and fò prudently refólved upón following the purchafer, and having back my horse.

Bút

this was nów too late: 'I therefore måde directly homewards, refolving to get the draught changed into móney át my friend's ás fáft ás poffible. I found my honeft neighbour fmòing his pipe át his own door, and informing him that I hád à small bíll upón hím, hè réad it twice over. You can read the name, I fuppofe," cried I, 'Ephraim Jenkinson, " Yes," returned hè, ,,the name is written plain enough, and I know the gentleman too, the greatest ráfcal under the canopy of heaven. This is the very fame rogue who fòld us the péctacles. Was hè nót à vénerable looking man, with grey hair, and nò fláps to his pocketholes? And did hè nót tálk à lóng string of learning about Greek and cofmógony, and the world? To this I replied with a groan. "Ay," cotínued hè, „,hè hás bút that one piece of learning in the world, and he always talks it away whenever he finds à fchólar ín company but I know the rogue, and will

cátch him yet."

Though I was already fufficiently mortfied, my greateft ftruggle was to come, in facing my wife and daughters. No truant f) was ever more afraid of returning to fchool, there to behold the máfter's vífage, thán I was of going home. I was determined, however, tó antícipate their fùry, by firft falling into à páflion myfélf,

But, alás, upón entering, 'I found the family no way difpofed for battle. My wife and girls were all in tears, Mr. Thornhill

f) truant, ein Knabe, welcher die Schule verfäumt hat.

háving been there that day to inform them, that their journey to town was entirely òver. The two ladies having heard reports of us from fóme malícious pérfon about ús, were that day fet out for London. Hè could neither difcóver the tendency, nor the author of these, bút whatever they might be, or whoever might háve broached them, he contínued to affure oúr fámily óf his friendship and protection. I found, therefore, that they bore my difap. pointment with great refignation, as it was eclípfed in the greatnefs of their own.

Bút

what perplexed ús mòft was to think who could be fò bale ás to asperse the character óf à fámily fò harmless ás óurs, too húmble to excite énvy, and too inoffénfive to create difgúst.

CHÁ P. XV.

'All Mr. Burchell's villany at once detected. The folly of being over-wife.

Thát èvening and párt of the following day was employed in fruitless attempts to difcóver óur enemies: fcàrce à fámily in the neighbourhood bút incurred óur fufpicions, and each óf ús hád reasons fór óur opinion best known to ourselves. 'As we were in this perplexity, óne of our little boys, who had been playing abroad, brought in à létter-cafe, which he found on the green. 'It was quickly known to belong to Mr. Búrchell, with whom ít hád been Teen, and, upón examination, contained fóme hints upón different fúbjects; but what partícularly engaged our attention was à fèaled note, fuperfcribed, the copy of à létter to bi

fént to the ladies at Thornhill- castle. 'It ínftantly occurred that he was the bafe infórmer, ánd we deliberated whether the note fhould not be broke open.

I was against it; bút Sophia, who fáid fhe was fùre thát óf áll mén he would be the láft to be guilty of fò múch bafeness, infifted upon its being read. 'In this she was féconded by the réft of the family, ánd, át their joint folicitation, 'I réad ás fóllows:

„LADIES,

The bearer will fufficiently fátisfy you ás to the perfon from whóm thís cómes: óne át least the friend óf ínnocence, and ready to prevent its being feduced, I am infórmed for a truth, that you have fóme intention of bringing two young ladies to town, whom I have fome knowledge of, under the character of compánions. 'As I would neither have fimplícity impiled upón, nór vírtue contaminated, 'I múst offer it as my opinion, that the impropriety of fuch à ftep will be attended with dangerous confequences. 'It has never been mỳ wày tỏ treat the infamous or the lewd with feverity; nór fhould I nów háve taken thís méthod of explaining myfélf, or reproving fólly, dít ít not aim át guilt, Take therefore the admonítion óf à friend, and seriously reflect on the confequences of introducing ínfamy and vice into retreats where peace and innocence háve hitherto refided."

'Our doubts were nów át án énd. Thére feemed indeed fómething applicable to both fides in this létter, and its cenfures might ás well be referred to those to whom it was written, ás tó ús; bút the malicious meaning

wás óbvious, and we went nò farther. My wife hád fcarce patience to hear me to the end, bút railed at the writer with unrestrained reféntment. Olivia was equally fevère, and Sophia feemed perfectly amazed at his balenefs. 'As for my párt, it appeared to me one of thẻ vìleft instances of unprovoked ingrátitude 'I hád mét with. Nór could 'I account fór ít ín ány óther manner than by impùting ít to his defire of detaining my youngest daughter in the country, to have the more frequent opportunities öf án ínterview. In this manner wè all fate rúminating upón schèmes óf vengeance, when óur other little boy came rúnning ín tó téll ús thát Mr. Burchell was approaching át thè other end of the field. 'It is easier to conceive thán defcribe the complicated fenfàtions which àre félt from the pain óf à récent injury, and the pleasure of approaching vengeance. Though our intentions were only to upbraid him with hís ingratitude; yét ít was refólved to đỏ ít ín à manner that would be perfectly cutting. For this purpose wè agreed to meet him with óur ufual files, tó chát ín the beginning with more than ordinary kindness, to amuse hím à little; and then in the midft of the flattering calm to burst upón hím like án, éarthquake, and overwhelm him with the fenfe of his own balenefs. This being refolved upón, my wife undertook to manage the business herfélf, ás fhè really hád fome tálents fór fúch án undertaking. Wè fáw hím approach, hè éntered, drew à chair, ánd fàte down. ,,A fine day, Mr. Burchell." -,,A véry fine dày, Doctor; though I fancy wè fháll háve fóme rain by the fhooting of my corns." ,,The fhooting of your hórns," cried my wife

in à loud fit óf laughter, and then asked párdon for being fond of a joke. „Dear mádam," replied he,,,I párdon you with all my heart; for I proteft I Thould not have thought it à joke hád you not told me." „Perhaps nót, Sir," cried my wife, winking át ús,,,ánd yet I dare fay you cán téll ús hów mány jokes go to an ounce." -,,I fáncy, mádam," retur án ned Burchell, you have leen reading à jéftbook this morning, that ounce of jokes ís fò very good à conceit; and yét, mádam, 'I hád ráther fèe hálf án óunce of understanding."

I believe you might," cried my wife, ftill miling at us, though the laugh was against hér;,,and yet I have seen fóme mén preténd to underftanding thát háve very little: – "And no doubt," replied her antagonist, you have known ladies fét úp fór wit thát hád none." I quickly began to find that my wife was likely to gain bút little át this bufinefs; fò I refolved to treat hím ín à style óf more feverity myfélf. Both wit and underftánding cried I,,,are trifles without intégrity; it is that which gives value to every character. The ignorant pealant, without fault, ís greater than the philofopher with mány; for what is gènius úr courage without án heart? 'An honest mun is the nobleft work of God.“

I always held thát háckney'd ) máxim of Pope h)," returned M'r. Burchell,,,ás véry

g) hackney'd maxim, ein abgenutzter Gedanke.

h) Pope, geboren zu London 1688, geftorben zu Twickenham im Jahre 1744, ist einer der vorzüglichsten Englifchen Dichter. Die befte Ausgabe feiner zahlreichen Werke hat Dr. Warburton, London 1752. in 9 Vol. in 8. unter dem Titel herausgegeben: The Works of