ments of us. The two fexes feem placed as fpies upon each other, and are furnished with different abilities, adapted for mutual inspection.

CHAP. IX.

Two ladies of great diftinction introduced. Superior finery ever feems to confer fuperior breeding.

MR. Burchell had scarcely taken leave, and Sophia confented to dance with the chaplain, when my little ones came running out to tell us that the 'Squire 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 dreft, whom he introduced as women of very great diftinction 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 pofitively objected to, notwithstanding a look of difapprobation from my wife. Mofes was therefore difpatched to borrow a couple of chairs; and as we were in want of ladies to make up a fet at country dances, the two gentlemen went with him in queft 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 an unlucky circumftance 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 difcompofed us: however, after a little fhoving and dragging, they at last went merrily on. Our mufic

confifted

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, so 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 fteps were ftolen from herfelf. The ladies of the town ftrove hard to be equally eafy, 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 mufic as its 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 observed, that by the living jingo fhe 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 topics, fuch as pictures, tafte, Shakefpear, and the musical glaffes. 'Tis true they once or twice mortified us fenfibly by flipping out an oath; but that appeared to me as the fureft fymptom of their diftinction, (though I am fince informed that fwearing is perfectly unfashionable.) Their finery, however, threw a veil over any groffness 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

One of them ob

their other accomplishments. ferved, 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 the 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 tafte for pleasures they had no right to poffefs." And what pleasures," cried Mr. Thornhill, do they not deferve to poffefs, "who have fo much in their power to bestow? 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 pleasure, it "fhould be hers; and the only favour I would ask "in return would be to add myfelf to the benefit." I was not fuch a ftranger to the world as to be ignorant that this was the fafhionable cant to difguise 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 in

66

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jure that, may be attended with very dangerous "confequences. Honour, Sir, is our only poffef"fion 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, grafping my hand, swore he com、 mended my fpirit, though he difapproved my fufpicions. "As to your prefent hint," continued he, "I proteft nothing was farther from my heart than "fuch a thought. No, by all that's tempting,

7

"the

66

"the virtue that will ftand a regular fiege was never to my tafte; for all my amours are carried "by a coup de main "

The two ladies who affected to be ignorant of the reft, feemed highly displeased with this laft ftroke of freedom, and began a very difcreet and serious dialogue upon virtue in this my wife, the chaplain, and I foon joined; and the 'Squire himself was at laft brought to confefs a fenfe of forrow for his former exceffes. We talked of the pleasures of temperance, and of the fun-fhine in the mind unpolluted with guilt. I was fo well pleased, that my little ones were kept up 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 moft 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 request to have the pleafure of their company home. The 'Squire 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 laft I was obliged to give a peremptory refufal; for which we had nothing but fullen looks and fhort anfwers the whole day enfuing.

CHAP.

CHAP. 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 again, as formerly, were filled with washes 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 rising too early would hurt her daughter's eyes, that working after dinner would redden their nofes, and the convinced me that the hands never looked fo white as when they did nothing. Inftead therefore of finifhing George's fhirts, we now had them new modelling their old gauzes, or flourishing upon catgut. The poor Mifs Flamboroughs, their former gay companions, were caft off as mean acquaintance, and the whole converfation ran upon high life and high-lived company, with pictures, tafte, Shakespear, and the mufical glaffes.

But we could have borne all this, had not a fortune-telling gypsey came to raise us into perfect fublimity. The tawny fybil no fooner appeared, than my girls came running to me for a fhilling a piece to crofs her hand with filver. To fay the truth, I was tired of being always wife, and could not help gratifying their request, because I loved to fee them happy. I gave each of them a fhilling; though, for the honour of the family, it must be obferved, that they never went without money themselves, as

my