mit to such hardships who had a subsistence； but with a prospect of acquiring a great estate suddenly； for the gold comes tumbling into the pockets of these great lawyers； which makes them refuse no cause； how intricate or doubtful soever。 And this brings me to consider the high fees that are usually taken by an eminent counsel； as for a single opinion upon a case； two； three； four； and five guineas； upon a hearing； five or ten； and perhaps a great many more； and if the cause does not come on till the next day； they are all to be fee'd again； though there are not less than six or seven counsel of a side。
The next considerable profession therefore I shall mention in London is that of the physicians； who are not so numerous as the former； but those who are eminent amongst them acquire estates equal to the lawyers； though they seldom arrive at the like honours。 It is a useful observation； indeed； as to English physicians； that they seldom get their bread till they have no teeth to eat it： though； when they have acquired a reputation； they are as much followed as the great lawyers； they take care； however； not to be so much fatigued。 You find them at Batson's or Child's Coffee House usually in the morning； and they visit their patients in the afternoon。 Those that are men of figure amongst them will not rise out of their beds or break their rest on every call。 The greatest fatigue they undergo is the going up forty or fifty pair of stairs every day； for the patient is generally laid pretty near the garret； that he may not be disturbed。
These physicians are allowed to be men of skill in their profession； and well versed in other parts of learning。 The great grievance here （as in the law） is that the inferior people are undone by the exorbitance of their fees； and what is still a greater hardship is； that if a physician has been employed； he must be continued； however unable the patient is to bear the expense； as no apothecary may administer anything to the sick man； if he has been prescribed to first by a physician： so that the patient is reduced to this dilemma； either to die of the disease； or starve his family； if his sickness happens to be of any duration。 A physician here scorns to touch any other metal but gold； and the surgeons are still more unreasonable； and this may be one reason why the people of this city have so often recourse to quacks； for they are cheap and easily come at； and the mob are not judges of their ability； they pretend to great things； they have cured princes； and persons of the first quality； as they pretend； and it must be confessed their patients are as credulous as they can desire； taken with grand pretences； and the assurance of the impostor； and frequently like things the better that are offered them out of the common road。
I come in the next place to treat of attorneys' clerks； apprentices； inferior tradesmen； coachmen； porters； servants； and the lowest class of men in this town； which are far the most numerous： and first of the lawyers' clerks and apprentices； I find it a general complaint that they are under no manner of government； before their times are half out； they set up for gentlemen； they dress； they drink； they game； frequent the playhouses； and intrigue with the women； and it is no uncommon thing with clerks to bully their masters； and desert their service for whole days and nights whenever they see fit。
As to the ordinary tradesmen； they live by buying and selling； I cannot say they are so eminent for their probity as the merchants and tradesmen of the first rate； they seem to have a wrong bias given them in their education； many of them have no principles of honour； no other rule to go by than the fishmonger； namely； to get what they can； who consider only the weakness or ignorance of the customer； and make their demands accordingly； taking sometimes half the price they ask。 And I must not forget the numbers of poor creatures who live and maintain their families by buying provisions in one part of the town； and retailing them in another； whose stock perhaps does not amount to more than forty or fifty shillings； and part of this they take up （many of them） on their clothes at a pawnbroker's on a Monday morning； which they make shift to redeem on a Saturday night； that they may appear in a proper habit at their parish…churches on a Sunday。 These are the people that cry fish； fruit； herbs； roots； news； &c； about town。
As to hackney…coachmen； carmen； porters； chairmen； and watermen； though they work hard； they generally eat and drink well； and are decently clothed on holidays； for the wife； if she be industrious； either by her needle； washing； or other business proper to her sex； makes no small addition to their gains； and by their united labours they maintain their families handsomely if they have their healths。
As to the common menial servants； they have great wages； are well kept and clothed； but are； notwithstanding the plague； of almost every house in town。 They form themselves into societies； or rather confederacies； contributing to the maintenance of each other when out of place； and if any of them cannot manage the family where they are entertained as they please； immediately they give notice they will be gone。 There is no speaking to them； they are above correction； and if a master should attempt it； he may expect to be handsomely drubbed by the creature he feeds and harbours； or perhaps an action brought against him for it。 It is become a common saying； 〃If my servant ben't a thief； if he be but honest； I can bear with other things；〃 and indeed it is very rare in London to meet with an honest servant。
When I was treating of tradesmen； I had forgot to mention those nuisances of the town； the itinerant pedlars who deal in toys and hardware； and those who pretend to sell foreign silks； linen； India handkerchiefs； and other prohibited and unaccustomed goods。 These we meet at every coffee…house and corner of the streets； and they visit also every private house； the women have such a gust for everything that is foreign or prohibited； that these vermin meet with a good reception everywhere。 The ladies will rather buy home manufactures of these people than of a neighbouring shopkeeper； under the pretence of buying cheaper； though they frequently buy damaged goods； and pay a great deal dearer for them than they would do in a tradesman's shop； which is a great discouragement to the fair dealer that maintains a family； and is forced to give a large credit； while these people run away with the ready money。 And I am informed that some needy tradesmen employ fellows to run hawking about the streets with their goods； and sell pennyworths； in order to furnish themselves with a little money。
As to the recreations of the citizens； many of them are entertained in the same manner as the quality are； resorting to the play； park； music…meetings； &c。； and in the summer they visit Richmond； Hampstead； Epsom； and other neighbouring towns； where horse…racing； and all manner of rural sports； as well as other diversions； are followed in the summer season。
Towards autumn； when the town is thin； many of the citizens who deal in a wholesale way visit the distant parts of the kingdom to get in their debts； or procure orders for fresh parcels of goods； and much about the same time the lawyers are either employed in the several circuits； or retired to their country seats； so that the Court； the nobility and gentry； the lawyers； and many of the citizens being gone into the country； the town resumes another face。 The west end of it appears perfectly deserted； in other parts their trade falls off； but still in the streets about the Royal Exchange we seldom fail to meet with crowds of people； and an air of business in the hottest season。
I have heard it affirmed； however； that many citizens live beyond their income； which puts them upon tricking and prevaricating in their dealings； and is the principal occasion of those frequent bankruptcies seen in the papers； ordinary tradesmen drink as much wine； and eat as well； as gentlemen of estates； their cloth； their lace； their linen； are as fine； and they change it as often； and they frequently imitate the quality in their expensive pleasures。
As to the diversions of the inferior tradesmen and common people on Sundays and other holidays； they frequently get out of town； the neighbouring villas are full of them； and the public…houses there usually provide a dinner in expectation of their city guests； but if they do not visit them in a morning； they seldom fail of walking out in the fields in the afternoon； every walk； every public garden and path near the town are crowded with the common people； and no place more than the park； for which reason I presume the quality are seldom seen there on a Sunday； though the meanest of them are so well dressed at these times that nobody need be ashamed of their company on that account； for you will see every apprentice； every porter； and cobbler； in as good cloth and linen as their betters； and it must be a very poor woman that has not a suit of Mantua silk； or something equal to it； to appear abroad in on holidays。
And now； if we survey these several inhabitants in one body； it will be found that there are about a million of souls in the whole town； of whom there may be 150；000 men and upwards capable of bearing arms； that is； between eighteen and sixty。
If it be demanded what proportion that part of the town properly called the City of London bears to the rest； I answer that； according to the last calculations； there are in the city 12；000 houses； in the parishes without the walls； 36；320； in the parishes of Middlesex and Surrey； which make part of the town； 46；300； and in the city and liberties of Westminster； 28；330； in which are included the precincts of the Tower； Norton Folgate； the Rolls； Whitefriars； the Inns of Court and Chancery； the King's palaces； and all other extra…parochial places。
As to the number of inhabitants in each of these four grand divisions； if we multiply the number of houses in the City of London by eight and a half； there must be 102；000 people there； according to this estimate。 By the same rule； there must be 308；720 people in the seventeen parishes without the w