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 dependant 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 schoolboys, 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 curtsey. But we soon got over the uneasiness caused by such accidents, and usually in three or four days began to wonder how they vexed 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 the Second'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, w during her pregnancy had been readi romances, insisted upon her being call Olivia. In less than another year had another daughter, and now I v determined that Grissel should be name; but a rich relation taking a fan to stand godmother, the girl was, by r directions, called Sophia; so that we ba two romantic names in the family; bu I solemnly protest I had no hand in Moses was our next, and, after an inter. of twelve years, we had two sons more It would be fruitless to deny exultat when I saw my little ones about me; F the vanity and the satisfaction of my w were even greater than mine. W? our visitors would say, "Well, upon word, Mrs. Primrose, you have the fir children in the whole country; "—“A neighbour," she would answer, they as Heaven made them, handsome enou if they be good enough; for handsom that handsome does." And then s would bid the girls hold up their hea who, to conceal nothing, were certain very handsome. Mere outside is so ve trifling a circumstance with me, that should scarce have remembered to m tion it, had it not been a general topic conversation in the country. Olivia, te about eighteen, had that luxuriancy beauty with which painters genera draw Hebe; open, sprightly, and co manding. Sophia's features were not s striking at first, but often did more cer execution; for they were soft, modest, :" alluring. The one vanquished by a sir blow, the other by efforts successfully peated.

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The temper of a woman is genera formed from the turn of her features: least it was so with my daughters. O wished for many lovers; Sophia to sec. one. Olivia was often affected, from ! great a desire to please; Sophia es repressed excellence, from her fears: offend. The one entertained me wi her vivacity when I was gay, the oth with her sense when I was serious, P these qualities were never carried to exc in either, and I have often seen the. exchange characters for a whole day gether. A suit of mourning has trans

rmed my coquette into a prude, and a ew set of ribands has given her younger ster more than natural vivacity. My dest son George was bred at Oxford, as intended him for one of the learned prossions. My second boy Moses, whom I signed for business, received a sort of iscellaneous education at home. But it needless to attempt describing the parcular characters of young people that id seen but very little of the world. In ort, a family likeness prevailed through 1, and, properly speaking, they had but e character,-that of being all equally nerous, credulous, simple, and inoffen

/e.

CHAPTER II.

mily Misfortunes. The Loss of Fortune only serves to increase the Pride of the Worthy. HE temporal concerns of our family were iefly committed to my wife's manageent; as to the spiritual, I took them tirely under my own direction. The rofits of my living, which amounted to ut thirty-five pounds a year, I made over the orphans and widows of the clergy f our diocese; for, having a fortune of y own, I was careless of temporalities, nd felt a secret pleasure in doing my uty without reward. I also set a relution of keeping no curate, and of eing acquainted with every man in the arish, exhorting the married men to emperance, and the bachelors to matrihony so that in a few years it was a ommon saying, that there were three trange wants at Wakefield, a parson vanting pride, young men wanting wives, nd ale-houses wanting customers.

Matrimony was always one of my Favourite topics, and I wrote several ermons to prove its happiness: but there vas 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 ipon being a strict monogamist.

I was early initiated into this important lispute, 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 were 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, economy, 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.

As

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. 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 increase 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 everything 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 twopenny 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 fa vourite principle. As I looked upon this as a masterpiece, both for argument and style, I could not, in the pride of my heart, avoid showing 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 meantime, while

the controversy was hottest, I was cal out by one of my relations, who, wit face of concern, advised me to give the dispute, at least till my son's wed was over. How," cried I, "relinqu the cause of truth, and let him be husband, already driven to the very ve of absurdity? You might as well adv me to give up my fortune as my ar ment."-"Your fortune," returned t friend, "I am now sorry to inform y is almost nothing. The merchant } town, in whose hands your money vi lodged, has gone off, to avoid a stand of bankruptcy, and is thought not to b left a shilling in the pound. I was willing to shock you or the family the account till after the wedding: now it may serve to moderate warmth in the argument; for, I suppos your own prudence will enforce the cessity of dissembling, at least till y son has the young lady's fortune secur?

"Well," returned I, "if what you me be true, and if I am to be a beg it shall never make me a rascal, or ind me to disavow my principles. I'll go moment and inform the company of circumstances: and, as for the argume I even here retract my former concessa in the old gentleman's favour, nor w allow him now to be a husband in a sense of the expression.”

It would be endless to describe the d ferent sensations of both families when divulged the news of our misfortune: b what others felt was slight to what t lovers appeared to endure. Mr. Wilm who seemed before sufficiently inclined break off the match, was, by this blow. soon determined: one virtue he had in pe fection, which was prudence, too often t only one that is left us at seventy-two.

CHAPTER III.

A Migration. The fortunate Circumstances our Lives are generally found at last to be our own procuring.

THE only hope of our family now was that the report of our misfortune might be malicious or premature; but a letter from my agent in town soon came, with a con firmation of every particular. The loss of

rtune to myself alone would have been ifling; the only uneasiness I felt was for y family, who were to be humbled withit an education to render them callous to ›ntempt.

Near a fortnight had passed before I tempted to restrain their affliction; for remature consolation is but the rememcancer of sorrow. During this interval, y thoughts were employed on some ature means of supporting them; and at st a small cure of fifteen pounds a year as offered me, in a distant neighbourood, where I could still enjoy my prinples without molestation. With this roposal I joyfully closed, having deterined to increase my salary by managing little farm.

Having taken this resolution, my next are was to get together the wrecks of my ›rtune; and, all debts collected and paid, ut of fourteen thousand pounds we had ut four hundred remaining. My chief ttention, therefore, was now to bring own the pride of my family to their cirumstances; for I well knew that aspiring beggary is wretchedness itself.

"You

annot be ignorant, my children," cried I, 'that no prudence of ours could have revented our late misfortune; but prulence 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 numpers 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. my boy; whatever be thy fortune, let me see thee once a year; still keep a good heart, and farewell." As he was possessed 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.

Go,

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 tranquillity 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 increase 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 shown 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 increase 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 for 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, showing in a gentleman who seemed to be about thirty, dressed in clothes 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 shown me 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

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found passable." I testified the pleasur I should have in his company, and wife and daughters joining in entreaty, was prevailed upon to stay supper. Th stranger's conversation, which was at ce pleasing and instructive, induced me: wish for a continuance of it; but it w now high time to retire and take refres ment against the fatigues of the follow day.

The next morning we all set for together: my family on horseback, w Mr. Burchell, our new companion, wall along the footpath by the road-side, serving with a smile that, as we were.. mounted, he would be too generous attempt leaving us behind. As the flox were not yet subsided, we were obliged hire a guide, who trotted on before, 1. Burchell and I bringing up the rear. lightened the fatigues of the road w philosophical disputes, which he see to understand perfectly. But what s prised me most was, that though he w money borrower, he defended his opini with as much obstinacy as if he had bee my patron. He now and then also formed me to whom the different se belonged that lay in our view as travelled the road. "That," cried pointing to a very magnificent house whe stood at some distance, “belongs to M Thornhill, a young gentleman who enj a large fortune, though entirely depende on the will of his uncle, Sir Will Thornhill, a gentleman who, content wi a little himself, permits his nephew enjoy the rest, and chiefly resides town."-"What!" cried I, "is my you landlord then the nephew of a man, whe virtues, generosity, and singularities so universally known? I have heard William Thornhill represented as one the most generous yet whimsical men the kingdom; a man of consummate bere volence. Something, perhaps, t much so,” replied Mr. Burchell; at leas he carried benevolence to an excess whe young; for his passions were then strong and as they were all upon the side of virt they led it up to a romantic extreme. H early began to aim at the qualifications the soldier and the scholar: was so distinguished in the army, and had som