word of language that could be understood, in their mouths, or a single idea worth the having, in their heads. They had acquired, it is true, some knowledge, of which their father has made considerable use since their return, and with which he appears so well pleased as to have little thoughts of sending them any where else. I have heard him declare with much exultation, that he would back them at riding a horse, trowling for a pike, or trimming a cock, against any three boys of their age in the kingdom.

He finds the more occasion for their assistance as deputies in matters of this kind, as of late he has betaken himself chiefly to the business of the public, having taken a very strong inclination to promote the good of his country. The death of a gentleman who had been long in the commission of the peace, has thrown the business of that department chiefly on Mr. Bustle, who now does little else but study lawcases, convene meetings about highways, turnpikes, bridges, and game licences, and ride all over the country, dispensing justice, redressing wrongs, removing nuisances, and punishing delinquents. In this the activity and eagerness of his nature has sometimes, I am afraid, in the practice of his office, got the better of the knowledge he had stored up on the theory of it. Besides receiving several incendiary letters, which he did not value a rush, and even I should have had the courage to despise, there are two or three actions of assault and false imprisonment raised against him, for acts done in the course of keeping the peace of the country. Indeed his plans for keeping the peace have turned out, like some others formed with the best intention in the world, exactly the reverse of what he expected from them, the country having been in perpetual war ever since he began putting them in execution. There have been such bickerings amongst the Gentlemen about widening of roads,

removing of dunghills, pulling down cottages, and punishing of vagrants, that one half of the neighbours are scarce in speaking terms with the other. Some of them, who are enemies to the patriotic measures of Mr. Bustle, have, I understand, privately stirred up and supported those law-suits in which his public spirit has involved him. These I cannot help being uneasy about, as of very serious consequence to his fortune and family; but he himself seems not to regret them in the least. He assures me, he shall carry them all with costs, and talks rather with satisfaction of going to town to assist in their management. If you should happen to meet with him, Mr. Lounger, I should be happy for my part, if you could teach him somewhat of your love of ease and indolence. I have many reasons for wishing to forego all the reputation he will acquire by his activity, for a little peace and quiet. There is a saying of his father's, which I have heard the same old steward I mentioned before repeat very often, but Mr. Bustle would never pay any regard to it; When things are well as they are, he's a fool who tries how they may be.'

I am, &c.

BARBARA BUSTLE.

N

N° 79. SATURDAY, AUGUST 5, 1786.

SIR,

To the AUTHOR of the LOUNGER
chiracter

My father was a country-clergyman, a man of worth and probity, and who had the reputation both of learning and abilities. Being his eldest child, and, as he, perhaps partially, thought, of no unpromising capacity, it was his pleasure to instruct me in various branches of knowledge, to which he judged my understanding was equal, and to cultivate my taste by an early acquaintance with the best authors in our own language. Preposterous acquisitions, Mr. Lounger, for persons in my station of life !— He died about three years ago, leaving my mother and four children, with no other fund for their maintenance than that slender pension which in this coun try is provided for the widows and children of the clergy. There were indeed about 150 sermons of my father's composition, together with many other manuscripts relating to church-history and antiquities; from all which my mother for some time had formed to herself many golden expectations; but on offering them for sale to a bookseller, he refused to give more than Five Pounds for the whole parcel, and she rather chose to retain them in her own hands.

To relieve her of part of the burden of her family, a gentleman, who was a distant relation of my father's, was kind enough to take charge of the education of one of my brothers; and as I was now seventeen, and, besides the less useful acquisitions I have mentioned, was moderately skilled in most of

the ordinary accomplishments of my sex, it cost some deliberation, whether I should look out for the place of a lady's waiting-maid, or aspire to the more honourable occupation of a mantua-maker. While my plan was yet undetermined, the same gentleman who had taken my brother under his protection, wrote to my mother informing her, that an elderly lady of rank, with whom he had the honour of being acquainted, was in search of a young person, to reside with her rather as a companion than as a servant; and that he had no doubt, if that establishment were agreeable to me, it would be in his power to procure it for me. He represented my Lady Bidmore (the lady in question) as a mighty good sort of woman; and though he owned she had some particular whims, he doubted not that I could easily accommodate myself to them, as they did not proceed from any fault of temper, but a singularity of taste, which a lady of great fortune might easily be excused for indulging herself in. In short, Sir, my mother and I judged this opportunity not to be neglected, and within a few days, our good friend acquainting us that he had arranged every thing for my reception, i set off for town in the stage-coach, to wait on my Lady Bidmore in the capacity of her gentlewoman or humble friend.

It is proper, Sir, to inform you, that this lady owed her birth to a decayed tradesman of this metropolis, and her education to a charity school. At the age of eighteen she had gone to reside with a relation in London, where it was her good fortune to engage the affections of an eminent pawn-broker, with him she lived thirty years; and being left a widow, with a fortune, as was said, of 20,000l. she soon after received the addresses of Sir Humphrey Bidmore, Knight, alderman and grocer, then in the 70th year of his age, After a year and a half

Sir Humphrey dying without children, her Ladyship lost a very affectionate husband, but gained an addition of 15,000l. to her fortune. On her marriage with the knight, she had sold the good-will of her shop and warehouse; a transaction that, now she was a second time a widow, she never ceased to repine at; and she has often been heard to regret, that since her dear Sir Humphrey was to die, it was a thousand pities he did not do it a twelvemonth sooner. As it was, however, to no purpose to reflect on what could not be amended, and as her title of Ladyship was indeed an obstacle to her resuming a profession for which both genius and inclination had eminently qualified her, she made up her mind to her change of si tuation, and determined to pass the remainder of her days with ease and dignity in her native country.

To this Lady's house I repaired immediately on my arrival in town. If it is not always right to suf fer ourselves to be influenced by first impressions, it must be allowed that we often find the features of a character pretty strongly delineated on its outside. I was no sooner announced, than her Ladyship, who happened to be standing, seated herself, with great gravity, in her arm-chair; and beckoning me to approach, began to survey me with one of those searching looks which I suppose the famous Justice Fielding (bating that he was blind) would have employed to scan the countenance of a young thief. My face happened luckily to give no offence, her next attention was bestowed on my dress; every article of which she not only examined with her eyes, but her fingers, feeling the stuff of my gown, and holding my apron between her and the light, to observe the quality of the gauze and the texture of the lace, Is this suit your own, child; or have you borrowed it for the occasion? My own, Ma'am.' 'So much the worse. Why, this is a lace at twelve shil