The hundred and Seventy Sixth Night.
The Story of the Barber’s Fifth Brother.
ALnaſchar, as long as our Father lived, was very lazy; inſtead of working for his Living, he uſed to go a begging in the Evening, and to live upon what he got next Day. Our Father dy’d in a very old Age, and left among us 700 Drachms of Silver: We divided it equally among us, ſo that each of us had a
100 for our Share.
Alnaſchar, who had never ſo much Money before in his Lifetime, was very much perplexed to know what he ſhould do with it. He conſulted a long time with himſelf and at last reſolved to lay it out in Glaſſes, Bottles, and other Glaſs-work, which he bought of a great Merchant. He put all in an open Basket, and choſe a very little Shop where he ſat with the Basket before him, and his Back againſt the Wall, expecting while ſome body ſhould come and buy his Ware. In this Poſture he ſat with his Eyes fixed on his Basket, and begun to rave. During which, he ſpoke as follows, loud enough to be heard by a neighbouring Taylor. This Basket, ſays he, coſt me a
100 Drachms, which is all I have in the World; I ſhall make
200 of it by retailing my Glaſs, and of thoſe
200 Drachms which I will again lay out in Glaſs, I ſhall make
400 and going on thus, I ſhall at laſt make
4000 Drachms, of
4000 I ſhall eaſily make
8000, and when I come to
10000, I will leave off ſelling Glaſs, and turn Jeweller, I will trade in Diamonds, Pearls, and al] ſorts of precious Stones. Then when I am as rich as I can wiſh, I will buy a fine Houſe, a great Eſtate, Slaves, Eunuchs, Horſes; I will keep a good Houſe, and make a great Figure in the World; I will ſend forall the Muſicians and Dancers of both Sexes in Town. Nor will I ſtop here, I will by the Favour of Heaven go on till I get
1000000 Drachras, and when I have got ſo much, I will think my ſelf as great as a Prince, and ſend to demand the Grand Vizier’s Daughter in Marriage, and repreſent to that Miniſter, that I have heard very much of the wonderful Beauty and Modeſty, Wit, and