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 defire it. During the preparations for the wedding, I need not defcribe the bufy importance of my wife, nor the fly looks of my daughters in fact, my attention was fixed on another object, the completing a tract which I intended fhortly 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 fhewing it to my old friend Mr. Wilmot, as I made no doubt of receiving his approbation; but not till too late I difcovered that he was most violently attached to the contrary opinion, and with good reafon; 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 fpirit on both fides; he afferted that I was heterodox, I retorted the charge: he replied, and I rejoined. In the mean time, while the controverfy was hotteft, 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 abfurdity. You might as well advise me to give up my ⚫ fortune as my argument.' Your fortune,' returned my friend, I am now forry to inform you, is almost nothing. The merchant in town, in whose hands your money was of < 11 'lodged, has gone off, to avoid a statute of bankruptcy, ' and is thought not to have left a fhilling in the pound, 'I was unwilling to fhock you or the family with the acS count, 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 neceffity of diffembling, at least till your fon has the young lady's fortune 'fecure.' Well,' returned I, if what you tell me be true, and if I am to be a beggar, it shall never make me a rafcal, or induce me to difavow my principles. I'll 'go this moment, and inform the company of my circum'ftances; and as for the argument, I even here retract my 'former conceffions in the old gentleman's favour, nor will 'I allow him now to be an husband in any sense of the ' expreffion.' It would be endless to defcribe the different fenfations of both families when I divulged the news of our misfortune; but what others felt was flight to what the lovers appeared to endure. Mr. Wilmot, who feemed before fufficiently inclined to break off the match, was by this blow foon determined; one virtue he had in perfection, which was prudence, too often the only that is left us at feventy-two. A MIGRATION. CHAP. III. 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 re port of our misfortunes might be malicious or premature : but a letter from my agent in town foon came with a confirmation of every particular. The lofs of fortune to myfelf alone would have been trifling; the only uneafiness I felt was for my family, who were to be humble without an education to render them callous to contempt. Near a fortnight had paffed before I attempted to reftrain their affliction: for premature confolation is but the remembrancer of forrow. During this interval, my thoughts were employed on fome future means of fupporting them; and at last a small cure of fifteen pounds a year was offered me in a distant neighbourhood, where I could ftill enjoy my principles without moleftation. With this propofal I joyfully clofed, having determined to increase my salary, by managing a little farm. Having taken this refolution, 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 circumftances; for I well knew that afpiring beggary is wretchednefs 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 difappointing its effects. We are now poor, my fondlings, and wisdom bids us to conform to our humble fituation. Let us then, without repining, give up thofe fplendours 'with which numbers are wretched, and feek in humbler 'circumstances that peace with which all may be happy. The poor live pleasantly without our help, why then 'fhould not we learn to live without theirs? No, my 'children, let us from this moment give up all pretenfions to gentility; we have still enough left for happiness if we |