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diff --git a/old/2667.txt b/old/2667.txt deleted file mode 100644 index 511aaa1..0000000 --- a/old/2667.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,6224 +0,0 @@ -The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Vicar of Wakefield, by Oliver Goldsmith - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with -almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or -re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included -with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org - - -Title: The Vicar of Wakefield - -Author: Oliver Goldsmith - -Posting Date: January 8, 2009 [EBook #2667] -Release Date: June, 2001 -Last Updated: July 23, 2016 - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: ASCII - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE VICAR OF WAKEFIELD *** - - - - -Produced by Charles J. Griep - - - - - -THE VICAR OF WAKEFIELD - -A TALE - -Supposed to be written by Himself - -By Oliver Goldsmith - - - - Sperate miseri, cavete faelices - - - - -ADVERTISEMENT - -There are an hundred faults in this Thing, and an hundred things might -be said to prove them beauties. But it is needless. A book may be -amusing with numerous errors, or it may be very dull without a single -absurdity. The hero of this piece unites in himself the three greatest -characters upon earth; he is a priest, an husbandman, and the father of -a family. He is drawn as ready to teach, and ready to obey, as simple -in affluence, and majestic in adversity. In this age of opulence and -refinement whom can such a character please? Such as are fond of -high life, will turn with disdain from the simplicity of his country -fire-side. Such as mistake ribaldry for humour, will find no wit in his -harmless conversation; and such as have been taught to deride religion, -will laugh at one whose chief stores of comfort are drawn from futurity. - -OLIVER GOLDSMITH - - - -CONTENTS - 1. The description of the family of Wakefield; in which a - kindred likeness prevails as well of minds as of persons - - 2. Family misfortunes. The loss of fortune only serves to - increase the pride of the worthy - - 3. A migration. The fortunate circumstances of our lives are - generally found at last to be of our own procuring - - 4. A proof that even the humblest fortune may grant - happiness, which depends not on circumstance, but - constitution 5. A new and great acquaintance introduced. - What we place most hopes upon generally proves most fatal - - 6. The happiness of a country fire-side - - 7. A town wit described. The dullest fellows may learn to be - comical for a night or two - - 8. An amour, which promises little good fortune, yet may be - productive of much - - 9. Two ladies of great distinction introduced. Superior - finery ever seems to confer superior breeding - - 10. The family endeavours to cope with their betters. The - miseries of the poor when they attempt to appear above their - circumstances - - 11. The family still resolve to hold up their heads - - 12. Fortune seems resolved to humble the family of - Wakefield. Mortifications are often more painful than real - calamities - - 13. Mr Burchell is found to be an enemy; for he has the - confidence to give disagreeable advice - - 14. Fresh mortifications, or a demonstration that seeming - calamities may be real blessings - - 15. All Mr Burchell's villainy at once detected. The folly - of being-over-wise - - 16. The Family use art, which is opposed with still greater - - 17. Scarce any virtue found to resist the power of long and - pleasing temptation 18. The pursuit of a father to reclaim a - lost child to virtue - - 19. The description of a Person discontented with the - present government, and apprehensive of the loss of our - liberties - - 20. The history of a philosophic vagabond, pursuing novelty, - but losing content - - 21. The short continuance of friendship among the vicious, - which is coeval only with mutual satisfaction - - 22. Offences are easily pardoned where there is love at - bottom - - 23. None but the guilty can be long and completely miserable - - 24. Fresh calamities - - 25. No situation, however wretched it seems, but has some - sort of comfort attending it - - 26. A reformation in the gaol. To make laws complete, they - should reward as well as punish - - 27. The same subject continued - - 28. Happiness and misery rather the result of prudence than - of virtue in this life. Temporal evils or felicities being - regarded by heaven as things merely in themselves trifling - and unworthy its care in the distribution - - 29. The equal dealings of providence demonstrated with - regard to the happy and the miserable here below. That from - the nature of pleasure and pain, the wretched must be repaid - the balance of their sufferings in the life hereafter - - 30. Happier prospects begin to appear. Let us be inflexible, - and fortune will at last change in our favour - - 31. Former benevolence now repaid with unexpected interest - - 32. The Conclusion - - - - -CHAPTER 1 - - The description of the family of Wakefield; in which a - kindred likeness prevails as well of minds as of persons - -I was ever of opinion, that the honest man who married and brought up -a large family, did more service than he who continued single, and only -talked of population. From this motive, I had scarce taken orders a year -before I began to think seriously of matrimony, and chose my wife as she -did her wedding gown, not for a fine glossy surfaces but such qualities -as would wear well. To do her justice, she was a good-natured notable -woman; and as for breeding, there were few country ladies who could shew -more. She could read any English book without much spelling, but for -pickling, preserving, and cookery, none could excel her. She prided -herself also upon being an excellent contriver in house-keeping; tho' I -could never find that we grew richer with all her contrivances. However, -we loved each other tenderly, and our fondness encreased as we grew old. -There was in fact nothing that could make us angry with the world or -each other. We had an elegant house, situated in a fine country, and a -good neighbourhood. The year was spent in moral or rural amusements; in -visiting our rich neighbours, and relieving such as were poor. We had no -revolutions to fear, nor fatigues to undergo; all our adventures were by -the fire-side, and all our migrations from the blue bed to the brown. - -As we lived near the road, we often had the traveller or stranger visit -us to taste our gooseberry wine, for which we had great reputation; and -I profess with the veracity of an historian, that I never knew one of -them find fault with it. Our cousins too, even to the fortieth remove, -all remembered their affinity, without any help from the Herald's -office, and came very frequently to see us. Some of them did us no great -honour by these claims of kindred; as we had the blind, the maimed, and -the halt amongst the number. However, my wife always insisted that as -they were the same flesh and blood, they should sit with us at the same -table. So that if we had not, very rich, we generally had very happy -friends about us; for this remark will hold good thro' life, that the -poorer the guest, the better pleased he ever is with being treated: and -as some men gaze with admiration at the colours of a tulip, or the wing -of a butterfly, so I was by nature an admirer of happy human faces. -However, when any one of our relations was found to be a person of very -bad character, a troublesome guest, or one we desired to get rid of, -upon his leaving my house, I ever took care to lend him a riding coat, -or a pair of boots, or sometimes an horse of small value, and I always -had the satisfaction of finding he never came back to return them. By -this the house was cleared of such as we did not like; but never was the -family of Wakefield known to turn the traveller or the poor dependent -out of doors. - -Thus we lived several years in a state of much happiness, not but that -we sometimes had those little rubs which Providence sends to enhance the -value of its favours. My orchard was often robbed by school-boys, and my -wife's custards plundered by the cats or the children. The 'Squire would -sometimes fall asleep in the most pathetic parts of my sermon, or his -lady return my wife's civilities at church with a mutilated curtesy. But -we soon got over the uneasiness caused by such accidents, and usually in -three or four days began to wonder how they vext us. - -My children, the offspring of temperance, as they were educated without -softness, so they were at once well formed and healthy; my sons hardy -and active, my daughters beautiful and blooming. When I stood in the -midst of the little circle, which promised to be the supports of my -declining age, I could not avoid repeating the famous story of Count -Abensberg, who, in Henry II's progress through Germany, while other -courtiers came with their treasures, brought his thirty-two children, -and presented them to his sovereign as the most valuable offering he had -to bestow. In this manner, though I had but six, I considered them as a -very valuable present made to my country, and consequently looked upon -it as my debtor. Our eldest son was named George, after his uncle, who -left us ten thousand pounds. Our second child, a girl, I intended to -call after her aunt Grissel; but my wife, who during her pregnancy had -been reading romances, insisted upon her being called Olivia. In less -than another year we had another daughter, and now I was determined that -Grissel should be her name; but a rich relation taking a fancy to stand -godmother, the girl was, by her directions, called Sophia; so that we -had two romantic names in the family; but I solemnly protest I had no -hand in it. Moses was our next, and after an interval of twelve years, -we had two sons more. - -It would be fruitless to deny my exultation when I saw my little ones -about me; but the vanity and the satisfaction of my wife were even -greater than mine. When our visitors would say, 'Well, upon my word, -Mrs Primrose, you have the finest children in the whole country.'--'Ay, -neighbour,' she would answer, 'they are as heaven made them, handsome -enough, if they be good enough; for handsome is that handsome does.' -And then she would bid the girls hold up their heads; who, to conceal -nothing, were certainly very handsome. Mere outside is so very trifling -a circumstance with me, that I should scarce have remembered to mention -it, had it not been a general topic of conversation in the country. -Olivia, now about eighteen, had that luxuriancy of beauty with which -painters generally draw Hebe; open, sprightly, and commanding. Sophia's -features were not so striking at first; but often did more certain -execution; for they were soft, modest, and alluring. The one vanquished -by a single blow, the other by efforts successfully repeated. - -The temper of a woman is generally formed from the turn of her features, -at least it was so with my daughters. Olivia wished for many lovers, -Sophia to secure one. Olivia was often affected from too great a desire -to please. Sophia even represt excellence from her fears to offend. The -one entertained me with her vivacity when I was gay, the other with -her sense when I was serious. But these qualities were never carried to -excess in either, and I have often seen them exchange characters for a -whole day together. A suit of mourning has transformed my coquet into a -prude, and a new set of ribbands has given her younger sister more than -natural vivacity. My eldest son George was bred at Oxford, as I intended -him for one of the learned professions. My second boy Moses, whom I -designed for business, received a sort of a miscellaneous education at -home. But it is needless to attempt describing the particular characters -of young people that had seen but very little of the world. In short, a -family likeness prevailed through all, and properly speaking, they -had but one character, that of being all equally generous, credulous, -simple, and inoffensive. - - - -CHAPTER 2 - - Family misfortunes. The loss of fortune only serves to - encrease the pride of the worthy - - -The temporal concerns of our family were chiefly committed to my wife's -management, as to the spiritual I took them entirely under my own -direction. The profits of my living, which amounted to but thirty-five -pounds a year, I made over to the orphans and widows of the clergy of -our diocese; for having a sufficient fortune of my own, I was careless -of temporalities, and felt a secret pleasure in doing my duty without -reward. I also set a resolution of keeping no curate, and of being -acquainted with every man in the parish, exhorting the married men to -temperance and the bachelors to matrimony; so that in a few years it -was a common saying, that there were three strange wants at Wakefield, -a parson wanting pride, young men wanting wives, and ale-houses wanting -customers. Matrimony was always one of my favourite topics, and I wrote -several sermons to prove its happiness: but there was a peculiar tenet -which I made a point of supporting; for I maintained with Whiston, that -it was unlawful for a priest of the church of England, after the death -of his first wife, to take a second, or to express it in one word, I -valued myself upon being a strict monogamist. I was early innitiated -into this important dispute, on which so many laborious volumes have -been written. I published some tracts upon the subject myself, which, as -they never sold, I have the consolation of thinking are read only by the -happy Few. Some of my friends called this my weak side; but alas! they -had not like me made it the subject of long contemplation. The more I -reflected upon it, the more important it appeared. I even went a step -beyond Whiston in displaying my principles: as he had engraven upon his -wife's tomb that she was the only wife of William Whiston; so I wrote -a similar epitaph for my wife, though still living, in which I extolled -her prudence, oeconomy, and obedience till death; and having got -it copied fair, with an elegant frame, it was placed over the -chimney-piece, where it answered several very useful purposes. It -admonished my wife of her duty to me, and my fidelity to her; it -inspired her with a passion for fame, and constantly put her in mind of -her end. - -It was thus, perhaps, from hearing marriage so often recommended, that -my eldest son, just upon leaving college, fixed his affections upon the -daughter of a neighbouring clergyman, who was a dignitary in the church, -and in circumstances to give her a large fortune: but fortune was her -smallest accomplishment. Miss Arabella Wilmot was allowed by all, -except my two daughters, to be completely pretty. Her youth, health, -and innocence, were still heightened by a complexion so transparent, and -such an happy sensibility of look, as even age could not gaze on with -indifference. As Mr Wilmot knew that I could make a very handsome -settlement on my son, he was not averse to the match; so both families -lived together in all that harmony which generally precedes an expected -alliance. Being convinced by experience that the days of courtship -are the most happy of our lives, I was willing enough to lengthen the -period; and the various amusements which the young couple every day -shared in each other's company, seemed to encrease their passion. We -were generally awaked in the morning by music, and on fine days rode a -hunting. The hours between breakfast and dinner the ladies devoted to -dress and study: they usually read a page, and then gazed at themselves -in the glass, which even philosophers might own often presented the page -of greatest beauty. At dinner my wife took the lead; for as she always -insisted upon carving every thing herself, it being her mother's way, -she gave us upon these occasions the history of every dish. When we had -dined, to prevent the ladies leaving us, I generally ordered the table -to be removed; and sometimes, with the music master's assistance, the -girls would give us a very agreeable concert. Walking out, drinking tea, -country dances, and forfeits, shortened the rest of the day, without the -assistance of cards, as I hated all manner of gaming, except backgammon, -at which my old friend and I sometimes took a two-penny hit. Nor can I -here pass over an ominous circumstance that happened the last time we -played together: I only wanted to fling a quatre, and yet I threw deuce -ace five times running. Some months were elapsed in this manner, till -at last it was thought convenient to fix a day for the nuptials of the -young couple, who seemed earnestly to desire it. During the preparations -for the wedding, I need not describe the busy importance of my wife, -nor the sly looks of my daughters: in fact, my attention was fixed -on another object, the completing a tract which I intended shortly to -publish in defence of my favourite principle. As I looked upon this as a -master-piece both for argument and style, I could not in the pride of my -heart avoid shewing it to my old friend Mr Wilmot, as I made no doubt -of receiving his approbation; but not till too late I discovered that -he was most violently attached to the contrary opinion, and with good -reason; for he was at that time actually courting a fourth wife. This, -as may be expected, produced a dispute attended with some acrimony, -which threatened to interrupt our intended alliance: but on the day -before that appointed for the ceremony, we agreed to discuss the subject -at large. It was managed with proper spirit on both sides: he asserted -that I was heterodox, I retorted the charge: he replied, and I rejoined. -In the mean time, while the controversy was hottest, I was called out by -one of my relations, who, with a face of concern, advised me to give up -the dispute, at least till my son's wedding was over. 'How,' cried -I, 'relinquish the cause of truth, and let him be an husband, already -driven to the very verge of absurdity. You might as well advise me to -give up my fortune as my argument.' 'Your fortune,' returned my friend, -'I am now sorry to inform you, is almost nothing. The merchant in town, -in whose hands your money was lodged, has gone off, to avoid a statute -of bankruptcy, and is thought not to have left a shilling in the pound. -I was unwilling to shock you or the family with the account till -after the wedding: but now it may serve to moderate your warmth in the -argument; for, I suppose, your own prudence will enforce the necessity -of dissembling at least till your son has the young lady's fortune -secure.'--'Well,' returned I, 'if what you tell me be true, and if I am -to be a beggar, it shall never make me a rascal, or induce me to -disavow my principles. I'll go this moment and inform the company of my -circumstances; and as for the argument, I even here retract my former -concessions in the old gentleman's favour, nor will I allow him now to -be an husband in any sense of the expression.' - -It would be endless to describe the different sensations of both -families when I divulged the news of our misfortune; but what others -felt was slight to what the lovers appeared to endure. Mr Wilmot, who -seemed before sufficiently inclined to break off the match, was by -this blow soon determined: one virtue he had in perfection, which was -prudence, too often the only one that is left us at seventy-two. - - - -CHAPTER 3 - - A migration. The fortunate circumstances of our lives are - generally found at last to be of our own procuring - - -The only hope of our family now was, that the report of our misfortunes -might be malicious or premature: but a letter from my agent in town soon -came with a confirmation of every particular. The loss of fortune to -myself alone would have been trifling; the only uneasiness I felt was -for my family, who were to be humble without an education to render them -callous to contempt. - -Near a fortnight had passed before I attempted to restrain their -affliction; for premature consolation is but the remembrancer of sorrow. -During this interval, my thoughts were employed on some future means of -supporting them; and at last a small Cure of fifteen pounds a year was -offered me in a distant neighbourhood, where I could still enjoy my -principles without molestation. With this proposal I joyfully closed, -having determined to encrease my salary by managing a little farm. - -Having taken this resolution, my next care was to get together the -wrecks of my fortune; and all debts collected and paid, out of fourteen -thousand pounds we had but four hundred remaining. My chief attention -therefore was now to bring down the pride of my family to their -circumstances; for I well knew that aspiring beggary is wretchedness -itself. 'You cannot be ignorant, my children,' cried I, 'that no -prudence of ours could have prevented our late misfortune; but prudence -may do much in disappointing its effects. We are now poor, my fondlings, -and wisdom bids us conform to our humble situation. Let us then, without -repining, give up those splendours with which numbers are wretched, and -seek in humbler circumstances that peace with which all may be happy. -The poor live pleasantly without our help, why then should not we learn -to live without theirs. No, my children, let us from this moment give up -all pretensions to gentility; we have still enough left for happiness -if we are wise, and let us draw upon content for the deficiencies of -fortune.' As my eldest son was bred a scholar, I determined to send him -to town, where his abilities might contribute to our support and his -own. The separation of friends and families is, perhaps, one of the most -distressful circumstances attendant on penury. The day soon arrived on -which we were to disperse for the first time. My son, after taking leave -of his mother and the rest, who mingled their tears with their kisses, -came to ask a blessing from me. This I gave him from my heart, and -which, added to five guineas, was all the patrimony I had now to bestow. -'You are going, my boy,' cried I, 'to London on foot, in the manner -Hooker, your great ancestor, travelled there before you. Take from me -the same horse that was given him by the good bishop Jewel, this staff, -and take this book too, it will be your comfort on the way: these two -lines in it are worth a million, I have been young, and now am old; yet -never saw I the righteous man forsaken, or his seed begging their bread. -Let this be your consolation as you travel on. Go, my boy, whatever be -thy fortune let me see thee once a year; still keep a good heart, and -farewell.' As he was possest of integrity and honour, I was under no -apprehensions from throwing him naked into the amphitheatre of life; for -I knew he would act a good part whether vanquished or victorious. His -departure only prepared the way for our own, which arrived a few days -afterwards. The leaving a neighbourhood in which we had enjoyed so many -hours of tranquility, was not without a tear, which scarce fortitude -itself could suppress. Besides, a journey of seventy miles to a family -that had hitherto never been above ten from home, filled us with -apprehension, and the cries of the poor, who followed us for some miles, -contributed to encrease it. The first day's journey brought us in safety -within thirty miles of our future retreat, and we put up for the night -at an obscure inn in a village by the way. When we were shewn a room, I -desired the landlord, in my usual way, to let us have his company, -with which he complied, as what he drank would encrease the bill next -morning. He knew, however, the whole neighbourhood to which I was -removing, particularly 'Squire Thornhill, who was to be my landlord, and -who lived within a few miles of the place. This gentleman he described -as one who desired to know little more of the world than its pleasures, -being particularly remarkable for his attachment to the fair sex. He -observed that no virtue was able to resist his arts and assiduity, and -that scarce a farmer's daughter within ten miles round but what had -found him successful and faithless. Though this account gave me some -pain, it had a very different effect upon my daughters, whose features -seemed to brighten with the expectation of an approaching triumph, nor -was my wife less pleased and confident of their allurements and virtue. -While our thoughts were thus employed, the hostess entered the room to -inform her husband, that the strange gentleman, who had been two days in -the house, wanted money, and could not satisfy them for his reckoning. -'Want money!' replied the host, 'that must be impossible; for it was no -later than yesterday he paid three guineas to our beadle to spare an -old broken soldier that was to be whipped through the town for -dog-stealing.' The hostess, however, still persisting in her first -assertion, he was preparing to leave the room, swearing that he would be -satisfied one way or another, when I begged the landlord would introduce -me to a stranger of so much charity as he described. With this he -complied, shewing in a gentleman who seemed to be about thirty, drest in -cloaths that once were laced. His person was well formed, and his face -marked with the lines of thinking. He had something short and dry in his -address, and seemed not to understand ceremony, or to despise it. Upon -the landlord's leaving the room, I could not avoid expressing my concern -to the stranger at seeing a gentleman in such circumstances, and offered -him my purse to satisfy the present demand. 'I take it with all my -heart, Sir,' replied he, 'and am glad that a late oversight in giving -what money I had about me, has shewn me that there are still some men -like you. I must, however, previously entreat being informed of the -name and residence of my benefactor, in order to repay him as soon as -possible.' In this I satisfied him fully, not only mentioning my name -and late misfortunes, but the place to which I was going to remove. -'This,' cried he, 'happens still more luckily than I hoped for, as I -am going the same way myself, having been detained here two days by the -floods, which, I hope, by to-morrow will be found passable.' I testified -the pleasure I should have in his company, and my wife and daughters -joining in entreaty, he was prevailed upon to stay supper. The -stranger's conversation, which was at once pleasing and instructive, -induced me to wish for a continuance of it; but it was now high time to -retire and take refreshment against the fatigues of the following day. - -The next morning we all set forward together: my family on horseback, -while Mr Burchell, our new companion, walked along the foot-path by -the road-side, observing, with a smile, that as we were ill mounted, he -would be too generous to attempt leaving us behind. As the floods -were not yet subsided, we were obliged to hire a guide, who trotted -on before, Mr Burchell and I bringing up the rear. We lightened the -fatigues of the road with philosophical disputes, which he seemed to -understand perfectly. But what surprised me most was, that though he was -a money-borrower, he defended his opinions with as much obstinacy as -if he had been my patron. He now and then also informed me to whom the -different seats belonged that lay in our view as we travelled the road. -'That,' cried he, pointing to a very magnificent house which stood at -some distance, 'belongs to Mr Thornhill, a young gentleman who enjoys a -large fortune, though entirely dependent on the will of his uncle, -Sir William Thornhill, a gentleman, who content with a little himself, -permits his nephew to enjoy the rest, and chiefly resides in town.' -'What!' cried I, 'is my young landlord then the nephew of a man whose -virtues, generosity, and singularities are so universally known? I have -heard Sir William Thornhill represented as one of the most generous, -yet whimsical, men in the kingdom; a man of consumate -benevolence'--'Something, perhaps, too much so,' replied Mr Burchell, -'at least he carried benevolence to an excess when young; for his -passions were then strong, and as they all were upon the side of virtue, -they led it up to a romantic extreme. He early began to aim at the -qualifications of the soldier and scholar; was soon distinguished in -the army and had some reputation among men of learning. Adulation -ever follows the ambitious; for such alone receive most pleasure from -flattery. He was surrounded with crowds, who shewed him only one side of -their character; so that he began to lose a regard for private interest -in universal sympathy. He loved all mankind; for fortune prevented him -from knowing that there were rascals. Physicians tell us of a disorder -in which the whole body is so exquisitely sensible, that the slightest -touch gives pain: what some have thus suffered in their persons, this -gentleman felt in his mind. The slightest distress, whether real or -fictitious, touched him to the quick, and his soul laboured under a -sickly sensibility of the miseries of others. Thus disposed to relieve, -it will be easily conjectured, he found numbers disposed to solicit: his -profusions began to impair his fortune, but not his good-nature; that, -indeed, was seen to encrease as the other seemed to decay: he grew -improvident as he grew poor; and though he talked like a man of sense, -his actions were those of a fool. Still, however, being surrounded with -importunity, and no longer able to satisfy every request that was made -him, instead of money he gave promises. They were all he had to bestow, -and he had not resolution enough to give any man pain by a denial. -By this he drew round him crowds of dependants, whom he was sure to -disappoint; yet wished to relieve. These hung upon him for a time, and -left him with merited reproaches and contempt. But in proportion as he -became contemptable to others, he became despicable to himself. His mind -had leaned upon their adulation, and that support taken away, he could -find no pleasure in the applause of his heart, which he had never -learnt to reverence. The world now began to wear a different aspect; -the flattery of his friends began to dwindle into simple approbation. -Approbation soon took the more friendly form of advice, and advice when -rejected produced their reproaches. He now, therefore found that such -friends as benefits had gathered round him, were little estimable: he -now found that a man's own heart must be ever given to gain that of -another. I now found, that--that--I forget what I was going to observe: -in short, sir, he resolved to respect himself, and laid down a plan of -restoring his falling fortune. For this purpose, in his own whimsical -manner he travelled through Europe on foot, and now, though he has -scarce attained the age of thirty, his circumstances are more affluent -than ever. At present, his bounties are more rational and moderate than -before; but still he preserves the character of an humourist, and finds -most pleasure in eccentric virtues.' - -My attention was so much taken up by Mr Burchell's account, that I -scarce looked forward as we went along, til we were alarmed by the cries -of my family, when turning, I perceived my youngest daughter in the -midst of a rapid stream, thrown from her horse, and struggling with the -torrent. She had sunk twice, nor was it in my power to disengage myself -in time to bring her relief. My sensations were even too violent to -permit my attempting her rescue: she must have certainly perished had -not my companion, perceiving her danger, instantly plunged in to her -relief, and with some difficulty, brought her in safety to the opposite -shore. By taking the current a little farther up, the rest of the -family got safely over; where we had an opportunity of joining our -acknowledgments to her's. Her gratitude may be more readily imagined -than described: she thanked her deliverer more with looks than words, -and continued to lean upon his arm, as if still willing to receive -assistance. My wife also hoped one day to have the pleasure of returning -his kindness at her own house. Thus, after we were refreshed at the next -inn, and had dined together, as Mr Burchell was going to a different -part of the country, he took leave; and we pursued our journey. My wife -observing as we went, that she liked him extremely, and protesting, that -if he had birth and fortune to entitle him to match into such a family -as our's, she knew no man she would sooner fix upon. I could not but -smile to hear her talk in this lofty strain: but I was never much -displeased with those harmless delusions that tend to make us more -happy. - - - -CHAPTER 4 - - A proof that even the humblest fortune may grant happiness, - which depends not on circumstance, but constitution - - -The place of our retreat was in a little neighbourhood, consisting -of farmers, who tilled their own grounds, and were equal strangers to -opulence and poverty. As they had almost all the conveniencies of life -within themselves, they seldom visited towns or cities in search of -superfluity. Remote from the polite, they still retained the primaeval -simplicity of manners, and frugal by habit, they scarce knew that -temperance was a virtue. They wrought with cheerfulness on days of -labour; but observed festivals as intervals of idleness and pleasure. -They kept up the Christmas carol, sent true love-knots on Valentine -morning, eat pancakes on Shrove-tide, shewed their wit on the first of -April, and religiously cracked nuts on Michaelmas eve. Being apprized of -our approach, the whole neighbourhood came out to meet their minister, -drest in their finest cloaths, and preceded by a pipe and tabor: A feast -also was provided for our reception, at which we sat cheerfully down; -and what the conversation wanted in wit, was made up in laughter. - -Our little habitation was situated at the foot of a sloping hill, -sheltered with a beautiful underwood behind, and a pratling river -before; on one side a meadow, on the other a green. My farm consisted of -about twenty acres of excellent land, having given an hundred pound -for my predecessor's good-will. Nothing could exceed the neatness of my -little enclosures: the elms and hedge rows appearing with inexpressible -beauty. My house consisted of but one story, and was covered with -thatch, which gave it an air of great snugness; the walls on the inside -were nicely white-washed, and my daughters undertook to adorn them with -pictures of their own designing. Though the same room served us for -parlour and kitchen, that only made it the warmer. Besides, as it was -kept with the utmost neatness, the dishes, plates, and coppers, being -well scoured, and all disposed in bright rows on the shelves, the eye -was agreeably relieved, and did not want richer furniture. There were -three other apartments, one for my wife and me, another for our two -daughters, within our own, and the third, with two beds, for the rest of -the children. - -The little republic to which I gave laws, was regulated in the following -manner: by sun-rise we all assembled in our common appartment; the fire -being previously kindled by the servant. After we had saluted each -other with proper ceremony, for I always thought fit to keep up some -mechanical forms of good breeding, without which freedom ever destroys -friendship, we all bent in gratitude to that Being who gave us another -day. This duty being performed, my son and I went to pursue our usual -industry abroad, while my wife and daughters employed themselves in -providing breakfast, which was always ready at a certain time. I allowed -half an hour for this meal, and an hour for dinner; which time was taken -up in innocent mirth between my wife and daughters, and in philosophical -arguments between my son and me. - -As we rose with the sun, so we never pursued our labours after it was -gone down, but returned home to the expecting family; where smiling -looks, a treat hearth, and pleasant fire, were prepared for our -reception. Nor were we without guests: sometimes farmer Flamborough, our -talkative neighbour, and often the blind piper, would pay us a visit, -and taste our gooseberry wine; for the making of which we had lost -neither the receipt nor the reputation. These harmless people had -several ways of being good company, while one played, the other would -sing some soothing ballad, Johnny Armstrong's last good night, or the -cruelty of Barbara Allen. The night was concluded in the manner we began -the morning, my youngest boys being appointed to read the lessons of -the day, and he that read loudest, distinctest, and best, was to have an -half-penny on Sunday to put in the poor's box. - -When Sunday came, it was indeed a day of finery, which all my sumptuary -edicts could not restrain. How well so ever I fancied my lectures -against pride had conquered the vanity of my daughters; yet I still -found them secretly attached to all their former finery: they still -loved laces, ribbands, bugles and catgut; my wife herself retained a -passion for her crimson paduasoy, because I formerly happened to say it -became her. - -The first Sunday in particular their behaviour served to mortify me: I -had desired my girls the preceding night to be drest early the next day; -for I always loved to be at church a good while before the rest of the -congregation. They punctually obeyed my directions; but when we were to -assemble in the morning at breakfast, down came my wife and daughters, -drest out in all their former splendour: their hair plaistered up with -pomatum, their faces patched to taste, their trains bundled up into an -heap behind, and rustling at every motion. I could not help smiling at -their vanity, particularly that of my wife, from whom I expected more -discretion. In this exigence, therefore, my only resource was to order -my son, with an important air, to call our coach. The girls were -amazed at the command; but I repeated it with more solemnity than -before.--'Surely, my dear, you jest,' cried my wife, 'we can walk it -perfectly well: we want no coach to carry us now.' 'You mistake, child,' -returned I, 'we do want a coach; for if we walk to church in this trim, -the very children in the parish will hoot after us.'--'Indeed,' replied -my wife, 'I always imagined that my Charles was fond of seeing his -children neat and handsome about him.'--'You may be as neat as you -please,' interrupted I, 'and I shall love you the better for it, but all -this is not neatness, but frippery. These rufflings, and pinkings, -and patchings, will only make us hated by all the wives of all our -neighbours. No, my children,' continued I, more gravely, 'those gowns -may be altered into something of a plainer cut; for finery is very -unbecoming in us, who want the means of decency. I do not know whether -such flouncing and shredding is becoming even in the rich, if we -consider, upon a moderate calculation, that the nakedness of the -indigent world may be cloathed from the trimmings of the vain.' - -This remonstrance had the proper effect; they went with great composure, -that very instant, to change their dress; and the next day I had the -satisfaction of finding my daughters, at their own request employed in -cutting up their trains into Sunday waistcoats for Dick and Bill, the -two little ones, and what was still more satisfactory, the gowns seemed -improved by this curtailing. - - - -CHAPTER 5 - - A new and great acquaintance introduced. What we place most - hopes upon, generally proves most fatal - - -At a small distance from the house my predecessor had made a seat, -overshaded by an hedge of hawthorn and honeysuckle. Here, when the -weather was fine, and our labour soon finished, we usually sate -together, to enjoy an extensive landscape, in the calm of the evening. -Here too we drank tea, which now was become an occasional banquet; and -as we had it but seldom, it diffused a new joy, the preparations for -it being made with no small share of bustle and ceremony. On these -occasions, our two little ones always read for us, and they were -regularly served after we had done. Sometimes, to give a variety to our -amusements, the girls sung to the guitar; and while they thus formed a -little concert, my wife and I would stroll down the sloping field, that -was embellished with blue bells and centaury, talk of our children with -rapture, and enjoy the breeze that wafted both health and harmony. - -In this manner we began to find that every situation in life might bring -its own peculiar pleasures: every morning waked us to a repetition of -toil; but the evening repaid it with vacant hilarity. - -It was about the beginning of autumn, on a holiday, for I kept such as -intervals of relaxation from labour, that I had drawn out my family to -our usual place of amusement, and our young musicians began their usual -concert. As we were thus engaged, we saw a stag bound nimbly by, within -about twenty paces of where we were sitting, and by its panting, it -seemed prest by the hunters. We had not much time to reflect upon the -poor animal's distress, when we perceived the dogs and horsemen come -sweeping along at some distance behind, and making the very path it -had taken. I was instantly for returning in with my family; but either -curiosity or surprize, or some more hidden motive, held my wife and -daughters to their seats. The huntsman, who rode foremost, past us with -great swiftness, followed by four or five persons more, who seemed in -equal haste. At last, a young gentleman of a more genteel appearance -than the rest, came forward, and for a while regarding us, instead of -pursuing the chace, stopt short, and giving his horse to a servant who -attended, approached us with a careless superior air. He seemed to want -no introduction, but was going to salute my daughters as one certain -of a kind reception; but they had early learnt the lesson of looking -presumption out of countenance. Upon which he let us know that his name -was Thornhill, and that he was owner of the estate that lay for some -extent round us. He again, therefore, offered to salute the female part -of the family, and such was the power of fortune and fine cloaths, that -he found no second repulse. As his address, though confident, was easy, -we soon became more familiar; and perceiving musical instruments lying -near, he begged to be favoured with a song. As I did not approve of such -disproportioned acquaintances, I winked upon my daughters in order to -prevent their compliance; but my hint was counteracted by one from their -mother; so that with a chearful air they gave us, a favourite song of -Dryden's. Mr Thornhill seemed highly delighted with their performance -and choice, and then took up the guitar himself. He played but very -indifferently; however, my eldest daughter repaid his former applause -with interest, and assured him that his tones were louder than even -those of her master. At this compliment he bowed, which she -returned with a curtesy. He praised her taste, and she commended his -understanding: an age could not have made them better acquainted. -While the fond mother too, equally happy, insisted upon her landlord's -stepping in, and tasting a glass of her gooseberry. The whole family -seemed earnest to please him: my girls attempted to entertain him with -topics they thought most modern, while Moses, on the contrary, gave him -a question or two from the ancients, for which he had the satisfaction -of being laughed at: my little ones were no less busy, and fondly stuck -close to the stranger. All my endeavours could scarce keep their dirty -fingers from handling and tarnishing the lace on his cloaths, and -lifting up the flaps of his pocket holes, to see what was there. At -the approach of evening he took leave; but not till he had requested -permission to renew his visit, which, as he was our landlord, we most -readily agreed to. - -As soon as he was gone, my wife called a council on the conduct of the -day. She was of opinion, that it was a most fortunate hit; for that she -had known even stranger things at last brought to bear. She hoped again -to see the day in which we might hold up our heads with the best of -them; and concluded, she protested she could see no reason why the two -Miss Wrinklers should marry great fortunes, and her children get none. -As this last argument was directed to me, I protested I could see no -reason for it neither, nor why Mr Simpkins got the ten thousand pound -prize in the lottery, and we sate down with a blank. 'I protest, -Charles,' cried my wife, 'this is the way you always damp my girls and -me when we are in Spirits. Tell me, Sophy, my dear, what do you think -of our new visitor? Don't you think he seemed to be -good-natured?'--'Immensely so, indeed, Mamma,' replied she. 'I think he -has a great deal to say upon every thing, and is never at a loss; and -the more trifling the subject, the more he has to say.'--'Yes,' cried -Olivia, 'he is well enough for a man; but for my part, I don't much like -him, he is so extremely impudent and familiar; but on the guitar he is -shocking.' These two last speeches I interpreted by contraries. I found -by this, that Sophia internally despised, as much as Olivia secretly -admired him.--'Whatever may be your opinions of him, my children,' -cried I, 'to confess a truth, he has not prepossest me in his favour. -Disproportioned friendships ever terminate in disgust; and I thought, -notwithstanding all his ease, that he seemed perfectly sensible of the -distance between us. Let us keep to companions of our own rank. There is -no character more contemptible than a man that is a fortune-hunter, and -I can see no reason why fortune-hunting women should not be contemptible -too. Thus, at best, we shall be contemptible if his views be honourable; -but if they be otherwise! I should shudder but to think of that! It -is true I have no apprehensions from the conduct of my children, but I -think there are some from his character.'--I would have proceeded, -but for the interruption of a servant from the 'Squire, who, with his -compliments, sent us a side of venison, and a promise to dine with us -some days after. This well-timed present pleaded more powerfully in his -favour, than any thing I had to say could obviate. I therefore continued -silent, satisfied with just having pointed out danger, and leaving it to -their own discretion to avoid it. That virtue which requires to be ever -guarded, is scarce worth the centinel. - - - -CHAPTER 6 - - The happiness of a country fire-side - - -As we carried on the former dispute with some degree of warmth, in order -to accommodate matters, it was universally agreed, that we should have -a part of the venison for supper, and the girls undertook the task with -alacrity. 'I am sorry,' cried I, 'that we have no neighbour or stranger -to take a part in this good cheer: feasts of this kind acquire a double -relish from hospitality.'--'Bless me,' cried my wife, 'here comes our -good friend Mr Burchell, that saved our Sophia, and that run you down -fairly in the argument'--'Confute me in argument, child!' cried I. 'You -mistake there, my dear. I believe there are but few that can do that: -I never dispute your abilities at making a goose-pye, and I beg you'll -leave argument to me.'--As I spoke, poor Mr Burchell entered the house, -and was welcomed by the family, who shook him heartily by the hand, -while little Dick officiously reached him a chair. - -I was pleased with the poor man's friendship for two reasons; because I -knew that he wanted mine, and I knew him to be friendly as far as he -was able. He was known in our neighbourhood by the character of the poor -Gentleman that would do no good when he was young, though he was not yet -thirty. He would at intervals talk with great good sense; but in general -he was fondest of the company of children, whom he used to call harmless -little men. He was famous, I found, for singing them ballads, and -telling them stories; and seldom went out without something in his -pockets for them, a piece of gingerbread, or an halfpenny whistle. He -generally came for a few days into our neighbourhood once a year, and -lived upon the neighbours hospitality. He sate down to supper among us, -and my wife was not sparing of her gooseberry wine. The tale went round; -he sung us old songs, and gave the children the story of the Buck -of Beverland, with the history of Patient Grissel, the adventures of -Catskin, and then Fair Rosamond's bower. Our cock, which always crew at -eleven, now told us it was time for repose; but an unforeseen difficulty -started about lodging the stranger: all our beds were already taken up, -and it was too late to send him to the next alehouse. In this dilemma, -little Dick offered him his part of the bed, if his brother Moses would -let him lie with him; 'And I,' cried Bill, 'will give Mr Burchell -my part, if my sisters will take me to theirs.'--'Well done, my good -children,' cried I, 'hospitality is one of the first Christian duties. -The beast retires to its shelter, and the bird flies to its nest; but -helpless man can only find refuge from his fellow creature. The greatest -stranger in this world, was he that came to save it. He never had an -house, as if willing to see what hospitality was left remaining amongst -us. Deborah, my dear,' cried I, to my wife, 'give those boys a lump of -sugar each, and let Dick's be the largest, because he spoke first.' - -In the morning early I called out my whole family to help at saving -an after-growth of hay, and, our guest offering his assistance, he was -accepted among the number. Our labours went on lightly, we turned -the swath to the wind, I went foremost, and the rest followed in due -succession. I could not avoid, however, observing the assiduity of Mr -Burchell in assisting my daughter Sophia in her part of the task. When -he had finished his own, he would join in her's, and enter into a close -conversation: but I had too good an opinion of Sophia's understanding, -and was too well convinced of her ambition, to be under any uneasiness -from a man of broken fortune. When we were finished for the day, Mr -Burchell was invited as on the night before; but he refused, as he was -to lie that night at a neighbour's, to whose child he was carrying a -whistle. When gone, our conversation at supper turned upon our late -unfortunate guest. 'What a strong instance,' said I, 'is that poor man -of the miseries attending a youth of levity and extravagance. He by no -means wants sense, which only serves to aggravate his former folly. Poor -forlorn creature, where are now the revellers, the flatterers, that -he could once inspire and command! Gone, perhaps, to attend the bagnio -pander, grown rich by his extravagance. They once praised him, and -now they applaud the pander: their former raptures at his wit, are now -converted into sarcasms at his folly: he is poor, and perhaps deserves -poverty; for he has neither the ambition to be independent, nor the -skill to be useful.' Prompted, perhaps, by some secret reasons, I -delivered this observation with too much acrimony, which my Sophia -gently reproved. 'Whatsoever his former conduct may be, pappa, his -circumstances should exempt him from censure now. His present indigence -is a sufficient punishment for former folly; and I have heard my pappa -himself say, that we should never strike our unnecessary blow at a -victim over whom providence holds the scourge of its resentment.'--'You -are right, Sophy,' cried my son Moses, 'and one of the ancients finely -represents so malicious a conduct, by the attempts of a rustic to flay -Marsyas, whose skin, the fable tells us, had been wholly stript off by -another.' Besides, I don't know if this poor man's situation be so bad -as my father would represent it. We are not to judge of the feelings -of others by what we might feel if in their place. However dark the -habitation of the mole to our eyes, yet the animal itself finds the -apartment sufficiently lightsome. And to confess a truth, this man's -mind seems fitted to his station; for I never heard any one more -sprightly than he was to-day, when he conversed with you.'--This was -said without the least design, however it excited a blush, which she -strove to cover by an affected laugh, assuring him, that she scarce took -any notice of what he said to her; but that she believed he might once -have been a very fine gentleman. The readiness with which she undertook -to vindicate herself, and her blushing, were symptoms I did not -internally approve; but I represt my suspicions. - -As we expected our landlord the next day, my wife went to make the -venison pasty; Moses sate reading, while I taught the little ones: my -daughters seemed equally busy with the rest; and I observed them for -a good while cooking something over the fire. I at first supposed they -were assisting their mother; but little Dick informed me in a whisper, -that they were making a wash for the face. Washes of all kinds I had a -natural antipathy to; for I knew that instead of mending the complexion -they spoiled it. I therefore approached my chair by sly degrees to the -fire, and grasping the poker, as if it wanted mending, seemingly by -accident, overturned the whole composition, and it was too late to begin -another. - - - -CHAPTER 7 - - A town wit described. The dullest fellows may learn to be - comical for a night or two - - -When the morning arrived on which we were to entertain our young -landlord, it may be easily supposed what provisions were exhausted -to make an appearance. It may also be conjectured that my wife and -daughters expanded their gayest plumage upon this occasion. Mr Thornhill -came with a couple of friends, his chaplain, and feeder. The servants, -who were numerous, he politely ordered to the next ale-house: but my -wife, in the triumph of her heart, insisted on entertaining them all; -for which, by the bye, our family was pinched for three weeks after. -As Mr Burchell had hinted to us the day before, that he was making some -proposals of marriage, to Miss Wilmot, my son George's former mistress, -this a good deal damped the heartiness of his reception: but accident, -in some measure, relieved our embarrasment; for one of the company -happening to mention her name, Mr Thornhill observed with an oath, that -he never knew any thing more absurd than calling such a fright a beauty: -'For strike me ugly,' continued he, 'if I should not find as much -pleasure in choosing my mistress by the information of a lamp under the -clock at St Dunstan's.' At this he laughed, and so did we:--the jests -of the rich are ever successful. Olivia too could not avoid whispering, -loud enough to be heard, that he had an infinite fund of humour. After -dinner, I began with my usual toast, the Church; for this I was thanked -by the chaplain, as he said the church was the only mistress of his -affections.--'Come tell us honestly, Frank,' said the 'Squire, with his -usual archness, 'suppose the church, your present mistress, drest in -lawnsleeves, on one hand, and Miss Sophia, with no lawn about her, on -the other, which would you be for?' 'For both, to be sure,' cried -the chaplain.--'Right Frank,' cried the 'Squire; 'for may this glass -suffocate me but a fine girl is worth all the priestcraft in the -creation. For what are tythes and tricks but an imposition, all a -confounded imposture, and I can prove it.'--'I wish you would,' cried my -son Moses, 'and I think,' continued he, 'that I should be able to answer -you.'--'Very well, Sir,' cried the 'Squire, who immediately smoaked -him,' and winking on the rest of the company, to prepare us for the -sport, if you are for a cool argument upon that subject, I am ready -to accept the challenge. And first, whether are you for managing it -analogically, or dialogically?' 'I am for managing it rationally,' cried -Moses, quite happy at being permitted to dispute. 'Good again,' cried -the 'Squire, 'and firstly, of the first. I hope you'll not deny -that whatever is is. If you don't grant me that, I can go no -further.'--'Why,' returned Moses, 'I think I may grant that, and make -the best of it.'--'I hope too,' returned the other, 'you'll grant that -a part is less than the whole.' 'I grant that too,' cried Moses, 'it is -but just and reasonable.'--'I hope,' cried the 'Squire, 'you will -not deny, that the two angles of a triangle are equal to two right -ones.'--'Nothing can be plainer,' returned t'other, and looked round -with his usual importance.--'Very well,' cried the 'Squire, speaking -very quick, 'the premises being thus settled, I proceed to observe, -that the concatenation of self existences, proceeding in a reciprocal -duplicate ratio, naturally produce a problematical dialogism, which in -some measure proves that the essence of spirituality may be referred to -the second predicable'--'Hold, hold,' cried the other, 'I deny that: -Do you think I can thus tamely submit to such heterodox -doctrines?'--'What,' replied the 'Squire, as if in a passion, 'not -submit! Answer me one plain question: Do you think Aristotle right -when he says, that relatives are related?' 'Undoubtedly,' replied the -other.--'If so then,' cried the 'Squire, 'answer me directly to what I -propose: Whether do you judge the analytical investigation of the first -part of my enthymem deficient secundum quoad, or quoad minus, and give -me your reasons: give me your reasons, I say, directly.'--'I protest,' -cried Moses, 'I don't rightly comprehend the force of your reasoning; -but if it be reduced to one simple proposition, I fancy it may then have -an answer.'--'O sir,' cried the 'Squire, 'I am your most humble servant, -I find you want me to furnish you with argument and intellects too. No, -sir, there I protest you are too hard for me.' This effectually raised -the laugh against poor Moses, who sate the only dismal figure in a -groupe of merry faces: nor, did he offer a single syllable more during -the whole entertainment. - -But though all this gave me no pleasure, it had a very different effect -upon Olivia, who mistook it for humour, though but a mere act of the -memory. She thought him therefore a very fine gentleman; and such as -consider what powerful ingredients a good figure, fine cloaths, and -fortune, are in that character, will easily forgive her. Mr Thornhill, -notwithstanding his real ignorance, talked with ease, and could -expatiate upon the common topics of conversation with fluency. It is not -surprising then that such talents should win the affections of a girl, -who by education was taught to value an appearance in herself, and -consequently to set a value upon it in another. - -Upon his departure, we again entered into a debate upon the merits of -our young landlord. As he directed his looks and conversation to Olivia, -it was no longer doubted but that she was the object that induced him to -be our visitor. Nor did she seem to be much displeased at the innocent -raillery of her brother and sister upon this occasion. Even Deborah -herself seemed to share the glory of the day, and exulted in her -daughter's victory as if it were her own. 'And now, my dear,' cried -she to me, 'I'll fairly own, that it was I that instructed my girls to -encourage our landlord's addresses. I had always some ambition, and -you now see that I was right; for who knows how this may end?' 'Ay, who -knows that indeed,' answered I, with a groan: 'for my part I don't much -like it; and I could have been better pleased with one that was poor and -honest, than this fine gentleman with his fortune and infidelity; for -depend on't, if he be what I suspect him, no free-thinker shall ever -have a child of mine.' 'Sure, father,' cried Moses, 'you are too severe -in this; for heaven will never arraign him for what he thinks, but for -what he does. Every man has a thousand vicious thoughts, which arise -without his power to suppress. Thinking freely of religion, may be -involuntary with this gentleman: so that allowing his sentiments to be -wrong, yet as he is purely passive in his assent, he is no more to be -blamed for his errors than the governor of a city without walls for the -shelter he is obliged to afford an invading enemy.' - -'True, my son,' cried I; 'but if the governor invites the enemy, there -he is justly culpable. And such is always the case with those who -embrace error. The vice does not lie in assenting to the proofs they -see; but in being blind to many of the proofs that offer. So that, -though our erroneous opinions be involuntary when formed, yet as we have -been wilfully corrupt, or very negligent in forming them, we deserve -punishment for our vice, or contempt for our folly.' My wife now kept -up the conversation, though not the argument: she observed, that several -very prudent men of our acquaintance were free-thinkers, and made very -good husbands; and she knew some sensible girls that had skill enough to -make converts of their spouses: 'And who knows, my dear,' continued she, -'what Olivia may be able to do. The girl has a great deal to say upon -every subject, and to my knowledge is very well skilled in controversy.' - -'Why, my dear, what controversy can she have read?' cried I. 'It does -not occur to me that I ever put such books into her hands: you certainly -over-rate her merit.' 'Indeed, pappa,' replied Olivia, 'she does not: I -have read a great deal of controversy. I have read the disputes between -Thwackum and Square; the controversy between Robinson Crusoe and -Friday the savage, and I am now employed in reading the controversy in -Religious courtship'--'Very well,' cried I, 'that's a good girl, I find -you are perfectly qualified for making converts, and so go help your -mother to make the gooseberry-pye.' - - - -CHAPTER 8 - - An amour, which promises little good fortune, yet may be - productive of much - - -The next morning we were again visited by Mr Burchell, though I began, -for certain reasons, to be displeased with the frequency of his return; -but I could not refuse him my company and fire-side. It is true his -labour more than requited his entertainment; for he wrought among us -with vigour, and either in the meadow or at the hay-rick put himself -foremost. Besides, he had always something amusing to say that lessened -our toil, and was at once so out of the way, and yet so sensible, that -I loved, laughed at, and pitied him. My only dislike arose from an -attachment he discovered to my daughter: he would, in a jesting manner, -call her his little mistress, and when he bought each of the girls a -set of ribbands, hers was the finest. I knew not how, but he every day -seemed to become more amiable, his wit to improve, and his simplicity to -assume the superior airs of wisdom. - -Our family dined in the field, and we sate, or rather reclined, round a -temperate repast, our cloth spread upon the hay, while Mr Burchell gave -cheerfulness to the feast. To heighten our satisfaction two blackbirds -answered each other from opposite hedges, the familiar redbreast came -and pecked the crumbs from our hands, and every sound seemed but the -echo of tranquillity. 'I never sit thus,' says Sophia, 'but I think of -the two lovers, so sweetly described by Mr Gay, who were struck dead in -each other's arms. There is something so pathetic in the description, -that I have read it an hundred times with new rapture.'--'In my -opinion,' cried my son, 'the finest strokes in that description are much -below those in the Acis and Galatea of Ovid. The Roman poet understands -the use of contrast better, and upon that figure artfully managed -all strength in the pathetic depends.'--'It is remarkable,' cried Mr -Burchell, 'that both the poets you mention have equally contributed to -introduce a false taste into their respective countries, by loading all -their lines with epithet. Men of little genius found them most easily -imitated in their defects, and English poetry, like that in the latter -empire of Rome, is nothing at present but a combination of luxuriant -images, without plot or connexion; a string of epithets that improve the -sound, without carrying on the sense. But perhaps, madam, while I -thus reprehend others, you'll think it just that I should give them an -opportunity to retaliate, and indeed I have made this remark only to -have an opportunity of introducing to the company a ballad, which, -whatever be its other defects, is I think at least free from those I -have mentioned.' - - -A BALLAD. - -'Turn, gentle hermit of the dale, And guide my lonely way, To where yon -taper cheers the vale, With hospitable ray. - -'For here forlorn and lost I tread, With fainting steps and slow; Where -wilds immeasurably spread, Seem lengthening as I go.' - -'Forbear, my son,' the hermit cries, 'To tempt the dangerous gloom; For -yonder faithless phantom flies To lure thee to thy doom. - -'Here to the houseless child of want, My door is open still; And tho' my -portion is but scant, I give it with good will. - -'Then turn to-night, and freely share Whate'er my cell bestows; My rushy -couch, and frugal fare, My blessing and repose. - -'No flocks that range the valley free, To slaughter I condemn: Taught by -that power that pities me, I learn to pity them. - -'But from the mountain's grassy side, A guiltless feast I bring; A scrip -with herbs and fruits supply'd, And water from the spring. - -'Then, pilgrim, turn, thy cares forego; All earth-born cares are wrong: -Man wants but little here below, Nor wants that little long.' - -Soft as the dew from heav'n descends, His gentle accents fell: The -modest stranger lowly bends, And follows to the cell. - -Far in a wilderness obscure The lonely mansion lay; A refuge to the -neighbouring poor, And strangers led astray. - -No stores beneath its humble thatch Requir'd a master's care; The wicket -opening with a latch, Receiv'd the harmless pair. - -And now when busy crowds retire To take their evening rest, The hermit -trimm'd his little fire, And cheer'd his pensive guest: - -And spread his vegetable store, And gayly prest, and smil'd; And skill'd -in legendary lore, The lingering hours beguil'd. - -Around in sympathetic mirth Its tricks the kitten tries, The cricket -chirrups in the hearth; The crackling faggot flies. - -But nothing could a charm impart To sooth the stranger's woe; For grief -was heavy at his heart, And tears began to flow. - -His rising cares the hermit spy'd, With answering care opprest: 'And -whence, unhappy youth,' he cry'd, 'The sorrows of thy breast? - -'From better habitations spurn'd, Reluctant dost thou rove; Or grieve -for friendship unreturn'd, Or unregarded love? - -'Alas! the joys that fortune brings, Are trifling and decay; And those -who prize the paltry things, More trifling still than they. - -'And what is friendship but a name, A charm that lulls to sleep; A shade -that follows wealth or fame, But leaves the wretch to weep? - -'And love is still an emptier sound, The modern fair one's jest: On -earth unseen, or only found To warm the turtle's nest. - -'For shame fond youth thy sorrows hush And spurn the sex,' he said: But -while he spoke a rising blush His love-lorn guest betray'd. - -Surpriz'd he sees new beauties rise, Swift mantling to the view; Like -colours o'er the morning skies, As bright, as transient too. - -The bashful look, the rising breast, Alternate spread alarms: The lovely -stranger stands confest A maid in all her charms. - -'And, ah,'forgive a stranger rude, A wretch forlorn,' she cry'd; 'Whose -feet unhallowed thus intrude Where heaven and you reside. - -'But let a maid thy pity share, Whom love has taught to stray; Who seeks -for rest, but finds despair Companion of her way. - -'My father liv'd beside the Tyne, A wealthy Lord was he; And all his -wealth was mark'd as mine, He had but only me. - -'To win me from his tender arms, Unnumber'd suitors came; Who prais'd me -for imputed charms, And felt or feign'd a flame. - -'Each hour a mercenary crowd, With richest proffers strove: Among the -rest young Edwin bow'd, But never talk'd of love. - -'In humble simplest habit clad, No wealth nor power had he; Wisdom and -worth were all he had, But these were all to me. - -'The blossom opening to the day, The dews of heaven refin'd, Could -nought of purity display, To emulate his mind. - -'The dew, the blossom on the tree, With charms inconstant shine; Their -charms were his, but woe to me, Their constancy was mine. - -'For still I try'd each fickle art, Importunate and vain; And while his -passion touch'd my heart, I triumph'd in his pain. - -'Till quite dejected with my scorn, He left me to my pride; And sought a -solitude forlorn, In secret where he died. - -'But mine the sorrow, mine the fault, And well my life shall pay; I'll -seek the solitude he sought, And stretch me where he lay. - -'And there forlorn despairing hid, I'll lay me down and die: 'Twas so -for me that Edwin did, And so for him will I.' - -'Forbid it heaven!' the hermit cry'd, And clasp'd her to his breast: The -wondering fair one turn'd to chide, 'Twas Edwin's self that prest. - -'Turn, Angelina, ever dear, My charmer, turn to see, Thy own, thy -long-lost Edwin here, Restor'd to love and thee. - -'Thus let me hold thee to my heart, And ev'ry care resign: And shall we -never, never part, My life,--my all that's mine. - -'No, never, from this hour to part, We'll live and love so true; The -sigh that tends thy constant heart, Shall break thy Edwin's too.' - -While this ballad was reading, Sophia seemed to mix an air of tenderness -with her approbation. But our tranquillity was soon disturbed by -the report of a gun just by us, and immediately after a man was seen -bursting through the hedge, to take up the game he had killed. This -sportsman was the 'Squire's chaplain, who had shot one of the blackbirds -that so agreeably entertained us. So loud a report, and so near, -startled my daughters; and I could perceive that Sophia in the fright -had thrown herself into Mr Burchell's arms for protection. The gentleman -came up, and asked pardon for having disturbed us, affirming that he -was ignorant of our being so near. He therefore sate down by my youngest -daughter, and, sportsman like, offered her what he had killed that -morning. She was going to refuse, but a private look from her mother -soon induced her to correct the mistake, and accept his present, though -with some reluctance. My wife, as usual, discovered her pride in a -whisper, observing, that Sophy had made a conquest of the chaplain, as -well as her sister had of the 'Squire. I suspected, however, with more -probability, that her affections were placed upon a different object. -The chaplain's errand was to inform us, that Mr Thornhill had provided -music and refreshments, and intended that night giving the young ladies -a ball by moon-light, on the grass-plot before our door. 'Nor can I -deny,' continued he, 'but I have an interest in being first to deliver -this message, as I expect for my reward to be honoured with miss Sophy's -hand as a partner.' To this my girl replied, that she should have no -objection, if she could do it with honour: 'But here,' continued she, -'is a gentleman,' looking at Mr Burchell, 'who has been my companion in -the task for the day, and it is fit he should share in its amusements.' -Mr Burchell returned her a compliment for her intentions; but resigned -her up to the chaplain, adding that he was to go that night five miles, -being invited to an harvest supper. His refusal appeared to me a -little extraordinary, nor could I conceive how so sensible a girl as -my youngest, could thus prefer a man of broken fortunes to one -whose expectations were much greater. But as men are most capable of -distinguishing merit in women, so the ladies often form the truest -judgments of us. The two sexes seem placed as spies upon each other, and -are furnished with different abilities, adapted for mutual inspection. - - - -CHAPTER 9 - - Two ladies of great distinction introduced. Superior finery - ever seems to confer superior breeding - - -Mr Burchell had scarce taken leave, and Sophia consented to dance with -the chaplain, when my little ones came running out to tell us that the -'Squire was come, with a crowd of company. Upon our return, we found our -landlord, with a couple of under gentlemen and two young ladies richly -drest, whom he introduced as women of very great distinction and fashion -from town. We happened not to have chairs enough for the whole company; -but Mr Thornhill immediately proposed that every gentleman should sit in -a lady's lap. This I positively objected to, notwithstanding a look of -disapprobation from my wife. Moses was therefore dispatched to borrow a -couple of chairs; and as we were in want of ladies to make up a set at -country dances, the two gentlemen went with him in quest of a couple of -partners. Chairs and partners were soon provided. The gentlemen returned -with my neighbour Flamborough's rosy daughters, flaunting with red -top-knots, but an unlucky circumstance was not adverted to; though the -Miss Flamboroughs were reckoned the very best dancers in the parish, -and understood the jig and the round-about to perfection; yet they were -totally unacquainted with country dances.' This at first discomposed us: -however, after a little shoving and dragging, they at last went merrily -on. Our music consisted of two fiddles, with a pipe and tabor. The moon -shone bright, Mr Thornhill and my eldest daughter led up the ball, to -the great delight of the spectators; for the neighbours hearing what was -going forward, came flocking about us. My girl moved with so much grace -and vivacity, that my wife could not avoid discovering the pride of her -heart, by assuring me, that though the little chit did it so cleverly, -all the steps were stolen from herself. The ladies of the town strove -hard to be equally easy, but without success. They swam, sprawled, -languished, and frisked; but all would not do: the gazers indeed owned -that it was fine; but neighbour Flamborough observed, that Miss Livy's -feet seemed as pat to the music as its echo. After the dance had -continued about an hour, the two ladies, who were apprehensive of -catching cold, moved to break up the ball. One of them, I thought, -expressed her sentiments upon this occasion in a very coarse manner, -when she observed, that by the living jingo, she was all of a muck -of sweat. Upon our return to the house, we found a very elegant cold -supper, which Mr Thornhill had ordered to be brought with him. The -conversation at this time was more reserved than before. The two ladies -threw my girls quite into the shade; for they would talk of nothing but -high life, and high lived company; with other fashionable topics, such -as pictures, taste, Shakespear, and the musical glasses. 'Tis true they -once or twice mortified us sensibly by slipping out an oath; but that -appeared to me as the surest symptom of their distinction, (tho' I am -since informed that swearing is perfectly unfashionable.) Their finery, -however, threw a veil over any grossness in their conversation. My -daughters seemed to regard their superior accomplishments with envy; and -what appeared amiss was ascribed to tip-top quality breeding. But -the condescension of the ladies was still superior to their other -accomplishments. One of them observed, that had miss Olivia seen a -little more of the world, it would greatly improve her. To which the -other added, that a single winter in town would make her little Sophia -quite another thing. My wife warmly assented to both; adding, that there -was nothing she more ardently wished than to give her girls a single -winter's polishing. To this I could not help replying, that their -breeding was already superior to their fortune; and that greater -refinement would only serve to make their poverty ridiculous, and give -them a taste for pleasures they had no right to possess.--'And what -pleasures,' cried Mr Thornhill, 'do they not deserve to possess, who -have so much in their power to bestow? As for my part,' continued he, -'my fortune is pretty large, love, liberty, and pleasure, are my maxims; -but curse me if a settlement of half my estate could give my charming -Olivia pleasure, it should be hers; and the only favour I would ask in -return would be to add myself to the benefit.' I was not such a stranger -to the world as to be ignorant that this was the fashionable cant to -disguise the insolence of the basest proposal; but I made an effort -to suppress my resentment. 'Sir,' cried I, 'the family which you now -condescend to favour with your company, has been bred with as nice a -sense of honour as you. Any attempts to injure that, may be attended -with very dangerous consequences. Honour, Sir, is our only possession at -present, and of that last treasure we must be particularly careful.'--I -was soon sorry for the warmth with which I had spoken this, when the -young gentleman, grasping my hand, swore he commended my spirit, though -he disapproved my suspicions. 'As to your present hint,' continued he, -'I protest nothing was farther from my heart than such a thought. No, -by all that's tempting, the virtue that will stand a regular siege was -never to my taste; for all my amours are carried by a coup de main.' - -The two ladies, who affected to be ignorant of the rest, seemed highly -displeased with this last stroke of freedom, and began a very discreet -and serious dialogue upon virtue: in this my wife, the chaplain, and I, -soon joined; and the 'Squire himself was at last brought to confess a -sense of sorrow for his former excesses. We talked of the pleasures of -temperance, and of the sun-shine in the mind unpolluted with guilt. I -was so well pleased, that my little ones were kept up beyond the usual -time to be edified by so much good conversation. Mr Thornhill even went -beyond me, and demanded if I had any objection to giving prayers. I -joyfully embraced the proposal, and in this manner the night was passed -in a most comfortable way, till at last the company began to think of -returning. The ladies seemed very unwilling to part with my daughters; -for whom they had conceived a particular affection, and joined in a -request to have the pleasure of their company home. The 'Squire seconded -the proposal, and my wife added her entreaties: the girls too looked -upon me as if they wished to go. In this perplexity I made two or three -excuses, which my daughters as readily removed; so that at last I was -obliged to give a peremptory refusal; for which we had nothing but -sullen looks and short answers the whole day ensuing. - - - -CHAPTER 10 - - The family endeavours to cope with their betters. The - miseries of the poor when they attempt to appear above their - circumstances - - -I now began to find that all my long and painful lectures upon -temperance, simplicity, and contentment, were entirely disregarded. The -distinctions lately paid us by our betters awaked that pride which I -had laid asleep, but not removed. Our windows again, as formerly, were -filled with washes for the neck and face. The sun was dreaded as an -enemy to the skin without doors, and the fire as a spoiler of the -complexion within. My wife observed, that rising too early would hurt -her daughters' eyes, that working after dinner would redden their noses, -and she convinced me that the hands never looked so white as when they -did nothing. Instead therefore of finishing George's shirts, we now had -them new modelling their old gauzes, or flourishing upon catgut. The -poor Miss Flamboroughs, their former gay companions, were cast off as -mean acquaintance, and the whole conversation ran upon high life and -high lived company, with pictures, taste, Shakespear, and the musical -glasses. - -But we could have borne all this, had not a fortune-telling gypsey come -to raise us into perfect sublimity. The tawny sybil no sooner appeared, -than my girls came running to me for a shilling a piece to cross her -hand with silver. To say the truth, I was tired of being always wise, -and could not help gratifying their request, because I loved to see them -happy. I gave each of them a shilling; though, for the honour of -the family, it must be observed, that they never went without money -themselves, as my wife always generously let them have a guinea each, to -keep in their pockets; but with strict injunctions never to change it. -After they had been closetted up with the fortune-teller for some time, -I knew by their looks, upon their returning, that they had been promised -something great.--'Well, my girls, how have you sped? Tell me, Livy, has -the fortune-teller given thee a pennyworth?'--'I protest, pappa,' says -the girl, 'I believe she deals with some body that's not right; for she -positively declared, that I am to be married to a 'Squire in less than a -twelvemonth!'--'Well now, Sophy, my child,' said I, 'and what sort of a -husband are you to have?' 'Sir,' replied she, 'I am to have a Lord soon -after my sister has married the 'Squire.'--'How,' cried I, 'is that all -you are to have for your two shillings! Only a Lord and a 'Squire for -two shillings! You fools, I could have promised you a Prince and a Nabob -for half the money.' This curiosity of theirs, however, was attended -with very serious effects: we now began to think ourselves designed -by the stars for something exalted, and already anticipated our future -grandeur. It has been a thousand times observed, and I must observe it -once more, that the hours we pass with happy prospects in view, are more -pleasing than those crowned with fruition. In the first case we cook the -dish to our own appetite; in the latter nature cooks it for us. It is -impossible to repeat the train of agreeable reveries we called up for -our entertainment. We looked upon our fortunes as once more rising; -and as the whole parish asserted that the 'Squire was in love with my -daughter, she was actually so with him; for they persuaded her into the -passion. In this agreeable interval, my wife had the most lucky dreams -in the world, which she took care to tell us every morning, with great -solemnity and exactness. It was one night a coffin and cross bones, -the sign of an approaching wedding: at another time she imagined her -daughters' pockets filled with farthings, a certain sign of their being -shortly stuffed with gold. The girls themselves had their omens. They -felt strange kisses on their lips; they saw rings in the candle, purses -bounced from the fire, and true love-knots lurked in the bottom of every -tea-cup. - -Towards the end of the week we received a card from the town ladies; -in which, with their compliments, they hoped to see all our family at -church the Sunday following. All Saturday morning I could perceive, in -consequence of this, my wife and daughters in close conference together, -and now and then glancing at me with looks that betrayed a latent plot. -To be sincere, I had strong suspicions that some absurd proposal was -preparing for appearing with splendor the next day. In the evening they -began their operations in a very regular manner, and my wife undertook -to conduct the siege. After tea, when I seemed in spirits, she began -thus.--'I fancy, Charles, my dear, we shall have a great deal of good -company at our church to-morrow,'--'Perhaps we may, my dear,' returned -I; 'though you need be under no uneasiness about that, you shall have a -sermon whether there be or not.'--'That is what I expect,' returned she; -'but I think, my dear, we ought to appear there as decently as possible, -for who knows what may happen?' 'Your precautions,' replied I, 'are -highly commendable. A decent behaviour and appearance in church is what -charms me. We should be devout and humble, chearful and serene.'--'Yes,' -cried she, 'I know that; but I mean we should go there in as proper a -manner as possible; not altogether like the scrubs about us.' 'You are -quite right, my dear,' returned I, 'and I was going to make the very -same proposal. The proper manner of going is, to go there as early -as possible, to have time for meditation before the service -begins.'--'Phoo, Charles,' interrupted she, 'all that is very true; but -not what I would be at. I mean, we should go there genteelly. You -know the church is two miles off, and I protest I don't like to see my -daughters trudging up to their pew all blowzed and red with walking, -and, looking for all the world as if they had been winners at a smock -race. Now, my dear, my proposal is this: there are our two plow horses, -the Colt that has been in our family these nine years, and his companion -Blackberry, that have scarce done an earthly thing for this month past. -They are both grown fat and lazy. Why should not they do something as -well as we? And let me tell you, when Moses has trimmed them a little, -they will cut a very tolerable figure.' To this proposal I objected, -that walking would be twenty times more genteel than such a paltry -conveyance, as Blackberry was wall-eyed, and the Colt wanted a tail: -that they had never been broke to the rein; but had an hundred vicious -tricks; and that we had but one saddle and pillion in the whole house. -All these objections, however, were over-ruled; so that I was obliged -to comply. The next morning I perceived them not a little busy in -collecting such materials as might be necessary for the expedition; but -as I found it would be a business of time, I walked on to the church -before, and they promised speedily to follow. I waited near an hour -in the reading desk for their arrival; but not finding them come as -expected, I was obliged to begin, and went through the service, not -without some uneasiness at finding them absent. This was encreased when -all was finished, and no appearance of the family. I therefore walked -back by the horse-way, which was five miles round, tho' the foot-way -was but two, and when got about half way home, perceived the procession -marching slowly forward towards the church; my son, my wife, and the two -little ones exalted upon one horse, and my two daughters upon the other. -I demanded the cause of their delay; but I soon found by their looks -they had met with a thousand misfortunes on the road. The horses had at -first refused to move from the door, till Mr Burchell was kind enough to -beat them forward for about two hundred yards with his cudgel. Next the -straps of my wife's pillion broke down, and they were obliged to stop -to repair them before they could proceed. After that, one of the horses -took it into his head to stand still, and neither blows nor entreaties -could prevail with him to proceed. It was just recovering from this -dismal situation that I found them; but perceiving every thing safe, I -own their present mortification did not much displease me, as it would -give me many opportunities of future triumph, and teach my daughters -more humility. - - - -CHAPTER 11 - - The family still resolve to hold up their heads - - -Michaelmas eve happening on the next day, we were invited to burn nuts -and play tricks at neighbour Flamborough's. Our late mortifications had -humbled us a little, or it is probable we might have rejected such an -invitation with contempt: however, we suffered ourselves to be -happy. Our honest neighbour's goose and dumplings were fine, and the -lamb's-wool, even in the opinion of my wife, who was a connoiseur, was -excellent. It is true, his manner of telling stories was not quite so -well. They were very long, and very dull, and all about himself, and we -had laughed at them ten times before: however, we were kind enough to -laugh at them once more. - -Mr Burchell, who was of the party, was always fond of seeing some -innocent amusement going forward, and set the boys and girls to blind -man's buff. My wife too was persuaded to join in the diversion, and it -gave me pleasure to think she was not yet too old. In the mean time, my -neighbour and I looked on, laughed at every feat, and praised our own -dexterity when we were young. Hot cockles succeeded next, questions -and commands followed that, and last of all, they sate down to hunt -the slipper. As every person may not be acquainted with this primaeval -pastime, it may be necessary to observe, that the company at this play -themselves in a ring upon the ground, all, except one who stands in the -middle, whose business it is to catch a shoe, which the company shove -about under their hams from one to another, something like a weaver's -shuttle. As it is impossible, in this case, for the lady who is up -to face all the company at once, the great beauty of the play lies in -hitting her a thump with the heel of the shoe on that side least capable -of making a defence. It was in this manner that my eldest daughter was -hemmed in, and thumped about, all blowzed, in spirits, and bawling for -fair play, fair play, with a voice that might deafen a ballad singer, -when confusion on confusion, who should enter the room but our two great -acquaintances from town, Lady Blarney and Miss Carolina Wilelmina Amelia -Skeggs! Description would but beggar, therefore it is unnecessary to -describe this new mortification. Death! To be seen by ladies of such -high breeding in such vulgar attitudes! Nothing better could ensue from -such a vulgar play of Mr Flamborough's proposing. We seemed stuck to the -ground for some time, as if actually petrified with amazement. - -The two ladies had been at our house to see us, and finding us from -home, came after us hither, as they were uneasy to know what accident -could have kept us from church the day before. Olivia undertook to be -our prolocutor, and delivered the whole in a summary way, only saying, -'We were thrown from our horses.' At which account the ladies were -greatly concerned; but being told the family received no hurt, they were -extremely glad: but being informed that we were almost killed by the -fright, they were vastly sorry; but hearing that we had a very good -night, they were extremely glad again. Nothing could exceed their -complaisance to my daughters; their professions the last evening were -warm, but now they were ardent. They protested a desire of having a more -lasting acquaintance. Lady Blarney was particularly attached to Olivia; -Miss Carolina Wilelmina Amelia Skeggs (I love to give the whole name) -took a greater fancy to her sister. They supported the conversation -between themselves, while my daughters sate silent, admiring their -exalted breeding. But as every reader, however beggarly himself, is fond -of high-lived dialogues, with anecdotes of Lords, Ladies, and Knights -of the Garter, I must beg leave to give him the concluding part of -the present conversation. 'All that I know of the matter,' cried Miss -Skeggs, 'is this, that it may be true, or it may not be true: but this I -can assure your Ladyship, that the whole rout was in amaze; his Lordship -turned all manner of colours, my Lady fell into a sound; but Sir Tomkyn, -drawing his sword, swore he was her's to the last drop of his blood.' -'Well,' replied our Peeress, 'this I can say, that the Dutchess never -told me a syllable of the matter, and I believe her Grace would keep -nothing a secret from me. This you may depend upon as fact, that the -next morning my Lord Duke cried out three times to his valet de chambre, -Jernigan, Jernigan, Jernigan, bring me my garters.' - -But previously I should have mentioned the very impolite behaviour of Mr -Burchell, who, during this discourse, sate with his face turned to the -fire, and at the conclusion of every sentence would cry out FUDGE! -an expression which displeased us all, and in some measure damped the -rising spirit of the conversation. - -'Besides, my dear Skeggs,' continued our Peeress, 'there is nothing -of this in the copy of verses that Dr Burdock made upon the -occasion.'--'FUDGE!' - -'I am surprised at that,' cried Miss Skeggs; 'for he seldom leaves -any thing out, as he writes only for his own amusement. But can your -Ladyship favour me with a sight of them?'--'FUDGE!' - -'My dear creature,' replied our Peeress, 'do you think I carry such -things about me? Though they are very fine to be sure, and I think -myself something of a judge; at least I know what pleases myself. Indeed -I was ever an admirer of all Doctor Burdock's little pieces; for except -what he does, and our dear Countess at Hanover-Square, there's nothing -comes out but the most lowest stuff in nature; not a bit of high life -among them.'--'FUDGE!' - -'Your Ladyship should except,' says t'other, 'your own things in the -Lady's Magazine. I hope you'll say there's nothing low lived there? But -I suppose we are to have no more from that quarter?'--'FUDGE!' - -'Why, my dear,' says the Lady, 'you know my reader and companion has -left me, to be married to Captain Roach, and as my poor eyes won't -suffer me to write myself, I have been for some time looking out for -another. A proper person is no easy matter to find, and to be sure -thirty pounds a year is a small stipend for a well-bred girl of -character, that can read, write, and behave in company; as for the chits -about town, there is no bearing them about one.'--'FUDGE!' - -'That I know,' cried Miss Skeggs, 'by experience. For of the three -companions I had this last half year, one of them refused to do -plain-work an hour in the day, another thought twenty-five guineas -a year too small a salary, and I was obliged to send away the third, -because I suspected an intrigue with the chaplain. Virtue, my dear -Lady Blarney, virtue is worth any price; but where is that to be -found?'--'FUDGE!' - -My wife had been for a long time all attention to this discourse; but -was particularly struck with the latter part of it. Thirty pounds and -twenty-five guineas a year made fifty-six pounds five shillings English -money, all which was in a manner going a-begging, and might easily -be secured in the family. She for a moment studied my looks for -approbation; and, to own a truth, I was of opinion, that two such places -would fit our two daughters exactly. Besides, if the 'Squire had any -real affection for my eldest daughter, this would be the way to make her -every way qualified for her fortune. My wife therefore was resolved that -we should not be deprived of such advantages for want of assurance, -and undertook to harangue for the family. 'I hope,' cried she, 'your -Ladyships will pardon my present presumption. It is true, we have no -right to pretend to such favours; but yet it is natural for me to wish -putting my children forward in the world. And I will be bold to say my -two girls have had a pretty good education, and capacity, at least the -country can't shew better. They can read, write, and cast accompts; they -understand their needle, breadstitch, cross and change, and all manner -of plain-work; they can pink, point, and frill; and know something of -music; they can do up small cloaths, work upon catgut; my eldest can cut -paper, and my youngest has a very pretty manner of telling fortunes upon -the cards.'--'FUDGE!' - -When she had delivered this pretty piece of eloquence, the two ladies -looked at each other a few minutes in silence, with an air of doubt and -importance. At last, Miss Carolina Wilelmina Amelia Skeggs condescended -to observe, that the young ladies, from the opinion she could form -of them from so slight an acquaintance, seemed very fit for such -employments: 'But a thing of this kind, Madam,' cried she, addressing -my spouse, requires a thorough examination into characters, and a more -perfect knowledge of each other. Not, Madam,' continued she, 'that I in -the least suspect the young ladies virtue, prudence and discretion; but -there is a form in these things, Madam, there is a form.' - -My wife approved her suspicions very much, observing, that she was very -apt to be suspicious herself; but referred her to all the neighbours -for a character: but this our Peeress declined as unnecessary, alledging -that her cousin Thornhill's recommendation would be sufficient, and upon -this we rested our petition. - - - -CHAPTER 12 - - Fortune seems resolved to humble the family of Wakefield. - Mortifications are often more painful than real calamities - - -When we were returned home, the night was dedicated to schemes of future -conquest. Deborah exerted much sagacity in conjecturing which of the -two girls was likely to have the best place, and most opportunities -of seeing good company. The only obstacle to our preferment was in -obtaining the 'Squire's recommendation; but he had already shewn us too -many instances of his friendship to doubt of it now. Even in bed my -wife kept up the usual theme: 'Well, faith, my dear Charles, between -ourselves, I think we have made an excellent day's work of it.'--'Pretty -well,' cried I, not knowing what to say.--'What only pretty well!' -returned she. 'I think it is very well. Suppose the girls should come to -make acquaintances of taste in town! This I am assured of, that London -is the only place in the world for all manner of husbands. Besides, my -dear, stranger things happen every day: and as ladies of quality are so -taken with my daughters, what will not men of quality be! Entre nous, I -protest I like my Lady Blarney vastly, so very obliging. However, Miss -Carolina Wilelmina Anielia Skeggs has my warm heart. But yet, when they -came to talk of places in town, you saw at once how I nailed them. -Tell me, my dear, don't you think I did for my children there?'--'Ay,' -returned I, not knowing well what to think of the matter, 'heaven grant -they may be both the better for it this day three months!' This was one -of those observations I usually made to impress my wife with an opinion -of my sagacity; for if the girls succeeded, then it was a pious wish -fulfilled; but if any thing unfortunate ensued, then it might be looked -upon as a prophecy. All this conversation, however, was only preparatory -to another scheme, and indeed I dreaded as much. This was nothing less -than, that as we were now to hold up our heads a little higher in the -world, it would be proper to sell the Colt, which was grown old, at a -neighbouring fair, and buy us an horse that would carry single or double -upon an occasion, and make a pretty appearance at church or upon a -visit. This at first I opposed stoutly; but it was as stoutly defended. -However, as I weakened, my antagonist gained strength, till at last it -was resolved to part with him. - -As the fair happened on the following day, I had intentions of going -myself, but my wife persuaded me that I had got a cold, and nothing -could prevail upon her to permit me from home. 'No, my dear,' said she, -'our son Moses is a discreet boy, and can buy and sell to very good -advantage; you know all our great bargains are of his purchasing. He -always stands out and higgles, and actually tires them till he gets a -bargain.' - -As I had some opinion of my son's prudence, I was willing enough to -entrust him with this commission; and the next morning I perceived his -sisters mighty busy in fitting out Moses for the fair; trimming his -hair, brushing his buckles, and cocking his hat with pins. The business -of the toilet being over, we had at last the satisfaction of seeing -him mounted upon the Colt, with a deal box before him to bring home -groceries in. He had on a coat made of that cloth they call thunder and -lightning, which, though grown too short, was much too good to be thrown -away. His waistcoat was of gosling green, and his sisters had tied his -hair with a broad black ribband. We all followed him several paces, from -the door, bawling after him good luck, good luck, till we could see him -no longer. - -He was scarce gone, when Mr Thornhill's butler came to congratulate -us upon our good fortune, saying, that he overheard his young master -mention our names with great commendation. - -Good fortune seemed resolved not to come alone. Another footman from the -same family followed, with a card for my daughters, importing, that the -two ladies had received such pleasing accounts from Mr Thornhill of us -all, that, after a few previous enquiries, they hoped to be perfectly -satisfied. 'Ay,' cried my wife, I now see it is no easy matter to get -into the families of the great; but when one once gets in, then, as -Moses says, one may go sleep.' To this piece of humour, for she intended -it for wit, my daughters assented with a loud laugh of pleasure. In -short, such was her satisfaction at this message, that she actually put -her hand in her pocket, and gave the messenger seven-pence halfpenny. - -This was to be our visiting-day. The next that came was Mr Burchell, -who had been at the fair. He brought my little ones a pennyworth of -gingerbread each, which my wife undertook to keep for them, and give -them by letters at a time. He brought my daughters also a couple of -boxes, in which they might keep wafers, snuff, patches, or even money, -when they got it. My wife was usually fond of a weesel skin purse, as -being the most lucky; but this by the bye. We had still a regard for -Mr Burchell, though his late rude behaviour was in some measure -displeasing; nor could we now avoid communicating our happiness to him, -and asking his advice: although we seldom followed advice, we were all -ready enough to ask it. When he read the note from the two ladies, he -shook his head, and observed, that an affair of this sort demanded the -utmost circumspection.--This air of diffidence highly displeased my -wife. 'I never doubted, Sir,' cried she, 'your readiness to be against -my daughters and me. You have more circumspection than is wanted. -However, I fancy when we come to ask advice, we will apply to persons -who seem to have made use of it themselves.'--'Whatever my own conduct -may have been, madam,' replied he, 'is not the present question; tho' as -I have made no use of advice myself, I should in conscience give it to -those that will.'--As I was apprehensive this answer might draw on -a repartee, making up by abuse what it wanted in wit, I changed the -subject, by seeming to wonder what could keep our son so long at the -fair, as it was now almost nightfall.--'Never mind our son,' cried my -wife, 'depend upon it he knows what he is about. I'll warrant we'll -never see him sell his hen of a rainy day. I have seen him buy such -bargains as would amaze one. I'll tell you a good story about that, -that will make you split your sides with laughing--But as I live, yonder -comes Moses, without an horse, and the box at his back.' - -As she spoke, Moses came slowly on foot, and sweating under the deal -box, which he had strapt round his shoulders like a pedlar.--'Welcome, -welcome, Moses; well, my boy, what have you brought us from the -fair?'--'I have brought you myself,' cried Moses, with a sly look, and -resting the box on the dresser.--'Ay, Moses,' cried my wife, 'that we -know, but where is the horse?' 'I have sold him,' cried Moses, 'for -three pounds five shillings and two-pence.'--'Well done, my good boy,' -returned she, 'I knew you would touch them off. Between ourselves, three -pounds five shillings and two-pence is no bad day's work. Come, let us -have it then.'--'I have brought back no money,' cried Moses again. 'I -have laid it all out in a bargain, and here it is,' pulling out a bundle -from his breast: 'here they are; a groce of green spectacles, with -silver rims and shagreen cases.'--'A groce of green spectacles!' -repeated my wife in a faint voice. 'And you have parted with the -Colt, and brought us back nothing but a groce of green paltry -spectacles!'--'Dear mother,' cried the boy, 'why won't you listen to -reason? I had them a dead bargain, or I should not have bought them. The -silver rims alone will sell for double money.'--'A fig for the silver -rims,' cried my wife, in a passion: 'I dare swear they won't sell for -above half the money at the rate of broken silver, five shillings an -ounce.'--'You need be under no uneasiness,' cried I, 'about selling the -rims; for they are not worth six-pence, for I perceive they are only -copper varnished over.'--'What,' cried my wife, 'not silver, the rims -not silver!' 'No,' cried I, 'no more silver than your saucepan,'--'And -so,' returned she, 'we have parted with the Colt, and have only got -a groce of green spectacles, with copper rims and shagreen cases! A -murrain take such trumpery. The blockhead has been imposed upon, and -should have known his company better.'--'There, my dear,' cried I, 'you -are wrong, he should not have known them at all.'--'Marry, hang the -ideot,' returned she, 'to bring me such stuff, if I had them, I would -throw them in the fire.' 'There again you are wrong, my dear,' cried -I; 'for though they be copper, we will keep them by us, as copper -spectacles, you know, are better than nothing.' - -By this time the unfortunate Moses was undeceived. He now saw that he -had indeed been imposed upon by a prowling sharper, who, observing -his figure, had marked him for an easy prey. I therefore asked the -circumstances of his deception. He sold the horse, it seems, and walked -the fair in search of another. A reverend looking man brought him to a -tent, under pretence of having one to sell. 'Here,' continued Moses, 'we -met another man, very well drest, who desired to borrow twenty pounds -upon these, saying, that he wanted money, and would dispose of them -for a third of the value. The first gentleman, who pretended to be my -friend, whispered me to buy them, and cautioned me not to let so good an -offer pass. I sent for Mr Flamborough, and they talked him up as finely -as they did me, and so at last we were persuaded to buy the two groce -between us.' - - - -CHAPTER 13 - - Mr Burchell is found to be an enemy; for he has the - confidence to give disagreeable advice - - -Our family had now made several attempts to be fine; but some unforeseen -disaster demolished each as soon as projected. I endeavoured to take -the advantage of every disappointment, to improve their good sense in -proportion as they were frustrated in ambition. 'You see, my children,' -cried I, 'how little is to be got by attempts to impose upon the world, -in coping with our betters. Such as are poor and will associate with -none but the rich, are hated by those they avoid, and despised by these -they follow. Unequal combinations are always disadvantageous to -the weaker side: the rich having the pleasure, and the poor the -inconveniencies that result from them. But come, Dick, my boy, and -repeat the fable that you were reading to-day, for the good of the -company.'. - -'Once upon a time,' cried the child, 'a Giant and a Dwarf were friends, -and kept together. They made a bargain that they would never forsake -each other, but go seek adventures. The first battle they fought was -with two Saracens, and the Dwarf, who was very courageous, dealt one -of the champions a most angry blow. It did the Saracen but very little -injury, who lifting up his sword, fairly struck off the poor Dwarf's -arm. He was now in a woeful plight; but the Giant coming to his -assistance, in a short time left the two Saracens dead on the plain, and -the Dwarf cut off the dead man's head out of spite. They then travelled -on to another adventure. This was against three bloody-minded Satyrs, -who were carrying away a damsel in distress. The Dwarf was not quite so -fierce now as before; but for all that, struck the first blow, which was -returned by another, that knocked out his eye: but the Giant was soon up -with them, and had they not fled, would certainly have killed them every -one. They were all very joyful for this victory, and the damsel who -was relieved fell in love with the Giant, and married him. They now -travelled far, and farther than I can tell, till they met with a company -of robbers. The Giant, for the first time, was foremost now; but the -Dwarf was not far behind. The battle was stout and long. Wherever the -Giant came all fell before him; but the Dwarf had like to have been -killed more than once. At last the victory declared for the two -adventurers; but the Dwarf lost his leg. The Dwarf was now without an -arm, a leg, and an eye, while the Giant was without a single wound. Upon -which he cried out to his little companion, My little heroe, this is -glorious sport; let us get one victory more, and then we shall have -honour for ever. No, cries the Dwarf who was by this time grown wiser, -no, I declare off; I'll fight no more; for I find in every battle that -you get all the honour and rewards, but all the blows fall upon me.' - -I was going to moralize this fable, when our attention was called off -to a warm dispute between my wife and Mr Burchell, upon my daughters -intended expedition to town. My wife very strenuously insisted upon -the advantages that would result from it. Mr Burchell, on the contrary, -dissuaded her with great ardor, and I stood neuter. His present -dissuasions seemed but the second part of those which were received with -so ill a grace in the morning. The dispute grew high while poor Deborah, -instead of reasoning stronger, talked louder, and at last was obliged to -take shelter from a defeat in clamour. The conclusion of her harangue, -however, was highly displeasing to us all: she knew, she said, of some -who had their own secret reasons for what they advised; but, for -her part, she wished such to stay away from her house for the -future.--'Madam,' cried Burchell, with looks of great composure, which -tended to enflame her the more, 'as for secret reasons, you are right: -I have secret reasons, which I forbear to mention, because you are not -able to answer those of which I make no secret: but I find my visits -here are become troublesome; I'll take my leave therefore now, and -perhaps come once more to take a final farewell when I am quitting the -country.' Thus saying, he took up his hat, nor could the attempts of -Sophia, whose looks seemed to upbraid his precipitancy, prevent his -going. - -When gone, we all regarded each other for some minutes with confusion. -My wife, who knew herself to be the cause, strove to hide her concern -with a forced smile, and an air of assurance, which I was willing to -reprove: 'How, woman,' cried I to her, 'is it thus we treat strangers? -Is it thus we return their kindness? Be assured, my dear, that these -were the harshest words, and to me the most unpleasing that ever escaped -your lips!'--'Why would he provoke me then,' replied she; 'but I know -the motives of his advice perfectly well. He would prevent my girls from -going to town, that he may have the pleasure of my youngest daughter's -company here at home. But whatever happens, she shall chuse better -company than such low-lived fellows as he.'--'Low-lived, my dear, do -you call him,' cried I, 'it is very possible we may mistake this man's -character: for he seems upon some occasions the most finished gentleman -I ever knew.--Tell me, Sophia, my girl, has he ever given you any secret -instances of his attachment?'--'His conversation with me, sir,' replied -my daughter, 'has ever been sensible, modest, and pleasing. As to aught -else, no, never. Once, indeed, I remember to have heard him say he never -knew a woman who could find merit in a man that seemed poor.' 'Such, my -dear,' cried I, 'is the common cant of all the unfortunate or idle. But -I hope you have been taught to judge properly of such men, and that it -would be even madness to expect happiness from one who has been so -very bad an oeconomist of his own. Your mother and I have now better -prospects for you. The next winter, which you will probably spend in -town, will give you opportunities of making a more prudent choice.' -What Sophia's reflections were upon this occasion, I can't pretend to -determine; but I was not displeased at the bottom that we were rid of a -guest from whom I had much to fear. Our breach of hospitality went to my -conscience a little: but I quickly silenced that monitor by two or three -specious reasons, which served to satisfy and reconcile me to myself. -The pain which conscience gives the man who has already done wrong, -is soon got over. Conscience is a coward, and those faults it has not -strength enough to prevent, it seldom has justice enough to accuse. - - - -CHAPTER 14 - - Fresh mortifications, or a demonstration that seeming - calamities may be real blessings - - -The journey of my daughters to town was now resolved upon, Mr Thornhill -having kindly promised to inspect their conduct himself, and inform us -by letter of their behaviour. But it was thought indispensably necessary -that their appearance should equal the greatness of their expectations, -which could not be done without expence. We debated therefore in -full council what were the easiest methods of raising money, or, -more properly speaking, what we could most conveniently sell. The -deliberation was soon finished, it was found that our remaining horse -was utterly useless for the plow, without his companion, and equally -unfit for the road, as wanting an eye, it was therefore determined -that we should dispose of him for the purposes above-mentioned, at the -neighbouring fair, and, to prevent imposition, that I should go with him -myself. Though this was one of the first mercantile transactions of my -life, yet I had no doubt about acquitting myself with reputation. The -opinion a man forms of his own prudence is measured by that of the -company he keeps, and as mine was mostly in the family way, I had -conceived no unfavourable sentiments of my worldly wisdom. My wife, -however, next morning, at parting, after I had got some paces from the -door, called me back, to advise me, in a whisper, to have all my eyes -about me. I had, in the usual forms, when I came to the fair, put my -horse through all his paces; but for some time had no bidders. At last -a chapman approached, and, after he had for a good while examined the -horse round, finding him blind of one eye, he would have nothing to say -to him: a second came up; but observing he had a spavin, declared he -would not take him for the driving home: a third perceived he had a -windgall, and would bid no money: a fourth knew by his eye that he had -the botts: a fifth, wondered what a plague I could do at the fair with -a blind, spavined, galled hack, that was only fit to be cut up for a -dog kennel.' By this time I began to have a most hearty contempt for -the poor animal myself, and was almost ashamed at the approach of every -customer; for though I did not entirely believe all the fellows told me; -yet I reflected that the number of witnesses was a strong presumption -they were right, and St Gregory, upon good works, professes himself to -be of the same opinion. - -I was in this mortifying situation, when a brother clergyman, an old -acquaintance, who had also business to the fair, came up, and shaking me -by the hand, proposed adjourning to a public-house and taking a glass of -whatever we could get. I readily closed with the offer, and entering an -ale-house, we were shewn into a little back room, where there was only a -venerable old man, who sat wholly intent over a large book, which he -was reading. I never in my life saw a figure that prepossessed me more -favourably. His locks of silver grey venerably shaded his temples, and -his green old age seemed to be the result of health and benevolence. -However, his presence did not interrupt our conversation; my friend and -I discoursed on the various turns of fortune we had met: the Whistonean -controversy, my last pamphlet, the archdeacon's reply, and the hard -measure that was dealt me. But our attention was in a short time taken -off by the appearance of a youth, who, entering the room, respectfully -said something softly to the old stranger. 'Make no apologies, my -child,' said the old man, 'to do good is a duty we owe to all our fellow -creatures: take this, I wish it were more; but five pounds will relieve -your distress, and you are welcome.' The modest youth shed tears of -gratitude, and yet his gratitude was scarce equal to mine. I could have -hugged the good old man in my arms, his benevolence pleased me so. He -continued to read, and we resumed our conversation, until my companion, -after some time, recollecting that he had business to transact in the -fair, promised to be soon back; adding, that he always desired to have -as much of Dr Primrose's company as possible. The old gentleman, hearing -my name mentioned, seemed to look at me with attention, for some time, -and when my friend was gone, most respectfully demanded if I was any way -related to the great Primrose, that courageous monogamist, who had been -the bulwark of the church. Never did my heart feel sincerer rapture than -at that moment. 'Sir,' cried I, 'the applause of so good a man, as I am -sure you are, adds to that happiness in my breast which your benevolence -has already excited. You behold before you, Sir, that Doctor Primrose, -the monogamist, whom you have been pleased to call great. You here see -that unfortunate Divine, who has so long, and it would ill become me to -say, successfully, fought against the deuterogamy of the age.' 'Sir,' -cried the stranger, struck with awe, 'I fear I have been too familiar; -but you'll forgive my curiosity, Sir: I beg pardon.' 'Sir,' cried -I, grasping his hand, 'you are so far from displeasing me by your -familiarity, that I must beg you'll accept my friendship, as you already -have my esteem.'--'Then with gratitude I accept the offer,' cried he, -squeezing me by the hand, 'thou glorious pillar of unshaken orthodoxy; -and do I behold--' I here interrupted what he was going to say; for -tho', as an author, I could digest no small share of flattery, yet now -my modesty would permit no more. However, no lovers in romance ever -cemented a more instantaneous friendship. We talked upon several -subjects: at first I thought he seemed rather devout than learned, and -began to think he despised all human doctrines as dross. Yet this no way -lessened him in my esteem; for I had for some time begun privately to -harbour such an opinion myself. I therefore took occasion to observe, -that the world in general began to be blameably indifferent as to -doctrinal matters, and followed human speculations too much--'Ay, Sir,' -replied he, as if he had reserved all his learning to that moment, 'Ay, -Sir, the world is in its dotage, and yet the cosmogony or creation of -the world has puzzled philosophers of all ages. What a medly of opinions -have they not broached upon the creation of the world? Sanconiathon, -Manetho, Berosus, and Ocellus Lucanus, have all attempted it in vain. -The latter has these words, Anarchon ara kai atelutaion to pan, which -imply that all things have neither beginning nor end. Manetho also, -who lived about the time of Nebuchadon-Asser, Asser being a Syriac word -usually applied as a sirname to the kings of that country, as Teglat -Phael-Asser, Nabon-Asser, he, I say, formed a conjecture equally absurd; -for as we usually say ek to biblion kubernetes, which implies that books -will never teach the world; so he attempted to investigate--But, Sir, I -ask pardon, I am straying from the question.'--That he actually was; nor -could I for my life see how the creation of the world had any thing to -do with the business I was talking of; but it was sufficient to shew me -that he was a man of letters, and I now reverenced him the more. I was -resolved therefore to bring him to the touch-stone; but he was too mild -and too gentle to contend for victory. Whenever I made any observation -that looked like a challenge to controversy, he would smile, shake his -head, and say nothing; by which I understood he could say much, if -he thought proper. The subject therefore insensibly changed from the -business of antiquity to that which brought us both to the fair; mine I -told him was to sell an horse, and very luckily, indeed, his was to buy -one for one of his tenants. My horse was soon produced, and in fine we -struck a bargain. Nothing now remained but to pay me, and he accordingly -pulled out a thirty pound note, and bid me change it. Not being in a -capacity of complying with his demand, he ordered his footman to be -called up, who made his appearance in a very genteel livery. 'Here, -Abraham,' cried he, 'go and get gold for this; you'll do it at neighbour -Jackson's, or any where.' While the fellow was gone, he entertained -me with a pathetic harangue on the great scarcity of silver, which I -undertook to improve, by deploring also the great scarcity of gold; so -that by the time Abraham returned, we had both agreed that money was -never so hard to be come at as now. Abraham returned to inform us, that -he had been over the whole fair and could not get change, tho' he had -offered half a crown for doing it. This was a very great disappointment -to us all; but the old gentleman having paused a little, asked me if I -knew one Solomon Flamborough in my part of the country: upon replying -that he was my next door neighbour, 'if that be the case then,' returned -he, 'I believe we shall deal. You shall have a draught upon him, payable -at sight; and let me tell you he is as warm a man as any within five -miles round him. Honest Solomon and I have been acquainted for many -years together. I remember I always beat him at threejumps; but he could -hop upon one leg farther than I.' A draught upon my neighbour was to me -the same as money; for I was sufficiently convinced of his ability: -the draught was signed and put into my hands, and Mr Jenkinson, the old -gentleman, his man Abraham, and my horse, old Blackberry, trotted off -very well pleased with each other. - -After a short interval being left to reflection, I began to recollect -that I had done wrong in taking a draught from a stranger, and so -prudently resolved upon following the purchaser, and having back my -horse. But this was now too late: I therefore made directly homewards, -resolving to get the draught changed into money at my friend's as fast -as possible. I found my honest neighbour smoking his pipe at his own -door, and informing him that I had a small bill upon him, he read -it twice over. 'You can read the name, I suppose,' cried I, 'Ephraim -Jenkinson.' 'Yes,' returned he, 'the name is written plain enough, and I -know the gentleman too, the greatest rascal under the canopy of heaven. -This is the very same rogue who sold us the spectacles. Was he not a -venerable looking man, with grey hair, and no flaps to his pocket-holes? -And did he not talk a long string of learning about Greek and cosmogony, -and the world?' To this I replied with a groan. 'Aye,' continued he, 'he -has but that one piece of learning in the world, and he always talks it -away whenever he finds a scholar in company; but I know the rogue, and -will catch him yet.' Though I was already sufficiently mortified, my -greatest struggle was to come, in facing my wife and daughters. No -truant was ever more afraid of returning to school, there to behold the -master's visage, than I was of going home. I was determined, however, to -anticipate their fury, by first falling into a passion myself. - -But, alas! upon entering, I found the family no way disposed for battle. -My wife and girls were all in tears, Mr Thornhill having been there that -day to inform them, that their journey to town was entirely over. The -two ladies having heard reports of us from some malicious person about -us, were that day set out for London. He could neither discover the -tendency, nor the author of these, but whatever they might be, or -whoever might have broached them, he continued to assure our family of -his friendship and protection. I found, therefore, that they bore -my disappointment with great resignation, as it was eclipsed in the -greatness of their own. But what perplexed us most was to think who -could be so base as to asperse the character of a family so harmless as -ours, too humble to excite envy, and too inoffensive to create disgust. - - - -CHAPTER 15 - - All, Mr Burchell's villainy at once detected. The folly of - being over-wise - - -That evening and a part of the following day was employed in fruitless -attempts to discover our enemies: scarce a family in the neighbourhood -but incurred our suspicions, and each of us had reasons for our opinion -best known to ourselves. As we were in this perplexity, one of our -little boys, who had been playing abroad, brought in a letter-case, -which he found on the green. It was quickly known to belong to Mr -Burchell, with whom it had been seen, and, upon examination, contained -some hints upon different subjects; but what particularly engaged our -attention was a sealed note, superscribed, 'The copy of a letter to be -sent to the two ladies at Thornhill-castle.' It instantly occurred that -he was the base informer, and we deliberated whether the note should not -be broke open. I was against it; but Sophia, who said she was sure -that of all men he would be the last to be guilty of so much baseness, -insisted upon its being read, In this she was seconded by the rest of -the family, and, at their joint solicitation, I read as follows:-- - -'Ladies,--The bearer will sufficiently satisfy you as to the person -from whom this comes: one at least the friend of innocence, and ready to -prevent its being seduced. I am informed for a truth, that you have -some intention of bringing two young ladies to town, whom I have some -knowledge of, under the character of companions. As I would neither have -simplicity imposed upon, nor virtue contaminated, I must offer it as -my opinion, that the impropriety of such a step will be attended with -dangerous consequences. It has never been my way to treat the infamous -or the lewd with severity; nor should I now have taken this method of -explaining myself, or reproving folly, did it not aim at guilt. Take -therefore the admonition of a friend, and seriously reflect on the -consequences of introducing infamy and vice into retreats where peace -and innocence have hitherto resided.' Our doubts were now at an end. -There seemed indeed something applicable to both sides in this letter, -and its censures might as well be referred to those to whom it was -written, as to us; but the malicious meaning was obvious, and we went no -farther. My wife had scarce patience to hear me to the end, but railed -at the writer with unrestrained resentment. Olivia was equally severe, -and Sophia seemed perfectly amazed at his baseness. As for my part, it -appeared to me one of the vilest instances of unprovoked ingratitude -I had met with. Nor could I account for it in any other manner than -by imputing it to his desire of detaining my youngest daughter in the -country, to have the more frequent opportunities of an interview. In -this manner we all sate ruminating upon schemes of vengeance, when -our other little boy came running in to tell us that Mr Burchell was -approaching at the other end of the field. It is easier to conceive than -describe the complicated sensations which are felt from the pain of -a recent injury, and the pleasure of approaching vengeance. Tho' our -intentions were only to upbraid him with his ingratitude; yet it was -resolved to do it in a manner that would be perfectly cutting. For this -purpose we agreed to meet him with our usual smiles, to chat in the -beginning with more than ordinary kindness, to amuse him a little; -and then in the midst of the flattering calm to burst upon him like an -earthquake, and overwhelm him with the sense of his own baseness. This -being resolved upon, my wife undertook to manage the business herself, -as she really had some talents for such an undertaking. We saw him -approach, he entered, drew a chair, and sate down.--'A fine day, Mr -Burchell.'--'A very fine day, Doctor; though I fancy we shall have some -rain by the shooting of my corns.'--'The shooting of your horns,' cried -my wife, in a loud fit of laughter, and then asked pardon for being fond -of a joke.--'Dear madam,' replied he, 'I pardon you with all my heart; -for I protest I should not have thought it a joke had you not told -me.'--'Perhaps not, Sir,' cried my wife, winking at us, 'and yet I dare -say you can tell us how many jokes go to an ounce.'--'I fancy, madam,' -returned Burchell, 'you have been reading a jest book this morning, that -ounce of jokes is so very good a conceit; and yet, madam, I had rather -see half an ounce of understanding.'--'I believe you might,' cried my -wife, still smiling at us, though the laugh was against her; 'and yet -I have seen some men pretend to understanding that have very -little.'--'And no doubt,' replied her antagonist, 'you have known ladies -set up for wit that had none.'--I quickly began to find that my wife was -likely to gain but little at this business; so I resolved to treat him -in a stile of more severity myself. 'Both wit and understanding,' cried -I, 'are trifles, without integrity: it is that which gives value to -every character. The ignorant peasant, without fault, is greater than -the philosopher with many; for what is genius or courage without an -heart? An honest man is the noblest work of God. - -'I always held that hackney'd maxim of Pope,' returned Mr Burchell, -'as very unworthy a man of genius, and a base desertion of his own -superiority. As the reputation of books is raised not by their freedom -from defect, but the greatness of their beauties; so should that of -men be prized not for their exemption from fault, but the size of -those virtues they are possessed of. The scholar may want prudence, the -statesman may have pride, and the champion ferocity; but shall we -prefer to these the low mechanic, who laboriously plods on through life, -without censure or applause? We might as well prefer the tame correct -paintings of the Flemish school to the erroneous, but sublime animations -of the Roman pencil.' - -'Sir,' replied I, 'your present observation is just, when there are -shining virtues and minute defects; but when it appears that great -vices are opposed in the same mind to as extraordinary virtues, such a -character deserves contempt.' 'Perhaps,' cried he, 'there may be some -such monsters as you describe, of great vices joined to great virtues; -yet in my progress through life, I never yet found one instance of their -existence: on the contrary, I have ever perceived, that where the mind -was capacious, the affections were good. And indeed Providence -seems kindly our friend in this particular, thus to debilitate the -understanding where the heart is corrupt, and diminish the power where -there is the will to do mischief. This rule seems to extend even to -other animals: the little vermin race are ever treacherous, cruel, and -cowardly, whilst those endowed with strength and power are generous, -brave, and gentle.' - -'These observations sound well,' returned I, 'and yet it would be easy -this moment to point out a man,' and I fixed my eye stedfastly upon -him, 'whose head and heart form a most detestable contrast. Ay, Sir,' -continued I, raising my voice, 'and I am glad to have this opportunity -of detecting him in the midst of his fancied security. Do you know -this, Sir, this pocket-book?'--'Yes, Sir,' returned he, with a face of -impenetrable assurance, 'that pocket-book is mine, and I am glad you -have found it.'--'And do you know,' cried I, 'this letter? Nay, never -falter man; but look me full in the face: I say, do you know this -letter?'--'That letter,' returned he, 'yes, it was I that wrote that -letter.'--'And how could you,' said I, 'so basely, so ungratefully -presume to write this letter?'--'And how came you,' replied he, with -looks of unparallelled effrontery, 'so basely to presume to break open -this letter? Don't you know, now, I could hang you all for this? All -that I have to do, is to swear at the next justice's, that you have been -guilty of breaking open the lock of my pocket-book, and so hang you all -up at his door.' This piece of unexpected insolence raised me to such a -pitch, that I could scare govern my passion. 'Ungrateful wretch, begone, -and no longer pollute my dwelling with thy baseness. Begone, and never -let me see thee again: go from my doors, and the only punishment I wish -thee is an allarmed conscience, which will be a sufficient tormentor!' -So saying, I threw him his pocket-book, which he took up with a smile, -and shutting the clasps with the utmost composure, left us, quite -astonished at the serenity of his assurance. My wife was particularly -enraged that nothing could make him angry, or make him seem ashamed of -his villainies. 'My dear,' cried I, willing to calm those passions that -had been raised too high among us, 'we are not to be surprised that bad -men want shame; they only blush at being detected in doing good, but -glory in their vices. - -'Guilt and shame, says the allegory, were at first companions, and in -the beginning of their journey inseparably kept together. But their -union was soon found to be disagreeable and inconvenient to both; guilt -gave shame frequent uneasiness, and shame often betrayed the secret -conspiracies of guilt. After long disagreeement, therefore, they at -length consented to part for ever. Guilt boldly walked forward alone, -to overtake fate, that went before in the shape of an executioner: -but shame being naturally timorous, returned back to keep company with -virtue, which, in the beginning of their journey, they had left behind. -Thus, my children, after men have travelled through a few stages in -vice, shame forsakes them, and returns back to wait upon the few virtues -they have still remaining.' - - - -CHAPTER 16 - - Family use art, which is opposed with, still greater - - -Whatever might have been Sophia's sensations, the rest of the family -was easily consoled, for Mr Burchell's absence by the company of our -landlord, whose visits now became more frequent and longer. Though he -had been disappointed in procuring my daughters the amusements of the -town, as he designed, he took every opportunity of supplying them with -those little recreations which our retirement would admit of. He usually -came in the morning, and while my son and I followed our occupations -abroad, he sat with the family at home, and amused them by describing -the town, with every part of which he was particularly acquainted. He -could repeat all the observations that were retailed in the atmosphere -of the playhouses, and had all the good things of the high wits by rote -long before they made way into the jest-books. The intervals between -conversation were employed in teaching my daughters piquet, or sometimes -in setting my two little ones to box to make them sharp, as he called -it: but the hopes of having him for a son-in-law, in some measure -blinded us to all his imperfections. It must be owned that my wife laid -a thousand schemes to entrap him, or, to speak it more tenderly, used -every art to magnify the merit of her daughter. If the cakes at tea eat -short and crisp, they were made by Olivia: if the gooseberry wine was -well knit, the gooseberries were of her gathering: it was her fingers -which gave the pickles their peculiar green; and in the composition of -a pudding, it was her judgment that mix'd the ingredients. Then the poor -woman would sometimes tell the 'Squire, that she thought him and Olivia -extremely of a size, and would bid both stand up to see which was -tallest. These instances of cunning, which she thought impenetrable, yet -which every body saw through, were very pleasing to our benefactor, who -gave every day some new proofs of his passion, which though they had not -arisen to proposals of marriage, yet we thought fell but little short of -it; and his slowness was attributed sometimes to native bashfulness, and -sometimes to his fear of offending his uncle. An occurrence, however, -which happened soon after, put it beyond a doubt that he designed -to become one of our family, my wife even regarded it as an absolute -promise. - -My wife and daughters happening to return a visit to neighbour -Flamborough's, found that family had lately got their pictures drawn -by a limner, who travelled the country, and took likenesses for fifteen -shillings a head. As this family and ours had long a sort of rivalry in -point of taste, our spirit took the alarm at this stolen march upon us, -and notwithstanding all I could say, and I said much, it was resolved -that we should have our pictures done too. Having, therefore, engaged -the limner, for what could I do? our next deliberation was to shew -the superiority of our taste in the attitudes. As for our neighbour's -family, there were seven of them, and they were drawn with seven -oranges, a thing quite out of taste, no variety in life, no composition -in the world. We desired to have something in a brighter style, and, -after many debates, at length came to an unanimous resolution of being -drawn together, in one large historical family piece. This would be -cheaper, since one frame would serve for all, and it would be infinitely -more genteel; for all families of any taste were now drawn in the same -manner. As we did not immediately recollect an historical subject to hit -us, we were contented each with being drawn as independent historical -figures. My wife desired to be represented as Venus, and the painter was -desired not to be too frugal of his diamonds in her stomacher and hair. -Her two little ones were to be as Cupids by her side, while I, in -my gown and band, was to present her with my books on the Whistonian -controversy. Olivia would be drawn as an Amazon, sitting upon a bank of -flowers, drest in a green joseph, richly laced with gold, and a whip -in her hand. Sophia was to be a shepherdess, with as many sheep as the -painter could put in for nothing; and Moses was to be drest out with an -hat and white feather. Our taste so much pleased the 'Squire, that -he insisted on being put in as one of the family in the character of -Alexander the great, at Olivia's feet. This was considered by us all as -an indication of his desire to be introduced into the family, nor could -we refuse his request. The painter was therefore set to work, and as he -wrought with assiduity and expedition, in less than four days the whole -was compleated. The piece was large, and it must be owned he did not -spare his colours; for which my wife gave him great encomiums. We -were all perfectly satisfied with his performance; but an unfortunate -circumstance had not occurred till the picture was finished, which now -struck us with dismay. It was so very large that we had no place in the -house to fix it. How we all came to disregard so material a point is -inconceivable; but certain it is, we had been all greatly remiss. The -picture, therefore, instead of gratifying our vanity, as we hoped, -leaned, in a most mortifying manner, against the kitchen wall, where the -canvas was stretched and painted, much too large to be got through any -of the doors, and the jest of all our neighhours. One compared it to -Robinson Crusoe's long-boat, too large to be removed; another thought -it more resembled a reel in a bottle; some wondered how it could be got -out, but still more were amazed how it ever got in. - -But though it excited the ridicule of some, it effectually raised more -malicious suggestions in many. The 'Squire's portrait being found united -with ours, was an honour too great to escape envy. Scandalous whispers -began to circulate at our expence, and our tranquility was continually -disturbed by persons who came as friends to tell us what was said of us -by enemies. These reports we always resented with becoming spirit; but -scandal ever improves by opposition. - -We once again therefore entered into a consultation upon obviating the -malice of our enemies, and at last came to a resolution which had -too much cunning to give me entire satisfaction. It was this: as our -principal object was to discover the honour of Mr Thornhill's addresses, -my wife undertook to sound him, by pretending to ask his advice in the -choice of an husband for her eldest daughter. If this was not found -sufficient to induce him to a declaration, it was then resolved to -terrify him with a rival. To this last step, however, I would by no -means give my consent, till Olivia gave me the most solemn assurances -that she would marry the person provided to rival him upon this -occasion, if he did not prevent it, by taking her himself. Such was -the scheme laid, which though I did not strenuously oppose, I did not -entirely approve. - -The next time, therefore, that Mr Thornhill came to see us, my girls -took care to be out of the way, in order to give their mamma an -opportunity of putting her scheme in execution; but they only retired to -the next room, from whence they could over-hear the whole conversation: -My wife artfully introduced it, by observing, that one of the Miss -Flamboroughs was like to have a very good match of it in Mr Spanker. To -this the 'Squire assenting, she proceeded to remark, that they who had -warm fortunes were always sure of getting good husbands: 'But heaven -help,' continued she, 'the girls that have none. What signifies -beauty, Mr Thornhill? or what signifies all the virtue, and all the -qualifications in the world, in this age of self-interest? It is not, -what is she? but what has she? is all the cry.' - -'Madam,' returned he, 'I highly approve the justice, as well as the -novelty, of your remarks, and if I were a king, it should be otherwise. -It should then, indeed, be fine times with the girls without fortunes: -our two young ladies should be the first for whom I would provide.' 'Ah, -Sir!' returned my wife, 'you are pleased to be facetious: but I wish I -were a queen, and then I know where my eldest daughter should look for -an husband. But now, that you have put it into my head, seriously Mr -Thornhill, can't you recommend me a proper husband for her? She is now -nineteen years old, well grown and well educated, and, in my humble -opinion, does not want for parts.' 'Madam,' replied he, 'if I were to -chuse, I would find out a person possessed of every accomplishment -that can make an angel happy. One with prudence, fortune, taste, and -sincerity, such, madam, would be, in my opinion, the proper husband.' -'Ay, Sir,' said she, 'but do you know of any such person?'--'No, madam,' -returned he, 'it is impossible to know any person that deserves to be -her husband: she's too great a treasure for one man's possession: she's -a goddess. Upon my soul, I speak what I think, she's an angel.'--'Ah, Mr -Thornhill, you only flatter my poor girl: but we have been thinking of -marrying her to one of your tenants, whose mother is lately dead, and -who wants a manager: you know whom I mean, farmer Williams; a warm man, -Mr Thornhill, able to give her good bread; and who has several times -made her proposals: (which was actually the case) but, Sir,' concluded -she, 'I should be glad to have your approbation of our choice.'--'How, -madam,' replied he, 'my approbation! My approbation of such a choice! -Never. What! Sacrifice so much beauty, and sense, and goodness, to a -creature insensible of the blessing! Excuse me, I can never approve of -such a piece of injustice And I have my reasons!'--'Indeed, Sir,' cried -Deborah, 'if you have your reasons, that's another affair; but I should -be glad to know those reasons.'--'Excuse me, madam,' returned he, 'they -lie too deep for discovery: (laying his hand upon his bosom) they remain -buried, rivetted here.' - -After he was gone, upon general consultation, we could not tell what to -make of these fine sentiments. Olivia considered them as instances of -the most exalted passion; but I was not quite so sanguine: it seemed to -me pretty plain, that they had more of love than matrimony in them: yet, -whatever they might portend, it was resolved to prosecute the scheme -of farmer Williams, who, from my daughter's first appearance in the -country, had paid her his addresses. - - - -CHAPTER 17 - - Scarce any virtue found to resist the power of long and - pleasing temptation - -As I only studied my child's real happiness, the assiduity of Mr -Williams pleased me, as he was in easy circumstances, prudent, and -sincere. It required but very little encouragement to revive his former -passion; so that in an evening or two he and Mr Thornhill met at our -house, and surveyed each other for some time with looks of anger: but -Williams owed his landlord no rent, and little regarded his indignation. -Olivia, on her side, acted the coquet to perfection, if that might be -called acting which was her real character, pretending to lavish all -her tenderness on her new lover. Mr Thornhill appeared quite dejected -at this preference, and with a pensive air took leave, though I own it -puzzled me to find him so much in pain as he appeared to be, when he -had it in his power so easily to remove the cause, by declaring an -honourable passion. But whatever uneasiness he seemed to endure, it -could easily be perceived that Olivia's anguish was still greater. After -any of these interviews between her lovers, of which there were several, -she usually retired to solitude, and there indulged her grief. It was -in such a situation I found her one evening, after she had been for some -time supporting a fictitious gayety.--'You now see, my child,' said -I, 'that your confidence in Mr Thornhill's passion was all a dream: he -permits the rivalry of another, every way his inferior, though he -knows it lies in his power to secure you to himself by a candid -declaration.'--'Yes, pappa,' returned she, 'but he has his reasons for -this delay: I know he has. The sincerity of his looks and words -convince me of his real esteem. A short time, I hope, will discover the -generosity of his sentiments, and convince you that my opinion of him -has been more just than yours.'--'Olivia, my darling,' returned -I, 'every scheme that has been hitherto pursued to compel him to a -declaration, has been proposed and planned by yourself, nor can you in -the least say that I have constrained you. But you must not suppose, my -dear, that I will ever be instrumental in suffering his honest rival -to be the dupe of your ill-placed passion. Whatever time you require to -bring your fancied admirer to an explanation shall be granted; but -at the expiration of that term, if he is still regardless, I must -absolutely insist that honest Mr Williams shall be rewarded for his -fidelity. The character which I have hitherto supported in life demands -this from me, and my tenderness, as a parent, shall never influence -my integrity as a man. Name then your day, let it be as distant as you -think proper, and in the mean time take care to let Mr Thornhill know -the exact time on which I design delivering you up to another. If he -really loves you, his own good sense will readily suggest that there is -but one method alone to prevent his losing you forever.'--This proposal, -which she could not avoid considering as perfectly just, was readily -agreed to. She again renewed her most positive promise of marrying -Mr Williams, in case of the other's insensibility; and at the next -opportunity, in Mr Thornhill's presence, that day month was fixed upon -for her nuptials with his rival. - -Such vigorous proceedings seemed to redouble Mr Thornhill's anxiety: -but what Olivia really felt gave me some uneasiness. In this struggle -between prudence and passion, her vivacity quite forsook her, and every -opportunity of solitude was sought, and spent in tears. One week passed -away; but Mr Thornhill made no efforts to restrain her nuptials. The -succeeding week he was still assiduous; but not more open. On the -third he discontinued his visits entirely, and instead of my daughter -testifying any impatience, as I expected, she seemed to retain a pensive -tranquillity, which I looked upon as resignation. For my own part, I -was now sincerely pleased with thinking that my child was going to -be secured in a continuance of competence and peace, and frequently -applauded her resolution, in preferring happiness to ostentation. - -It was within about four days of her intended nuptials, that my little -family at night were gathered round a charming fire, telling stories -of the past, and laying schemes for the future. Busied in forming a -thousand projects, and laughing at whatever folly came uppermost, 'Well, -Moses,' cried I, 'we shall soon, my boy, have a wedding in the family, -what is your opinion of matters and things in general?'--'My opinion, -father, is, that all things go on very well; and I was just now -thinking, that when sister Livy is married to farmer Williams, we -shall then have the loan of his cyder-press and brewing tubs for -nothing.'--'That we shall, Moses,' cried I, 'and he will sing us Death -and the Lady, to raise our spirits into the bargain.'--'He has taught -that song to our Dick,' cried Moses; 'and I think he goes thro' it very -prettily.'--'Does he so,' cried I, then let us have it: where's little -Dick? let him up with it boldly.'--'My brother Dick,' cried Bill my -youngest, 'is just gone out with sister Livy; but Mr Williams has taught -me two songs, and I'll sing them for you, pappa. Which song do you -chuse, the Dying Swan, or the Elegy on the death of a mad dog?' 'The -elegy, child, by all means,' said I, 'I never heard that yet; and -Deborah, my life, grief you know is dry, let us have a bottle of the -best gooseberry wine, to keep up our spirits. I have wept so much at -all sorts of elegies of late, that without an enlivening glass I am sure -this will overcome me; and Sophy, love, take your guitar, and thrum in -with the boy a little.' - -An Elegy on the Death of a Mad Dog. - -Good people all, of every sort, Give ear unto my song; And if you find -it wond'rous short, It cannot hold you long. - -In Isling town there was a man, Of whom the world might say, That still -a godly race he ran, Whene'er he went to pray. - -A kind and gentle heart he had, To comfort friends and foes; The naked -every day he clad, When he put on his cloaths. - -And in that town a dog was found, As many dogs there be, Both mungrel, -puppy, whelp, and hound, And curs of low degree. - -This dog and man at first were friends; But when a pique began, The dog, -to gain some private ends, Went mad and bit the man. - -Around from all the neighbouring streets, The wondering neighbours ran, -And swore the dog had lost his wits, To bite so good a man. - -The wound it seem'd both sore and sad, To every Christian eye; And while -they swore the dog was mad, They swore the man would die. - -But soon a wonder came to light, That shew'd the rogues they lied, The -man recovered of the bite, The dog it was that dy'd. - -'A very good boy, Bill, upon my word, and an elegy that may truly be -called tragical. Come, my children, here's Bill's health, and may he one -day be a bishop.' - -'With all my heart,' cried my wife; 'and if he but preaches as well -as he sings, I make no doubt of him. The most of his family, by the -mother's side, could sing a good song: it was a common saying in our -country, that the family of the Blenkinsops could never look strait -before them, nor the Huginsons blow out a candle; that there were none -of the Grograms but could sing a song, or of the Marjorams but could -tell a story.'--'However that be,' cried I, 'the most vulgar ballad -of them all generally pleases me better than the fine modern odes, and -things that petrify us in a single stanza; productions that we at once -detest and praise. Put the glass to your brother, Moses.--The great -fault of these elegiasts is, that they are in despair for griefs that -give the sensible part of mankind very little pain. A lady loses her -muff, her fan, or her lap-dog, and so the silly poet runs home to -versify the disaster.' - -'That may be the mode,' cried Moses, 'in sublimer compositions; but the -Ranelagh songs that come down to us are perfectly familiar, and all cast -in the same mold: Colin meets Dolly, and they hold a dialogue together; -he gives her a fairing to put in her hair, and she presents him with -a nosegay; and then they go together to church, where they give good -advice to young nymphs and swains to get married as fast as they can.' - -'And very good advice too,' cried I, 'and I am told there is not a place -in the world where advice can be given with so much propriety as there; -for, as it persuades us to marry, it also furnishes us with a wife; and -surely that must be an excellent market, my boy, where we are told what -we want, and supplied with it when wanting.' - -'Yes, Sir,' returned Moses, 'and I know but of two such markets for -wives in Europe, Ranelagh in England, and Fontarabia in Spain.' The -Spanish market is open once a year, but our English wives are saleable -every night.' - -'You are right, my boy,' cried his mother, 'Old England is the only -place in the world for husbands to get wives.'--'And for wives to manage -their husbands,' interrupted I. 'It is a proverb abroad, that if a -bridge were built across the sea, all the ladies of the Continent would -come over to take pattern from ours; for there are no such wives in -Europe as our own. 'But let us have one bottle more, Deborah, my life, -and Moses give us a good song. What thanks do we not owe to heaven for -thus bestowing tranquillity, health, and competence. I think myself -happier now than the greatest monarch upon earth. He has no such -fire-side, nor such pleasant faces about it. Yes, Deborah, we are now -growing old; but the evening of our life is likely to be happy. We are -descended from ancestors that knew no stain, and we shall leave a good -and virtuous race of children behind us. While we live they will be our -support and our pleasure here, and when we die they will transmit our -honour untainted to posterity. Come, my son, we wait for a song: let -us have a chorus. But where is my darling Olivia? That little cherub's -voice is always sweetest in the concert.'--Just as I spoke Dick came -running in. 'O pappa, pappa, she is gone from us, she is gone from us, -my sister Livy is gone from us for ever'--'Gone, child'--'Yes, she is -gone off with two gentlemen in a post chaise, and one of them kissed -her, and said he would die for her; and she cried very much, and was for -coming back; but he persuaded her again, and she went into the chaise, -and said, O what will my poor pappa do when he knows I am undone!'--'Now -then,' cried I, 'my children, go and be miserable; for we shall never -enjoy one hour more. And O may heaven's everlasting fury light upon him -and his! Thus to rob me of my child! And sure it will, for taking back -my sweet innocent that I was leading up to heaven. Such sincerity as my -child was possest of. But all our earthly happiness is now over! Go, -my children, go, and be miserable and infamous; for my heart is -broken within me!'--'Father,' cried my son, "is this your -fortitude?'--'Fortitude, child! Yes, he shall see I have fortitude! -Bring me my pistols. I'll pursue the traitor. While he is on earth I'll -pursue him. Old as I am, he shall find I can sting him yet. The villain! -The perfidious villain!'--I had by this time reached down my pistols, -when my poor wife, whose passions were not so strong as mine, caught me -in her arms. 'My dearest, dearest husband,' cried she, 'the bible is the -only weapon that is fit for your old hands now. Open that, my love, -and read our anguish into patience, for she has vilely deceived -us.'--'Indeed, Sir,' resumed my son, after a pause, 'your rage is too -violent and unbecoming. You should be my mother's comforter, and you -encrease her pain. It ill suited you and your reverend character thus to -curse your greatest enemy: you should not have curst him, villian as he -is.'--'I did not curse him, child, did I?'--'Indeed, Sir, you did; you -curst him twice.'--'Then may heaven forgive me and him if I did. And -now, my son, I see it was more than human benevolence that first taught -us to bless our enemies! Blest be his holy name for all the good he hath -given, and for all that he hath taken away. But it is not, it is not, a -small distress that can wring tears from these old eyes, that have not -wept for so many years. My Child!--To undo my darling! May confusion -seize! Heaven forgive me, what am I about to say! You may remember, my -love, how good she was, and how charming; till this vile moment all her -care was to make us happy. Had she but died! But she is gone, the honour -of our family contaminated, and I must look out for happiness in other -worlds than here. But my child, you saw them go off: perhaps he forced -her away? If he forced her, she may 'yet be innocent.'--'Ah no, Sir!' -cried the child; 'he only kissed her, and called her his angel, and -she wept very much, and leaned upon his arm, and they drove off very -fast.'--'She's an ungrateful creature,' cried my wife, who could scarce -speak for weeping, 'to use us thus. She never had the least constraint -put upon her affections. The vile strumpet has basely deserted her -parents without any provocation, thus to bring your grey hairs to the -grave, and I must shortly follow.' - -In this manner that night, the first of our real misfortunes, was spent -in the bitterness of complaint, and ill supported sallies of enthusiasm. -I determined, however, to find out our betrayer, wherever he was, and -reproach his baseness. The next morning we missed our wretched child at -breakfast, where she used to give life and cheerfulness to us all. My -wife, as before, attempted to ease her heart by reproaches. 'Never,' -cried she, 'shall that vilest stain of our family again darken those -harmless doors. I will never call her daughter more. No, let the -strumpet live with her vile seducer: she may bring us to shame but she -shall never more deceive us.' - -'Wife,' said I, 'do not talk thus hardly: my detestation of her guilt is -as great as yours; but ever shall this house and this heart be open to -a poor returning repentant sinner. The sooner she returns from her -transgression, the more welcome shall she be to me. For the first time -the very best may err; art may persuade, and novelty spread out its -charm. The first fault is the child of simplicity; but every other the -offspring of guilt. Yes, the wretched creature shall be welcome to this -heart and this house, tho' stained with ten thousand vices. I will -again hearken to the music of her voice, again will I hang fondly on her -bosom, if I find but repentance there. My son, bring hither my bible and -my staff, I will pursue her, wherever she is, and tho' I cannot save her -from shame, I may prevent the continuance of iniquity.' - - - -CHAPTER 18 - - The pursuit of a father to reclaim a lost child to virtue - - -Tho' the child could not describe the gentleman's person who handed his -sister into the post-chaise, yet my suspicions fell entirely upon our -young landlord, whose character for such intrigues was but too well -known. I therefore directed my steps towards Thornhill-castle, resolving -to upbraid him, and, if possible, to bring back my daughter: but before -I had reached his seat, I was met by one of my parishioners, who said -he saw a young lady resembling my daughter in a post-chaise with -a gentleman, whom, by the description, I could only guess to be Mr -Burchell, and that they drove very fast. This information, however, did -by no means satisfy me. I therefore went to the young 'Squire's, and -though it was yet early, insisted upon seeing him immediately: he soon -appeared with the most open familiar air, and seemed perfectly amazed at -my daughter's elopement, protesting upon his honour that he was quite -a stranger to it. I now therefore condemned my former suspicions, and -could turn them only on Mr Burchell, who I recollected had of late -several private conferences with her: but the appearance of another -witness left me no room to doubt of his villainy, who averred, that he -and my daughter were actually gone towards the wells, about thirty miles -off, where there was a great deal of company. Being driven to that state -of mind in which we are more ready to act precipitately than to reason -right, I never debated with myself, whether these accounts might not -have been given by persons purposely placed in my way, to mislead me, -but resolved to pursue my daughter and her fancied deluder thither. I -walked along with earnestness, and enquired of several by the way; but -received no accounts, till entering the town, I was met by a person -on horseback, whom I remembered to have seen at the 'Squire's, and he -assured me that if I followed them to the races, which were but thirty -miles farther, I might depend upon overtaking them; for he had seen them -dance there the night before, and the whole assembly seemed charmed with -my daughter's performance. Early the next day I walked forward to the -races, and about four in the afternoon I came upon the course. The -company made a very brilliant appearance, all earnestly employed in one -pursuit, that of pleasure; how different from mine, that of reclaiming a -lost child to virtue! I thought I perceived Mr Burchell at some distance -from me; but, as if he dreaded an interview, upon my approaching him, -he mixed among a crowd, and I saw him no more. I now reflected that it -would be to no purpose to continue my pursuit farther, and resolved to -return home to an innocent family, who wanted my assistance. But the -agitations of my mind, and the fatigues I had undergone, threw me into -a fever, the symptoms of which I perceived before I came off the course. -This was another unexpected stroke, as I was more than seventy miles -distant from home: however, I retired to a little ale-house by the -road-side, and in this place, the usual retreat of indigence and -frugality, I laid me down patiently to wait the issue of my disorder. -I languished here for near three weeks; but at last my constitution -prevailed, though I was unprovided with money to defray the expences of -my entertainment. It is possible the anxiety from this last circumstance -alone might have brought on a relapse, had I not been supplied by a -traveller, who stopt to take a cursory refreshment. This person was no -other than the philanthropic bookseller in St Paul's church-yard, who -has written so many little books for children: he called himself their -friend; but he was the friend of all mankind. He was no sooner alighted, -but he was in haste to be gone; for he was ever on business of the -utmost importance, and was at that time actually compiling materials -for the history of one Mr Thomas Trip. I immediately recollected this -good-natured man's red pimpled face; for he had published for me against -the Deuterogamists of the age, and from him I borrowed a few pieces, to -be paid at my return. Leaving the inn, therefore, as I was yet but weak, -I resolved to return home by easy journies of ten miles a day. My health -and usual tranquillity were almost restored, and I now condemned that -pride which had made me refractory to the hand of correction. Man little -knows what calamities are beyond his patience to bear till he tries -them; as in ascending the heights of ambition, which look bright from -below, every step we rise shews us some new and gloomy prospect of -hidden disappointment; so in our descent from the summits of pleasure, -though the vale of misery below may appear at first dark and gloomy, yet -the busy mind, still attentive to its own amusement, finds as we descend -something to flatter and to please. Still as we approach, the darkest -objects appear to brighten, and the mental eye becomes adapted to its -gloomy situation. - -I now proceeded forward, and had walked about two hours, when I -perceived what appeared at a distance like a waggon, which I was -resolved to overtake; but when I came up with it, found it to be a -strolling company's cart, that was carrying their scenes and other -theatrical furniture to the next village, where they were to exhibit. -The cart was attended only by the person who drove it, and one of the -company, as the rest of the players were to follow the ensuing day. -Good company upon the road, says the proverb, is the shortest cut, I -therefore entered into conversation with the poor player; and as I once -had some theatrical powers myself, I disserted on such topics with my -usual freedom: but as I was pretty much unacquainted with the present -state of the stage, I demanded who were the present theatrical writers -in vogue, who the Drydens and Otways of the day.--'I fancy, Sir,' cried -the player, 'few of our modern dramatists would think themselves much -honoured by being compared to the writers you mention. Dryden and Row's -manner, Sir, are quite out of fashion; our taste has gone back a whole -century, Fletcher, Ben Johnson, and all the plays of Shakespear, are the -only things that go down.'--'How,' cried I, 'is it possible the present -age can be pleased with that antiquated dialect, that obsolete -humour, those overcharged characters, which abound in the works you -mention?'--'Sir,' returned my companion, 'the public think nothing about -dialect, or humour, or character; for that is none of their business, -they only go to be amused, and find themselves happy when they can enjoy -a pantomime, under the sanction of Johnson's or Shakespear's name.'--'So -then, I suppose,' cried I, 'that our modern dramatists are rather -imitators of Shakespear than of nature.'--'To say the truth,' returned -my companion, 'I don't know that they imitate any thing at all; nor, -indeed does the public require it of them: it is not the composition of -the piece, but the number of starts and attitudes that may be introduced -into it that elicits applause. I have known a piece, with not one jest -in the whole, shrugged into popularity, and another saved by the poet's -throwing in a fit of the gripes. No, Sir, the works of Congreve and -Farquhar have too much wit in them for the present taste; our modern -dialect is much more natural.' - -By this time the equipage of the strolling company was arrived at the -village, which, it seems, had been apprised of our approach, and was -come out to gaze at us; for my companion observed, that strollers always -have more spectators without doors than within. I did not consider the -impropriety of my being in such company till I saw a mob gather -about me. I therefore took shelter, as fast as possible, in the first -ale-house that offered, and being shewn into the common room, was -accosted by a very well-drest gentleman, who demanded whether I was the -real chaplain of the company, or whether it was only to be my masquerade -character in the play. Upon informing him of the truth, and that I did -not belong in any sort to the company, he was condescending enough to -desire me and the player to partake in a bowl of punch, over which he -discussed modern politics with great earnestness and interest. I set him -down in my mind for nothing less than a parliament-man at least; but was -almost confirmed in my conjectures, when upon my asking what there was -in the house for supper, he insisted that the Player and I should sup -with him at his house, with which request, after some entreaties, we -were prevailed on to comply. - - - -CHAPTER 19 - - The description of a person discontented with the present - government, and apprehensive of the loss of our liberties - - -The house where we were to be entertained, lying at a small distance -from the village, our inviter observed, that as the coach was not ready, -he would conduct us on foot, and we soon arrived at one of the most -magnificent mansions I had seen in that part of the country. The -apartment into which we were shewn was perfectly elegant and modern; he -went to give orders for supper, while the player, with a wink, observed -that we were perfectly in luck. Our entertainer soon returned, -an elegant supper was brought in, two or three ladies, in an easy -deshabille, were introduced, and the conversation began with some -sprightliness. Politics, however, was the subject on which our -entertainer chiefly expatiated; for he asserted that liberty was at once -his boast and his terror. After the cloth was removed, he asked me if I -had seen the last Monitor, to which replying in the negative, 'What, nor -the Auditor, I suppose?' cried he. 'Neither, Sir,' returned I. 'That's -strange, very strange,' replied my entertainer. 'Now, I read all -the politics that come out. The Daily, the Public, the Ledger, the -Chronicle, the London Evening, the Whitehall Evening, the seventeen -magazines, and the two reviews; and though they hate each other, I love -them all. Liberty, Sir, liberty is the Briton's boast, and by all my -coal mines in Cornwall, I reverence its guardians.' 'Then it is to -be hoped,' cried I, 'you reverence the king.' 'Yes,' returned my -entertainer, 'when he does what we would have him; but if he goes on as -he has done of late, I'll never trouble myself more with his matters. I -say nothing. I think only. I could have directed some things better. I -don't think there has been a sufficient number of advisers: he should -advise with every person willing to give him advice, and then we should -have things done in anotherguess manner.' - -'I wish,' cried I, 'that such intruding advisers were fixed in the -pillory. It should be the duty of honest men to assist the weaker side -of our constitution, that sacred power that has for some years been -every day declining, and losing its due share of influence in the state. -But these ignorants still continue the cry of liberty, and if they have -any weight basely throw it into the subsiding scale.' - -'How,' cried one of the ladies, 'do I live to see one so base, so -sordid, as to be an enemy to liberty, and a defender of tyrants? -Liberty, that sacred gift of heaven, that glorious privilege of -Britons!' - -'Can it be possible,' cried our entertainer, 'that there should be any -found at present advocates for slavery? Any who are for meanly giving up -the privileges of Britons? Can any, Sir, be so abject?' - -'No, Sir,' replied I, 'I am for liberty, that attribute of Gods! -Glorious liberty! that theme of modern declamation. I would have all men -kings. I would be a king myself. We have all naturally an equal right -to the throne: we are all originally equal. This is my opinion, and was -once the opinion of a set of honest men who were called Levellers.' They -tried to erect themselves into a community, where all should be equally -free. But, alas! it would never answer; for there were some among them -stronger, and some more cunning than others, and these became masters of -the rest; for as sure as your groom rides your horses, because he is a -cunninger animal than they, so surely will the animal that is cunninger -or stronger than he, sit upon his shoulders in turn. Since then it is -entailed upon humanity to submit, and some are born to command, and -others to obey, the question is, as there must be tyrants, whether it is -better to have them in the same house with us, or in the same village, -or still farther off, in the metropolis. Now, Sir, for my own part, as I -naturally hate the face of a tyrant, the farther off he is removed from -me, the better pleased am I. The generality of mankind also are of my -way of thinking, and have unanimously created one king, whose election -at once diminishes the number of tyrants, and puts tyranny at the -greatest distance from the greatest number of people. Now the great who -were tyrants themselves before the election of one tyrant, are naturally -averse to a power raised over them, and whose weight must ever lean -heaviest on the subordinate orders. It is the interest of the great, -therefore, to diminish kingly power as much as possible; because -whatever they take from that is naturally restored to themselves; and -all they have to do in the state, is to undermine the single tyrant, by -which they resume their primaeval authority. Now, the state may be so -circumstanced, or its laws may be so disposed, or its men of opulence so -minded, as all to conspire in carrying on this business of undermining -monarchy. For, in the first place, if the circumstances of our state -be such, as to favour the accumulation of wealth, and make the opulent -still more rich, this will encrease their ambition. An accumulation of -wealth, however, must necessarily be the consequence, when as at present -more riches flow in from external commerce, than arise from internal -industry: for external commerce can only be managed to advantage by the -rich, and they have also at the same time all the emoluments arising -from internal industry: so that the rich, with us, have two sources of -wealth, whereas the poor have but one. For this reason, wealth in all -commercial states is found to accumulate, and all such have hitherto in -time become aristocratical. Again, the very laws also of this country -may contribute to the accumulation of wealth; as when by their means the -natural ties that bind the rich and poor together are broken, and it -is ordained that the rich shall only marry with the rich; or when the -learned are held unqualified to serve their country as counsellors -merely from a defect of opulence, and wealth is thus made the object of -a wise man's ambition; by these means I say, and such means as these, -riches will accumulate. Now the possessor of accumulated wealth, when -furnished with the necessaries and pleasures of life, has no other -method to employ the superfluity of his fortune but in purchasing power. -That is, differently speaking, in making dependents, by purchasing the -liberty of the needy or the venal, of men who are willing to bear the -mortification of contiguous tyranny for bread. Thus each very opulent -man generally gathers round him a circle of the poorest of the people; -and the polity abounding in accumulated wealth, may be compared to a -Cartesian system, each orb with a vortex of its own. Those, however, who -are willing to move in a great man's vortex, are only such as must -be slaves, the rabble of mankind, whose souls and whose education are -adapted to servitude, and who know nothing of liberty except the name. -But there must still be a large number of the people without the sphere -of the opulent man's influence, namely, that order of men which subsists -between the very rich and the very rabble; those men who are possest of -too large fortunes to submit to the neighbouring man in power, and yet -are too poor to set up for tyranny themselves. In this middle order of -mankind are generally to be found all the arts, wisdom, and virtues of -society. This order alone is known to be the true preserver of freedom, -and may be called the People. Now it may happen that this middle order -of mankind may lose all its influence in a state, and its voice be in a -manner drowned in that of the rabble: for if the fortune sufficient for -qualifying a person at present to give his voice in state affairs, be -ten times less than was judged sufficient upon forming the constitution, -it is evident that greater numbers of the rabble will thus be introduced -into the political system, and they ever moving in the vortex of the -great, will follow where greatness shall direct. In such a state, -therefore, all that the middle order has left, is to preserve the -prerogative and privileges of the one principal governor with the most -sacred circumspection. For he divides the power of the rich, and calls -off the great from falling with tenfold weight on the middle order -placed beneath them. The middle order may be compared to a town of which -the opulent are forming the siege, and which the governor from without -is hastening the relief. While the besiegers are in dread of an enemy -over them, it is but natural to offer the townsmen the most specious -terms; to flatter them with sounds, and amuse them with privileges: but -if they once defeat the governor from behind, the walls of the town will -be but a small defence to its inhabitants. What they may then expect, -may be seen by turning our eyes to Holland, Genoa, or Venice, where the -laws govern the poor, and the rich govern the law. I am then for, and -would die for, monarchy, sacred monarchy; for if there be any thing -sacred amongst men, it must be the anointed sovereign of his people, and -every diminution of his power in war, or in peace, is an infringement -upon the real liberties of the subject. The sounds of liberty, -patriotism, and Britons, have already done much, it is to be hoped that -the true sons of freedom will prevent their ever doing more. I have -known many of those pretended champions for liberty in my time, yet do I -not remember one that was not in his heart and in his family a tyrant.' - -My warmth I found had lengthened this harangue beyond the rules of good -breeding: but the impatience of my entertainer, who often strove to -interrupt it, could be restrained no longer. 'What,' cried he, 'then I -have been all this while entertaining a Jesuit in parson's cloaths; -but by all the coal mines of Cornwall, out he shall pack, if my name -be Wilkinson.' I now found I had gone too far, and asked pardon for -the warmth with which I had spoken. 'Pardon,' returned he in a fury: -'I think such principles demand ten thousand pardons. What, give up -liberty, property, and, as the Gazetteer says, lie down to be saddled -with wooden shoes! Sir, I insist upon your marching out of this house -immediately, to prevent worse consequences, Sir, I insist upon it.' -I was going to repeat my rernonstrances; but just then we heard a -footman's rap at the door, and the two ladies cried out, 'As sure -as death there is our master and mistress come home.' It seems my -entertainer was all this while only the butler, who, in his master's -absence, had a mind to cut a figure, and be for a while the gentleman -himself; and, to say the truth, he talked politics as well as most -country gentlemen do. But nothing could now exceed my confusion upon -seeing the gentleman, and his lady, enter, nor was their surprize, at -finding such company and good cheer, less than ours. 'Gentlemen,' cried -the real master of the house, to me and my companion, 'my wife and I are -your most humble servants; but I protest this is so unexpected a favour, -that we almost sink under the obligation.' However unexpected our -company might be to them, theirs, I am sure, was still more so to us, -and I was struck dumb with the apprehensions of my own absurdity, when -whom should I next see enter the room but my dear miss Arabella Wilmot, -who was formerly designed to be married to my son George; but whose -match was broken off, as already related. As soon as she saw me, she -flew to my arms with the utmost joy. 'My dear sir,' cried she, 'to what -happy accident is it that we owe so unexpected a visit? I am sure my -uncle and aunt will be in raptures when they find they have the good Dr -Primrose for their guest.' Upon hearing my name, the old gentleman -and lady very politely stept up, and welcomed me with most cordial -hospitality. Nor could they forbear smiling upon being informed of the -nature of my present visit: but the unfortunate butler, whom they at -first seemed disposed to turn away, was, at my intercession, forgiven. - -Mr Arnold and his lady, to whom the house belonged, now insisted upon -having the pleasure of my stay for some days, and as their niece, my -charming pupil, whose mind, in some measure, had been formed under my -own instructions, joined in their entreaties. I complied. That night -I was shewn to a magnificent chamber, and the next morning early Miss -Wilmot desired to walk with me in the garden, which was decorated in the -modern manner. After some time spent in pointing out the beauties of the -place, she enquired with seeming unconcern, when last I had heard from -my son George. 'Alas! Madam,' cried I, 'he has now been near three years -absent, without ever writing to his friends or me. Where he is I know -not; perhaps I shall never see him or happiness more. No, my dear Madam, -we shall never more see such pleasing hours as were once spent by our -fire-side at Wakefield. My little family are now dispersing very -fast, and poverty has brought not only want, but infamy upon us.' The -good-natured girl let fall a tear at this account; but as I saw her -possessed of too much sensibility, I forbore a more minute detail of our -sufferings. It was, however, some consolation to me to find that time -had made no alteration in her affections, and that she had rejected -several matches that had been made her since our leaving her part of the -country. She led me round all the extensive improvements of the place, -pointing to the several walks and arbours, and at the same time catching -from every object a hint for some new question relative to my son. -In this manner we spent the forenoon, till the bell summoned us in -to dinner, where we found the manager of the strolling company that -I mentioned before, who was come to dispose of tickets for the Fair -Penitent, which was to be acted that evening, the part of Horatio by -a young gentleman who had never appeared on any stage. He seemed to -be very warm in the praises of the new performer, and averred, that he -never saw any who bid so fair for excellence. Acting, he observed, was -not learned in a day; 'But this gentleman,' continued he, 'seems born -to tread the stage. His voice, his figure, and attitudes, are all -admirable. We caught him up accidentally in our journey down.' This -account, in some measure, excited our curiosity, and, at the entreaty -of the ladies, I was prevailed upon to accompany them to the play-house, -which was no other than a barn. As the company with which I went was -incontestably the chief of the place, we were received with the greatest -respect, and placed in the front seat of the theatre; where we sate for -some time with no small impatience to see Horatio make his appearance. -The new performer advanced at last, and let parents think of my -sensations by their own, when I found it was my unfortunate son. He was -going to begin, when, turning his eyes upon the audience, he perceived -Miss Wilmot and me, and stood at once speechless and immoveable. -The actors behind the scene, who ascribed this pause to his natural -timidity, attempted to encourage him; but instead of going on, he burst -into a flood of tears, and retired off the stage. I don't know what were -my feelings on this occasion; for they succeeded with too much rapidity -for description: but I was soon awaked from this disagreeable reverie by -Miss Wilmot, who, pale and with a trembling voice, desired me to conduct -her back to her uncle's. When got home, Mr Arnold, who was as yet a -stranger to our extraordinary behaviour, being informed that the new -performer was my son, sent his coach, and an invitation, for him; and as -he persisted in his refusal to appear again upon the stage, the players -put another in his place, and we soon had him with us. Mr Arnold gave -him the kindest reception, and I received him with my usual transport; -for I could never counterfeit false resentment. Miss Wilmot's reception -was mixed with seeming neglect, and yet I could perceive she acted a -studied part. The tumult in her mind seemed not yet abated; she said -twenty giddy things that looked like joy, and then laughed loud at -her own want of meaning. At intervals she would take a sly peep at the -glass, as if happy in the consciousness of unresisting beauty, and -often would ask questions, without giving any manner of attention to the -answers. - - - -CHAPTER 20 - - The history of a philosophic vagabond, pursuing novelty, but - losing content - - -After we had supped, Mrs Arnold politely offered to send a couple of her -footmen for my son's baggage, which he at first seemed to decline; but -upon her pressing the request, he was obliged to inform her, that a -stick and a wallet were all the moveable things upon this earth that he -could boast of. 'Why, aye my son,' cried I, 'you left me but poor, and -poor I find you are come back; and yet I make no doubt you have seen a -great deal of the world.'--'Yes, Sir,' replied my son, 'but travelling -after fortune, is not the way to secure her; and, indeed, of late, I -have desisted from the pursuit.'--'I fancy, Sir,' cried Mrs Arnold, -'that the account of your adventures would be amusing: the first part of -them I have often heard from my niece; but could the company prevail for -the rest, it would be an additional obligation.'--'Madam,' replied my -son, 'I promise you the pleasure you have in hearing, will not be half -so great as my vanity in repeating them; and yet in the whole narrative -I can scarce promise you one adventure, as my account is rather of what -I saw than what I did. The first misfortune of my life, which you all -know, was great; but tho' it distrest, it could not sink me. No person -ever had a better knack at hoping than I. The less kind I found fortune -at one time, the more I expected from her another, and being now at -the bottom of her wheel, every new revolution might lift, but could not -depress me. I proceeded, therefore, towards London in a fine morning, -no way uneasy about tomorrow, but chearful as the birds that caroll'd by -the road, and comforted myself with reflecting that London was the -mart where abilities of every kind were sure of meeting distinction and -reward. - -'Upon my arrival in town, Sir, my first care was to deliver your letter -of recommendation to our cousin, who was himself in little better -circumstances than I. My first scheme, you know, Sir, was to be usher -at an academy, and I asked his advice on the affair. Our cousin received -the proposal with a true Sardonic grin. Aye, cried he, this is indeed -a very pretty career, that has been chalked out for you. I have been an -usher at a boarding school myself; and may I die by an anodyne necklace, -but I had rather be an under turnkey in Newgate. I was up early and -late: I was brow-beat by the master, hated for my ugly face by the -mistress, worried by the boys within, and never permitted to stir out to -meet civility abroad. But are you sure you are fit for a school? Let me -examine you a little. Have you been bred apprentice to the business? No. -Then you won't do for a school. Can you dress the boys hair? No. Then -you won't do for a school. Have you had the small-pox? No. Then you -won't do for a school. Can you lie three in a bed? No. Then you will -never do for a school. Have you got a good stomach? Yes. Then you will -by no means do for a school. No, Sir, if you are for a genteel easy -profession, bind yourself seven years as an apprentice to turn a -cutler's wheel; but avoid a school by any means. Yet come, continued he, -I see you are a lad of spirit and some learning, what do you think of -commencing author, like me? You have read in books, no doubt, of men of -genius starving at the trade: At present I'll shew you forty very dull -fellows about town that live by it in opulence. All honest joggtrot men, -who go on smoothly and dully, and write history and politics, and are -praised; men, Sir, who, had they been bred coblers, would all their -lives have only mended shoes, but never made them. - -'Finding that there was no great degree of gentility affixed to the -character of an usher, I resolved to accept his proposal; and having the -highest respect for literature, hailed the antiqua mater of Grub-street -with reverence. I thought it my glory to pursue a track which Dryden -and Otway trod before me. I considered the goddess of this region as the -parent of excellence; and however an intercourse with the world might -give us good sense, the poverty she granted I supposed to be the nurse -of genius! Big with these reflections, I sate down, and finding that the -best things remained to be said on the wrong side, I resolved to write -a book that should be wholly new. I therefore drest up three paradoxes -with some ingenuity. They were false, indeed, but they were new. The -jewels of truth have been so often imported by others, that nothing was -left for me to import but some splendid things that at a distance looked -every bit as well. Witness you powers what fancied importance sate -perched upon my quill while I was writing. The whole learned world, I -made no doubt, would rise to oppose my systems; but then I was prepared -to oppose the whole learned world. Like the porcupine I sate self -collected, with a quill pointed against every opposer.' - -'Well said, my boy,' cried I, 'and what subject did you treat upon? I -hope you did not pass over the importance of Monogamy. But I interrupt, -go on; you published your paradoxes; well, and what did the learned -world say to your paradoxes?' - -'Sir,' replied my son, 'the learned world said nothing to my paradoxes; -nothing at all, Sir. Every man of them was employed in praising his -friends and himself, or condemning his enemies; and unfortunately, as I -had neither, I suffered the cruellest mortification, neglect. - -'As I was meditating one day in a coffee-house on the fate of my -paradoxes, a little man happening to enter the room, placed himself in -the box before me, and after some preliminary discourse, finding me to -be a scholar, drew out a bundle of proposals, begging me to subscribe to -a new edition he was going to give the world of Propertius, with notes. -This demand necessarily produced a reply that I had no money; and -that concession led him to enquire into the nature of my expectations. -Finding that my expectations were just as great as my purse, I see, -cried he, you are unacquainted with the town, I'll teach you a part of -it. Look at these proposals, upon these very proposals I have subsisted -very comfortably for twelve years. The moment a nobleman returns from -his travels, a Creolian arrives from Jamaica, or a dowager from her -country seat, I strike for a subscription. I first besiege their hearts -with flattery, and then pour in my proposals at the breach. If they -subscribe readily the first time, I renew my request to beg a dedication -fee. If they let me have that, I smite them once more for engraving -their coat of arms at the top. Thus, continued he, I live by vanity, and -laugh at it. But between ourselves, I am now too well known, I should -be glad to borrow your face a bit: a nobleman of distinction has just -returned from Italy; my face is familiar to his porter; but if you -bring this copy of verses, my life for it you succeed, and we divide the -spoil.' - -'Bless us, George,' cried I, 'and is this the employment of poets now! -Do men of their exalted talents thus stoop to beggary! Can they so far -disgrace their calling, as to make a vile traffic of praise for bread?' - -'O no, Sir,' returned he, 'a true poet can never be so base; for -wherever there is genius there is pride. The creatures I now describe -are only beggars in rhyme. The real poet, as he braves every hardship -for fame, so he is equally a coward to contempt, and none but those who -are unworthy protection condescend to solicit it. - -'Having a mind too proud to stoop to such indignities, and yet a fortune -too humble to hazard a second attempt for fame, I was now, obliged to -take a middle course, and write for bread. But I was unqualified for a -profession where mere industry alone was to ensure success. I could not -suppress my lurking passion for applause; but usually consumed that -time in efforts after excellence which takes up but little room, when -it should have been more advantageously employed in the diffusive -productions of fruitful mediocrity. My little piece would therefore come -forth in the mist of periodical publication, unnoticed and unknown. -The public were more importantly employed, than to observe the easy -simplicity of my style, of the harmony of my periods. Sheet after sheet -was thrown off to oblivion. My essays were buried among the essays -upon liberty, eastern tales, and cures for the bite of a mad dog; while -Philautos, Philalethes, Philelutheros, and Philanthropos, all wrote -better, because they wrote faster, than I. - -'Now, therefore, I began to associate with none but disappointed -authors, like myself, who praised, deplored, and despised each other. -The satisfaction we found in every celebrated writer's attempts, was -inversely as their merits. I found that no genius in another could -please me. My unfortunate paradoxes had entirely dried up that source -of comfort. I could neither read nor write with satisfaction; for -excellence in another was my aversion, and writing was my trade. - -'In the midst of these gloomy reflections, as I was one day sitting on a -bench in St James's park, a young gentleman of distinction, who had been -my intimate acquaintance at the university, approached me. We saluted -each other with some hesitation, he almost ashamed of being known to -one who made so shabby an appearance, and I afraid of a repulse. But -my suspicions soon vanished; for Ned Thornhill was at the bottom a very -good-natured fellow. - -'What did you say, George?' interrupted I. 'Thornhill, was not that his -name? It can certainly be no other than my landlord.'--'Bless me,' cried -Mrs Arnold, 'is Mr Thornhill so near a neighbour of yours? He has long -been a friend in our family, and we expect a visit from him shortly.' - -'My friend's first care,' continued my son, 'was to alter my appearance -by a very fine suit of his own cloaths, and then I was admitted to his -table upon the footing of half-friend, half-underling. My business was -to attend him at auctions, to put him in spirits when he sate for -his picture, to take the left hand in his chariot when not filled by -another, and to assist at tattering a kip, as the phrase was, when -we had a mind for a frolic. Beside this, I had twenty other little -employments in the family. I was to do many small things without -bidding; to carry the cork screw; to stand godfather to all the butler's -children; to sing when I was bid; to be never out of humour; always to -be humble, and, if I could, to be very happy. - -'In this honourable post, however, I was not without a rival. A captain -of marines, who was formed for the place by nature, opposed me in my -patron's affections. His mother had been laundress to a man of quality, -and thus he early acquired a taste for pimping and pedigree. As this -gentleman made it the study of his life to be acquainted with lords, -though he was dismissed from several for his stupidity; yet he -found many of them who were as dull as himself, that permitted his -assiduities. As flattery was his trade, he practised it with the easiest -address imaginable; but it came aukward and stiff from me; and as every -day my patron's desire of flattery encreased, so every hour being better -acquainted with his defects, I became more unwilling to give it. Thus I -was once more fairly going to give up the field to the captain, when my -friend found occasion for my assistance. This was nothing less than to -fight a duel for him, with a gentleman whose sister it was pretended he -had used ill. I readily complied with his request, and tho' I see you -are displeased at my conduct, yet as it was a debt indispensably due -to friendship, I could not refuse. I undertook the affair, disarmed my -antagonist, and soon after had the pleasure of finding that the lady was -only a woman of the town, and the fellow her bully and a sharper. This -piece of service was repaid with the warmest professions of gratitude; -but as my friend was to leave town in a few days, he knew no other -method of serving me, but by recommending me to his uncle Sir William -Thornhill, and another nobleman of great distinction, who enjoyed a post -under the government. When he was gone, my first care was to carry his -recommendatory letter to his uncle, a man whose character for every -virtue was universal, yet just. I was received by his servants with the -most hospitable smiles; for the looks of the domestics ever transmit -their master's benevolence. Being shewn into a grand apartment, where -Sir William soon came to me, I delivered my message and letter, which -he read, and after pausing some minutes, Pray, Sir, cried he, inform me -what you have done for my kinsman, to deserve this warm recommendation? -But I suppose, Sir, I guess your merits, you have fought for him; and -so you would expect a reward from me, for being the instrument of his -vices. I wish, sincerely wish, that my present refusal may be some -punishment for your guilt; but still more, that it may be some -inducement to your repentance.--The severity of this rebuke I bore -patiently, because I knew it was just. My whole expectations now, -therefore, lay in my letter to the great man. As the doors of the -nobility are almost ever beset with beggars, all ready to thrust in some -sly petition, I found it no easy matter to gain admittance. However, -after bribing the servants with half my worldly fortune, I was at last -shewn into a spacious apartment, my letter being previously sent up for -his lordship's inspection. During this anxious interval I had full time -to look round me. Every thing was grand, and of happy contrivance: -the paintings, the furniture, the gildings, petrified me with awe, and -raised my idea of the owner. Ah, thought I to myself, how very great -must the possessor of all these things be, who carries in his head the -business of the state, and whose house displays half the wealth of -a kingdom: sure his genius must be unfathomable! During these awful -reflections I heard a step come heavily forward. Ah, this is the great -man himself! No, it was only a chambermaid. Another foot was heard -soon after. This must be He! No, it was only the great man's valet de -chambre. At last his lordship actually made his appearance. Are you, -cried he, the bearer of this here letter? I answered with a bow. I learn -by this, continued he, as how that--But just at that instant a servant -delivered him a card, and without taking farther notice, he went out of -the room, and left me to digest my own happiness at leisure. I saw no -more of him, till told by a footman that his lordship was going to his -coach at the door. Down I immediately followed, and joined my voice to -that of three or four more, who came, like me, to petition for favours. -His lordship, however, went too fast for us, and was gaining his Chariot -door with large strides, when I hallowed out to know if I was to have -any reply. He was by this time got in, and muttered an answer, half -of which only I heard, the other half was lost in the rattling of his -chariot wheels. I stood for some time with my neck stretched out, in -the posture of one that was listening to catch the glorious sounds, till -looking round me, I found myself alone at his lordship's gate. - -'My patience,' continued my son, 'was now quite exhausted: stung with -the thousand indignities I had met with, I was willing to cast myself -away, and only wanted the gulph to receive me. I regarded myself as one -of those vile things that nature designed should be thrown by into her -lumber room, there to perish in obscurity. I had still, however, half -a guinea left, and of that I thought fortune herself should not deprive -me: but in order to be sure of this, I was resolved to go instantly and -spend it while I had it, and then trust to occurrences for the rest. -As I was going along with this resolution, it happened that Mr Cripse's -office seemed invitingly open to give me a welcome reception. In this -office Mr Cripse kindly offers all his majesty's subjects a generous -promise of 30 pounds a year, for which promise all they give in return -is their liberty for life, and permission to let him transport them to -America as slaves. I was happy at finding a place where I could lose my -fears in desperation, and entered this cell, for it had the appearance -of one, with the devotion of a monastic. Here I found a number of poor -creatures, all in circumstances like myself, expecting the arrival of -Mr Cripse, presenting a true epitome of English impatience. Each -untractable soul at variance with fortune, wreaked her injuries on their -own hearts: but Mr Cripse at last came down, and all our murmurs were -hushed. He deigned to regard me with an air of peculiar approbation, -and indeed he was the first man who for a month past talked to me with -smiles. After a few questions, he found I was fit for every thing in the -world. He paused a while upon the properest means of providing for me, -and slapping his forehead, as if he had found it, assured me, that there -was at that time an embassy talked of from the synod of Pensylvania to -the Chickasaw Indians, and that he would use his interest to get me -made secretary. I knew in my own heart that the fellow lied, and yet -his promise gave me pleasure, there was something so magnificent in the -sound. I fairly, therefore, divided my half guinea, one half of which -went to be added to his thirty thousand pound, and with the other half I -resolved to go to the next tavern, to be there more happy than he. - -'As I was going out with that resolution, I was met at the door by the -captain of a ship, with whom I had formerly some little acquaintance, -and he agreed to be my companion over a bowl of punch. As I never chose -to make a secret of my circumstances, he assured me that I was upon the -very point of ruin, in listening to the office-keeper's promises; for -that he only designed to sell me to the plantations. But, continued he, -I fancy you might, by a much shorter voyage, be very easily put into -a genteel way of bread. Take my advice. My ship sails to-morrow for -Amsterdam; What if you go in her as a passenger? The moment you land all -you have to do is to teach the Dutchmen English, and I'll warrant you'll -get pupils and money enough. I suppose you understand English, added he, -by this time, or the deuce is in it. I confidently assured him of -that; but expressed a doubt whether the Dutch would be willing to -learn English. He affirmed with an oath that they were fond of it to -distraction; and upon that affirmation I agreed with his proposal, and -embarked the next day to teach the Dutch English in Holland. The wind -was fair, our voyage short, and after having paid my passage with half -my moveables, I found myself, fallen as from the skies, a stranger -in one of the principal streets of Amsterdam. In this situation I was -unwilling to let any time pass unemployed in teaching. I addressed -myself therefore to two or three of those I met whose appearance -seemed most promising; but it was impossible to make ourselves mutually -understood. It was not till this very moment I recollected, that in -order to teach Dutchmen English, it was necessary that they should first -teach me Dutch. How I came to overlook so obvious an objection, is to me -amazing; but certain it is I overlooked it - -'This scheme thus blown up, I had some thoughts of fairly shipping back -to England again; but happening into company with an Irish student, -who was returning from Louvain, our conversation turning upon topics of -literature, (for by the way it may be observed that I always forgot the -meanness of my circumstances when I could converse upon such subjects) -from him I learned that there were not two men in his whole university -who understood Greek. This amazed me. I instantly resolved to travel -to Louvain, and there live by teaching Greek; and in this design I was -heartened by my brother student, who threw out some hints that a fortune -might be got by it. 'I set boldly forward the next morning. Every day -lessened the burthen of my moveables, like Aesop and his basket of -bread; for I paid them for my lodgings to the Dutch as I travelled on. -When I came to Louvain, I was resolved not to go sneaking to the lower -professors, but openly tendered my talents to the principal himself. -I went, had admittance, and offered him my service as a master of -the Greek language, which I had been told was a desideratum in his -university. The principal seemed at first to doubt of my abilities; -but of these I offered to convince him, by turning a part of any Greek -author he should fix upon into Latin. Finding me perfectly earnest in my -proposal, he addressed me thus: You see me, young man, continued he, I -never learned Greek, and I don't find that I have ever missed it. I have -had a doctor's cap and gown without Greek: I have ten thousand florins -a year without Greek; I eat heartily without Greek, and in short, -continued he, as I don't know Greek, I do not believe there is any good -in it. - -'I was now too far from home to think of returning; so I resolved to go -forward. I had some knowledge of music, with a tolerable voice, and now -turned what was once my amusement into a present means of subsistence. -I passed among the harmless peasants of Flanders, and among such of -the French as were poor enough to be very merry; for I ever found -them sprightly in proportion to their wants. Whenever I approached a -peasant's house towards night-fall, I played one of my most merry tunes, -and that procured me not only a lodging, but subsistence for the next -day. I once or twice attempted to play for people of fashion; but they -always thought my performance odious, and never rewarded me even with -a trifle. This was to me the more extraordinary, as whenever I used in -better days to play for company, when playing was my amusement, my music -never failed to throw them into raptures, and the ladies especially; but -as it was now my only means, it was received with contempt: a proof -how ready the world is to under rate those talents by which a man is -supported. - -'In this manner I proceeded to Paris, with no design but just to look -about me, and then to go forward. The people of Paris are much fonder of -strangers that have money, than of those that have wit. As I could not -boast much of either, I was no great favourite. After walking about the -town four or five days, and seeing the outsides of the best houses, I -was preparing to leave this retreat of venal hospitality, when passing -through one of the principal streets, whom should I meet but our cousin, -to whom you first recommended me. This meeting was very agreeable to me, -and I believe not displeasing to him. He enquired into the nature of my -journey to Paris, and informed me of his own business there, which was -to collect pictures, medals, intaglios, and antiques of all kinds, for a -gentleman in London, who had just stept into taste and a large fortune. -I was the more surprised at seeing our cousin pitched upon for this -office, as he himself had often assured me he knew nothing of the -matter. Upon my asking how he had been taught the art of a connoscento -so very suddenly, he assured me that nothing was more easy. The whole -secret consisted in a strict adherence to two rules: the one always -to observe, that the picture might have been better if the painter had -taken more pains; and the other, to praise the works of Pietro Perugino. -But, says he, as I once taught you how to be an author in London, I'll -now undertake to instruct you in the art of picture buying at Paris. - -'With this proposal I very readily closed, as it was a living, and now -all my ambition was to live. I went therefore to his lodgings, improved -my dress by his assistance, and after some time, accompanied him to -auctions of pictures, where the English gentry were expected to be -purchasers. I was not a little surprised at his intimacy with people -of the best fashion, who referred themselves to his judgment upon every -picture or medal, as to an unerring standard of taste. He made very good -use of my assistance upon these occasions; for when asked his opinion, -he would gravely take me aside, and ask mine, shrug, look wise, return, -and assure the company, that he could give no opinion upon an affair -of so much importance. Yet there was sometimes an occasion for a more -supported assurance. I remember to have seen him, after giving his -opinion that the colouring of a picture was not mellow enough, very -deliberately take a brush with brown varnish, that was accidentally -lying by, and rub it over the piece with great composure before all the -company, and then ask if he had not improved the tints. - -'When he had finished his commission in Paris, he left me strongly -recommended to several men of distinction, as a person very proper for a -travelling tutor; and after some time I was employed in that capacity by -a gentleman who brought his ward to Paris, in order to set him forward -on his tour through Europe. I was to be the young gentleman's governor, -but with a proviso that he should always be permitted to govern himself. -My pupil in fact understood the art of guiding in money concerns much -better than I. He was heir to a fortune of about two hundred thousand -pounds, left him by an uncle in the West Indies; and his guardians, to -qualify him for the management of it, had bound him apprentice to an -attorney. Thus avarice was his prevailing passion: all his questions on -the road were how money might be saved, which was the least expensive -course of travel; whether any thing could be bought that would turn to -account when disposed of again in London. Such curiosities on the way -as could be seen for nothing he was ready enough to look at; but if the -sight of them was to be paid for, he usually asserted that he had been -told they were not worth seeing. He never paid a bill, that he would not -observe, how amazingly expensive travelling was, and all this though he -was not yet twenty-one. When arrived at Leghorn, as we took a walk to -look at the port and shipping, he enquired the expence of the passage by -sea home to England. This he was informed was but a trifle, compared -to his returning by land, he was therefore unable to withstand the -temptation; so paying me the small part of my salary that was due, he -took leave, and embarked with only one attendant for London. - -'I now therefore was left once more upon the world at large, but then -it was a thing I was used to. However my skill in music could avail me -nothing in a country where every peasant was a better musician than -I; but by this time I had acquired another talent, which answered my -purpose as well, and this was a skill in disputation. In all the foreign -universities and convents, there are upon certain days philosophical -theses maintained against every adventitious disputant; for which, if -the champion opposes with any dexterity, he can claim a gratuity in -money, a dinner, and a bed, for one night. In this manner therefore I -fought my way towards England, walked along from city to city, examined -mankind more nearly, and, if I may so express it, saw both sides of the -picture. My remarks, however, are but few: I found that monarchy was the -best government for the poor to live in, and commonwealths for the rich. -I found that riches in general were in every country another name for -freedom; and that no man is so fond of liberty himself as not to be -desirous of subjecting the will of some individuals in society to his -own. - -'Upon my arrival in England, I resolved to pay my respects first to you, -and then to enlist as a volunteer in the first expedition that was going -forward; but on my journey down my resolutions were changed, by meeting -an old acquaintance, who I found belonged to a company of comedians, -that were going to make a summer campaign in the country. The company -seemed not much to disapprove of me for an associate. They all, however, -apprized me of the importance of the task at which I aimed; that the -public was a many headed monster, and that only such as had very good -heads could please it: that acting was not to be learnt in a day; and -that without some traditional shrugs, which had been on the stage, and -only on the stage, these hundred years, I could never pretend to please. -The next difficulty was in fitting me with parts, as almost every -character was in keeping. I was driven for some time from one character -to another, till at last Horatio was fixed upon, which the presence of -the present company has happily hindered me from acting.' - - - -CHAPTER 21 - - The short continuance of friendship amongst the vicious, - which is coeval only with mutual satisfaction - - -My son's account was too long to be delivered at once, the first part of -it was begun that night, and he was concluding the rest after dinner -the next day, when the appearance of Mr Thornhill's equipage at the door -seemed to make a pause in the general satisfaction. The butler, who was -now become my friend in the family, informed me with a whisper, that -the 'Squire had already made some overtures to Miss Wilmot, and that her -aunt and uncle seemed highly to approve the match. Upon Mr Thornhill's -entering, he seemed, at seeing my son and me, to start back; but I -readily imputed that to surprize, and not displeasure. However, upon our -advancing to salute him, he returned our greeting with the most apparent -candour; and after a short time, his presence served only to encrease -the general good humour. - -After tea he called me aside, to enquire after my daughter; but upon -my informing him that my enquiry was unsuccessful, he seemed greatly -surprised; adding, that he had been since frequently at my house, in -order to comfort the rest of my family, whom he left perfectly well. He -then asked if I had communicated her misfortune to Miss Wilmot, or my -son; and upon my replying that I had not told them as yet, he greatly -approved my prudence and precaution, desiring me by all means to keep -it a secret: 'For at best,' cried he, 'it is but divulging one's own -infamy; and perhaps Miss Livy may not be so guilty as we all imagine.' -We were here interrupted by a servant, who came to ask the 'Squire in, -to stand up at country dances; so that he left me quite pleased with the -interest he seemed to take in my concerns. His addresses, however, to -Miss Wilmot, were too obvious to be mistaken; and yet she seemed not -perfectly pleased, but bore them rather in compliance to the will of her -aunt, than from real inclination. I had even the satisfaction to see her -lavish some kind looks upon my unfortunate son, which the other could -neither extort by his fortune nor assiduity. Mr Thornhill's seeming -composure, however, not a little surprised me: we had now continued here -a week, at the pressing instances of Mr Arnold; but each day the more -tenderness Miss Wilmot shewed my son, Mr Thomhill's friendship seemed -proportionably to encrease for him. - -He had formerly made us the most kind assurances of using his interest -to serve the family; but now his generosity was not confined to promises -alone: the morning I designed for my departure, Mr Thornhill came to me -with looks of real pleasure to inform me of a piece of service he -had done for his friend George. This was nothing less than his having -procured him an ensign's commission in one of the regiments that was -going to the West Indies, for which he had promised but one hundred -pounds, his interest having been sufficient to get an abatement of the -other two. 'As for this trifling piece of service,' continued the young -gentleman, 'I desire no other reward but the pleasure of having served -my friend; and as for the hundred pound to be paid, if you are unable to -raise it yourselves, I will advance it, and you shall repay me at your -leisure.' This was a favour we wanted words to express our sense of. -I readily therefore gave my bond for the money, and testified as much -gratitude as if I never intended to pay. - -George was to depart for town the next day to secure his commission, -in pursuance of his generous patron's directions, who judged it highly -expedient to use dispatch, lest in the mean time another should step in -with more advantageous proposals. The next morning, therefore, our young -soldier was early prepared for his departure, and seemed the only person -among us that was not affected by it. Neither the fatigues and dangers -he was going to encounter, nor the friends and mistress, for Miss Wilmot -actually loved him, he was leaving behind, any way damped his spirits. -After he had taken leave of the rest of the company, I gave him all I -had, my blessing. 'And now, my boy,' cried I, 'thou art going to fight -for thy country, remember how thy brave grandfather fought for his -sacred king, when loyalty among Britons was a virtue. Go, my boy, and -immitate him in all but his misfortunes, if it was a misfortune to die -with Lord Falkland. Go, my boy, and if you fall, tho' distant, exposed -and unwept by those that love you, the most precious tears are those -with which heaven bedews the unburied head of a soldier.' - -The next morning I took leave of the good family, that had been kind -enough to entertain me so long, not without several expressions of -gratitude to Mr Thornhill for his late bounty. I left them in the -enjoyment of all that happiness which affluence and good breeding -procure, and returned towards home, despairing of ever finding my -daughter more, but sending a sigh to heaven to spare and to forgive her. -I was now come within about twenty miles of home, having hired an horse -to carry me, as I was yet but weak, and comforted myself with the hopes -of soon seeing all I held dearest upon earth. But the night coming on, -I put up at a little public-house by the roadside, and asked for the -landlord's company over a pint of wine. We sate beside his kitchen fire, -which was the best room in the house, and chatted on politics and the -news of the country. We happened, among other topics, to talk of young -'Squire Thornhill, who the host assured me was hated as much as his -uncle Sir William, who sometimes came down to the country, was loved. -He went on to observe, that he made it his whole study to betray the -daughters of such as received him to their houses, and after a fortnight -or three weeks possession, turned them out unrewarded and abandoned to -the world. As we continued our discourse in this manner, his wife, who -had been out to get change, returned, and perceiving that her husband -was enjoying a pleasure in which she was not a sharer, she asked him, -in an angry tone, what he did there, to which he only replied in an -ironical way, by drinking her health. 'Mr Symmonds,' cried she, 'you -use me very ill, and I'll bear it no longer. Here three parts of the -business is left for me to do, and the fourth left unfinished; while you -do nothing but soak with the guests all day long, whereas if a spoonful -of liquor were to cure me of a fever, I never touch a drop.' I now found -what she would be at, and immediately poured her out a glass, which she -received with a curtesy, and drinking towards my good health, 'Sir,' -resumed she, 'it is not so much for the value of the liquor I am angry, -but one cannot help it, when the house is going out of the windows. If -the customers or guests are to be dunned, all the burthen lies upon my -back, he'd as lief eat that glass as budge after them himself.' There -now above stairs, we have a young woman who has come to take up -her lodgings here, and I don't believe she has got any money by her -over-civility. I am certain she is very slow of payment, and I wish she -were put in mind of it.'--'What signifies minding her,' cried the host, -'if she be slow, she is sure.'--'I don't know that,' replied the wife; -'but I know that I am sure she has been here a fortnight, and we have -not yet seen the cross of her money.'--'I suppose, my dear,' cried he, -'we shall have it all in a, lump.'--'In a lump!' cried the other, 'I -hope we may get it any way; and that I am resolved we will this very -night, or out she tramps, bag and baggage.'--'Consider, my dear,' cried -the husband, 'she is a gentlewoman, and deserves more respect.'--'As for -the matter of that,' returned the hostess, 'gentle or simple, out she -shall pack with a sassarara. Gentry may be good things where they -take; but for my part I never saw much good of them at the sign of the -Harrow.'--Thus saying, she ran up a narrow flight of stairs, that -went from the kitchen to a room over-head, and I soon perceived by the -loudness of her voice, and the bitterness of her reproaches, that no -money was to be had from her lodger. I could hear her remonstrances -very distinctly: 'Out I say, pack out this moment, tramp thou infamous -strumpet, or I'll give thee a mark thou won't be the better for this -three months. What! you trumpery, to come and take up an honest house, -without cross or coin to bless yourself with; come along I say.'--'O -dear madam,' cried the stranger, 'pity me, pity a poor abandoned -creature for one night, and death will soon do the rest.' I instantly -knew the voice of my poor ruined child Olivia. I flew to her rescue, -while the woman was dragging her along by the hair, and I caught the -dear forlorn wretch in my arms.--'Welcome, any way welcome, my dearest -lost one, my treasure, to your poor old father's bosom. Tho' the vicious -forsake thee, there is yet one in the world that will never forsake -thee; tho' thou hadst ten thousand crimes to answer for, he will forget -them all.'--'O my own dear'--for minutes she could no more--'my own -dearest good papa! Could angels be kinder! How do I deserve so much! The -villain, I hate him and myself, to be a reproach to such goodness. You -can't forgive me. I know you cannot.'--'Yes, my child, from my heart I -do forgive thee! Only repent, and we both shall yet be happy. We shall -see many pleasant days yet, my Olivia!'--'Ah! never, sir, never. The -rest of my wretched life must be infamy abroad and shame at home. But, -alas! papa, you look much paler than you used to do. Could such a thing -as I am give you so much uneasiness? Sure you have too much wisdom -to take the miseries of my guilt upon yourself.'--'Our wisdom, young -woman,' replied I.--'Ah, why so cold a name papa?' cried she. 'This is -the first time you ever called me by so cold a name.'--'I ask pardon, my -darling,' returned I; 'but I was going to observe, that wisdom makes but -a slow defence against trouble, though at last a sure one. - -The landlady now returned to know if we did not chuse a more genteel -apartment, to which assenting, we were shewn a room, where we could -converse more freely. After we had talked ourselves into some degree of -tranquillity, I could not avoid desiring some account of the gradations -that led to her present wretched situation. 'That villain, sir,' said -she, 'from the first day of our meeting made me honourable, though -private, proposals.' - -'Villain indeed,' cried I; 'and yet it in some measure surprizes me, how -a person of Mr Burchell's good sense and seeming honour could be guilty -of such deliberate baseness, and thus step into a family to undo it.' - -'My dear papa,' returned my daughter, 'you labour under a strange -mistake, Mr Burchell never attempted to deceive me. Instead of that he -took every opportunity of privately admonishing me against the artifices -of Mr Thornhill, who I now find was even worse than he represented -him.'--'Mr Thornhill,' interrupted I, 'can it be?'--'Yes, Sir,' returned -she, 'it was Mr Thornhill who seduced me, who employed the two ladies, -as he called them, but who, in fact, were abandoned women of the town, -without breeding or pity, to decoy us up to London. Their artifices, -you may remember would have certainly succeeded, but for Mr Burchell's -letter, who directed those reproaches at them, which we all applied -to ourselves. How he came to have so much influence as to defeat their -intentions, still remains a secret to me; but I am convinced he was ever -our warmest sincerest friend.' - -'You amaze me, my dear,' cried I; 'but now I find my first suspicions -of Mr Thornhill's baseness were too well grounded: but he can triumph in -security; for he is rich and we are poor. But tell me, my child, sure it -was no small temptation that could thus obliterate all the impressions -of such an education, and so virtuous a disposition as thine.' - -'Indeed, Sir,' replied she, 'he owes all his triumph to the desire I had -of making him, and not myself, happy. I knew that the ceremony of our -marriage, which was privately performed by a popish priest, was no way -binding, and that I had nothing to trust to but his honour.' 'What,' -interrupted I, 'and were you indeed married by a priest, and in -orders?'--'Indeed, Sir, we were,' replied she, 'though we were both -sworn to conceal his name.'--'Why then, my child, come to my arms again, -and now you are a thousand times more welcome than before; for you are -now his wife to all intents and purposes; nor can all the laws of man, -tho' written upon tables of adamant, lessen the force of that sacred -connexion.' - -'Alas, Papa,' replied she, 'you are but little acquainted with his -villainies: he has been married already, by the same priest, to six or -eight wives more, whom, like me, he has deceived and abandoned.' - -'Has he so?' cried I, 'then we must hang the priest, and you shall -inform against him to-morrow.'--'But Sir,' returned she, 'will that be -right, when I am sworn to secrecy?'--'My dear,' I replied, 'if you have -made such a promise, I cannot, nor will I tempt you to break it. Even -tho' it may benefit the public, you must not inform against him. In all -human institutions a smaller evil is allowed to procure a greater good; -as in politics, a province may be given away to secure a kingdom; in -medicine, a limb may be lopt off, to preserve the body. But in religion -the law is written, and inflexible, never to do evil. And this law, my -child, is right: for otherwise, if we commit a smaller evil, to procure -a greater good, certain guilt would be thus incurred, in expectation of -contingent advantage. And though the advantage should certainly follow, -yet the interval between commission and advantage, which is allowed to -be guilty, may be that in which we are called away to answer for the -things we have done, and the volume of human actions is closed for ever. -But I interrupt you, my dear, go on.' - -'The very next morning,' continued she, 'I found what little -expectations I was to have from his sincerity. That very morning he -introduced me to two unhappy women more, whom, like me, he had deceived, -but who lived in contented prostitution. I loved him too tenderly to -bear such rivals in his affections, and strove to forget my infamy in a -tumult of pleasures. With this view, I danced, dressed, and talked; but -still was unhappy. The gentlemen who visited there told me every moment -of the power of my charms, and this only contributed to encrease my -melancholy, as I had thrown all their power quite away. Thus each day -I grew more pensive, and he more insolent, till at last the monster had -the assurance to offer me to a young Baronet of his acquaintance. Need I -describe, Sir, how his ingratitude stung me. My answer to this proposal -was almost madness. I desired to part. As I was going he offered me a -purse; but I flung it at him with indignation, and burst from him in -a rage, that for a while kept me insensible of the miseries of my -situation. But I soon looked round me, and saw myself a vile, abject, -guilty thing, without one friend in the world to apply to. Just in that -interval, a stage-coach happening to pass by, I took a place, it being -my only aim to be driven at a distance from a wretch I despised and -detested. I was set down here, where, since my arrival, my own anxiety, -and this woman's unkindness, have been my only companions. The hours of -pleasure that I have passed with my mamma and sister, now grow painful -to me. Their sorrows are much; but mine is greater than theirs; for mine -are mixed with guilt and infamy.' - -'Have patience, my child,' cried I, 'and I hope things will yet be -better. Take some repose to-night, and to-morrow I'll carry you home -to your mother and the rest of the family, from whom you will receive -a kind reception. Poor woman, this has gone to her heart: but she loves -you still, Olivia, and will forget it. - - - -CHAPTER 22 - - Offences are easily pardoned where there is love at bottom - - -The next morning I took my daughter behind me, and set out on my return -home. As we travelled along, I strove, by every persuasion, to calm her -sorrows and fears, and to arm her with resolution to bear the presence -of her offended mother. I took every opportunity, from the prospect of a -fine country, through which we passed, to observe how much kinder heaven -was to us, than we to each other, and that the misfortunes of nature's -making were very few. I assured her, that she should never perceive any -change in my affections, and that during my life, which yet might be -long, she might depend upon a guardian and an instructor. I armed her -against the censures of the world, shewed her that books were sweet -unreproaching companions to the miserable, and that if they could not -bring us to enjoy life, they would at least teach us to endure it. - -The hired horse that we rode was to be put up that night at an inn by -the way, within about five miles from my house, and as I was willing to -prepare my family for my daughter's reception, I determined to leave her -that night at the inn, and to return for her, accompanied by my daughter -Sophia, early the next morning. It was night before we reached our -appointed stage: however, after seeing her provided with a decent -apartment, and having ordered the hostess to prepare proper -refreshments, I kissed her, and proceeded towards home. And now my heart -caught new sensations of pleasure the nearer I approached that peaceful -mansion. As a bird that had been frighted from its nest, my affections -out-went my haste, and hovered round my little fire-side, with all the -rapture of expectation. I called up the many fond things I had to say, -and anticipated the welcome I was to receive. I already felt my wife's -tender embrace, and smiled at the joy of my little ones. As I walked -but slowly, the night wained apace. The labourers of the day were all -retired to rest; the lights were out in every cottage; no sounds were -heard but of the shrilling cock, and the deep-mouthed watch-dog, at -hollow distance. I approached my little abode of pleasure, and before -I was within a furlong of the place, our honest mastiff came running to -welcome me. - -It was now near mid-night that I came to knock at my door: all was still -and silent: my heart dilated with unutterable happiness, when, to my -amazement, I saw the house bursting out in a blaze of fire, and every -apperture red with conflagration! I gave a loud convulsive outcry, and -fell upon the pavement insensible. This alarmed my son, who had till -this been asleep, and he perceiving the flames, instantly waked my wife -and daughter, and all running out, naked, and wild with apprehension, -recalled me to life with their anguish. But it was only to objects of -new terror; for the flames had, by this time, caught the roof of our -dwelling, part after part continuing to fall in, while the family stood, -with silent agony, looking on, as if they enjoyed the blaze. I gazed -upon them and upon it by turns, and then looked round me for my two -little ones; but they were not to be seen. O misery! 'Where,' cried I, -'where are my little ones?'--'They are burnt to death in the flames,' -says my wife calmly, 'and I will die with them.'--That moment I heard -the cry of the babes within, who were just awaked by the fire, and -nothing could have stopped me. 'Where, where, are my children?' cried -I, rushing through the flames, and bursting the door of the chamber in -which they were confined, 'Where are my little ones?'--'Here, dear papa, -here we are,' cried they together, while the flames were just catching -the bed where they lay. I caught them both in my arms, and snatched them -through the fire as fast as possible, while just as I was got out, -the roof sunk in. 'Now,' cried I, holding up my children, 'now let the -flames burn on, and all my possessions perish. Here they are, I have -saved my treasure. Here, my dearest, here are our treasures, and we -shall yet be happy.' We kissed our little darlings a thousand times, -they clasped us round the neck, and seemed to share our transports, -while their mother laughed and wept by turns. - -I now stood a calm spectator of the flames, and after some time, began -to perceive that my arm to the shoulder was scorched in a terrible -manner. It was therefore out of my power to give my son any assistance, -either in attempting to save our goods, or preventing the flames -spreading to our corn. By this time, the neighbours were alarmed, and -came running to our assistance; but all they could do was to stand, like -us, spectators of the calamity. My goods, among which were the notes I -had reserved for my daughters' fortunes, were entirely consumed, except -a box, with some papers that stood in the kitchen, and two or three -things more of little consequence, which my son brought away in the -beginning. The neighbours contributed, however, what they could to -lighten our distress. They brought us cloaths, and furnished one of our -out-houses with kitchen utensils; so that by day-light we had another, -tho' a wretched, dwelling to retire to. My honest next neighbour, and -his children, were not the least assiduous in providing us with -every thing necessary, and offering what ever consolation untutored -benevolence could suggest. - -When the fears of my family had subsided, curiosity to know the cause -of my long stay began to take place; having therefore informed them of -every particular, I proceeded to prepare them for the reception of our -lost one, and tho' we had nothing but wretchedness now to impart, I was -willing to procure her a welcome to what we had. This task would have -been more difficult but for our recent calamity, which had humbled my -wife's pride, and blunted it by more poignant afflictions. Being unable -to go for my poor child myself, as my arm grew very painful, I sent my -son and daughter, who soon returned, supporting the wretched delinquent, -who had not the courage to look up at her mother, whom no instructions -of mine could persuade to a perfect reconciliation; for women have a -much stronger sense of female error than men. 'Ah, madam,' cried her -mother, 'this is but a poor place you are come to after so much finery. -My daughter Sophy and I can afford but little entertainment to persons -who have kept company only with people of distinction. Yes, Miss Livy, -your poor father and I have suffered very much of late; but I hope -heaven will forgive you.'--During this reception, the unhappy victim -stood pale and trembling, unable to weep or to reply; but I could not -continue a silent spectator of her distress, wherefore assuming a degree -of severity in my voice and manner, which was ever followed with instant -submission, 'I entreat, woman, that my words may be now marked once for -all: I have here brought you back a poor deluded wanderer; her return to -duty demands the revival of our tenderness. The real hardships of life -are now coming fast upon us, let us not therefore encrease them by -dissention among each other. If we live harmoniously together, we may -yet be contented, as there are enough of us to shut out the censuring -world, and keep each other in countenance. The kindness of heaven is -promised to the penitent, and let ours be directed by the example. -Heaven, we are assured, is much more pleased to view a repentant sinner, -than ninety nine persons who have supported a course of undeviating -rectitude. And this is right; for that single effort by which we stop -short in the downhill path to perdition, is itself a greater exertion of -virtue, than an hundred acts of justice.' - - - -CHAPTER 23 - - None but the guilty can be long and completely miserable - - -Some assiduity was now required to make our present abode as convenient -as possible, and we were soon again qualified to enjoy our former -serenity. Being disabled myself from assisting my son in our usual -occupations, I read to my family from the few books that were saved, and -particularly from such, as, by amusing the imagination, contributed to -ease the heart. Our good neighbours too came every day with the kindest -condolence, and fixed a time in which they were all to assist at -repairing my former dwelling. Honest farmer Williams was not last among -these visitors; but heartily offered his friendship. He would even have -renewed his addresses to my daughter; but she rejected them in such a -manner as totally represt his future solicitations. Her grief seemed -formed for continuing, and she was the only person of our little -society that a week did not restore to cheerfulness. She now lost that -unblushing innocence which once taught her to respect herself, and to -seek pleasure by pleasing. Anxiety now had taken strong possession of -her mind, her beauty began to be impaired with her constitution, and -neglect still more contributed to diminish it. Every tender epithet -bestowed on her sister brought a pang to her heart and a tear to her -eye; and as one vice, tho' cured, ever plants others where it has been, -so her former guilt, tho' driven out by repentance, left jealousy and -envy behind. I strove a thousand ways to lessen her care, and even -forgot my own pain in a concern for her's, collecting such amusing -passages of history, as a strong memory and some reading could suggest. -'Our happiness, my dear,' I would say, 'is in the power of one who can -bring it about a thousand unforeseen ways, that mock our foresight. If -example be necessary to prove this, I'll give you a story, my child, -told us by a grave, tho' sometimes a romancing, historian. - -'Matilda was married very young to a Neapolitan nobleman of the first -quality, and found herself a widow and a mother at the age of fifteen. -As she stood one day caressing her infant son in the open window of an -apartment, which hung over the river Volturna, the child, with a sudden -spring, leaped from her arms into the flood below, and disappeared in a -moment. The mother, struck with instant surprize, and making all effort -to save him, plunged in after; but, far from being able to assist the -infant, she herself with great difficulty escaped to the opposite shore, -just when some French soldiers were plundering the country on that side, -who immediately made her their prisoner. - -'As the war was then carried on between the French and Italians with -the utmost inhumanity, they were going at once to perpetrate those -two extremes, suggested by appetite and cruelty. This base resolution, -however, was opposed by a young officer, who, tho' their retreat -required the utmost expedition, placed her behind him, and brought her -in safety to his native city. Her beauty at first caught his eye, her -merit soon after his heart. They were married; he rose to the highest -posts; they lived long together, and were happy. But the felicity of -a soldier can never be called permanent: after an interval of several -years, the troops which he commanded having met with a repulse, he was -obliged to take shelter in the city where he had lived with his wife. -Here they suffered a siege, and the city at length was taken. Few -histories can produce more various instances of cruelty, than those -which the French and Italians at that time exercised upon each other. It -was resolved by the victors, upon this occasion, to put all the French -prisoners to death; but particularly the husband of the unfortunate -Matilda, as he was principally instrumental in protracting the siege. -Their determinations were, in general, executed almost as soon as -resolved upon. The captive soldier was led forth, and the executioner, -with his sword, stood ready, while the spectators in gloomy silence -awaited the fatal blow, which was only suspended till the general, who -presided as judge, should give the signal. It was in this interval of -anguish and expectation, that Matilda came to take her last farewell -of her husband and deliverer, deploring her wretched situation, and the -cruelty of fate, that had saved her from perishing by a premature death -in the river Volturna, to be the spectator of still greater calamities. -The general, who was a young man, was struck with surprize at her -beauty, and pity at her distress; but with still stronger emotions when -he heard her mention her former dangers. He was her son, the infant for -whom she had encounter'd so much danger. He acknowledged her at once as -his mother, and fell at her feet. The rest may be easily supposed: the -captive was set free, and all the happiness that love, friendship, and -duty could confer on each, were united.' - -In this manner I would attempt to amuse my daughter; but she listened -with divided attention; for her own misfortunes engrossed all the pity -she once had for those of another, and nothing gave her ease. In company -she dreaded contempt; and in solitude she only found anxiety. Such was -the colour of her wretchedness, when we received certain information, -that Mr Thornhill was going to be married to Miss Wilmot, for whom I -always suspected he had a real passion, tho' he took every opportunity -before me to express his contempt both of her person and fortune. This -news only served to encrease poor Olivia's affliction; such a flagrant -breach of fidelity, was more than her courage could support. I was -resolved, however, to get more certain information, and to defeat, if -possible, the completion of his designs, by sending my son to old Mr -Wilmot's, with instructions to know the truth of the report, and to -deliver Miss Wilmot a letter, intimating Mr Thornhill's conduct in my -family. My son went, in pursuance of my directions, and in three days -returned, assuring us of the truth of the account; but that he had found -it impossible to deliver the letter, which he was therefore obliged to -leave, as Mr Thornhill and Miss Wilmot were visiting round the country. -They were to be married, he said, in a few days, having appeared -together at church the Sunday before he was there, in great splendour, -the bride attended by six young ladies, and he by as many gentlemen. -Their approaching nuptials filled the whole country with rejoicing, and -they usually rode out together in the grandest equipage that had been -seen in the country for many years. All the friends of both families, -he said, were there, particularly the 'Squire's uncle, Sir William -Thornhill, who bore so good a character. He added, that nothing but -mirth and feasting were going forward; that all the country praised the -young bride's beauty, and the bridegroom's fine person, and that they -were immensely fond of each other; concluding, that he could not help -thinking Mr Thornhill one of the most happy men in the world. - -'Why let him if he can,' returned I: 'but, my son, observe this bed of -straw, and unsheltering roof; those mouldering walls, and humid floor; -my wretched body thus disabled by fire, and my children weeping round -me for bread; you have come home, my child, to all this, yet here, -even here, you see a man that would not for a thousand worlds exchange -situations. O, my children, if you could but learn to commune with your -own hearts, and know what noble company you can make them, you would -little regard the elegance and splendours of the worthless. Almost -all men have been taught to call life a passage, and themselves the -travellers. The similitude still may be improved when we observe that -the good are joyful and serene, like travellers that are going towards -home; the wicked but by intervals happy, like travellers that are going -into exile.' - -My compassion for my poor daughter, overpowered by this new disaster, -interrupted what I had farther to observe. I bade her mother support -her, and after a short time she recovered. She appeared from that time -more calm, and I imagined had gained a new degree of resolution; -but appearances deceived me; for her tranquility was the langour of -over-wrought resentment. A supply of provisions, charitably sent us by -my kind parishioners, seemed to diffuse new cheerfulness amongst the -rest of the family, nor was I displeased at seeing them once more -sprightly and at ease. It would have been unjust to damp their -satisfactions, merely to condole with resolute melancholy, or to burthen -them with a sadness they did not feel. Thus, once more, the tale went -round and the song was demanded, and cheerfulness condescended to hover -round our little habitation. - - - -CHAPTER 24 - - Fresh calamities - - -The next morning the sun rose with peculiar warmth for the season; so -that we agreed to breakfast together on the honeysuckle bank: where, -while we sate, my youngest daughter, at my request, joined her voice to -the concert on the trees about us. It was in this place my poor Olivia -first met her seducer, and every object served to recall her sadness. -But that melancholy, which is excited by objects of pleasure, or -inspired by sounds of harmony, sooths the heart instead of corroding it. -Her mother too, upon this occasion, felt a pleasing distress, and wept, -and loved her daughter as before. 'Do, my pretty Olivia,' cried she, -'let us have that little melancholy air your pappa was so fond of, your -sister Sophy has already obliged us. Do child, it will please your old -father.' She complied in a manner so exquisitely pathetic as moved me. - - -When lovely woman stoops to folly, And finds too late that men betray, -What charm can sooth her melancholy, What art can wash her guilt away? - -The only art her guilt to cover, To hide her shame from every eye, To -give repentance to her lover, And wring his bosom--is to die. - - -As she was concluding the last stanza, to which an interruption in -her voice from sorrow gave peculiar softness, the appearance of Mr -Thornhill's equipage at a distance alarmed us all, but particularly -encreased the uneasiness of my eldest daughter, who, desirous of -shunning her betrayer, returned to the house with her sister. In a few -minutes he was alighted from his chariot, and making up to the place -where I was still sitting, enquired after my health with his usual air -of familiarity. 'Sir,' replied I, 'your present assurance only serves -to aggravate the baseness of your character; and there was a time when I -would have chastised your insolence, for presuming thus to appear before -me. But now you are safe; for age has cooled my passions, and my calling -restrains them.' - -'I vow, my dear sir,' returned he, 'I am amazed at all this; nor can I -understand what it means! I hope you don't think your daughter's late -excursion with me had any thing criminal in it.' - -'Go,' cried I, 'thou art a wretch, a poor pitiful wretch, and every -way a lyar; but your meanness secures you from my anger! Yet sir, I am -descended from a family that would not have borne this! And so, thou -vile thing, to gratify a momentary passion, thou hast made one poor -creature wretched for life, and polluted a family that had nothing but -honour for their portion.' - -'If she or you,' returned he, 'are resolved to be miserable, I cannot -help it. But you may still be happy; and whatever opinion you may have -formed of me, you shall ever find me ready to contribute to it. We can -marry her to another in a short time, and what is more, she may keep her -lover beside; for I protest I shall ever continue to have a true regard -for her.' - -I found all my passions alarmed at this new degrading proposal; for -though the mind may often be calm under great injuries, little villainy -can at any time get within the soul, and sting it into rage.--'Avoid -my sight, thou reptile,' cried I, 'nor continue to insult me with thy -presence. Were my brave son at home, he would not suffer this; but I am -old, and disabled, and every way undone.' - -'I find,' cried he, 'you are bent upon obliging me to talk in an harsher -manner than I intended. But as I have shewn you what may be hoped from -my friendship, it may not be improper to represent what may be the -consequences of my resentment. My attorney, to whom your late bond -has been transferred, threatens hard, nor do I know how to prevent the -course of justice, except by paying the money myself, which, as I have -been at some expences lately, previous to my intended marriage, is not -so easy to be done. And then my steward talks of driving for the rent: -it is certain he knows his duty; for I never trouble myself with affairs -of that nature. Yet still I could wish to serve you, and even to have -you and your daughter present at my marriage, which is shortly to be -solemnized with Miss Wilmot; it is even the request of my charming -Arabella herself, whom I hope you will not refuse.' - -'Mr Thornhill,' replied I, 'hear me once for all: as to your marriage -with any but my daughter, that I never will consent to; and though your -friendship could raise me to a throne, or your resentment sink me to the -grave, yet would I despise both. Thou hast once wofully, irreparably, -deceived me. I reposed my heart upon thine honour, and have found its -baseness. Never more, therefore, expect friendship from me. Go, and -possess what fortune has given thee, beauty, riches, health, and -pleasure. Go, and leave me to want, infamy, disease, and sorrow. Yet -humbled as I am, shall my heart still vindicate its dignity, and though -thou hast my forgiveness, thou shalt ever have my contempt.' - -'If so,' returned he, 'depend upon it you shall feel the effects of -this insolence, and we shall shortly see which is the fittest object of -scorn, you or me.'--Upon which he departed abruptly. - -My wife and son, who were present at this interview, seemed terrified -with the apprehension. My daughters also, finding that he was gone, came -out to be informed of the result of our conference, which, when known, -alarmed them not less than the rest. But as to myself, I disregarded the -utmost stretch of his malevolence: he had already struck the blow, -and now I stood prepared to repel every new effort. Like one of those -instruments used in the art of war, which, however thrown, still -presents a point to receive the enemy. - -We soon, however, found that he had not threatened in vain; for the very -next morning his steward came to demand my annual rent, which, by the -train of accidents already related, I was unable to pay. The consequence -of my incapacity was his driving my cattle that evening, and their being -appraised and sold the next day for less than half their value. My wife -and children now therefore entreated me to comply upon any terms, rather -than incur certain destruction. They even begged of me to admit his -visits once more, and used all their little eloquence to paint the -calamities I was going to endure. The terrors of a prison, in so -rigorous a season as the present, with the danger, that threatened my -health from the late accident that happened by the fire. But I continued -inflexible. - -'Why, my treasures,' cried I, 'why will you thus attempt to persuade me -to the thing that is not right! My duty has taught me to forgive him; -but my conscience will not permit me to approve. Would you have me -applaud to the world what my heart must internally condemn? Would you -have me tamely sit down and flatter our infamous betrayer; and to -avoid a prison continually suffer the more galling bonds of mental -confinement! No, never. If we are to be taken from this abode, only let -us hold to the right, and wherever we are thrown, we can still retire -to a charming apartment, when we can look round our own hearts with -intrepidity and with pleasure!' - -In this manner we spent that evening. Early the next morning, as the -snow had fallen in great abundance in the night, my son was employed in -clearing it away, and opening a passage before the door. He had not been -thus engaged long, when he came running in, with looks all pale, to -tell us that two strangers, whom he knew to be officers of justice, were -making towards the house. - -Just as he spoke they came in, and approaching the bed where I lay, -after previously informing me of their employment and business, made me -their prisoner, bidding me prepare to go with them to the county gaol, -which was eleven miles off. - -'My friends,' said I, 'this is severe weather on which you have come to -take me to a prison; and it is particularly unfortunate at this time, -as one of my arms has lately been burnt in a terrible manner, and it has -thrown me into a slight fever, and I want cloaths to cover me, and I am -now too weak and old to walk far in such deep snow: but if it must be -so--' - -I then turned to my wife and children, and directed them to get together -what few things were left us, and to prepare immediately for leaving -this place. I entreated them to be expeditious, and desired my son to -assist his elder sister, who, from a consciousness that she was the -cause of all our calamities, was fallen, and had lost anguish in -insensibility. I encouraged my wife, who, pale and trembling, clasped -our affrighted little ones in her arms, that clung to her bosom in -silence, dreading to look round at the strangers. In the mean time -my youngest daughter prepared for our departure, and as she received -several hints to use dispatch, in about an hour we were ready to depart. - - - -CHAPTER 25 - - No situation, however wretched it seems, but has some sort - of comfort attending it - - -We set forward from this peaceful neighbourhood, and walked on slowly. -My eldest daughter being enfeebled by a slow fever, which had begun for -some days to undermine her constitution, one of the officers, who had -an horse, kindly took her behind him; for even these men cannot entirely -divest themselves of humanity. My son led one of the little ones by the -hand, and my wife the other, while I leaned upon my youngest girl, whose -tears fell not for her own but my distresses. - -We were now got from my late dwelling about two miles, when we saw a -crowd running and shouting behind us, consisting of about fifty of my -poorest parishioners. These, with dreadful imprecations, soon seized -upon the two officers of justice, and swearing they would never see -their minister go to gaol while they had a drop of blood to shed in his -defence, were going to use them with great severity. The consequence -might have been fatal, had I not immediately interposed, and with some -difficulty rescued the officers from the hands of the enraged multitude. -My children, who looked upon my delivery now as certain, appeared -transported with joy, and were incapable of containing their raptures. -But they were soon undeceived, upon hearing me address the poor deluded -people, who came, as they imagined, to do me service. - -'What! my friends,' cried I, 'and is this the way you love me! Is this -the manner you obey the instructions I have given you from the pulpit! -Thus to fly in the face of justice, and bring down ruin on yourselves -and me! Which is your ringleader? Shew me the man that has thus seduced -you. As sure as he lives he shall feel my resentment. Alas! my dear -deluded flock, return back to the duty you owe to God, to your country, -and to me. I shall yet perhaps one day see you in greater felicity here, -and contribute to make your lives more happy. But let it at least be my -comfort when I pen my fold for immortality, that not one here shall be -wanting.' - -They now seemed all repentance, and melting into tears, came one after -the other to bid me farewell. I shook each tenderly by the hand, and -leaving them my blessing, proceeded forward without meeting any farther -interruption. Some hours before night we reached the town, or rather -village; for it consisted but of a few mean houses, having lost all its -former opulence, and retaining no marks of its ancient superiority but -the gaol. - -Upon entering, we put up at an inn, where we had such refreshments as -could most readily be procured, and I supped with my family with my -usual cheerfulness. After seeing them properly accommodated for that -night, I next attended the sheriff's officers to the prison, which had -formerly been built for the purposes of war, and consisted of one large -apartment, strongly grated, and paved with stone, common to both felons -and debtors at certain hours in the four and twenty. Besides this, every -prisoner had a separate cell, where he was locked in for the night. - -I expected upon my entrance to find nothing but lamentations, and -various sounds of misery; but it was very different. The prisoners -seemed all employed in one common design, that of forgetting thought in -merriment or clamour. I was apprized of the usual perquisite required -upon these occasions, and immediately complied with the demand, though -the little money I had was very near being all exhausted. This was -immediately sent away for liquor, and the whole prison soon was filled -with riot, laughter, and prophaneness. - -'How,' cried I to myself, 'shall men so very wicked be chearful, and -shall I be melancholy! I feel only the same confinement with them, and I -think I have more reason to be happy.' - -With such reflections I laboured to become chearful; but chearfulness -was never yet produced by effort, which is itself painful. As I was -sitting therefore in a corner of the gaol, in a pensive posture, one -of my fellow prisoners came up, and sitting by me, entered into -conversation. It was my constant rule in life never to avoid the -conversation of any man who seemed to desire it: for if good, I might -profit by his instruction; if bad, he might be assisted by mine. I found -this to be a knowing man, of strong unlettered sense; but a thorough -knowledge of the world, as it is called, or, more properly speaking, -of human nature on the wrong side. He asked me if I had taken care to -provide myself with a bed, which was a circumstance I had never once -attended to. - -'That's unfortunate,' cried he, 'as you are allowed here nothing but -straw, and your apartment is very large and cold. However you seem to be -something of a gentleman, and as I have been one myself in my time, part -of my bed-cloaths are heartily at your service.' - -I thanked him, professing my surprize at finding such humanity in a gaol -in misfortunes; adding, to let him see that I was a scholar, 'That the -sage ancient seemed to understand the value of company in affliction, -when he said, Ton kosman aire, ei dos ton etairon; and in fact,' -continued I, 'what is the World if it affords only solitude?' - -'You talk of the world, Sir,' returned my fellow prisoner; 'the world -is in its dotage, and yet the cosmogony or creation of the world has -puzzled the philosophers of every age. What a medly of opinions have -they not broached upon the creation of the world. Sanconiathon, Manetho, -Berosus, and Ocellus Lucanus have all attempted it in vain. The latter -has these words. Anarchon ara kai atelutaion to pan, which implies'--'I -ask pardon, Sir,' cried I, 'for interrupting so much learning; but I -think I have heard all this before. Have I not had the pleasure of once -seeing you at Welbridge fair, and is not your name Ephraim Jenkinson?' -At this demand he only sighed. 'I suppose you must recollect,' resumed -I, 'one Doctor Primrose, from whom you bought a horse.' - -He now at once recollected me; for the gloominess of the place and -the approaching night had prevented his distinguishing my features -before.--'Yes, Sir,' returned Mr Jenkinson, 'I remember you perfectly -well; I bought an horse, but forgot to pay for him. Your neighbour -Flamborough is the only prosecutor I am any way afraid of at the next -assizes: for he intends to swear positively against me as a coiner. I -am heartily sorry, Sir, I ever deceived you, or indeed any man; for you -see,' continued he, shewing his shackles, 'what my tricks have brought -me to.' - -'Well, sir,' replied I, 'your kindness in offering me assistance, when -you could expect no return, shall be repaid with my endeavours to soften -or totally suppress Mr Flamborough's evidence, and I will send my son to -him for that purpose the first opportunity; nor do I in the least doubt -but he will comply with my request, and as to my evidence, you need be -under no uneasiness about that.' - -'Well, sir,' cried he, 'all the return I can make shall be yours. You -shall have more than half my bed-cloaths to night, and I'll take care to -stand your friend in the prison, where I think I have some influence.' - -I thanked him, and could not avoid being surprised at the present -youthful change in his aspect; for at the time I had seen him before he -appeared at least sixty.--'Sir,' answered he, you are little acquainted -with the world; I had at that time false hair, and have learnt the art -of counterfeiting every age from seventeen to seventy. Ah sir, had I but -bestowed half the pains in learning a trade, that I have in learning to -be a scoundrel, I might have been a rich man at this day. But rogue as -I am, still I may be your friend, and that perhaps when you least expect -it.' - -We were now prevented from further conversation, by the arrival of the -gaoler's servants, who came to call over the prisoners names, and lock -up for the night. A fellow also, with a bundle of straw for my bed -attended, who led me along a dark narrow passage into a room paved like -the common prison, and in one corner of this I spread my bed, and the -cloaths given me by my fellow prisoner; which done, my conductor, who -was civil enough, bade me a good-night. After my usual meditations, and -having praised my heavenly corrector, I laid myself down and slept with -the utmost tranquility till morning. - - - -CHAPTER 26 - - A reformation in the gaol. To make laws complete, they - should reward as well as punish. - - -The next morning early I was awakened by my family, whom I found in -tears at my bed-side. The gloomy strength of every thing about us, it -seems, had daunted them. I gently rebuked their sorrow, assuring them -I had never slept with greater tranquility, and next enquired after -my eldest daughter, who was not among them. They informed me that -yesterday's uneasiness and fatigue had encreased her fever, and it was -judged proper to leave her behind. My next care was to send my son to -procure a room or two to lodge the family in, as near the prison -as conveniently could be found. He obeyed; but could only find one -apartment, which was hired at a small expence, for his mother and -sisters, the gaoler with humanity consenting to let him and his two -little brothers lie in the prison with me. A bed was therefore prepared -for them in a corner of the room, which I thought answered very -conveniently. I was willing however previously to know whether my -little children chose to lie in a place which seemed to fright them upon -entrance. - -'Well,' cried I, 'my good boys, how do you like your bed? I hope you are -not afraid to lie in this room, dark as it appears.' - -'No, papa,' says Dick, 'I am not afraid to lie any where where you are.' - -'And I,' says Bill, who was yet but four years old, 'love every place -best that my papa is in.' - -After this, I allotted to each of the family what they were to do. -My daughter was particularly directed to watch her declining sister's -health; my wife was to attend me; my little boys were to read to me: -'And as for you, my son,' continued I, 'it is by the labour of your -hands we must all hope to be supported. Your wages, as a day-labourer, -will be full sufficient, with proper frugality, to maintain us all, and -comfortably too. Thou art now sixteen years old, and hast strength, and -it was given thee, my son, for very useful purposes; for it must save -from famine your helpless parents and family. Prepare then this evening -to look out for work against to-morrow, and bring home every night what -money you earn, for our support.' - -Having thus instructed him, and settled the rest, I walked down to the -common prison, where I could enjoy more air and room. But I was not long -there when the execrations, lewdness, and brutality that invaded me on -every side, drove me back to my apartment again. Here I sate for some -time, pondering upon the strange infatuation of wretches, who finding -all mankind in open arms against them, were labouring to make themselves -a future and a tremendous enemy. - -Their insensibility excited my highest compassion, and blotted my own -uneasiness from my mind. It even appeared a duty incumbent upon me to -attempt to reclaim them. I resolved therefore once more to return, and -in spite of their contempt to give them my advice, and conquer them by -perseverance. Going therefore among them again, I informed Mr Jenkinson -of my design, at which he laughed heartily, but communicated it to the -rest. The proposal was received with the greatest good-humour, as it -promised to afford a new fund of entertainment to persons who had now -no other resource for mirth, but what could be derived from ridicule or -debauchery. - -I therefore read them a portion of the service with a loud unaffected -voice, and found my audience perfectly merry upon the occasion. Lewd -whispers, groans of contrition burlesqued, winking and coughing, -alternately excited laughter. However, I continued with my natural -solemnity to read on, sensible that what I did might amend some, but -could itself receive no contamination from any. - -After reading, I entered upon my exhortation, which was rather -calculated at first to amuse them than to reprove. I previously -observed, that no other motive but their welfare could induce me -to this; that I was their fellow prisoner, and now got nothing by -preaching. I was sorry, I said, to hear them so very prophane; because -they got nothing by it, but might lose a great deal: 'For be assured, -my friends,' cried I, 'for you are my friends, however the world may -disclaim your friendship, though you swore twelve thousand oaths in -a day, it would not put one penny in your purse. Then what signifies -calling every moment upon the devil, and courting his friendship, since -you find how scurvily he uses you. He has given you nothing here, -you find, but a mouthful of oaths and an empty belly; and by the best -accounts I have of him, he will give you nothing that's good hereafter. - -'If used ill in our dealings with one man, we naturally go elsewhere. -Were it not worth your while then, just to try how you may like the -usage of another master, who gives you fair promises at least to come -to him. Surely, my Friends, of all stupidity in the world, his must -be greatest, who, after robbing an house, runs to the thieftakers for -protection. And yet how are you more wise? You are all seeking comfort -from one that has already betrayed you, applying to a more malicious -being than any thieftaker of them all; for they only decoy, and then -hang you; but he decoys and hangs, and what is worst of all, will not -let you loose after the hangman has done.' - -When I had concluded, I received the compliments of my audience, some -of whom came and shook me by the hand, swearing that I was a very honest -fellow, and that they desired my further acquaintance. I therefore -promised to repeat my lecture next day, and actually conceived some -hopes of making a reformation here; for it had ever been my opinion, -that no man was past the hour of amendment, every heart lying open to -the shafts of reproof, if the archer could but take a proper aim. When -I had thus satisfied my mind, I went back to my apartment, where my wife -had prepared a frugal meal, while Mr Jenkinson begged leave to add his -dinner to ours, and partake of the pleasure, as he was kind enough to -express it of my conversation. He had not yet seen my family, for as -they came to my apartment by a door in the narrow passage, already -described, by this means they avoided the common prison. Jenkinson at -the first interview therefore seemed not a little struck with the beauty -of my youngest daughter, which her pensive air contributed to heighten, -and my little ones did not pass unnoticed. - -'Alas, Doctor,' cried he, 'these children are too handsome and too good -for such a place as this!' - -Why, Mr Jenkinson', replied I, 'thank heaven my children are pretty -tolerable in morals, and if they be good, it matters little for the -rest.' - -'I fancy, sir,' returned my fellow prisoner, 'that it must give you -great comfort to have this little family about you.' - -'A comfort, Mr Jenkinson,' replied I, 'yes it is indeed a comfort, and I -would not be without them for all the world; for they can make a -dungeon seem a palace. There is but one way in this life of wounding my -happiness, and that is by injuring them.' - -'I am afraid then, sir,' cried he, 'that I am in some measure culpable; -for I think I see here (looking at my son Moses) one that I have -injured, and by whom I wish to be forgiven.' - -My son immediately recollected his voice and features, though he had -before seen him in disguise, and taking him by the hand, with a smile -forgave him. 'Yet,' continued he, 'I can't help wondering at what you -could see in my face, to think me a proper mark for deception.' - -'My dear sir,' returned the other, 'it was not your face, but your white -stockings and the black ribband in your hair, that allured me. But no -disparagement to your parts, I have deceived wiser men than you in my -time; and yet, with all my tricks, the blockheads have been too many for -me at last.' - -'I suppose,' cried my son, 'that the narrative of such a life as yours -must be extremely instructive and amusing.' - -'Not much of either,' returned Mr Jenkinson. 'Those relations which -describe the tricks and vices only of mankind, by increasing our -suspicion in life, retard our success. The traveller that distrusts -every person he meets, and turns back upon the appearance of every man -that looks like a robber, seldom arrives in time at his journey's end. - -'Indeed I think from my own experience, that the knowing one is the -silliest fellow under the sun. I was thought cunning from my very -childhood; when but seven years old the ladies would say that I was a -perfect little man; at fourteen I knew the world, cocked my hat, and -loved the ladies; at twenty, though I was perfectly honest, yet every -one thought me so cunning, that not one would trust me. Thus I was at -last obliged to turn sharper in my own defence, and have lived -ever since, my head throbbing with schemes to deceive, and my heart -palpitating with fears of detection. - -'I used often to laugh at your honest simple neighbour Flamborough, -and one way or another generally cheated him once a year. Yet still the -honest man went forward without suspicion, and grew rich, while I still -continued tricksy and cunning, and was poor, without the consolation of -being honest. - -'However,' continued he, 'let me know your case, and what has brought -you here; perhaps though I have not skill to avoid a gaol myself, I may -extricate my friends.' - -In compliance with his curiosity, I informed him of the whole train of -accidents and follies that had plunged me into my present troubles, and -my utter inability to get free. - -After hearing my story, and pausing some minutes, he slapt his forehead, -as if he had hit upon something material, and took his leave, saying he -would try what could be done. - - - -CHAPTER 27 - - The same subject continued - - -The next morning I communicated to my wife and children the scheme I had -planned of reforming the prisoners, which they received with universal -disapprobation, alledging the impossibility and impropriety of it; -adding, that my endeavours would no way contribute to their amendment, -but might probably disgrace my calling. - -'Excuse me,' returned I, 'these people, however fallen, are still men, -and that is a very good title to my affections. Good council rejected -returns to enrich the giver's bosom; and though the instruction I -communicate may not mend them, yet it will assuredly mend myself. If -these wretches, my children, were princes, there would be thousands -ready to offer their ministry; but, in my opinion, the heart that is -buried in a dungeon is as precious as that seated upon a throne. Yes, my -treasures, if I can mend them I will; perhaps they will not all despise -me. Perhaps I may catch up even one from the gulph, and, that will -be great gain; for is there upon earth a gem so precious as the human -soul?' - -Thus saying, I left them, and descended to the common prison, where I -found the prisoners very merry, expecting my arrival; and each prepared -with some gaol trick to play upon the doctor. Thus, as I was going to -begin, one turned my wig awry, as if by accident, and then asked my -pardon. A second, who stood at some distance, had a knack of spitting -through his teeth, which fell in showers upon my book. A third would cry -amen in such an affected tone as gave the rest great delight. A fourth -had slily picked my pocket of my spectacles. But there was one whose -trick gave more universal pleasure than all the rest; for observing the -manner in which I had disposed my books on the table before me, he very -dextrously displaced one of them, and put an obscene jest-book of his -own in the place. However I took no notice of all that this mischievous -groupe of little beings could do; but went on, perfectly sensible that -what was ridiculous in my attempt, would excite mirth only the first -or second time, while what was serious would be permanent. My design -succeeded, and in less than six days some were penitent, and all -attentive. - -It was now that I applauded my perseverance and address, at thus giving -sensibility to wretches divested of every moral feeling, and now began -to think of doing them temporal services also, by rendering their -situation somewhat more comfortable. Their time had hitherto been -divided between famine and excess, tumultous riot and bitter repining. -Their only employment was quarrelling among each other, playing at -cribbage, and cutting tobacco stoppers. From this last mode of idle -industry I took the hint of setting such as chose to work at cutting -pegs for tobacconists and shoemakers, the proper wood being bought by a -general subscription, and when manufactured, sold by my appointment; so -that each earned something every day: a trifle indeed, but sufficient to -maintain him. - -I did not stop here, but instituted fines for the punishment of -immorality, and rewards for peculiar industry. Thus in less than a -fortnight I had formed them into something social and humane, and had -the pleasure of regarding myself as a legislator, who had brought men -from their native ferocity into friendship and obedience. - -And it were highly to be wished, that legislative power would thus -direct the law rather to reformation than severity. That it would -seem convinced that the work of eradicating crimes is not by making -punishments familiar, but formidable. Then instead of our present -prisons, which find or make men guilty, which enclose wretches for the -commission of one crime, and return them, if returned alive, fitted -for the perpetration of thousands; we should see, as in other parts of -Europe, places of penitence and solitude, where the accused might be -attended by such as could give them repentance if guilty, or new motives -to virtue if innocent. And this, but not the increasing punishments, is -the way to mend a state: nor can I avoid even questioning the validity -of that right which social combinations have assumed of capitally -punishing offences of a slight nature. In cases of murder their right is -obvious, as it is the duty of us all, from the law of self-defence, -to cut off that man who has shewn a disregard for the life of another. -Against such, all nature arises in arms; but it is not so against him -who steals my property. Natural law gives me no right to take away his -life, as by that the horse he steals is as much his property as mine. If -then I have any right, it must be from a compact made between us, that -he who deprives the other of his horse shall die. But this is a false -compact; because no man has a right to barter his life, no more than -to take it away, as it is not his own. And beside, the compact is -inadequate, and would be set aside even in a court of modern equity, as -there is a great penalty for a very trifling convenience, since it is -far better that two men should live, than that one man should ride. -But a compact that is false between two men, is equally so between an -hundred, or an hundred thousand; for as ten millions of circles can -never make a square, so the united voice of myriads cannot lend the -smallest foundation to falsehood. It is thus that reason speaks, and -untutored nature says the same thing. Savages that are directed by -natural law alone are very tender of the lives of each other; they -seldom shed blood but to retaliate former cruelty. - -Our Saxon ancestors, fierce as they were in war, had but few executions -in times of peace; and in all commencing governments that have the print -of nature still strong upon them, scarce any crime is held capital. - -It is among the citizens of a refined community that penal laws, which -are in the hands of the rich, are laid upon the poor. Government, while -it grows older, seems to acquire the moroseness of age; and as if our -property were become dearer in proportion as it increased, as if -the more enormous our wealth, the more extensive our fears, all our -possessions are paled up with new edicts every day, and hung round with -gibbets to scare every invader. - -I cannot tell whether it is from the number of our penal laws, or -the licentiousness of our people, that this country should shew more -convicts in a year, than half the dominions of Europe united. Perhaps -it is owing to both; for they mutually produce each other. When by -indiscriminate penal laws a nation beholds the same punishment affixed -to dissimilar degrees of guilt, from perceiving no distinction in the -penalty, the people are led to lose all sense of distinction in the -crime, and this distinction is the bulwark of all morality: thus the -multitude of laws produce new vices, and new vices call for fresh -restraints. - -It were to be wished then that power, instead a contriving new laws -to punish vice, instead of drawing hard the cords of society till a -convulsion come to burst them, instead of cutting away wretches as -useless, before we have tried their utility, instead of converting -correction into vengeance, it were to be wished that we tried the -restrictive arts of government, and made law the protector, but not the -tyrant of the people. We should then find that creatures, whose souls -are held as dross, only wanted the hand of a refiner; we should then -find that wretches, now stuck up for long tortures, lest luxury should -feel a momentary pang, might, if properly treated, serve to sinew the -state in times of danger; that, as their faces are like ours, their -hearts are so too; that few minds are so base as that perseverance -cannot amend; that a man may see his last crime without dying for it; -and that very little blood will serve to cement our security. - - - -CHAPTER 28 - - Happiness and misery rather the result of prudence than of - virtue in this life. Temporal evils or felicities being - regarded by heaven as things merely in themselves trifling - and unworthy its care in the distribution - - -I had now been confined more than a fortnight, but had not since my -arrival been visited by my dear Olivia, and I greatly longed to see her. -Having communicated my wishes to my wife, the next morning the poor girl -entered my apartment, leaning on her sister's arm. The change which -I saw in her countenance struck me. The numberless graces that once -resided there were now fled, and the hand of death seemed to have molded -every feature to alarm me. Her temples were sunk, her forehead was -tense, and a fatal paleness sate upon her cheek. - -'I am glad to see thee, my dear,' cried I; 'but why this dejection -Livy? I hope, my love, you have too great a regard for me, to permit -disappointment thus to undermine a life which I prize as my own. Be -chearful child, and we yet may see happier days.' - -'You have ever, sir,' replied she, 'been kind to me, and it adds to my -pain that I shall never have an opportunity of sharing that happiness -you promise. Happiness, I fear, is no longer reserved for me here; and I -long to be rid of a place where I have only found distress. Indeed, sir, -I wish you would make a proper submission to Mr Thornhill; it may, in -some measure, induce him to pity you, and it will give me relief in -dying.' - -'Never, child,' replied I, 'never will I be brought to acknowledge my -daughter a prostitute; for tho' the world may look upon your offence -with scorn, let it be mine to regard it as a mark of credulity, not of -guilt. My dear, I am no way miserable in this place, however dismal it -may seem, and be assured that while you continue to bless me by living, -he shall never have my consent to make you more wretched by marrying -another.' - -After the departure of my daughter, my fellow prisoner, who was by -at this interview, sensibly enough expostulated upon my obstinacy, in -refusing a submission, which promised to give me freedom. He observed, -that the rest of my family was not to be sacrificed to the peace of one -child alone, and she the only one who had offended me. 'Beside,' added -he, 'I don't know if it be just thus to obstruct the union of man and -wife, which you do at present, by refusing to consent to a match which -you cannot hinder, but may render unhappy.' - -'Sir,' replied I, 'you are unacquainted with the man that oppresses -us. I am very sensible that no submission I can make could procure me -liberty even for an hour. I am told that even in this very room a debtor -of his, no later than last year, died for want. But though my submission -and approbation could transfer me from hence, to the most beautiful -apartment he is possessed of; yet I would grant neither, as something -whispers me that it would be giving a sanction to adultery. While my -daughter lives, no other marriage of his shall ever be legal in my -eye. Were she removed, indeed, I should be the basest of men, from any -resentment of my own, to attempt putting asunder those who wish for an -union. No, villain as he is, I should then wish him married, to prevent -the consequences of his future debaucheries. But now should I not be -the most cruel of all fathers, to sign an Instrument which must send my -child to the grave, merely to avoid a prison myself; and thus to escape -one pang, break my child's heart with a thousand?' - -He acquiesced in the justice of this answer, but could not avoid -observing, that he feared my daughter's life was already too much wasted -to keep me long a prisoner. 'However,' continued he, 'though you refuse -to submit to the nephew, I hope you have no objections to laying your -case before the uncle, who has the first character in the kingdom for -every thing that is just and good. I would advise you to send him a -letter by the post, intimating all his nephew's ill usage, and my life -for it that in three days you shall have an answer.' I thank'd him for -the hint, and instantly set about complying; but I wanted paper, and -unluckily all our money had been laid out that morning in provisions; -however he supplied me. - -For the three ensuing days I was in a state of anxiety, to know what -reception my letter might meet with; but in the mean time was frequently -solicited by my wife to submit to any conditions rather than remain -here, and every hour received repeated accounts of the decline of my -daughter's health. The third day and the fourth arrived, but I received -no answer to my letter: the complaints of a stranger against a favourite -nephew, were no way likely to succeed; so that these hopes soon vanished -like all my former. My mind, however, still supported itself though -confinement and bad air began to make a visible alteration in my health, -and my arm that had suffered in the fire, grew worse. My children -however sate by me, and while I was stretched on my straw, read to me by -turns, or listened and wept at my instructions. But my daughter's -health declined faster than mine; every message from her contributed -to encrease my apprehensions and pain. The fifth morning after I had -written the letter which was sent to Sir William Thornhill, I was -alarmed with an account that she was speechless. Now it was, that -confinement was truly painful to me; my soul was bursting from its -prison to be near the pillow of my child, to comfort, to strengthen -her, to receive her last wishes, and teach her soul the way to heaven! -Another account came. She was expiring, and yet I was debarred the small -comfort of weeping by her. My fellow prisoner, some time after, came -with the last account. He bade me be patient. She was dead!--The next -morning he returned, and found me with my two little ones, now my only -companions, who were using all their innocent efforts to comfort me. -They entreated to read to me, and bade me not to cry, for I was now -too old to weep. 'And is not my sister an angel, now, pappa,' cried the -eldest, 'and why then are you sorry for her? I wish I were an angel -out of this frightful place, if my pappa were with me.' 'Yes,' added -my youngest darling, 'Heaven, where my sister is, is a finer place than -this, and there are none but good people there, and the people here are -very bad.' - -Mr Jenkinson interupted their harmless prattle, by observing that now my -daughter was no more, I should seriously think of the rest of my family, -and attempt to save my own life, which was every day declining, for want -of necessaries and wholesome air. He added, that it was now incumbent -on me to sacrifice any pride or resentment of my own, to the welfare of -those who depended on me for support; and that I was now, both by reason -and justice, obliged to try to reconcile my landlord. - -'Heaven be praised,' replied I, 'there is no pride left me now, I should -detest my own heart if I saw either pride or resentment lurking there. -On the contrary, as my oppressor has been once my parishioner, I hope -one day to present him up an unpolluted soul at the eternal tribunal. -No, sir, I have no resentment now, and though he has taken from me what -I held dearer than all his treasures, though he has wrung my heart, for -I am sick almost to fainting, very sick, my fellow prisoner, yet that -shall never inspire me with vengeance. I am now willing to approve his -marriage, and if this submission can do him any pleasure, let him know, -that if I have done him any injury, I am sorry for it.' Mr Jenkinson -took pen and ink, and wrote down my submission nearly as I have exprest -it, to which I signed my name. My son was employed to carry the letter -to Mr Thornhill, who was then at his seat in the country. He went, -and in about six hours returned with a verbal answer. He had some -difficulty, he said, to get a sight of his landlord, as the servants -were insolent and suspicious; but he accidentally saw him as he was -going out upon business, preparing for his marriage, which was to be in -three days. He continued to inform us, that he stept up in the humblest -manner, and delivered the letter, which, when Mr Thornhill had read, he -said that all submission was now too late and unnecessary; that he had -heard of our application to his uncle, which met with the contempt it -deserved; and as for the rest, that all future applications should be -directed to his attorney, not to him. He observed, however, that as he -had a very good opinion of the discretion of the two young ladies, they -might have been the most agreeable intercessors. - -'Well, sir,' said I to my fellow prisoner, 'you now discover the temper -of the man that oppresses me. He can at once be facetious and cruel; -but let him use me as he will, I shall soon be free, in spite of all -his bolts to restrain me. I am now drawing towards an abode that looks -brighter as I approach it: this expectation cheers my afflictions, and -though I leave an helpless family of orphans behind me, yet they will -not be utterly forsaken; some friend, perhaps, will be found to assist -them for the sake of their poor father, and some may charitably relieve -them for the sake of their heavenly father.' - -Just as I spoke, my wife, whom I had not seen that day before, appeared -with looks of terror, and making efforts, but unable to speak. 'Why, my -love,' cried I, 'why will you thus encrease my afflictions by your -own, what though no submissions can turn our severe master, tho' he has -doomed me to die in this place of wretchedness, and though we have lost -a darling child, yet still you will find comfort in your other children -when I shall be no more.' 'We have indeed lost,' returned she, 'a -darling child. My Sophia, my dearest, is gone, snatched from us, carried -off by ruffians!' - -'How madam,' cried my fellow prisoner, 'Miss Sophia carried off by -villains, sure it cannot be?' - -She could only answer with a fixed look and a flood of tears. But one of -the prisoners' wives, who was present, and came in with her, gave us a -more distinct account: she informed us that as my wife, my daughter, and -herself, were taking a walk together on the great road a little way out -of the village, a post-chaise and pair drove up to them and instantly -stopt. Upon which, a well drest man, but not Mr Thornhill, stepping -out, clasped my daughter round the waist, and forcing her in, bid the -postillion drive on, so that they were out of sight in a moment. - -'Now,' cried I, 'the sum of my misery is made up, nor is it in the power -of any thing on earth to give me another pang. What! not one left! not -to leave me one! the monster! the child that was next my heart! she had -the beauty of an angel, and almost the wisdom of an angel. But support -that woman, nor let her fall. Not to leave me one!'--'Alas! my husband,' -said my wife, 'you seem to want comfort even more than I. Our distresses -are great; but I could bear this and more, if I saw you but easy. They -may take away my children and all the world, if they leave me but you.' - -My son, who was present, endeavoured to moderate our grief; he bade -us take comfort, for he hoped that we might still have reason to be -thankful.--'My child,' cried I, 'look round the world, and see if there -be any happiness left me now. Is not every ray of comfort shut out; -while all our bright prospects only lie beyond the grave!'--'My dear -father,' returned he, 'I hope there is still something that will give -you an interval of satisfaction; for I have a letter from my brother -George'--'What of him, child,' interrupted I, 'does he know our misery. -I hope my boy is exempt from any part of what his wretched family -suffers?'--'Yes, sir,' returned he, 'he is perfectly gay, chearful, and -happy. His letter brings nothing but good news; he is the favourite of -his colonel, who promises to procure him the very next lieutenancy that -becomes vacant!' - -'And are you sure of all this,' cried my wife, 'are you sure that -nothing ill has befallen my boy?'--'Nothing indeed, madam,' returned -my son, 'you shall see the letter, which will give you the highest -pleasure; and if any thing can procure you comfort, I am sure that -will.' 'But are you sure,' still repeated she, 'that the letter is from -himself, and that he is really so happy?'--'Yes, Madam,' replied he, 'it -is certainly his, and he will one day be the credit and the support of -our family!'--'Then I thank providence,' cried she, 'that my last letter -to him has miscarried.' 'Yes, my dear,' continued she, turning to me, 'I -will now confess that though the hand of heaven is sore upon us in other -instances, it has been favourable here. By the last letter I wrote -my son, which was in the bitterness of anger, I desired him, upon his -mother's blessing, and if he had the heart of a man, to see justice done -his father and sister, and avenge our cause. But thanks be to him that -directs all things, it has miscarried, and I am at rest.' 'Woman,' cried -I, 'thou hast done very ill, and at another time my reproaches might -have been more severe. Oh! what a tremendous gulph hast thou escaped, -that would have buried both thee and him in endless ruin. Providence, -indeed, has here been kinder to us than we to ourselves. It has reserved -that son to be the father and protector of my children when I shall be -away. How unjustly did I complain of being stript of every comfort, when -still I hear that he is happy and insensible of our afflictions; still -kept in reserve to support his widowed mother, and to protect his -brothers and sisters. But what sisters has he left, he has no sisters -now, they are all gone, robbed from me, and I am undone.'--'Father,' -interrupted my son, 'I beg you will give me leave to read this letter, -I know it will please you.' Upon which, with my permission, he read as -follows:-- - -Honoured Sir,--I have called off my imagination a few moments from the -pleasures that surround me, to fix it upon objects that are still -more pleasing, the dear little fire-side at home. My fancy draws that -harmless groupe as listening to every line of this with great composure. -I view those faces with delight which never felt the deforming hand of -ambition or distress! But whatever your happiness may be at home, I am -sure it will be some addition to it, to hear that I am perfectly pleased -with my situation, and every way happy here. - -Our regiment is countermanded and is not to leave the kingdom; the -colonel, who professes himself my friend, takes me with him to all -companies where he is acquainted, and after my first visit I generally -find myself received with encreased respect upon repeating it. I danced -last night with Lady G-, and could I forget you know whom, I might be -perhaps successful. But it is my fate still to remember others, while I -am myself forgotten by most of my absent friends, and in this number, -I fear, Sir, that I must consider you; for I have long expected the -pleasure of a letter from home to no purpose. Olivia and Sophia too, -promised to write, but seem to have forgotten me. Tell them they are -two arrant little baggages, and that I am this moment in a most violent -passion with them: yet still, I know not how, tho' I want to bluster a -little, my heart is respondent only to softer emotions. Then tell them, -sir, that after all, I love them affectionately, and be assured of my -ever remaining - -Your dutiful son. - - -'In all our miseries,' cried I, 'what thanks have we not to return, that -one at least of our family is exempted from what we suffer. Heaven be -his guard, and keep my boy thus happy to be the supporter of his widowed -mother, and the father of these two babes, which is all the patrimony I -can now bequeath him. May he keep their innocence from the temptations -of want, and be their conductor in the paths of honour.' I had scarce -said these words, when a noise, like that of a tumult, seemed to proceed -from the prison below; it died away soon after, and a clanking of -fetters was heard along the passage that led to my apartment. The keeper -of the prison entered, holding a man all bloody, wounded and fettered -with the heaviest irons. I looked with compassion on the wretch as he -approached me, but with horror when I found it was my own son.--'My -George! My George! and do I find thee thus. Wounded! Fettered! Is this -thy happiness! Is this the manner you return to me! O that this sight -could break my heart at once and let me die!' - -'Where, Sir, is your fortitude,' returned my son with an intrepid voice. -'I must suffer, my life is forfeited, and let them take it.' - -I tried to restrain my passions for a few minutes in silence, but I -thought I should have died with the effort--'O my boy, my heart weeps -to behold thee thus, and I cannot, cannot help it. In the moment that -I thought thee blest, and prayed for thy safety, to behold thee thus -again! Chained, wounded. And yet the death of the youthful is happy. -But I am old, a very old man, and have lived to see this day. To see -my children all untimely falling about me, while I continue a wretched -survivor in the midst of ruin! May all the curses that ever sunk a soul -fall heavy upon the murderer of my children. May he live, like me, to -see--' - -'Hold, Sir,' replied my son, 'or I shall blush for thee. How, Sir, -forgetful of your age, your holy calling, thus to arrogate the justice -of heaven, and fling those curses upward that must soon descend to crush -thy own grey head with destruction! No, Sir, let it be your care now to -fit me for that vile death I must shortly suffer, to arm me with hope -and resolution, to give me courage to drink of that bitterness which -must shortly be my portion.' - -'My child, you must not die: I am sure no offence of thine can deserve -so vile a punishment. My George could never be guilty of any crime to -make his ancestors ashamed of him.' - -'Mine, Sir,' returned my son, 'is, I fear, an unpardonable one. When -I received my mother's letter from home, I immediately came down, -determined to punish the betrayer of our honour, and sent him an order -to meet me, which he answered, not in person, but by his dispatching -four of his domestics to seize me. I wounded one who first assaulted me, -and I fear desperately, but the rest made me their prisoner. The coward -is determined to put the law in execution against me, the proofs are -undeniable, I have sent a challenge, and as I am the first transgressor -upon the statute, I see no hopes of pardon. But you have often charmed -me with your lessons of fortitude, let me now, Sir, find them in your -example.' - -'And, my son, you shall find them. I am now raised above this world, and -all the pleasures it can produce. From this moment I break from my heart -all the ties that held it down to earth, and will prepare to fit us both -for eternity. Yes, my son, I will point out the way, and my soul shall -guide yours in the ascent, for we will take our flight together. I -now see and am convinced you can expect no pardon here, and I can only -exhort you to seek it at that greatest tribunal where we both shall -shortly answer. But let us not be niggardly in our exhortation, but let -all our fellow prisoners have a share: good gaoler let them be permitted -to stand here, while I attempt to improve them.' Thus saying, I made an -effort to rise from my straw, but wanted strength, and was able only -to recline against the wall. The prisoners assembled according to my -direction, for they loved to hear my council, my son and his mother -supported me on either side, I looked and saw that none were wanting, -and then addressed them with the following exhortation. - - - -CHAPTER 29 - - The equal dealings of providence demonstrated with regard to - the happy and the miserable here below. That from the nature - of pleasure and pain, the wretched must be repaid the - balance of their sufferings in the life hereafter - - -My friends, my children, and fellow sufferers, when I reflect on the -distribution of good and evil here below, I find that much has been -given man to enjoy, yet still more to suffer. Though we should examine -the whole world, we shall not find one man so happy as to have nothing -left to wish for; but we daily see thousands who by suicide shew us they -have nothing left to hope. In this life then it appears that we cannot -be entirely blest; but yet we may be completely miserable! - -Why man should thus feel pain, why our wretchedness should be requisite -in the formation of universal felicity, why, when all other systems are -made perfect by the perfection of their subordinate parts, the great -system should require for its perfection, parts that are not only -subordinate to others, but imperfect in themselves? These are questions -that never can be explained, and might be useless if known. On this -subject providence has thought fit to elude our curiosity, satisfied -with granting us motives to consolation. - -In this situation, man has called in the friendly assistance of -philosophy, and heaven seeing the incapacity of that to console him, has -given him the aid of religion. The consolations of philosophy are very -amusing, but often fallacious. It tells us that life is filled with -comforts, if we will but enjoy them; and on the other hand, that though -we unavoidably have miseries here, life is short, and they will soon be -over. Thus do these consolations destroy each other; for if life is a -place of comfort, its shortness must be misery, and if it be long, our -griefs are protracted. Thus philosophy is weak; but religion comforts -in an higher strain. Man is here, it tells us, fitting up his mind, and -preparing it for another abode. When the good man leaves the body and is -all a glorious mind, he will find he has been making himself a heaven of -happiness here, while the wretch that has been maimed and contaminated -by his vices, shrinks from his body with terror, and finds that he has -anticipated the vengeance of heaven. To religion then we must hold in -every circumstance of life for our truest comfort; for if already we -are happy, it is a pleasure to think that we can make that happiness -unending, and if we are miserable, it is very consoling to think that -there is a place of rest. Thus to the fortunate religion holds out a -continuance of bliss, to the wretched a change from pain. - -But though religion is very kind to all men, it has promised peculiar -rewards to the unhappy; the sick, the naked, the houseless, the -heavy-laden, and the prisoner, have ever most frequent promises in our -sacred law. The author of our religion every where professes himself the -wretch's friend, and unlike the false ones of this world, bestows all -his caresses upon the forlorn. The unthinking have censured this as -partiality, as a preference without merit to deserve it. But they never -reflect that it is not in the power even of heaven itself to make the -offer of unceasing felicity as great a gift to the happy as to the -miserable. To the first eternity is but a single blessing, since at most -it but encreases what they already possess. To the latter it is a double -advantage; for it diminishes their pain here, and rewards them with -heavenly bliss hereafter. - -But providence is in another respect kinder to the poor than the rich; -for as it thus makes the life after death more desirable, so it smooths -the passage there. The wretched have had a long familiarity with every -face of terror. The man of sorrow lays himself quietly down, without -possessions to regret, and but few ties to stop his departure: he feels -only nature's pang in the final separation, and this is no way greater -than he has often fainted under before; for after a certain degree of -pain, every new breach that death opens in the constitution, nature -kindly covers with insensibility. - -Thus providence has given the wretched two advantages over the happy, in -this life, greater felicity in dying, and in heaven all that -superiority of pleasure which arises from contrasted enjoyment. And this -superiority, my friends, is no small advantage, and seems to be one of -the pleasures of the poor man in the parable; for though he was already -in heaven, and felt all the raptures it could give, yet it was mentioned -as an addition to his happiness, that he had once been wretched and now -was comforted, that he had known what it was to be miserable, and now -felt what it was to be happy. - -Thus, my friends, you see religion does what philosophy could never do: -it shews the equal dealings of heaven to the happy and the unhappy, and -levels all human enjoyments to nearly the same standard. It gives to -both rich and poor the same happiness hereafter, and equal hopes to -aspire after it; but if the rich have the advantage of enjoying pleasure -here, the poor have the endless satisfaction of knowing what it was once -to be miserable, when crowned with endless felicity hereafter; and even -though this should be called a small advantage, yet being an eternal -one, it must make up by duration what the temporal happiness of the -great may have exceeded by intenseness. - -These are therefore the consolations which the wretched have peculiar -to themselves, and in which they are above the rest of mankind; in other -respects they are below them. They who would know the miseries of the -poor must see life and endure it. To declaim on the temporal advantages -they enjoy, is only repeating what none either believe or practise. The -men who have the necessaries of living are not poor, and they who want -them must be miserable. Yes, my friends, we must be miserable. No vain -efforts of a refined imagination can sooth the wants of nature, can -give elastic sweetness to the dank vapour of a dungeon, or ease to the -throbbings of a broken heart. Let the philosopher from his couch of -softness tell us that we can resist all these. Alas! the effort by which -we resist them is still the greatest pain! Death is slight, and any man -may sustain it; but torments are dreadful, and these no man can endure. - -To us then, my friends, the promises of happiness in heaven should be -peculiarly dear; for if our reward be in this life alone, we are then -indeed of all men the most miserable. When I look round these gloomy -walls, made to terrify, as well as to confine us; this light that only -serves to shew the horrors of the place, those shackles that tyranny has -imposed, or crime made necessary; when I survey these emaciated looks, -and hear those groans, O my friends, what a glorious exchange would -heaven be for these. To fly through regions unconfined as air, to -bask in the sunshine of eternal bliss, to carrol over endless hymns -of praise, to have no master to threaten or insult us, but the form of -goodness himself for ever in our eyes, when I think of these things, -death becomes the messenger of very glad tidings; when I think of these -things, his sharpest arrow becomes the staff of my support; when I think -of these things, what is there in life worth having; when I think of -these things, what is there that should not be spurned away: kings in -their palaces should groan for such advantages; but we, humbled as we -are, should yearn for them. - -And shall these things be ours? Ours they will certainly be if we -but try for them; and what is a comfort, we are shut out from many -temptations that would retard our pursuit. Only let us try for them, and -they will certainly be ours, and what is still a comfort, shortly too; -for if we look back on past life, it appears but a very short span, and -whatever we may think of the rest of life, it will yet be found of -less duration; as we grow older, the days seem to grow shorter, and our -intimacy with time, ever lessens the perception of his stay. Then let -us take comfort now, for we shall soon be at our journey's end; we -shall soon lay down the heavy burthen laid by heaven upon us, and though -death, the only friend of the wretched, for a little while mocks the -weary traveller with the view, and like his horizon, still flies before -him; yet the time will certainly and shortly come, when we shall cease -from our toil; when the luxurious great ones of the world shall no -more tread us to the earth; when we shall think with pleasure on our -sufferings below; when we shall be surrounded with all our friends, or -such as deserved our friendship; when our bliss shall be unutterable, -and still, to crown all, unending. - - - -CHAPTER 30 - - Happier prospects begin to appear. Let us be inflexible, and - fortune will at last change in our favour - - -When I had thus finished and my audience was retired, the gaoler, who -was one of the most humane of his profession, hoped I would not be -displeased, as what he did was but his duty, observing that he must be -obliged to remove my son into a stronger cell, but that he should be -permitted to revisit me every morning. I thanked him for his clemency, -and grasping my boy's hand, bade him farewell, and be mindful of the -great duty that was before him. - -I again, therefore laid me down, and one of my little ones sate by my -bedside reading, when Mr Jenkinson entering, informed me that there was -news of my daughter; for that she was seen by a person about two hours -before in a strange gentleman's company, and that they had stopt at -a neighbouring village for refreshment, and seemed as if returning to -town. He had scarce delivered this news, when the gaoler came with looks -of haste and pleasure, to inform me, that my daughter was found. Moses -came running in a moment after, crying out that his sister Sophy was -below and coming up with our old friend Mr Burchell. - -Just as he delivered this news my dearest girl entered, and with looks -almost wild with pleasure, ran to kiss me in a transport of affection. -Her mother's tears and silence also shewed her pleasure.--'Here, -pappa,' cried the charming girl, 'here is the brave man to whom I owe my -delivery; to this gentleman's intrepidity I am indebted for my happiness -and safety--' A kiss from Mr Burchell, whose pleasure seemed even -greater than hers, interrupted what she was going to add. - -'Ah, Mr Burchell,' cried I, 'this is but a wretched habitation you now -find us in; and we are now very different from what you last saw us. You -were ever our friend: we have long discovered our errors with regard -to you, and repented of our ingratitude. After the vile usage you then -received at my hands I am almost ashamed to behold your face; yet I hope -you'll forgive me, as I was deceived by a base ungenerous wretch, who, -under the mask of friendship, has undone me.' - -'It is impossible,' replied Mr Burchell, 'that I should forgive you, as -you never deserved my resentment. I partly saw your delusion then, and -as it was out of my power to restrain, I could only pity it!' - -'It was ever my conjecture,' cried I, 'that your mind was noble; but now -I find it so. But tell me, my dear child, how hast thou been relieved, -or who the ruffians were who carried thee away?' - -'Indeed, Sir,' replied she, 'as to the villain who carried me off, I am -yet ignorant. For as my mamma and I were walking out, he came behind us, -and almost before I could call for help, forced me into the post-chaise, -and in an instant the horses drove away. I met several on the road, to -whom I cried out for assistance; but they disregarded my entreaties. -In the mean time the ruffian himself used every art to hinder me from -crying out: he flattered and threatened by turns, and swore that if I -continued but silent, he intended no harm. In the mean time I had broken -the canvas that he had drawn up, and whom should I perceive at some -distance but your old friend Mr Burchell, walking along with his usual -swiftness, with the great stick for which we used so much to ridicule -him. As soon as we came within hearing, I called out to him by name, -and entreated his help. I repeated my exclamations several times, upon -which, with a very loud voice, he bid the postillion stop; but the boy -took no notice, but drove on with still greater speed. I now thought he -could never overtake us, when in less than a minute I saw Mr Burchell -come running up by the side of the horses, and with one blow knock the -postillion to the ground. The horses when he was fallen soon stopt of -themselves, and the ruffian stepping out, with oaths and menaces drew -his sword, and ordered him at his peril to retire; but Mr Burchell -running up, shivered his sword to pieces, and then pursued him for near -a quarter of a mile; but he made his escape. I was at this time come out -myself, willing to assist my deliverer; but he soon returned to me in -triumph. The postillion, who was recovered, was going to make his escape -too; but Mr Burchell ordered him at his peril to mount again, and drive -back to town. Finding it impossible to resist, he reluctantly complied, -though the wound he had received seemed, to me at least, to be -dangerous. He continued to complain of the pain as we drove along, so -that he at last excited Mr Burchell's compassion, who, at my request, -exchanged him for another at an inn where we called on our return.' - -'Welcome then,' cried I, 'my child, and thou her gallant deliverer, a -thousand welcomes. Though our chear is but wretched, yet our hearts are -ready to receive you. And now, Mr Burchell, as you have delivered my -girl, if you think her a recompence she is yours, if you can stoop to an -alliance with a family so poor as mine, take her, obtain her consent, as -I know you have her heart, and you have mine. And let me tell you, Sir, -that I give you no small treasure, she has been celebrated for beauty -it is true, but that is not my meaning, I give you up a treasure in her -mind.' - -'But I suppose, Sir,' cried Mr Burchell, 'that you are apprized of my -circumstances, and of my incapacity to support her as she deserves?' - -'If your present objection,' replied I, 'be meant as an evasion of my -offer, I desist: but I know no man so worthy to deserve her as you; and -if I could give her thousands, and thousands sought her from me, yet my -honest brave Burchell should be my dearest choice.' - -To all this his silence alone seemed to give a mortifying refusal, and -without the least reply to my offer, he demanded if we could not be -furnished with refreshments from the next inn, to which being answered -in the affirmative, he ordered them to send in the best dinner that -could be provided upon such short notice. He bespoke also a dozen of -their best wine; and some cordials for me. Adding, with a smile, that he -would stretch a little for once, and tho' in a prison, asserted he was -never better disposed to be merry. The waiter soon made his appearance -with preparations for dinner, a table was lent us by the gaoler, who -seemed remarkably assiduous, the wine was disposed in order, and two -very well-drest dishes were brought in. - -My daughter had not yet heard of her poor brother's melancholy -situation, and we all seemed unwilling to damp her cheerfulness by the -relation. But it was in vain that I attempted to appear chearful, -the circumstances of my unfortunate son broke through all efforts to -dissemble; so that I was at last obliged to damp our mirth by relating -his misfortunes, and wishing that he might be permitted to share with us -in this little interval of satisfaction. After my guests were recovered, -from the consternation my account had produced, I requested also that Mr -Jenkinson, a fellow prisoner, might be admitted, and the gaoler granted -my request with an air of unusual submission. The clanking of my -son's irons was no sooner heard along the passage, than his sister ran -impatiently to meet him; while Mr Burchell, in the mean time, asked me -if my son's name were George, to which replying in the affirmative, -he still continued silent. As soon as my boy entered the room, I -could perceive he regarded Mr Burchell with a look of astonishment and -reverence. 'Come on,' cried I, 'my son, though we are fallen very low, -yet providence has been pleased to grant us some small relaxation from -pain. Thy sister is restored to us, and there is her deliverer: to that -brave man it is that I am indebted for yet having a daughter, give him, -my boy, the hand of friendship, he deserves our warmest gratitude.' - -My son seemed all this while regardless of what I said, and still -continued fixed at respectful distance.--'My dear brother,' cried his -sister, 'why don't you thank my good deliverer; the brave should ever -love each other.' - -He still continued his silence and astonishment, till our guest at last -perceived himself to be known, and assuming all his native dignity, -desired my son to come forward. Never before had I seen any thing so -truly majestic as the air he assumed upon this occasion. The greatest -object in the universe, says a certain philosopher, is a good man -struggling with adversity; yet there is still a greater, which is the -good man that comes to relieve it. After he had regarded my son for some -time with a superior air, 'I again find,' said he, 'unthinking boy, that -the same crime--' But here he was interrupted by one of the gaoler's -servants, who came to inform us that a person of distinction, who -had driven into town with a chariot and several attendants, sent his -respects to the gentleman that was with us, and begged to know when he -should think proper to be waited upon.--'Bid the fellow wait,' cried our -guest, 'till I shall have leisure to receive him;' and then turning to -my son, 'I again find, Sir,' proceeded he, 'that you are guilty of the -same offence for which you once had my reproof, and for which the law -is now preparing its justest punishments. You imagine, perhaps, that a -contempt for your own life, gives you a right to take that of another: -but where, Sir, is the difference between a duelist who hazards a life -of no value, and the murderer who acts with greater security? Is it any -diminution of the gamester's fraud when he alledges that he has staked a -counter?' - -'Alas, Sir,' cried I, 'whoever you are, pity the poor misguided -creature; for what he has done was in obedience to a deluded mother, who -in the bitterness of her resentment required him upon her blessing -to avenge her quarrel. Here, Sir, is the letter, which will serve to -convince you of her imprudence and diminish his guilt.' - -He took the letter, and hastily read it over. 'This,' says he, 'though -not a perfect excuse, is such a palliation of his fault, as induces me -to forgive him. And now, Sir,' continued he, kindly taking my son by -the hand, 'I see you are surprised at finding me here; but I have often -visited prisons upon occasions less interesting. I am now come to see -justice done a worthy man, for whom I have the most sincere esteem. I -have long been a disguised spectator of thy father's benevolence. I have -at his little dwelling enjoyed respect uncontaminated by flattery, -and have received that happiness that courts could not give, from the -amusing simplicity around his fire-side. My nephew has been apprized -of my intentions of coming here, and I find is arrived; it would be -wronging him and you to condemn him without examination: if there be -injury, there shall be redress; and this I may say without boasting, -that none have ever taxed the injustice of Sir William Thornhill.' - -We now found the personage whom we had so long entertained as an -harmless amusing companion was no other than the celebrated Sir William -Thornhill, to whose virtues and singularities scarce any were strangers. -The poor Mr Burchell was in reality a man of large fortune and great -interest, to whom senates listened with applause, and whom party heard -with conviction; who was the friend of his country, but loyal to his -king. My poor wife recollecting her former familiarity, seemed to shrink -with apprehension; but Sophia, who a few moments before thought him -her own, now perceiving the immense distance to which he was removed by -fortune, was unable to conceal her tears. - -'Ah, Sir,' cried my wife, with a piteous aspect, 'how is it possible -that I can ever have your forgiveness; the slights you received from me -the last time I had the honour of seeing you at our house, and the jokes -which I audaciously threw out, these jokes, Sir, I fear can never be -forgiven.' - -'My dear good lady,' returned he with a smile, 'if you had your joke, I -had my answer: I'll leave it to all the company if mine were not as -good as yours. To say the truth, I know no body whom I am disposed to -be angry with at present but the fellow who so frighted my little -girl here. I had not even time to examine the rascal's person so as -to describe him in an advertisement. Can you tell me, Sophia, my dear, -whether you should know him again?' - -'Indeed, Sir,' replied she, 'I can't be positive; yet now I recollect -he had a large mark over one of his eye-brows.' 'I ask pardon, madam,' -interrupted Jenkinson, who was by, 'but be so good as to inform me -if the fellow wore his own red hair?'--'Yes, I think so,' cried -Sophia.--'And did your honour,' continued he, turning to Sir William, -'observe the length of his legs?'--'I can't be sure of their length,' -cried the Baronet, 'but I am convinced of their swiftness; for he -out-ran me, which is what I thought few men in the kingdom could have -done.'--'Please your honour,' cried Jenkinson, 'I know the man: it is -certainly the same; the best runner in England; he has beaten Pinwire -of Newcastle, Timothy Baxter is his name, I know him perfectly, and the -very place of his retreat this moment. If your honour will bid Mr Gaoler -let two of his men go with me, I'll engage to produce him to you in -an hour at farthest.' Upon this the gaoler was called, who instantly -appearing, Sir William demanded if he knew him. 'Yes, please your -honour,' reply'd the gaoler, 'I know Sir William Thornhill well, and -every body that knows any thing of him, will desire to know more of -him.'--'Well then,' said the Baronet, 'my request is, that you will -permit this man and two of your servants to go upon a message by my -authority, and as I am in the commission of the peace, I undertake to -secure you.'--'Your promise is sufficient,' replied the other, 'and you -may at a minute's warning send them over England whenever your honour -thinks fit.' - -In pursuance of the gaoler's compliance, Jenkinson was dispatched in -search of Timothy Baxter, while we were amused with the assiduity of our -youngest boy Bill, who had just come in and climbed up to Sir William's -neck in order to kiss him. His mother was immediately going to chastise -his familiarity, but the worthy man prevented her; and taking the child, -all ragged as he was, upon his knee, 'What, Bill, you chubby rogue,' -cried he, 'do you remember your old friend Burchell; and Dick too, my -honest veteran, are you here, you shall find I have not forgot you.' -So saying, he gave each a large piece of gingerbread, which the poor -fellows eat very heartily, as they had got that morning but a very -scanty breakfast. - -We now sate down to dinner, which was almost cold; but previously, my -arm still continuing painful, Sir William wrote a prescription, for he -had made the study of physic his amusement, and was more than moderately -skilled in the profession: this being sent to an apothecary who lived in -the place, my arm was dressed, and I found almost instantaneous relief. -We were waited upon at dinner by the gaoler himself, who was willing to -do our guest all the honour in his power. But before we had well dined, -another message was brought from his nephew, desiring permission to -appear, in order to vindicate his innocence and honour, with which -request the Baronet complied, and desired Mr Thornhill to be introduced. - - - -CHAPTER 31 - - Former benevolence now repaid with unexpected interest - - -Mr Thornhill made his entrance with a smile, which he seldom wanted, and -was going to embrace his uncle, which the other repulsed with an air of -disdain. 'No fawning, Sir, at present,' cried the Baronet, with a look -of severity, 'the only way to my heart is by the road of honour; but -here I only see complicated instances of falsehood, cowardice, and -oppression. How is it, Sir, that this poor man, for whom I know you -professed a friendship, is used thus hardly? His daughter vilely -seduced, as a recompence for his hospitality, and he himself thrown into -a prison perhaps but for resenting the insult? His son too, whom you -feared to face as a man--' - -'Is it possible, Sir,' interrupted his nephew, 'that my uncle could -object that as a crime which his repeated instructions alone have -persuaded me to avoid.' - -'Your rebuke,' cried Sir William, 'is just; you have acted in this -instance prudently and well, though not quite as your father would have -done: my brother indeed was the soul of honour; but thou--yes you -have acted in this instance perfectly right, and it has my warmest -approbation.' - -'And I hope,' said his nephew, 'that the rest of my conduct will not -be found to deserve censure. I appeared, Sir, with this gentleman's -daughter at some places of public amusement; thus what was levity, -scandal called by a harsher name, and it was reported that I had -debauched her. I waited on her father in person, willing to clear the -thing to his satisfaction, and he received me only with insult and -abuse. As for the rest, with regard to his being here, my attorney -and steward can best inform you, as I commit the management of business -entirely to them. If he has contracted debts and is unwilling or even -unable to pay them, it is their business to proceed in this manner, -and I see no hardship or injustice in pursuing the most legal means of -redress.' - -'If this,' cried Sir William, 'be as you have stated it, there is -nothing unpardonable in your offence, and though your conduct might have -been more generous in not suffering this gentleman to be oppressed by -subordinate tyranny, yet it has been at least equitable.' - -'He cannot contradict a single particular,' replied the 'Squire, 'I defy -him to do so, and several of my servants are ready to attest what I say. -Thus, Sir,' continued he, finding that I was silent, for in fact I could -not contradict him, 'thus, Sir, my own innocence is vindicated; but -though at your entreaty I am ready to forgive this gentleman every -other offence, yet his attempts to lessen me in your esteem, excite a -resentment that I cannot govern. And this too at a time when his son was -actually preparing to take away my life; this, I say, was such guilt, -that I am determined to let the law take its course. I have here the -challenge that was sent me and two witnesses to prove it; one of my -servants has been wounded dangerously, and even though my uncle himself -should dissuade me, which I know he will not, yet I will see public -justice done, and he shall suffer for it.' - -'Thou monster,' cried my wife, 'hast thou not had vengeance enough -already, but must my poor boy feel thy cruelty. I hope that good Sir -William will protect us, for my son is as innocent as a child; I am sure -he is, and never did harm to man.' - -'Madam,' replied the good man, 'your wishes for his safety are not -greater than mine; but I am sorry to find his guilt too plain; and if my -nephew persists--' But the appearance of Jenkinson and the gaoler's two -servants now called off our attention, who entered, haling in a tall -man, very genteelly drest, and answering the description already given -of the ruffian who had carried off my daughter--'Here,' cried Jenkinson, -pulling him in, 'here we have him, and if ever there was a candidate for -Tyburn, this is one.' - -The moment Mr Thornhill perceived the prisoner, and Jenkinson, who had -him in custody, he seemed to shrink back with terror. His face became -pale with conscious guilt, and he would have withdrawn; but Jenkinson, -who perceived his design, stopt him--'What, 'Squire,' cried he, 'are you -ashamed of your two old acquaintances, Jenkinson and Baxter: but this is -the way that all great men forget their friends, though I am resolved -we will not forget you. Our prisoner, please your honour,' continued -he, turning to Sir William, 'has already confessed all. This is the -gentleman reported to be so dangerously wounded: He declares that it was -Mr Thornhill who first put him upon this affair, that he gave him the -cloaths he now wears to appear like a gentleman, and furnished him with -the post-chaise. The plan was laid between them that he should carry off -the young lady to a place of safety, and that there he should threaten -and terrify her; but Mr Thornhill was to come in in the mean time, as if -by accident, to her rescue, and that they should fight awhile and -then he was to run off, by which Mr Thornhill would have the better -opportunity of gaining her affections himself under the character of her -defender.' - -Sir William remembered the coat to have been frequently worn by his -nephew, and all the rest the prisoner himself confirmed by a more -circumstantial account; concluding, that Mr Thornhill had often declared -to him that he was in love with both sisters at the same time. - -'Heavens,' cried Sir William, 'what a viper have I been fostering in -my bosom! And so fond of public justice too as he seemed to be. But -he shall have it; secure him, Mr Gaoler--yet hold, I fear there is not -legal evidence to detain him.' - -Upon this, Mr Thornhill, with the utmost humility, entreated that two -such abandoned wretches might not be admitted as evidences against him, -but that his servants should be examined.--'Your servants' replied Sir -William, 'wretch, call them yours no longer: but come let us hear what -those fellows have to say, let his butler be called.' - -When the butler was introduced, he soon perceived by his former master's -looks that all his power was now over. 'Tell me,' cried Sir William -sternly, 'have you ever seen your master and that fellow drest up in -his cloaths in company together?' 'Yes, please your honour,' cried the -butler, 'a thousand times: he was the man that always brought him -his ladies.'--'How,' interrupted young Mr Thornhill, 'this to my -face!'--'Yes,' replied the butler, 'or to any man's face. To tell you -a truth, Master Thornhill, I never either loved you or liked you, and -I don't care if I tell you now a piece of my mind.'--'Now then,' cried -Jenkinson, 'tell his honour whether you know any thing of me.'--'I can't -say,' replied the butler, 'that I know much good of you. The night -that gentleman's daughter was deluded to our house, you were one of -them.'--'So then,' cried Sir William, 'I find you have brought a -very fine witness to prove your innocence: thou stain to humanity! to -associate with such wretches!' (But continuing his examination) 'You -tell me, Mr Butler, that this was the person who brought him this old -gentleman's daughter.'--'No, please your honour,' replied the butler, -'he did not bring her, for the 'Squire himself undertook that business; -but he brought the priest that pretended to marry them.'--'It is but -too true,' cried Jenkinson, 'I cannot deny it, that was the employment -assigned me, and I confess it to my confusion.' - -'Good heavens!' exclaimed the Baronet, 'how every new discovery of -his villainy alarms me. All his guilt is now too plain, and I find his -present prosecution was dictated by tyranny, cowardice and revenge; at -my request, Mr Gaoler, set this young officer, now your prisoner, free, -and trust to me for the consequences. I'll make it my business to -set the affair in a proper light to my friend the magistrate who has -committed him. But where is the unfortunate young lady herself: let -her appear to confront this wretch, I long to know by what arts he has -seduced her. Entreat her to come in. Where is she?' - -'Ah, Sir,' said I, 'that question stings me to the heart: I was once -indeed happy in a daughter, but her miseries--' Another interruption -here prevented me; for who should make her appearance but Miss Arabella -Wilmot, who was next day to have been married to Mr Thornhill. Nothing -could equal her surprize at seeing Sir William and his nephew here -before her; for her arrival was quite accidental. It happened that she -and the old gentleman her father were passing through the town, on their -way to her aunt's, who had insisted that her nuptials with Mr Thornhill -should be consummated at her house; but stopping for refreshment, they -put up at an inn at the other end of the town. It was there from the -window that the young lady happened to observe one of my little boys -playing in the street, and instantly sending a footman to bring the -child to her, she learnt from him some account of our misfortunes; but -was still kept ignorant of young Mr Thornhill's being the cause. Though -her father made several remonstrances on the impropriety of going to a -prison to visit us, yet they were ineffectual; she desired the child -to conduct her, which he did, and it was thus she surprised us at a -juncture so unexpected. - -Nor can I go on, without a reflection on those accidental meetings, -which, though they happen every day, seldom excite our surprize but upon -some extraordinary occasion. To what a fortuitous concurrence do we -not owe every pleasure and convenience of our lives. How many seeming -accidents must unite before we can be cloathed or fed. The peasant -must be disposed to labour, the shower must fall, the wind fill the -merchant's sail, or numbers must want the usual supply. - -We all continued silent for some moments, while my charming pupil, -which was the name I generally gave this young lady, united in her looks -compassion and astonishment, which gave new finishings to her beauty. -'Indeed, my dear Mr Thornhill,' cried she to the 'Squire, who she -supposed was come here to succour and not to oppress us, 'I take it a -little unkindly that you should come here without me, or never inform me -of the situation of a family so dear to us both: you know I should take -as much pleasure in contributing to the relief of my reverend old master -here, whom I shall ever esteem, as you can. But I find that, like your -uncle, you take a pleasure in doing good in secret.' - -'He find pleasure in doing good!' cried Sir William, interrupting her. -'No, my dear, his pleasures are as base as he is. You see in him, madam, -as complete a villain as ever disgraced humanity. A wretch, who after -having deluded this poor man's daughter, after plotting against the -innocence of her sister, has thrown the father into prison, and the -eldest son into fetters, because he had courage to face his betrayer. -And give me leave, madam, now to congratulate you upon an escape from -the embraces of such a monster.' - -'O goodness,' cried the lovely girl, 'how have I been deceived! Mr -Thornhill informed me for certain that this gentleman's eldest son, -Captain Primrose, was gone off to America with his new married lady.' - -'My sweetest miss,' cried my wife, 'he has told you nothing but -falsehoods. My son George never left the kingdom, nor was married. Tho' -you have forsaken him, he has always loved you too well to think of any -body else; and I have heard him say he would die a batchellor for your -sake.' She then proceeded to expatiate upon the sincerity of her son's -passion, she set his duel with Mr Thornhill in a proper light, from -thence she made a rapid digression to the 'Squire's debaucheries, his -pretended marriages, and ended with a most insulting picture of his -cowardice. - -'Good heavens!' cried Miss Wilmot, 'how very near have I been to the -brink of ruin! But how great is my pleasure to have escaped it! Ten -thousand falsehoods has this gentleman told me! He had at last art -enough to persuade me that my promise to the only man I esteemed was no -longer binding, since he had been unfaithful. By his falsehoods I was -taught to detest one equally brave and generous!' - -But by this time my son was freed from the encumbrances of justice as -the person supposed to be wounded was detected to be an impostor. Mr -Jenkinson also, who had acted as his valet de chambre, had dressed -up his hair, and furnished him with whatever was necessary to make a -genteel appearance. He now therefore entered, handsomely drest in his -regimentals, and, without vanity, (for I am above it) he appeared as -handsome a fellow as ever wore a military dress. As he entered, he made -Miss Wilmot a modest and distant bow, for he was not as yet acquainted -with the change which the eloquence of his mother had wrought in his -favour. But no decorums could restrain the impatience of his blushing -mistress to be forgiven. Her tears, her looks, all contributed to -discover the real sensations of her heart for having forgotten her -former promise and having suffered herself to be deluded by an impostor. -My son appeared amazed at her condescension, and could scarce believe it -real.--'Sure, madam,' cried he, 'this is but delusion! I can never have -merited this! To be, blest thus is to be too happy.'--'No, Sir,' replied -she, 'I have been deceived, basely deceived, else nothing could have -ever made me unjust to my promise. You know my friendship, you have long -known it; but forget what I have done, and as you once had my warmest -vows of constancy, you shall now have them repeated; and be assured that -if your Arabella cannot be yours, she shall never be another's.'--'And -no other's you shall be,' cried Sir William, 'if I have any influence -with your father.' - -This hint was sufficient for my son Moses, who immediately flew to the -inn where the old gentleman was, to inform him of every circumstance -that had happened. But in the mean time the 'Squire perceiving that -he was on every side undone, now finding that no hopes were left from -flattery or dissimulation, concluded that his wisest way would be to -turn and face his pursuers. Thus laying aside all shame, he appeared -the open hardy villain. 'I find then,' cried he, 'that I am to expect -no justice here; but I am resolved it shall be done me. You shall know, -Sir,' turning to Sir William, 'I am no longer a poor dependent upon your -favours. I scorn them. Nothing can keep Miss Wilmot's fortune from me, -which, I thank her father's assiduity, is pretty large. The articles, -and a bond for her fortune, are signed, and safe in my possession. It -was her fortune, not her person, that induced me to wish for this match, -and possessed of the one, let who will take the other.' - -This was an alarming blow, Sir William was sensible of the justice of -his claims, for he had been instrumental in drawing up the marriage -articles himself. Miss Wilmot therefore perceiving that her fortune was -irretrievably lost, turning to my son, she asked if the loss of fortune -could lessen her value to him. 'Though fortune,' said she, 'is out of my -power, at least I have my hand to give.' - -'And that, madam,' cried her real lover, 'was indeed all that you ever -had to give; at least all that I ever thought worth the acceptance. And -now I protest, my Arabella, by all that's happy, your want of fortune -this moment encreases my pleasure, as it serves to convince my sweet -girl of my sincerity.' - -Mr Wilmot now entering, he seemed not a little pleased at the danger his -daughter had just escaped, and readily consented to a dissolution of the -match. But finding that her fortune, which was secured to Mr Thornhill -by bond, would not be given up, nothing could exceed his disappointment. -He now saw that his money must all go to enrich one who had no fortune -of his own. He could bear his being a rascal; but to want an equivalent -to his daughter's fortune was wormwood. He sate therefore for some -minutes employed in the most mortifying speculations, till Sir William -attempted to lessen his anxiety.--'I must confess, Sir' cried he, -'that your present disappointment does not entirely displease me. Your -immoderate passion for wealth is now justly punished. But tho' the -young lady cannot be rich, she has still a competence sufficient to give -content. Here you see an honest young soldier, who is willing to take -her without fortune; they have long loved each other, and for the -friendship I bear his father, my interest shall not be wanting in his -promotion. Leave then that ambition which disappoints you, and for once -admit that happiness which courts your acceptance.' - -'Sir William,' replied the old gentleman, 'be assured I never yet forced -her inclinations, nor will I now. If she still continues to love this -young gentleman, let her have him with all my heart. There is still, -thank heaven, some fortune left, and your promise will make it something -more. Only let my old friend here (meaning me) give me a promise of -settling six thousand pounds upon my girl, if ever he should come to -his fortune, and I am ready this night to be the first to join them -together.' - -As it now remained with me to make the young couple happy, I readily -gave a promise of making the settlement he required, which, to one -who had such little expectations as I, was no great favour. We had now -therefore the satisfaction of seeing them fly into each other's arms -in a transport. 'After all my misfortunes,' cried my son George, 'to be -thus rewarded! Sure this is more than I could ever have presumed to hope -for. To be possessed of all that's good, and after such an interval of -pain! My warmest wishes could never rise so high!'--'Yes, my George,' -returned his lovely bride, 'now let the wretch take my fortune; since -you are happy without it so am I. O what an exchange have I made from -the basest of men to the dearest best!--Let him enjoy our fortune, I -now can be happy even in indigence.'--'And I promise you,' cried the -'Squire, with a malicious grin, 'that I shall be very happy with what -you despise.'--'Hold, hold, Sir,' cried Jenkinson, 'there are two words -to that bargain. As for that lady's fortune, Sir, you shall never touch -a single stiver of it. Pray your honour,' continued he to Sir -William, 'can the 'Squire have this lady's fortune if he be married to -another?'--'How can you make such a simple demand,' replied the Baronet, -'undoubtedly he cannot.'--'I am sorry for that,' cried Jenkinson; -'for as this gentleman and I have been old fellow spotters, I have a -friendship for him. But I must declare, well as I love him, that -his contract is not worth a tobacco stopper, for he is married -already.'--'You lie, like a rascal,' returned the 'Squire, who -seemed rouzed by this insult, 'I never was legally married to any -woman.'--'Indeed, begging your honour's pardon,' replied the other, 'you -were; and I hope you will shew a proper return of friendship to your own -honest Jenkinson, who brings you a wife, and if the company restrains -their curiosity a few minutes, they shall see her.'--So saying he went -off with his usual celerity, and left us all unable to form any probable -conjecture as to his design.--'Ay let him go,' cried the 'Squire, -'whatever else I may have done I defy him there. I am too old now to be -frightened with squibs.' - -'I am surprised,' said the Baronet, 'what the fellow can intend by this. -Some low piece of humour I suppose!'--'Perhaps, Sir,' replied I, 'he may -have a more serious meaning. For when we reflect on the various schemes -this gentleman has laid to seduce innocence, perhaps some one more -artful than the rest has been found able to deceive him. When we -consider what numbers he has ruined, how many parents now feel with -anguish the infamy and the contamination which he has brought into their -families, it would not surprise me if some one of them--Amazement! Do I -see my lost daughter! Do I hold her! It is, it is my life, my happiness. -I thought thee lost, my Olivia, yet still I hold thee--and still thou -shalt live to bless me.'--The warmest transports of the fondest lover -were not greater than mine when I saw him introduce my child, and held -my daughter in my arms, whose silence only spoke her raptures. 'And -art thou returned to me, my darling,' cried I, 'to be my comfort in -age!'--'That she is,' cried Jenkinson, 'and make much of her, for she -is your own honourable child, and as honest a woman as any in the whole -room, let the other be who she will. And as for you 'Squire, as sure -as you stand there this young lady is your lawful wedded wife. And to -convince you that I speak nothing but truth, here is the licence by -which you were married together.'--So saying, he put the licence into -the Baronet's hands, who read it, and found it perfect in every respect. -'And now, gentlemen,' continued he, I find you are surprised at all -this; but a few words will explain the difficulty. That there 'Squire -of renown, for whom I have a great friendship, but that's between -ourselves, as often employed me in doing odd little things for him. -Among the rest, he commissioned me to procure him a false licence and -a false priest, in order to deceive this young lady. But as I was very -much his friend, what did I do but went and got a true licence and a -true priest, and married them both as fast as the cloth could make them. -Perhaps you'll think it was generosity that made me do all this. But no. -To my shame I confess it, my only design was to keep the licence and -let the 'Squire know that I could prove it upon him whenever I thought -proper, and so make him come down whenever I wanted money.' A burst of -pleasure now seemed to fill the whole apartment; our joy reached even to -the common room, where the prisoners themselves sympathized, - - --And shook their chains - In transport and rude harmony. - -Happiness was expanded upon every face, and even Olivia's cheek seemed -flushed with pleasure. To be thus restored to reputation, to friends and -fortune at once, was a rapture sufficient to stop the progress of decay -and restore former health and vivacity. But perhaps among all there was -not one who felt sincerer pleasure than I. Still holding the dear-loved -child in my arms, I asked my heart if these transports were not -delusion. 'How could you,' cried I, turning to Mr Jenkinson, 'how could -you add to my miseries by the story of her death! But it matters not, my -pleasure at finding her again, is more than a recompence for the pain.' - -'As to your question,' replied Jenkinson, 'that is easily answered. -I thought the only probable means of freeing you from prison, was by -submitting to the 'Squire, and consenting to his marriage with the other -young lady. But these you had vowed never to grant while your daughter -was living, there was therefore no other method to bring things to bear -but by persuading you that she was dead. I prevailed on your wife to -join in the deceit, and we have not had a fit opportunity of undeceiving -you till now.' - -In the whole assembly now there only appeared two faces that did not -glow with transport. Mr Thornhill's assurance had entirely forsaken him: -he now saw the gulph of infamy and want before him, and trembled to take -the plunge. He therefore fell on his knees before his uncle, and in a -voice of piercing misery implored compassion. Sir William was going to -spurn him away, but at my request he raised him, and after pausing a -few moments, 'Thy vices, crimes, and ingratitude,' cried he, 'deserve no -tenderness; yet thou shalt not be entirely forsaken, a bare competence -shall be supplied, to support the wants of life, but not its follies. -This young lady, thy wife, shall be put in possession of a third part -of that fortune which once was thine, and from her tenderness alone thou -art to expect any extraordinary supplies for the future.' He was going -to express his gratitude for such kindness in a set speech; but the -Baronet prevented him by bidding him not aggravate his meanness, which -was already but too apparent. He ordered him at the same time to be -gone, and from all his former domestics to chuse one such as he should -think proper, which was all that should be granted to attend him. - -As soon as he left us, Sir William very politely stept up to his new -niece with a smile, and wished her joy. His example was followed by -Miss Wilmot and her father; my wife too kissed her daughter with much -affection, as, to use her own expression, she was now made an honest -woman of. Sophia and Moses followed in turn, and even our benefactor -Jenkinson desired to be admitted to that honour. Our satisfaction seemed -scarce capable of increase. Sir William, whose greatest pleasure was in -doing good, now looked round with a countenance open as the sun, and saw -nothing but joy in the looks of all except that of my daughter Sophia, -who, for some reasons we could not comprehend, did not seem perfectly -satisfied. 'I think now,' cried he, with a smile, 'that all the company, -except one or two, seem perfectly happy. There only remains an act of -justice for me to do. You are sensible, Sir,' continued he, turning to -me, 'of the obligations we both owe Mr Jenkinson. And it is but just -we should both reward him for it. Miss Sophia will, I am sure, make -him very happy, and he shall have from me five hundred pounds as -her fortune, and upon this I am sure they can live very comfortably -together. Come, Miss Sophia, what say you to this match of my making? -Will you have him?'--My poor girl seemed almost sinking into her -mother's arms at the hideous proposal.--'Have him, Sir!' cried she -faintly. 'No, Sir, never.'--'What,' cried he again, 'not have Mr -Jenkinson, your benefactor, a handsome young fellow, with five hundred -pounds and good expectations!'--'I beg, Sir,' returned she, scarce able -to speak, 'that you'll desist, and not make me so very wretched.'--'Was -ever such obstinacy known,' cried he again, 'to refuse a man whom the -family has such infinite obligations to, who has preserved your sister, -and who has five hundred pounds! What not have him!'--'No, Sir, never,' -replied she, angrily, 'I'd sooner die first.'--'If that be the case -then,' cried he, 'if you will not have him--I think I must have you -myself.' And so saying, he caught her to his breast with ardour. 'My -loveliest, my most sensible of girls,' cried he, 'how could you ever -think your own Burchell could deceive you, or that Sir William Thornhill -could ever cease to admire a mistress that loved him for himself alone? -I have for some years sought for a woman, who a stranger to my fortune -could think that I had merit as a man. After having tried in vain, even -amongst the pert and the ugly, how great at last must be my rapture to -have made a conquest over such sense and such heavenly beauty.' Then -turning to Jenkinson, 'As I cannot, Sir, part with this young lady -myself, for she has taken a fancy to the cut of my face, all the -recompence I can make is to give you her fortune, and you may call -upon my steward to-morrow for five hundred pounds.' Thus we had all our -compliments to repeat, and Lady Thornhill underwent the same round of -ceremony that her sister had done before. In the mean time Sir William's -gentleman appeared to tell us that the equipages were ready to carry us -to the inn, where every thing was prepared for our reception. My -wife and I led the van, and left those gloomy mansions of sorrow. -The generous Baronet ordered forty pounds to be distributed among the -prisoners, and Mr Wilmot, induced by his example, gave half that sum. We -were received below by the shouts of the villagers, and I saw and shook -by the hand two or three of my honest parishioners, who were among the -number. They attended us to our inn, where a sumptuous entertainment was -provided, and coarser provisions distributed in great quantities among -the populace. - -After supper, as my spirits were exhausted by the alternation of -pleasure and pain which they had sustained during the day, I asked -permission to withdraw, and leaving the company in the midst of their -mirth, as soon as I found myself alone, I poured out my heart in -gratitude to the giver of joy as well as of sorrow, and then slept -undisturbed till morning. - - - -CHAPTER 32. - - The Conclusion - - -The next morning as soon as I awaked I found my eldest son sitting by my -bedside, who came to encrease my joy with another turn of fortune in my -favour. First having released me from the settlement that I had made the -day before in his favour, he let me know that my merchant who had failed -in town was arrested at Antwerp, and there had given up effects to -a much greater amount than what was due to his creditors. My boy's -generosity pleased me almost as much as this unlooked for good fortune. -But I had some doubts whether I ought in justice to accept his offer. -While I was pondering upon this, Sir William entered the room, to whom -I communicated my doubts. His opinion was, that as my son was already -possessed of a very affluent fortune by his marriage, I might accept his -offer without any hesitation. His business, however, was to inform me -that as he had the night before sent for the licences, and expected them -every hour, he hoped that I would not refuse my assistance in making -all the company happy that morning. A footman entered while we were -speaking, to tell us that the messenger was returned, and as I was by -this time ready, I went down, where I found the whole company as merry -as affluence and innocence could make them. However, as they were now -preparing for a very solemn ceremony, their laughter entirely displeased -me. I told them of the grave, becoming and sublime deportment they -should assume upon this Mystical occasion, and read them two homilies -and a thesis of my own composing, in order to prepare them. Yet they -still seemed perfectly refractory and ungovernable. Even as we were -going along to church, to which I led the way, all gravity had quite -forsaken them, and I was often tempted to turn back in indignation. In -church a new dilemma arose, which promised no easy solution. This was, -which couple should be married first; my son's bride warmly insisted, -that Lady Thornhill, (that was to be) should take the lead; but this the -other refused with equal ardour, protesting she would not be guilty of -such rudeness for the world. The argument was supported for some time -between both with equal obstinacy and good breeding. But as I stood all -this time with my book ready, I was at last quite tired of the contest, -and shutting it, 'I perceive,' cried I, 'that none of you have a mind -to be married, and I think we had as good go back again; for I suppose -there will be no business done here to-day.'--This at once reduced them -to reason. The Baronet and his Lady were first married, and then my son -and his lovely partner. - -I had previously that morning given orders that a coach should be sent -for my honest neighbour Flamborough and his family, by which means, -upon our return to the inn, we had the pleasure of finding the two -Miss Flamboroughs alighted before us. Mr Jenkinson gave his hand to the -eldest, and my son Moses led up the other; (and I have since found that -he has taken a real liking to the girl, and my consent and bounty he -shall have whenever he thinks proper to demand them.) We were no sooner -returned to the inn, but numbers of my parishioners, hearing of my -success, came to congratulate me, but among the rest were those who rose -to rescue me, and whom I formerly rebuked with such sharpness. I told -the story to Sir William, my son-in-law, who went out and reprove them -with great severity; but finding them quite disheartened by his harsh -reproof, he gave them half a guinea a piece to drink his health and -raise their dejected spirits. - -Soon after this we were called to a very genteel entertainment, which -was drest by Mr Thornhill's cook. And it may not be improper to observe -with respect to that gentleman, that he now resides in quality of -companion at a relation's house, being very well liked and seldom -sitting at the side-table, except when there is no room at the other; -for they make no stranger of him. His time is pretty much taken up in -keeping his relation, who is a little melancholy, in spirits, and in -learning to blow the French-horn. My eldest daughter, however, still -remembers him with regret; and she has even told me, though I make a -great secret of it, that when he reforms she may be brought to relent. -But to return, for I am not apt to digress thus, when we were to sit -down to dinner our ceremonies were going to be renewed. The question was -whether my eldest daughter, as being a matron, should not sit above the -two young brides, but the debate was cut short by my son George, who -proposed, that the company should sit indiscriminately, every gentleman -by his lady. This was received with great approbation by all, excepting -my wife, who I could perceive was not perfectly satisfied, as she -expected to have had the pleasure of sitting at the head of the table -and carving all the meat for all the company. But notwithstanding this, -it is impossible to describe our good humour. I can't say whether we -had more wit amongst us now than usual; but I am certain we had more -laughing, which answered the end as well. One jest I particularly -remember, old Mr Wilmot drinking to Moses, whose head was turned another -way, my son replied, 'Madam, I thank you.' Upon which the old gentleman, -winking upon the rest of the company, observed that he was thinking of -his mistress. At which jest I thought the two miss Flamboroughs would -have died with laughing. As soon as dinner was over, according to my -old custom, I requested that the table might be taken away, to have -the pleasure of seeing all my family assembled once more by a chearful -fireside. My two little ones sat upon each knee, the rest of the company -by their partners. I had nothing now on this side of the grave to wish -for, all my cares were over, my pleasure was unspeakable. It now only -remained that my gratitude in good fortune should exceed my former -submission in adversity. - - - - - -End of Project Gutenberg's The Vicar of Wakefield, by Oliver Goldsmith - -*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE VICAR OF WAKEFIELD *** - -***** This file should be named 2667.txt or 2667.zip ***** -This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: - http://www.gutenberg.org/2/6/6/2667/ - -Produced by Charles J. Griep - -Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions -will be renamed. - -Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no -one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation -(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without -permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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