terest, and assured him that his tones were | tible too. Thus, at best, we shall be contemp. louder than even those of her master At this tible if his views be honourable; but if they be compliment he bowed, which she returned otherwise! I should shudder but to think of with a courtesy. He praised her taste, and that. It is true I have no apprehensions from she commended his understanding; an age the conduct of my children, but I think there could not have made them better acquainted: are some from his character."-I would have While the fond mother, too, equally happy, proceeded, but for the interruption of a servant insisted upon her landlord's stepping in, and from the 'Squire, who with his compliments, tasting a glass of gooseberry. The whole sent us a side of venison, and a promise to family seemed earnest to please him: My dine with us some days after. This wellgirls attempted to entertain him with topics timed present pleaded more powerfully in his they thought most modern, while Moses, on favour, than any thing I had to say could ob the contrary, gave him a question or two from viate. I therefore continued silent, satisfied the ancients, for which he had the satisfaction with just having pointed out danger, and leavof being laughed at my little ones were no ing it to their own discretion to avoid it. less busy, and fondly stuck close to the stran. That virtue which requires to be ever guarded, ger. All my endeavours could scarcely keep is scarcely worth the sentinel. their dirty fingers from handling and tarnishing the lace on his clothes, 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 too. 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 Wrinkles 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 either, nor why Mr Simkims got the ten thousand pound prize in the lottery, and we sat 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 loss; and the more trifling the sub ject, the more he has to say."-"Yes," cried Olivia, "he is well enough for a man; but for my own 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 the truth, he has not prepossessed me in his favour. Disproportioned friendships ever terminate in disgust; and I thought, notwithstanding all his case, 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 contemp CHAPTER VI. THE HAPPINESS OF A COUNTRY FIRE-SIDE. 66 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 dou ble relish from hospitality."" Bless me, cried my wife, here comes our good friend Mr Burchell, that saved our Sophia, and that ran you down fairly in the argument."-" Con fute 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-pie, 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 a halfpenny whistle. He generally came for a few days into our neighbourhood once a-year, and lived upon the neighbours' hospitality. He sat 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 ale-house. 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 a 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! perhaps, to attend the bagnio pander, grown rich by his extragavance. 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 have been, Papa, his circumstances should exempt him from censure now. His present indigence is a sufficient punishment for former folly; and I have heard my Papa himself say, that we Gone, should never strike one 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 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 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."-That was said without the least design, however, it excited a blush, which she strove to cover by an affected laugh, assuring him, that she scarcely 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 venison pasty. 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 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 VII. A TOWN WIT DESCRIBED.-THE DULLEST FEL LOWS 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 embarrassment; 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 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 tithes 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 smoked 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." 66 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 problema. tical 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 sat the only dismal figure in a group 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 clothes, 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 forture and infidelity; for depend on't, if he be what I suspect him, no free thinker shall ever have a child of mine." 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." mistress, and when he bought each of the girls a set of ribands, 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. 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 hus-"the finest strokes in that description are bands; 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, papa," 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 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-pie." 3966 Our family dined in the field, and we sat, 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 red-breast 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, much below those in the Acis and Galatea of Ovid. The Roman poet understands the use of contrast better; and upon that vigour art. fully 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 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." CHAPTER VIII. AN AMOUR, WHICH PROMISES LITTLE GOOD 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 my 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 A BALLAD. "Turn, gentle Hermit of the dale, "For here forlorn and lost I tread, With fainting steps and slow; "Forbear, my son," the Hermit cries, "Here to the houseless child of want My door is open still; "Then turn to-night, and freely share "No flocks that range the valley free To slaughter I condemn; "But from the mountain's grassy side "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 Heaven descends, Far in a wilderness obscure A refuge to the neighb'ring poor No stores beneath its humble thatch And now, when busy crowds retire To take their ev'ning rest, The Hermit trimm'd his little fire, And cheer'd his pensive guest : And spread his vegetable store, The ling'ring hours beguil'd. Around in sympathetic mirth Its tricks the kitten tries, But nothing could a charm impart His rising cares the Hermit spied, With answ'ring care opprest: And whence, unhappy youth," he cried, "The sorrows of thy breast? |