The works of the Rev. William Thom, late minister ... - waughfamily.ca

438 lfETTEB,S, TRACTS, ^^C.qiior to be handed to you befo^ the roup begin, and,by your not being accuftomed to llrong fpirits, andtaking hafty draughts of it, you are foon the worte.Being thus prepared for his purpofe, he enters a plot't>f his corn \ fome of you bids, and a" large bumper isgiven him ; a fecond bids, and he is ah^'o ferved witha bumper j and, being in an uppifli and cheerful humour,you bid even beyond the expectation of thercuper, and purchafe his corn far above its value.A plot of growing corn, is, you know, fometimcsentered atlhe very price at which :t was valued j intliat cafe, it is impoilible for you to make a profitablepurchafe : But many of you choofe to have each plotfet up at a low price, that fo you may have room tobid often againft: one another : You ought, however,to know, that, tliough it \z entered lov/, you cannotbuy it at a low price ; for the rouper takes care beforehandto employ one or two bafe- minded fellows,cnlled puffers, white-bonnets, or decoy-ducks, wOiohave orders to bid againfl you, till you have bid up tothe ](5rice he wants. And, when you are charmedwith the civility of the laird, warmed with his liquor,commended and Mattered for your franknefs inbidding;, and prompted bv emulation againd one another,you often buy corn at a much higher price thanthe rcuper expected, or the birly-men had fet uponit. Being worked up to a cheerful tem^pcr, every oneof you imagines, that, if the corn be worth the funioffered by the form.er bidder, it cannot be ,very dearat a crcwm or two more \ and fo you bid, and drink,and bid on and on, till you do what you will foonrepent of having done *, and repent certainly you muft,fo foon as the fit of cheerfulnefs is over, and the liquoris out of your heads.I appeal to yourfelves, whether the above view andreprefentation of a roup is not juft : Judge, and condemnme if you find it wrong. Have you not ofte-n,at roups, bought corn at an extravagant price, and re-