said Mr. Johnson. "Why, as to that, Sir, "not more than neighbours' fare; I have "but little cause to complain, and much to "be thankful; but I have had some little

66

struggles, as I will leave you to judge. "I have a wife and eight children, whom "I bred up in that little cottage which you "see under the hill about half a mile off." -"What, that with the smoke coming out "of the chimney?" said the gentleman. "Ono, Sir," replied the Shepherd, smiling, "we have seldom smoke in the evening, "for we have little to cook, and firing is 66 very dear in these parts. 'Tis that cot"tage which you see on the left hand of "the church, near that little tuft of haw"thorns."-"What, that hovel with only "one room above and below, with scarcely

any chimney? how is it possible you can "live there with such a family!"-"O! "it is very possible and very certain too," cried the Shepherd. "How many better "men have been worse lodged! how many

good christians have perished in prisons

"my cottage is a palace! The house is very "well, Sir; and if the rain did not some"times beat down upon us through the "thatch when we are a-bed, I should not "desire a better; for I have health, peace, "and liberty, and no man maketh me "afraid."

Well, I will certainly call on you be"fore it be long; but how can you con"trive to lodge so many children ?" — "We do the best we can, Sir. My poor "wife is a very sickly woman, or we should "always have done tolerably well. There "are no gentry in the parish, so that she "has not met with any great assistance in "her sickness. The good curate of the

66

parish, who lives in that pretty parson"age in the valley, is very willing, but not

66

very able to assist us on these trying oc"casions, for he has little enough for him"self, and a large family into the bargain. "Yet he does what he can, and more than 66 many richer men do, and more than he "can well afford. Besides that, his prayers "and good advice we are always sure of,

" and we are truly thankful for that, for "a man must give, you know, Sir, accord

ing to what he hath, and not according "to what he hath not."

"I am afraid," said Mr. Johnson, "that "your difficulties may sometimes lead you to repine."

"to me.

"No, Sir," replied the Shepherd, "it "pleases God to give me two ways of "bearing up under them. I pray that they may be either removed or sanctified Besides, if my road be right I "am contented, though it be rough and I do not so much stagger at hardships in the right way, as I dread a "false security, and a hollow peace, while "I may be walking in a more smooth, but "less safe way. Besides, Sir, I strengthen

"uneven.

my faith by recollecting what the best "men have suffered, and my hope, with "the view of the shortness of all suffer

ing. It is a good hint, Sir, of the vanity "of all earthly possessions, that though "the whole Land of Promise was his, yet

"the father of the faithful, got posses"sion of, in the land of Canaan, was a "grave?

-

"Only !" said

a heavy burGod fits the

"Are you in any distress at pre"sent ?" said Mr. Johnson. 66 No, Sir, "thank God," replied the Shepherd. “I "get my shilling a day, and most of my "children will soon be able to earn "something; for we have only three "under five years old.” — “ the gentleman, "that is "den." - "Not at all; "back to it. Though my wife is not "able to do any out-of-door work, yet "she breeds up our children to such "habits of industry, that our little maids, "before they are six years old, can "first get a halfpenny, and then a penny "a day by knitting. The boys who "are too little to do hard work, get a "trifle by keeping the birds off the corn; "for this the farmers will give them a

penny or two pence, and now and then "abit of bread and cheese into the bargain.

"When the season of crow-keeping is over,

then they glean or pick stones; any thing is better than idleness, Sir, and if they did not get a farthing by it, I would "make them do it just the same, for "the sake of giving them early habits of "labour.

"So you see, Sir, I am not so badly off as "many are; nay, if it were not that it costs "me so much in 'pothecary's stuff for my

poor wife, I should reckon myself well "off, nay I do reckon myself well off, "for blessed be God he has granted her "life to my prayers, and I would work

myself to a 'natomy, and live on one "meal a-day, to add any comfort to her "valuable life; indeed I have often done "the last, and thought it no great matter "neither."

While they were in this part of the discourse, a fine plump cherry-cheek little girl ran up out of breath, with a smile on her young happy face, and without taking any notice of the gentleman, cried out with great joy," Look here, father, only see