Wealth
as I can well desire, I will make a Purchase of the finest House I can
find, with Lands, Slaves, Eunuchs and Horses. I shall then begin to
enjoy my self, and make a noise in the World. I will not, however,
stop there, but still continue my Traffick, till I have got together
an Hundred Thousand Drachmas. When I have thus made my self Master of
an hundred thousand Drachmas, I shall naturally set my self on the
foot of a Prince, and will demand the Grand _Visier's_ Daughter in
Marriage, after having represented to that Minister the Information
which I have received of the Beauty, Wit, Discretion, and other high
Qualities which his Daughter possesses. I will let him know at the
same time, that it is my Intention to make him a Present of a thousand
Pieces of Gold on our Marriage-Night. As soon as I have married the
Grand _Visier's_ Daughter, I'll buy her ten black Eunuchs, the
youngest and best that can be got for Mony. I must afterwards make my
Father-in-Law a Visit with a great Train and Equipage. And when I am
placed at his Right-hand, which he will do of course, if it be only to
Honour his Daughter, I will give him the thousand Pieces of Gold which
I promised him, and afterwards, to his great Surprize, will present
him another Purse of the same Value, with some short Speech; as,_ Sir,
you see I am a Man of my Word: I always give more than