Tho' the greatest intimacy with Clyamon, and a long acquaintance with Avario, made me no stranger even to the minute particulars of the transaction I am relating, I mean, as far as I could be inform'd by the perfect confidence with which I was honour'd by both these gentlemen; yet as no sure dependance can be placed either on what people say of themselves, or the report given of them by others, I should never have ventur'd to speak so positively in many things as I have done, if the gift of Invisibility had not afforded me an opportunity of accompanying them when they thought themselves entirely alone, and of beholding them in those unguarded attitudes which are the best, and, indeed, the only certain discoverers of the inward workings of the human mind.

It was my dear Belt could have alone convinced me that, contrary to the general opinion of the world, it was not ill nature in Avario, or ignorance of what he ought to do, which had hinder'd him from being an affectionate husband, a tender father, a faithful friend, and an indulgent master; but merely his inordinate love of money, and an unaccountable apprehension of being reduced to the want of it, that made him center his whole cares on his bags, regardless of all the ties of blood and nature; and, in fine, render'd him almost incapable of practising any social virtue.

It was by this beneficial present that I became assur'd Clyamon was much more worthy than he took any pains to appear; – that in all serious matters he was steady and unshaken, and in his pleasures decent and well manner'd; and that, young as he was, he had set up a tribunal in his own heart, where Reason presiding as sole judge carefully examin'd all his actions, and whenever any unruly passion had got the start, stopp'd it in its full career, and brought it back to obedience.