Page:The Works of the Rev. Jonathan Swift, Volume 17.djvu/216

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210
THE HISTORY OF




CHAP. VIII.


A continuation of the conversation between John Bull and his wife.


Mrs. Bull.

IT is a most sad life we lead, my dear, to be so teased, paying interest for old debts, and still contracting new ones. However, I don't blame you for vindicating your honour, and chastising old Lewis: to curb the insolent, protect the oppressed, recover one's own, and defend what one has, are good effects of the law: the only thing I want to know, is, how you came to make an end of your money, before you finished your suit.

J. Bull. I was told by the learned in the law, that my suit stood upon three firm pillars: more money for more law, more law for more money; and, no composition. More money for more law, was plain to a demonstration; for who can go to law without money? and it was plain, that any man that has money, may have law for it. The third was as evident as the other two; for what composition could be made with a rogue, that never kept a word he said?

Mrs. Bull. I think you are most likely to get out of this labyrinth by the second door, by want of ready money to purchase this precious commodity: but you seem not only to have bought too much of it, but have paid too dear for what you bought; else, how was it possible to run so much in debt, when at

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