When

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 hers, 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. we had finished for the day, Mr. Burchell was invited as on the night before; but he refused, as he was to lodge that night at a neighbor'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 indepen

dent, 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 have been, papa, his circumstances should exempt him from censure now. His present indigence is a sufficient punishment for his former folly; and I have heard my papa himself say, that we should never strike one unnecessary blow at a victim over whom Providence holds the scourge of its resentment.' 'You are right, Sophia,' 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 stripped 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 your 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 repressed my suspicions.

As we expected our landlord the next day, my wife went to make the venisonpasty; Moses sat 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 slow 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 VII.

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 alehouse; 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 embarrassments; 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. Dustan's.' At this he laughed, and so did we: the jests of the rich are ever successful. Oliyia too could not avoid whispering, loud enough to be heard, that he had an infinite fund of humor.

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, เ suppose the church, your present mistress, dressed in lawn sleeves, 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 imposi tion, all a confounded imposture? and I can' prove it.' 'I wish you would,' cried my son Moses; and I think I should be able to answer you.' Very well, sir,' cried the squire, who immediately smoked him, and winked 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

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