are wife, and let us draw upon content for the deficiencies ' of fortune.'

As my eldest fon was bred a scholar, I determined to fend him to town, where his abilities might contribute to our fupport and his own. The feparation of friends.

and families, is, perhaps, one of the most distressful circumstances attendant on penury. The day foon arrived on which we were to difperfe for the first time. My fon, after taking leave of his mother and the reft, who mingled their tears with their kiffes, came to ask a blessing from me. This I gave from my heart, and which, added to five guineas, was all the patrimony I had now to beftow. You are going, my boy,' cried I, 'to London on foot, in the manner Hooker, your great ancestor, tra'velled there before you. Take from me the fame horse 'that was given him by the good Bishop Jewel, this staff, ' and take this book too, it will be your comfort on the way these two lines in it are worth a million; I have 'been young and now am old; yet never faw I the righteous man forfaken, or his feed begging their bread. Let this be

your confolation as you travel on. Go, my boy; whatever be thy fortune, let me fee thee once a year; ftill keep a good heart, and farewel.' As he was poffeffed of integrity and honour, I was under no apprehenfions from throwing him naked into the amphitheatre of life; for I knew he would act a good part, whether vanquished or victorious.

His departure only prepared the way for our own, which arrived a few days afterwards. The leaving a neighbourhood in which we had enjoyed fo many hours of tranquillity, was not without a tear, which fearce fortitude itfelf could fupprefs. Befides, a journey of feventy miles to a family that had hitherto never been above ten from

home, filled us with apprehenfion, and the cries of the poor who followed us for fome miles, contributed to encrease it. The first day's journey brought us in fafety within thirty miles of our future retreat, and we put up for the night at an obfcure inn in a village by the way. When we were shewn a room, I defired the landlord, in my ufual way, to let us have his company, with which he complied, as what he drank would increase the bill next morning. He knew, however, the whole neighbourhood to which I was removing, particularly Squire Thornhill, who was to be my landlord, and who lived within a few miles of the place. This gentleman he described as one who defired to know little more of the world than it's pleasures, being particularly remarkable for his attachment. to the fair fex. He obferved that no virtue was able to refift his arts and affiduity, and that scarce a farmer's daughter within ten miles round but what had found him fuccefsful and faithlefs. Though this account gave me some pain, it had a very different effect upon my daughters, whose features feemed to brighten with the expectation of an approaching triumph; nor was my wife lefs pleafed and confident of their allurements and virtue. While our thoughts were thus employed, the hoftefs entered the room to inform her husband, that the ftrange gentleman, who had been two days in the house, wanted money, and could not fatisfy them for his reckoning. 'Want money!' replied the hoft, that must be impoffible; for it was no later than yesterday he paid three guineas to our beadle to fpare an old broken foldier that was to be whipped through the town for dog ftealing.' The hoftefs, however, ftill perfifting in her first affertion, he was preparing to leave the room, fwearing that he would be fatisfied one

way or another, when I begged the landlord would introduce me to a stranger of fo much charity as he described. With this he complied, fhewing in a gentleman who seemed to be about thirty, drest in clothes that once were laced. His person was well formed, and his face marked with the lines of thinking. He had fomething short and dry in his addrefs, and feemed not to understand ceremony, or to despise it. Upon the landlord's leaving the room, I could not avoid expreffing my concern to the ftranger at seeing a gentleman in fuch circumftances, and offered him my purfe to fatisfy the prefent demand. I 'take it with all my heart, Sir,' replied he, and am glad 'that a late oversight in giving what money I had about me has shewn me, that there are still some men like you. I muft, however, previously intreat being informed of the 'name and refidence of my benefactor, in order to repay him as foon as poffible.' In this I fatisfied him fully, not only mentioning my name and late misfortune, but the place to which I was going to remove. 'This,' cried he, happens ftill more lucky than I hoped for, as I am going the fame way myself, having been detained here two days by the floods, which I hope by to-morrow, will be found 'paffable.' I teftified the pleasure I fhould have in his company, and my wife and daughters joining in entreaty, he was prevailed upon to stay supper. The stranger's conversation, which was at once pleafing and inftructive, induced me to wifh for a continuance of it; but it was now high time to retire and take refreshment against the fatigues of the following day.

The next morning we all fet forward together: my family on horseback, while Mr. Burchell, our new companion, walked along the footpath by the road fide, obferv