It was happy, however, for him, that Mrs. Gilpin's cleverness in bufnefs, rendered his not interfering in it, of no kind of confequence, and fo long as he kept at home, she had fenfe enough to make it a matter of indifference in what manner he employed his time. Indulged, therefore, in his vein of humour, no man was ever a closer houfe-keeper. His mind, however, ftill dwelling on a military life, he could not refift the impulfe of his inclinations for entering into the Train'd Bands, of which he was made a captain, and had a company in the yellow regiment, which F 3 . which Mrs. Gilpin was fo much offended at, that having, fome little time afterwards, the yellow jaundice, fhe was fpiteful enough to pronounce it a judgment on him for becoming a foldier, as fhe was pleased to express it. This, however, became his hobbyberfe, and his accoutrements, every Saturday, were burnished, and brightened up, with the brafs candlefticks, and culinary articles, by his favourite house-maid, and kept conftantly hanging over the chimney piece in his dining parlour; fo very partial, indeed, was he to this new character, that he even went to the expence expence of having his picture drawn at full length, which he ornamented with a moft elegant frame, and had hung over the fire place in his best room. CHAP. CHAPTER VII. HOW HE THOUGHT HIMSELF a SEN SIBLE MAN, AND WAS MADE A FOOL OF BY EVERY ONE. HE world abounds with individuals, who feem as if they were marked out, and intended to be the but, and ridicule of others, and no one could furely appear more fo than John Gilpin, who, whatever might be his fituation, 2 was was always certain of finding himfelf a subject of public sport and derifion; and from which, neither his gravity, as a respectable tradefman, nor his importance as a captain in the train'd bands, could poffibly protect him. A very memorable and moft laughable inftance of this, occurred foon after the exhibition of his picture, when, having a party of friends to dine with him, they refolved to make free with it, and having made John Gilpin pretty drunk in the evening, and found occafion to fend him out of the room for about |