from town.

We happened not to have chairs e nough for the whole company; but Mr. Thornhill immediately proposed, that every gentleman fhould fit in a lady's lap. This I pofitively objected to, notwithstanding a look of disapprobation from my wife. Mofes was therefore difpatched to borrow a couple of chairs; and, as we were in want of ladies alfo, to make up a fet at country dances, the two gentlemen went with him in quest of a couple of partners. Chairs and partners were foon provided. The gentlemen. returned with my neighbour Flamborough's rofy daughters, flaunting with red top-knots. But there was an unlucky circumftance, which was not adverted to though the Mifs Flamboroughs were reckoned the very best dancers in the parish, and understood the jig and the round-about to perfection, yet they were totally unacquainted with country-dances. This at firft difcomposed us; however, after a little fhoving and dragging, they began to go merrily on. Our mufick confifted of two fiddles, with a pipe and tabor. The moon fhone bright. Mr. Thornhill and my eldest daughter led up the ball, to the great delight of the fpectators; for the neighbours, hearing what was going forward, came flocking about us. My girl moved with fo much grace and vivacity, that my wife could not avoid difcovering the pride of her heart, by affuring me, that, though the little chit did it fo cleverly, all the steps were ftolen from herfelf. The ladies of the town ftrove hard

to

to be equally easy, but without fuccefs. They fwam, fprawled, languifhed, and frifked; but all would not do the gazers, indeed, owned that it was fine; but neighbour Flamborough obferved, that Mifs Livy's feet feemed as pat to the mufick as its echo. After the dance had continued a. bout an hour, the two ladies, who were apprehenfive of catching cold, moved to break up the ball. One of them, I thought, expreffed her fentiments upon this occafion in a very coarfe manner, when the observed, that, by the living jingo, the was all of a muck of fweat. Upon our return to the house, we found a very elegant cold fupper, which Mr. Thornhill had ordered to be brought with him. The converfation, at this time, was more referved than before. The two ladies threw my girls quite into the fhade; for they would talk of nothing but high-life, and high-lived company, with other fashionable topicks; fuch as pictures, taste, Shakespear, and the mufical glaffes. It is true, they once or twice mortified us fenfibly, by flipping out an oath; but that appeared to me as the fureft fymptom of their distinction, (though I am fince informed, that fwearing is now perfectly unfashionable.) Their finery, however, threw a veil over any groffiefs in their converfation. My daughters feemed to regard their fuperior accomplishments with envy; and what appeared amifs, was afcribed to tip-top quality breeding. But the condefcenfion of the ladies was ftill fuperior to their other accomplishments.

C 5

One

One of them obferved, that had Mifs Olivia feen a little more of the world, it would greatly improve her. To which the other added, that a fingle winter in town would make her little Sophia quite another thing. My wife warmly affented to both; adding, that there was nothing fhe more ardently wished, than to give her girls a fingle winter's polifhing. To this I could not help replying, that their breeding was already fuperior to their fortune; and that greater refinement would only ferve to make their poverty ridiculous, and give them a taste for pleasures they had no right to poffefs." And what plea"fures," cried Mr. Thornhill, "do they not de"ferve, who have fo much in their power to be"ftow? As for my part," continued he, "my "fortune is pretty large; love, liberty, and plea"fure, are my maxims; but curfe me, if a fettle"ment of half my eftate could give my charming "Olivia pleasure, it fhould be hers; and the on

ly favour I would afk in return would be, to "add myself to the benefit." I was not fuch a ftranger to the world, as to be ignorant that this was the fashionable cant to disguise the infolence of the bafeft propofal; but I made an effort to fupprefs my refentment.." Sir," cried I, "the

family which you now condescend to favour "with your company, has been bred with as nice "a fenfe of honour as you. Any attempts to injure that, may be attended with very danger"ous confequences. Honour, Sir, is our only "poffeffion

poffeffion at prefent; and, of that last treasure, "we must be particularly careful."—I was foon forry for the warmth with which I had spoken this, when the young gentleman, grafping my hand, fwore he commended my fpirit, though he, difapproved my fufpicions. "As to your pre"fent hint," continued he, "I proteft nothing "was farther from my heart than fuch a thought. "No; by all that's tempting, the virtue that will "stand a regular fiege was never to my taste; "for all my amours are carried by a coup-de"main."

The two ladies, who affected to be ignorant of the reft, feemed highly difpleafed with this laft ftroke of freedom, and began a very discreet and ferious dialogue upon virtue; in this my wife, the chaplain, and I, soon joined, and the Squire himfelf was at laft brought to confefs a fenfe of forrow for his former exceffes. We talked of the pleasures of temperance, and the funshine in the mind unpolluted with guilt. I was well pleafed that my little ones were kept up beyond the ufual time, to be edified by such good converfation. Mr. Thornhill even went beyond me, and demanded if I had any objection to giving prayers. I joyfully embraced the propofal; and in this manner the night was paffed in a most comfortable way, till at laft the company began to think of retiring. The ladies feemed very unwilling to part from my daughters, for whom they had conceived a particular affection, and joined in a request to have the pleasure of their

company

company home. The Squire feconded the pro pofal, and my wife added her entreaties; the girls, too, looked upon me as if they wished to go. In this perplexity, I made two or three excuses; which my daughters as readily removed; so that, at laft, I was obliged to give a peremptory, refufal; for which, we had nothing but fullen looks and short answers, the whole day ensuing.

CHA P. X.

The family endeavours to cope with their betters. The miferies of the poor, when they attempt to appear above their circumftances.

I

Now began to find, that all my long and painful lectures upon temperance, fimplicity, and contentment, were entirely difregarded. The diftinctions lately paid us by our betters, awaked that pride which I had laid afleep, but not removed. Our windows now again, as formerly, were filled with wafhes for the neck and face. The fun was dreaded as an enemy to the skin without doors, and the fire as a fpoiler of the complexion within. My wife obferved, that rifing too early would hurt her daughters eyes; that working after dinner would redden their nofes; and convinced me, that the hands never looked fo white as when they did nothing. Instead, therefore, of finishing George's fhirts, we now

had