it an hundred times with new rapture. In my opinion,' cried my son, the finest strokes in that defcription are much below thofe in the Acis and Galatea of Ovid. The Roman poet understands the use of contraft better, and upon that figure artfully managed all strength in the pathetic depends. It is remarkable,' cried Mr. Burchell, that both the poets you mention have equally contributed to introduce a falfe tafte into their respective countries, by loading all their lines with epithet. ⚫ Men of little genius found them moft eafily imitated in their defects, and English poetry, like that in the latter empire of Rome, is nothing at prefent but a combination of luxuriant images, without plot or con⚫nection; a string of epithets that improve the found without carrying on the fenfe. But perhaps, Madam, while I thus reprehend others, you'll think it just that I should give them • an opportunity to retaliate; and in' deed I have made this remark only to have an opportunity of introducing to the company a ballad, which, whatever be it's other defects, is, I think, at leaft free from thofe I have mentioned."

No flocks that range the valley free,
To flaughter I condemn;
Taught by that Power that pities me,
I learn to pity them?

But from the mountain's graffy fide,
A guiltless feast I bring;

A fcrip with herbs and fruits fupply'd,
And water from the fpring.

Then, pilgrim, turn, thy cares forego;
All earth-born cares are wrong:
Man wants but little here below,

Nor wants that little long.'

Soft as the dew from heav'n defcends,
His gentle accents fell.

The modeft ftranger lowly bends,
And follows to the cell.

Far in a wilderness obfcure
The lonely manfion lay;
A refuge to the neighbouring poor,
And ftrangers led aftray."

No ftores beneath it's humble thatch
Requir'd a master's care;
The wicket opening with a latch,
Receiv'd the harmless pair.

And now when bufy crowds retire
To take their evening rest,
The hermit trimm'dis little fire,
And chear'd his penfive guest:
And spread his vegetable ftore,

And gayly preft and smil'd;
And skill'd in legendary lore,

The lingering hours beguil'd.
Around in fympathetic mirth
It's tricks the kitten tries;
The cricket chirrups in the hearth,
The crackling faggot flies.

But nothing could a charm impart
To footh the stranger's woe;
For grief was heavy at his heart,

And tears began to flow.

His rifing cares the hermit spy'd,
With answering care oppreft:
And whence, unhappy youth,' he cry'd,
The forrows of thy breaft?

From better habitations fpurn'd,
Reluctant doft thou rove;
Or grieve for friendship unreturn'd,
Or unregarded love?

Alas! the joys that fortune brings,
Are trifling, and decay;
And those who prize the paltry things,
More trifling ftill than they.

And what is friendship but a name,
A charm that lulls to fleep;

A fhade that follows wealth or fame,
But leaves the wretch to weep?

And

and intended that night giving the young ladies a ball by moon-light, on the grafs plot before our door. Nor can I deny,' continued he, but I have "an interest in being first to deliver this meffage, as I expect for my reward to be honoured with Mifs Sophia's hand as a partner. To this my girl replied, that the should have no objection, if the could do it with honour: • But here,' continued fhe, is a gentle'man,' looking at Mr. Burchell, who has been my companion in the talk for the day, and it is fit he should fhare in it's amufements.' Mr. Burchell returned her a compliment for her intentions; but refigned her up to the chaplain, adding that he was to go that night five miles, being invited to an harvet fupper. His refufal appeared to me a little extraordinary, nor could I conceive how fo fentible a girl as my youngest, could thus prefer a man of broken fortunes to one whofe expectations were much greater. But as men are moft capable of diftinguishing merit in women, fo the ladies often form the trueft judgments of us. The two fexes feem placed as fpies upon each other, and are furnished with different abilities, adapted for mutual inspection.

CHA P. IX.

TWO LADIES OF GREAT DISTINCTION INTRODUCED. SUPERIOR FINERY EVER SEEMS TO CONFER SUPERIOR BREEDING.

Mleave, and Sophia confented to dance with the chaplain, when my little ones came running out to tell us, that the fquire was come, with a crowd of company. Upon our return, we found our landlord with a couple of under gentlemen and two young ladies richly dreffed, whom he introduced as women of very great distinction and fashion from town. We happened not to have chairs enough for the whole company; but Mr. Thornhill immediately propofed that every gentleman fhould fit in a lady's lap. This I poftively objected to, notwithstanding a look of difapprobation from my wife. Mofes was therefore dispatched to borrow a couple of chairs; and as we were in want of ladies to make up a

R. Burchell had fcarce taken

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 topknots. But an unlucky circumstance was not adverted to: though the Mifs Flamboroughs were reckoned the very beft dancers in the parish, and underftood the jig and the round-about to perfection; yet they were totally unacquainted with country dances. This at firft difcompofed us: however, after a little fhoving and dragging, they at laft went merrily on. Our music 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 discovering the pride of her heart, by affuring me, that though the little chit did it fo cleverly, all the fteps were stolen from herfelf. The ladies of the town ftrove hard to be equally eafy, but without fuccefs. They fwam, fprawled, languifhed, and frisked; 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 mufic as it's echo. After the dance had continued about 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 obferved, that by the living jingo, fbe was all of a muck of fweat. Upon our return to the houfe, 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. 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, tafte, Shakespeare, and the mufical glaffes. 'Tis true, they once or twice mortified us fenfibly by flipping out an oaths but that appear ed to me as the fureft fymptom of their diftinction, (though I am fince informed that swearing is perfectly unfashion

The

able.)

able.) Their finery, however, threw a veil over any groffnefs in their converfation. My daughters seemed 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. 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 single winter in town would make her little Sophia quite another thing. My wife warmly asfented to both; adding, that there was nothing the more ardently wished than to give her girls a single winter's polishing. To this I could not help replying, that their breeding was already fuperior to their fortune; and that greater refinement would only serve to make their poverty ridiculous, and give them a taste for pleasures they had no right to poffefs. And what pleafures,' cried Mr. Thornhill, do they not deferve to poffefs, who have fo much in their power to beftow? As for my part,' continued he, my fortune is pretty large; love, liberty, and pleasure, are my maxims; but curfe me if a fettlement of half my eftate could give my charming Olivia plea♦ sure, it should be her's; and the only favour I would afk in return, would be to add myself to the benefit.' I was not such a stranger 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 condefcend 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 dangerous confequences. Hỏnour, Sir, is our only poffeffion at prefent, and of that laft treasure we must be particularly careful. I was foon forry for the warmth with which I had spoken this, when the young gentleman, grasping my hand, swore he commended my fpirit, though he difapproved my fufpicions. As to your prefent hint,' continued he,' ' I proteft nothing was farther from my • heart than such 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 last stroke of freedom, and began a very difcreet and ferious dialogue upon virtue: in this my wife, the chaplain and I, foon joined; and the fquire himself was at last brought to confefs a fenfe of forrow for his. former exceffes. We talked on the pleafures of temperance, and of the fun-fhine in the mind unpolluted with guilt. I was fo well pleafed, that my little ones were kept beyond the ufual time to be edified by fo much 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 last the company began to think of returning. The ladies feemed very unwilling to part with my daughters: for whom they had conceived a particular affection, and joined in a requeft to have the pleasure of their company home. The fquire feconded the propofal, 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 excufes, which my daughters as readily removed; fo that at last I was obliged to give a peremptory refufal: for which we had nothing but fullen looks and fhort answers the whole day enfuing.

her daughters eyes, that working after dinner would redden their nofes, and fhe convinced me that the hands never looked fo white as when they did nothing. Inftead, therefore, of finishing George's fhirts, we now had them newmodelling their old gauzes, or flourithing upon catgut. The poor Mifs Flamboroughs, their former gay companions, were caft off as mean acquainrance, and the whole converfation ran upon high life and high-lived company, with pictures, tafte, Shakespeare, and the mufical glaffes.

But we could have borne all this, had not a fortune-telling gypfey come to raife us into perfect fublimity. The tawney fybil no fooner appeared, than my girls came running to me for a hilling apiece to crofs her hand with filver. To fay the truth, I was tired of being always wife, and could not help gratifying their requeft, because I loved to fee them happy. I gave each of them a hilling; though, for the honour of the family, it must be observed, that they never went without money themfelves, as my wife always generoufly let them have a guinea each, to keep in their pockets; but with ftrict injunctions never to change it. After they had been clofeted up with the fortune-teller for fome time, I knew by their looks, upon their returning, that they had been promifed fomething great. Well, my girls, how have you fped? Tell me, Livy, has the fortune-teller given thee a pennyworth?' I proteft, papa,' fays the girl,

I believe fhe deals with fomebody that's not right; for the pofitively declared, that I am to be married to a squire in less than a twelvemonth!'- Well, now, Sophy, my child,' faid I, and what fort of a husband are you to have?' Sir, replied the, I am to have a lord foon after my fifter has married the fquire.' How,' cried I, is that all you are to have for your two fhillings! Only a lord and a fquire for two 'fhillings! You fools, I could have promifed you a prince and a nabob for half the money.'

This curiofity of theirs, however, was attended with very ferious effects: we now began to think ourselves defigned by the stars to fomething exalted, and already anticipated our future grandeur.

It has been a thousand times obferved, and I must obferve it once more, that the hours we pafs with happy prospects in view, are more pleasing than thofe crowned with fruition. In the firft cafe, we cook the dish to our own appetite; in the latter, nature cooks it for us. It is impoffible to repeat the train of agreeable reveries we called up for our entertainment. We looked upon our fortunes as once more rifing; and as the whole parith afferted that the fquire was in love with my daughter, fhe was actually so with him; for they perfuaded her into the paffion. In this agreeable interval, my wife had the most lucky dreams in the world, which fhe took care to tell us every morning, with great folemnity and exactnefs. It was one night a coffin and cross bones, the fign of an approaching wedding at another time fhe imagined her daughters pockets filled with farthings, a certain fign they would fhortly be stuffed with gold. The girls themfelves had their omens. They felt ftrange kiffes on their lips; they faw rings in the candle; purfes bounced from the fire, and true love-knots`lurked in the bottom of every tea-cup.

Towards the end of the week we received a card from the town ladies; in which, with their compliments, they hoped to fee all our family at church the Sunday following. All Saturday morning I could perceive, in confe quence of this, my wife and daughters in clofe conference together, and now and then glancing at me with looks that betrayed a latent plot. To be fincere, I had ftrong fufpicions that fome abfurd propofal was preparing for appearing with fplendor the next day. In the evening they began their operations in a very regular manner, and my wife undertook to conduct the fiege. After tea, when I feemed in fpirits, he began thus: I fancy, Charles, my dear, we fhall have a great deal of good company at our church to-morrow. Perhaps we may, my dear,' returned I; though you need be under no uneafinefs about that, you shall have a fermon whether there be or not. That is 'what I expect,' returned the; but I think, my dear, we ought to appear

there as decently as poffible, for who 'knows what may happen?'—' Your

precautions, replied eplied I, are highly

com.