s
bags, to discount the good bills of some honest but distressed tradesman
at fifteen or twenty per cent.

The people we are speaking of are happily ignorant of such enjoyment of
money, for they know no other use of it than that of promoting mirth and
good humour; for which end they generously bring their gains into a
common stock, whereby they whose gains are small have an equal enjoyment
with those whose profits are larger, excepting only that a mark of
ignominy is affixed on those who do not contribute to the common stock
proportionably to their abilities, and the opportunities they have of
gain; and this is the source of their uninterrupted happiness; for by
this means they have no griping usurer to grind them, lordly possessor to
trample on them, nor any envyings to torment them; they have no settled
habitations, but, like the Scythians of old, remove from place to place,
as often as their conveniency or pleasure requires it, which renders
their life a perpetual scene of the greatest variety.

By what we have said above, and much more that we could add, of the
happiness of these people, and of their peculiar attachment to each
other, we may account for what has been matter of much surprise to the
friends of our hero, viz., his strong attachment, for the space of above
forty years, to this community, and his refusing the large offers that
have been made to quit their society.--But to return to our history.

Thus was Mr. Carew initiated into the mysteries of a society, which, for
antiquity, need give place to none, as is evident from the name, as well
as their origin, which they derive from the Egyptians, one of the most
ancient and learned people in the world, and that they were persons of
more than common learning, who travelled to communicate their knowledge
to mankind. Whether the divine Homer himself might not have been of this
society, will admit of a doubt, as there is much uncertainty about his
birth and education, though nothing is more certain than that he
travelled from place to place.

Mr. Carew did not continue long in it before he was consulted in
important matters: particularly Madam Musgrove, of Monkton, near Taunton,
hearing of his fame, sent for him to consult in an affair of difficulty.
When he came, she informed him, that she suspected a large quantity of
money was buried somewhere about her house, and if he would acquaint her
with the particular place, she would handsomely reward him.

Our