our approach, the whole neighborhood came out to meet their minister, dressed in their finest clothes, and preceded by pipe and tabor. A feast was also 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 beautiful underwood behind and a prattling river before; on one side a meadow, on the other a green. My farm consisted of about twenty acres of excellent land, I having given a hundred pounds for my predecessor's good will.1 Nothing could exceed the neatness of my little inclosures, the elms and hedgerows 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 whitewashed, and my daughters undertook to adorn them with pictures of their own designing. Though the same room served us for parlor 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 wife and me, another for our two daughters, within our own, and the third, with two beds, for the rest of the children.

my

The little republic to which I gave laws was regulated in the following manner. By sunrise we all assembled in our common apartment, 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

not uncommon. St. Michael's feast was on the 29th of September, and introduced, to the popular mind, autumnal sports and habits.

1 "Good will" in this case means advantage or benefit purchased from an outgoing tenant.

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 labors after it was gone down, but returned home to the expecting family; where smiling looks, a neat hearth, and pleasant fire were prepared for our reception. Nor were we without guests; sometimes Farmer Flamborough, our talkative neighbor, 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 a halfpenny on Sunday to put in the poor's box.

1

n

When Sunday came, it was, indeed, a day of finery, which all my sumptuary 2 edicts could not restrain. How well soever I fancied my lectures against pride had conquered the vanity of my daughters, yet I found them still secretly attached to all their former finery; they still loved laces, ribbons, bugles,3 and catgut.4 My wife herself retained a passion for her crimson paduasoy,5 because I formerly happened to say it became her.

1 Selections from the Old and New Testaments to be read at morning and evening prayer.

2 Relating to expense or expenditure.

3 A shining bead of black glass, used in decorating ladies' mantles, bonnets, etc.

4 A coarse cloth which was overwrought or embroidered. Allusions to working it are made on pp. 66 and 73. 5 Silk from Padua.

The first Sunday in particular their behavior served to mortify me. I had desired my girls the preceding night to be dressed 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 dressed out in all their former splendor,-their hair plastered up with pomatum, their faces patched1 to taste, their trains bundled up in a 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 neighbors. 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 2 is becoming even in the rich, if we consider, upon a moderate calculation, that the nakedness of the indigent world might be clothed from the trimmings of the vain."

This remonstrance had a proper effect; they went with great

1 A patch was a small piece of black silk, cut in such forms as a coach, a coachman, two horses and a postilion, a star, a crescent, a round spot,—and stuck on the face or neck. It was supposed to heighten beauty.

2 Cutting into strips and bits.

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 V.

A NEW AND GREAT ACQUAINTANCE INTRODUCED.

WHAT WE PLACE MOST

HOPES UPON GENERALLY PROVES MOST FATAL.

T a small distance from the house my predecessor had made

suckle. Here, when the weather was fine and our labor soon finished, we usually sat together to enjoy an extensive landscape in the calm of the evening. Here, too, we drank tea, which was now 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 to 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 bluebells and centaury,1 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 awaked us to a repetition of toil, but the evening repaid it with vacant hilarity.

It was about the beginning of the autumn, on a holiday,—for I kept such as intervals of relaxation from labor,-that I had drawn out my family to our usual place of amusement, and our

1 A kind of gentian bearing a red flower. It is a common herb.

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 pressed 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 surprise, or some more hidden motive, held my wife and daughters to their seats. The huntsman who rode foremost passed 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 chase, stopped 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 learned the lesson of looking presumption out of countenance; upon which he let us know his name was Thornhill, and that he was the 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 clothes 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 favored with a song. As I did not approve of such disproportioned acquaintance, 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 cheerful air, they gave us a favorite song of Dryden's.1 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

1 John Dryden (1631-1700). “It is easy," said Pope, “to mark out the general course of our [English] poetry. Chaucer, Spenser, Milton, and Dryden are the great landmarks for it."