Here Miss Betsey, who stood sullenly by, bly led to some such end. The large sums put in a word, and said, her sister, however, you spent to qualify them, as you thought, had not disgraced herself by having married for a high station, only served to make them a farmer or a tradesman; she had, at least, despise their own, and could do them nomade choice of a gentleman. What mar- thing but harm, while your habits of life proriage! what gentleman! cried the afflicted perly confined them to company of a lower father. Tell me the worst! He was now class. While they were better drest than informed that his darling daughter was gone the daughters of the first gentry, they were off with a strolling player, who had been worse taught as to real knowledge, than the acting in the neighbouring villages lately.— daughters of your ploughmen. Their vanity Miss Betsey again put in, saying, he was no has been raised by excessive finery, and stroller, but a gentleman in disguise, who only acted for his own diversion. Does he so, said the now furious Bragwell, then he shall be transported for mine.

kept alive by excessive flattery. Every evil temper has been fostered by indulgence. Their pride has never been controlled; their self-will has never been subdued; their idleAt this moment a letter was brought him ness has laid them open to every temptation, from his new son-in-law, who desired his and their abundance has enabled them to graleave to wait upon him, and implore his for- tify every desire; their time, that precious giveness. He owned he had been shopman talent, has been entirely wasted. Every to a haberdasher; but thinking his person thing they have been taught to do is of no and talents ought not to be thrown away use, while they are utterly unacquainted upon trade, and being also a little behind with all which they ought to have known. hand, he had taken to the stage with a view I deplore Miss Polly's false step. That she of making his fortune that he had married should have married a runaway shopman, Miss Bragwell entirely for love, and was turned stroller, I truly lament. But for what Sorry to mention so paltry a thing as money, better husband was she qualified? For the which he despised, but that his wants were wife of a farmer she was too idle for the pressing his landlord, to whom he was in wife of a tradesman she was too expensive : debt, having been so vulgar as to threaten to for the wife of a gentleman she was too igsend him to prison. He ended with saying: norant. You, yourself, was most to blame. 'I have been obliged to shock your daugh- You expected her to act wisely, though you ter's delicacy, by confessing my unlucky real never taught her that fear of God which is name; I believe I owe part of my success the beginning of wisdom. I owe it to you, with her, to my having assumed that of Au-as a friend, and to myself as a Christian, to gustus Frederick Theodosius. She is incon-declare, that your practices in the common solable at this confession, which, as you are transactions of life, as well as your [» esent now my father, I must also make to you, and subscribe myself, with many blushes, by the vulgar name of your dutiful son,

misfortune, are almost the natural consequences of those false principles which I protested against when you were at my house.*

TIMOTHY INCLE.' 'O' cried the afflicted father, as he tore Mrs. Bragwell attempted several times to the letter in a rage, Miss Bragwell married interrupt Mr. Worthy, but her husband to a strolling actor! How shall I bear it?- would not permit it. He felt the force of all "Why, I would not bear it at all,' cried the his friend said, and encouraged him to proenraged mother; 'I would never see her; Iceed. Mr. Worthy thus went on : 'It would never forgive her; I would let her grieves me to say how much your own indisstarve at the corner of the barn, while that cretion has contributed even to bring on rascal, with all those pagan. popish names, your present misfortune. You gave your was ranting away at the other.'-'Nay,' countenance to this very company of strolsaid Miss Betsey, if he is only a shopman, lers, though you knew they were acting in and if his name be really Timothy Incle, I defiance to the laws of the land, to say no would never forgive her neither. But who worse. They go from town to town, and would have thought it by his looks, and by from barn to barn, stripping the poor of his monstrous genteel behaviour? no, he their money, the young of their innocence, never can have so vulgar a name." and all of their time. Do you remember 'Come, come,' said Mr. Worthy, were with how much pride you told me that you he really an honest haberdasher, I should had bespoke The Bold Stroke for a Wife, think there was no other harm done, except for the benefit of this very Mr. Frederic the disobedience of the thing. Mr. Brag- Theodosius? To this pernicious ribaldry you well, this is no time to blame you, or hardly not only carried your own family, but wasted to reason with you. I feel for you sincerely. I know not how much money in treating I ought not, perhaps, just at present, to re- your workmen's wives and children, in these proach you for the mistaken manner in hard times too when they have scarcely which you have bred up your daughters, as bread to eat, or a shoc on their feet: and all your error has brought its punishment along this only that you might have the absurd with it. You now see, because you now feel, pleasure of seeing those flattering words, the evil of a false education. It has ruined By desire of Mr. Bragwell, stuck up in your daughter; your whole plan unavoida

See Part 11.

print at the public house, on the blacksmith's shed, at the turnpike-gate, and on the barn-door.'

ly felt the truth of what Mr. Wilson had once told her, that a woman may make an excellent partner for a dance who would make a very bad companion for life.

Mr. Bragwell acknowledged that his friend's rebuke was too just, and he looked Hitherto Mr. Bragwell and his daughters so very contrite as to raise the pity of Mr. had only learnt to regret their folly and vaWorthy, who, in a mild voice, thus went nity, as it had produced them mortification on: What I have said is not so much to re-in this life; whether they were ever brought proach you with the ruin of one daughter, as to a more serious sense of their errors may from a desire to save the other. Let Miss be seen in a future part of this history.

Betsey go home with me. I do not undertake to be her jailer, but I will be her friend. She will find in my daughters kind companions, and in my wife a prudent guide. I know she will dislike us at first, but I do not despair in time, of convincing her that a sober, humble, useful, pious life, is as necessary to make us happy on earth, as it is to fit us for heaven.'

PART. VI.

GOOD RESOLUTIONS.

MR. BRAGWELL was so much afflicted at the disgraceful marriage of his daughter, who ran off with Timothy Incle, the strolling Poor Miss Betsey, though she declared it player, that he never fully recovered his would be frightful dull and monstrous vul- spirits. His cheerfulness, which had arisen gar and dismal melancholy, yet was she so from an high opinion of himself, had been terrified at the discontent and grumbling confirmed by a constant flow of uninterruptwhich she would have to endure at home, ed success; and that is a sort of cheerfulness that she sullenly consented. She had none which is very liable to be impaired, because of that filial tenderness which led her to wish it lies at the mercy of every accident and to stay and sooth and comfort her afflicted cross event in life. But though his pride father. All she thought about was to get out was now disappointed, his misfortunes had of the way of her mother's ill humour, and not taught him any humility, because he had to carry so much finery with her as to fill not discovered that they were caused by his the Miss Worthys with envy and respect. own fault; nor had he acquired any patience Poor girl! She did not know that envy was or submission because he had not learnt that a feeling they never indulged; and that fine all afflictions come from the hand of God, to clothes were the last thing to draw their re-awaken us to a deep sense of our sins, and to spect. draw off our hearts from the perishing vaniMr. Worthy took her home next day. ties of this life. Besides, Mr. Bragwell was When they reached his house they found one of those people, who, even if they would there young Wilson, Miss Betsey's old ad-be thought to bear with tolerable submission mirer. She was much pleased at this, and such trials as appear to be sent more immeresolved to treat him well. But her good or diately from Providence, yet think they have ill treatment now signified but little. This a sort of right to rebel at every misfortune young grazier reverenced Mr. Worthy's which befals them through the fault of a felcharacter, and ever since he had met him at low creature; as if our fellow-creatures the Lion, had been thinking what a happi-were not the agents and instruments by ness it would be to marry a young woman which Providence often sees fit to try or to bred up by such a father. He had heard punish us. much of the modesty and discretion of both In answer to his heavy complaints, Mr. the daughters, but his inclination now deter-Worthy wrote him a letter, in which he exmined him in favour of the elder. patiated on the injustice of our impatience, Mr. Worthy, who knew him to be a young and on the folly of our vindicating ourselves man of good sense and sound principles, al-from guilt in the distinctions we make belowed him to become a visiter at his house, tween those trials which seem to come more but deferred his consent to the marriage till immediately from God, and those which he knew him more thoroughly. Mr. Wil-proceed directly from the faults of our felson, from what he saw of the domestic piety low-creatures. Sickness, losses, and death, of this family, improved daily, both in the we think,' continued he, we dare not openknowledge and practice of religion; andy rebel against; while we fancy we are quite Mr. Worthy soon formed him into a most justified in giving a loose to our violence valuable character. During this time Miss when we suffer by the hand of the oppressor, Bragwell's hopes had revived; but though the unkindness of the friend, or the disobeshe appeared in a new dress almost every dience of the child. But this is one of the day, she had the mortification of being be delusions of our b inded hearts. Ingratitude, held with great indifference by one whom unkindness, calumny, are permitted to assail she had always secretly liked. Mr. Wilson us by the same power who cuts off the demarried before her face a girl who was sire of our eyes at a stroke." The friend greatly her inferior in fortune, person, and who betrays us, and the daughter who deappearance; but who was humble, frugal, ceives us, are instruments for our chastisemeek and pious. Miss Bragwell now strong-ment, sent by the same purifying hand who

orders a fit of sickness to weaken our bodies, | staying in her father's house after her sister's or a storm to destroy our crop, or a fire to elopement. But the sobriety and simplicity burn down our house. And we must look of Mr. Worthy's family were irksome to for the same remedy in the one case as in her. Habits of vanity and idleness were bethe other; I mean prayer and a deep sub-come so rooted in her mind, that any degree mission to the will of God. We must leave of restraint was a burthen; and though she off looking at second causes, and look more was outwardly civil, it was easy to see that at Him who sets them in action. We must she longed to get away. She resolved, howtry to find out the meaning of the Provi- ever, to proht by her sister's faults; and dence; and hardly dare pray to be deliver- made her parents easy by assuring them she ed from it till it has accomplished in us the never would throw herself away on a man end for which it was sent.' who was worth nothing. Encouraged by these promises, which her parents thought included the whole sum and substance of hu

they could in reason expect, her father allowed her to come home.

His imprudent daughter, Bragwell would not be brought to see or forgive, nor was the degrading name of Mrs. Incle ever al-man wisdom, and which was all they said lowed to be pronounced in his hearing. He had loved her with an excessive and undue affection; and while she gratified his vani- Mr. Worthy, who accompanied her, ty by her beauty and finery, he deemed her found Mr. Bragwell gloomy and dejected. faults of little consequence; but when she As his house was no longer a scene of vanity disappointed his ambition by a disgraceful and festivity, Mr. Bragwell tried to make mariage, all his natural affection only serv- himself and his friend believe that he was ed to increase his resentment. Yet, though grown religious; whereas he was only behe regretted her crime less than his own come discontented. As he had always fanmortification, he never ceased in secret to cied that piety was a melancholy, gloomy lament her loss. She soon found out she thing, and as he felt his own mind really was undone ; and wrote in a strain of bitter gloomy, he was willing to think that he was repentance to ask him for forgiveness. She growing pious. He had, indeed, gone more owned that her husband, whom she had sup-constantly to church, and had taken less posed to be a man of tashion in disguise, was pleasure in feasting and cards, and now and a low person in distressed circumstances. then read a chapter in the Bible; but all this She implored that her father, though he re- was because his spirits were low, and not befused to give her husband that fortune for cause his heart was changed. The outward which alone it was now too plain he had actions were more regular, but the inward married her, would at least allow her some man was the same. The forms of religion subsistence; for that Mr. Incle was much were resorted to as a painful duty: but this in debt, and she feared in danger of a jail. only added to his misery, while he was utThe father's heart was half melted at this terly ignorant of its spirit and its power. He account, and his affection was for a time still, however, reserved religion as a loathawakened. But Mrs. Bragwell opposed his some medicine, to which he feared he must sending her any assistance. She always have recourse at last, and of which he even made it a point of duty never to forgive; now considered every abstinence from pleafor she said it only encouraged those who had sure, or every exercise of piety, as a bitter done wrong once to do worse next time. For dose. His health also was impaired, so that her part she had never yet been guilty of so his friend found him in a pitiable state, neimean and pitiful a weakness as to forgive ther able to receive pleasure from the world, any one; for to pardon an injury always which he so dearly loved, nor from religion, showed either want of spirit to feel it, or which he so greatly feared. He expected to want of power to resent it. She was resolved have been much commended by Worthy for she would never squander the money for the change in his way of life; but Worthy, which she had worked early and late, on a who saw that the alteration was only owing baggage who had thrown herself away on a to the loss of animal spirits, and to the casubeggar, while she had a daughter single, al absence of temptation, was cautious of who might yet raise her family by a great flattering him too mush. I thought, Mr. match. I am sorry to say that Mrs Brag-Worthy,' said he, to have received more well's anger was not owing to the undutiful-comfort from you. I was told too, that reliness of the daughter, or the worthlessness of gion was full of comfort, but I do not much the husband; poverty was in her eyes the find it.'-You were told the truth,' replied grand crime. The doctrine of forgiveness, Worthy; religion is full of comfort, but as a religious principle, made no more a you must first be brought into a state fit to part of Mr. Bragwell's system than of his receive it before it can become so; you must wife's; but in natural feeling, particularly be brought to a deep and humbling sense of for this offending daughter, he much ex-sin. To give you comfort while you are

ceeded her.

In a few months the youngest Miss Bragwell desired leave to return home from Mr. Worthy's, She had, indeed, only consented to go thither as a less evil of the two, than VOL. I.

22

puffed up with high thoughts of yourself, would be to give you a strong cordial in a high fever. Religion keeps back her cordials till the patient is lowered and empted: emptied of self, Mr. Bragwell. If you had

There is no commutation tax there. But he will forgive them on your sincere repentance, for the sake of Jesus Christ. Goodness is not a single act to be done; so that a man can say, I have achieved it, and the thing is over; but it is a habit that is to be constantly maintained; it is a continual struggle with the opposite vice. No man must reckon himself good for any thing he has already done; though he may consider it as an evidence that he is in the right way, if he feels a constant disposition to resist every evil temper. But every Christian grace will always find work enough; and he must not fancy that because he has conquered once, his virtue may now sit down and take a holiday.

Bragwell. But I thought we Christians, need not be watchful against sin; because Christ, as you so often tell me, died for sin

I am a Christian,' said Mr. Bragwell; many of my friends are Christians, but I do not see it has done us much good." -Christianity itself,' answered Worthy, cannot make us good, unless it be applied to our hearts. Christian privileges will not make us Christians, unless we make use of them. On that shelf I see stands your medicine. The doctor orders you to take it. Have you taken it?'-'Yes,' replied Bragwell. Are you the better for it?' said Worthy. think I am,' he replied. Worthy, are you the better because the Worthy. Do not deceive yourself: the doctor has ordered it merely, or because you evangelical doctrines, while they so highly have also taken it ? What a foolish ques-exalt a Saviour do not diminish the heinoustion,' cried Bragwell; Why to be sure the ness of sin, they rather magnify it. Do not doctor might be the best doctor, and his comfort yourself by extenuation or mitigation physic the best physic in the world; but if it stood forever on the shelf, I could not expect to be cured by it. My doctor is not a mountebank. He does not pretend to cure by a charm. The physic is good, and as it suits my case, though it is bitter, I take it.'

But,' added Mr.ners.

of sin; but by repentance towards God, and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. It is not by diminishing or denying your debt; but by confessing it, by owning you have nothing to pay, that forgiveness is to be hoped.

Bragwell. I don't understand you. You want to have me as good as a saint, and as penitent as a sinner at the same time.

have past on him which the gospel emphatically terms becoming a new man,'

Bragwell. I hope then I am altered enough to please you. I am sure affliction has made such a change in me, that my best friends hardly know me to be the same

You have now,' said Mr. Worthy, 'explained undesignedly the reason why religion does so little good in the world. It is Worthy. I expect of every real Christian, not a mountebank; it does not work by a that is, every real penitent, that he should charm; but it offers to cure your worst cor- labour to get his heart and life impressed ruptions by wholesome, though sometimes with the stamp of the Gospel. I expect to bitter prescriptions. But you will not take see him aiming at a conformity in spirit and them; you will not apply to God with the in practice to the will of God in Jesus Christ. same earnest desire to be healed with which I expect to see him gradually attaining toyou apply to your doctor; you will not con- wards an entire change from his natural self. fess your sins to one as honestly as you tell When I see a man at constant war with your symptoms to the other, nor read your those several pursuits and tempers which are Bible with the same faith and submission with peculiar propriety termed worldly, it with which you take your medicine. In is a plain proof to me that the change must reading it, however, you must take care not to apply to yourself the comforts which are not suited to your case. You must, by the grace of God, be brought into a condition to be entitled to the promises, before you can expect the comfort of them. Conviction is not conversion; that worldly discontent, man. which is the effect of worldly disappoint- Worthy. That is not the change I mean, ment, is not that godly sorrow which work-'Tis true, from a merry man you are beeth repentance. Besides, while you have come a gloomy man; but that is because you been pursuing all the gratifications of the have been disappointed in your schemes: world, do not complain that you have not all the principle remains unaltered. A great the comforts of religion too. Could you live match for your single daughter would at in the full enjoyment of both, the Bible once restore all the spirits you have lost by would not be true. the imprudence of your married one. The change the Gospel requires is of quite another cast: it is having a new heart and a right spirit ;'-it is being 'God's workmanship;'-it is being created anew in Christ Jesus unto good works;'-it is becoming new creatures;-it is old things being done away, and all things made new ;'-it is

Bragwell. Well, sir, but I do a good action sometimes; and God, who knows he did not make us perfect, will accept it, and for the sake of my good actions will forgive my faults.

Worthy. Depend upon it God will never forgive your sins for the sake of your virtues.

by so learning the truth as it is in Jesus Mr. Squeeze was too much used to advanto the putting off the old man, and putting tageous contracts to let this slip. As he was on the new, which after God is created in gaudily dressed, and possessed all the arts of righteousness and true holiness;'-it is by vulgar flattery, Miss Bragwell eagerly *partaking of the divine nature.' Pray caught at his proposal to wait on her father observe, Mr. Bragwell, these are not my next day. Squeeze was quite a man after words, nor words picked out of any fanatical Bragwell's own heart, a genius at getting book; they are the words of that Gospel you profess to believe; it is not a new doctrine, it is as old as our religion itself. Though I cannot but observe, that men are more reluctant in believing, more averse to adopting this doctrine than almost any other: and indeed I do not wonder at it; for there is perhaps no one which so attacks corruption in its strong holds; no one which so thoroughly prohibits a lazy Christian from uniting a life of sinful indulgence with an outward profession of piety.

money, a fine dashing fellow at spending it. He told his wife that this was the very sort of man for his daughter; for he got money like a Jew and spent it like a prince; but whether it was fairly got, or wisely spent, he was too much a man of the world to inquire. Mrs. Bragwell was not so run away with by appearances, but that she desired her husband to be careful, and make himself quite sure it was the right Mr. Squeeze, and no impostor. But being assured by her husband that Betsey would certainly keep her Bragwell now seemed resolved to set about carriage, she never gave herself one thought the matter in earnest; but he resolved in with what sort of man she was to ride in it. his own strength: he never thought of ap- To have one of her daughters drive in her plying for assistance to the Fountain of Wis-own coach, filled up all her ideas of human dom; to Him who giveth might to them who happiness, and drove the other daughter have no strength. Unluckily, the very day quite out of her head. The marriage was Mr. Worthy took leave, there happened to celebrated with great splendour, and Mr. be a grand ball at the next town, on account and Mrs. Squeeze set off for London, where of the assizes. An assize-ball, courteous they had taken a house. reader! is a scene to which gentlemen and ladies periodically resort to celebrate the crimes and calamities of their fellow creatures, by dancing and music, and to divert themselves with feasting and drinking, while unhappy wretches are receiving sentence of death.

To this ball Miss Bragwell went, dressed cut with a double portion of finery, pouring out on her head, in addition to her own ornaments, the whole band-box of feathers, beads, and flowers, her sister had left behind her. While she was at the ball her father formed many plans of religious reformation; he talked of lessening his business, that he might have more leisure for devotion; though not just now, while the markets were so high; and then he began to think of sending a handsome subscription to the Infirmary; though, on second thoughts, he concluded he need not be in a hurry, but might as well leave it in his will; though to give, and repent, and reform, were three things he was bent upon. But when his daughter came home at night so happy and so fine! and telling how she had danced with squire Squeeze, the great corn contractor, and how many fine things he had said to her, Mr. Bragwell felt the old spirit of the world return in its full force. A marriage with Mr. Dashall Squeeze, the contractor, was beyond his hopes; for Mr. Squeeze was supposed from a very low beginning to have got rich during the war.

As for Mr. Squeeze, he had picked up as much of the history of his partner between the dances as he desired; he was convinced there would be no money wanting; for Miss Brag well, who was now looked on as an only child, must needs be a great fortune, and

Mr. Bragwell now tried to forget that he had any other daughter; and if some thoughts of the resolutions he had made of entering on a more religious course would sometimes force themselves upon him, they were put off, like the repentance of Felix, to a more convenient season; and finding he was likely to have a grandchild, he became more worldly and more ambitious than ever; thinking this a just pretence for adding house to house, and field to field. And there is no stratagem by which men more fatally deceive themselves, than when they make even unborn children a pretence for that rapine, or that hoarding, of which their own covetousness is the true motive. Whenever he ventured to write to Mr. Worthy about the wealth, the gayety, and the grandeur of Mr. and Mrs. Squeeze, that faithful friend honestly reminded him of the vanity and uncertainty of worldly greatness, and the error he had been guilty of in marrying his daughter before he had taken time to inquire into the real character of the man, saying, that he could not help foreboding that the happiness of a match made at a ball might have an untimely end.

Notwithstanding Mr. Bragwell had paid down a larger fortune than was prudent, for fear Mr. Squeeze should fly off, yet he was surprised to receive very soon a pressing letter irom him, desiring him to advance a considerable sum, as he had the offer of an advantageous purchase, which he must lose for want of money. Bragwell was staggered, and refused to comply; but his wife told him he must not be shabby to such a gentleman as squire Squeeze; for that she heard on all sides such accounts of their grandeur, their feasts, their carriages, and their live