Page images
PDF
EPUB

wife's tomb that the was the only wife of William Whifton; fo I wrote a fimilar epitaph for my wife, though till living, in which I extolled her prudence, economy, and obedience till death; and having got it copied fair, with an elegant frame, it was placed over the chimney-piece, where it anfwered feveral very ufeful purpofes. I admonished my wife of her duty to me, and my fidelity to her; it infpired her with a paffion for fame, and conftantly put her in mind of her end.

It was thus, perhaps, from hearing marriage fo often recommended, that my eldest fon, juft upon leaving college, fixed his affections upon the daughter of a neighbouring clergyman, who was a dignitary in the church, and in circumstances to give her a large fortune: but fortune was her fmallest accomplishment.. Mifs Arabella Wilmot was allowed by all (except my two daughters) to be completely pretty. Her youth, health, and innocence, were still heightened by a complexion fo tranfparent, and fuch an happy fenfibility of look, as even age could not gaze on with indifference. As Mr. Wilmot knew that I could make a very handsome settlement on my fon, he was not averse to the match; fo both families lived together in all that harmony which generally precedes an expected alliance. Being convinced by experience that the days of courtship are the most happy of our lives, I was willing enough to lengthen the period; and the various amufements which the young couple every day shared in each other's company, feemed to increase their paffion. We were generally awaked in the morning by mufic, and on fine days rode a-hunting. The hours between breakfast and dinner the ladies devoted to drefs and ftudy; they ufually read a page, and then gazed at themselves in the glafs, which even philofophers might own often prefented the page of greatest beauty. At dinner my wife took the lead; for, as the always infifted upon carving every thing herfelf, it being her mother's way, he gave us upon thefe occafions the hiftory of every dish. When we

had

had dined, to prevent the ladies leaving us, I generally ordered the table to be removed; and fometimes, with the mufic-master's affiftance, the girls would give us a very agreeable concert. Walking out, drinking tea, country dances, and forfeits, fhortened the rest of the day, without the affiftance of cards, as I hated all manner of gaming, except backgammon, at which my old friend and I fometimes took a twopenny hit. Nor can I here pafs over an ominous circumftance that happened the last time we played together; I only wanted to fling a quatre, and yet I threw. deuce ace five times running.

Some months were elapfed in this manner, till at laft it was thought convenient to fix a day for the nuptials of the young couple, who feemed earnestly to defire it. During the preparations for the wedding, I need not defcribe the bufy importance of my wife, nor the fly looks of my daughters: in fact, my attention was fixed on another object, the completing a tract which I intended fhortly to publifh in defence of my favourite principle. As I locked upon this as a mafterpiece both for argument and ftyle, I could not in the pride of my heart avoid fhewing it to my old friend Mr. Wilmot, as I made no doubt of receiving his approbation; but not till too late I difcovered that he was most violently attached to the contrary opinion, and with good reafon; for he was at that time actually courting a fourth wife. This, as may be expected, produced a difpute attended with fome acrimony, which threatened to interrupt our intended alliance: but on the day before that appointed for the ceremony, we agreed to difcufs the fubject at large.

It was managed with proper fpirit on both fides; he afferted that I was heterodox, I retorted the charge; he replied, and I rejoined. In the mean time, while the controverfy was hotteft, I was called out by one of my relations, who, with a face of concern, advised me to give up the difpute, at least till my fon's wedding was over. How,' cried I, relinquish the cause of truth, and let him be an hufband, already driven to ⚫ the

[ocr errors]

B 4

[ocr errors]

4

<

[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]

I am now

the very verge of abfurdity? You might as well advife me to give up my fortune as my argument." -Your fortune,' returned my friend, forry to inform you, is almost nothing. The merchant in town, in whofe hands your money was lodged, has gone off, to avoid a ftatute of bankruptcy, and is thought not to have left a fhilling in the pound. I was unwilling to shock you or the family with the account, till after the wedding: but C now it may ferve to moderate your warmth in the argument; for, I fuppofe, your own prudence will ⚫ enforce the neceffity of diffembling, at least till your fon has the young lady's fortune fecure.'- Well,' returned I, if what you tell me be true, and if I am to be a beggar, it fhall never make me a rafcal, or induce me to difavow my principles. I'll go this • moment, and inform the company of my circumftances; and as for the argument, I even here retract my former conceffions in the old gentleman's ⚫ favour, nor will I allow him now to be an husband in any fenfe of the expreffion.'

[ocr errors]

It would be endless to defcribe the different fenfations of both families when I divulged the news of our misfortune; but what others felt was flight to what the lovers appeared to endure. Mr. Wilmot, who feemed before fufficiently inclined to break off the match, was by this blow foon determined; one virtue he had in perfection, which was prudence, too often: the only that is left us at feventy-two.

CHAP. III.

A migration. The fortunate circumftances of our lives are · generally found at last to be of our own procuring.

TH

HE only hope of our family now was, that the report of our misfortunes might be malicious or premature but a letter from my agent in town foon came with a confirmation of every particular. The lofs of fortune to myself alone would have been trifling:

the

the only uneafinefs I felt was for my family, who were to be humble without an education to render them callous to contempt.

Near a fortnight had paffed before I attempted to reftrain their affliction; for premature confolation is but the remembrancer of forrow. During this interval my thoughts were employed on fome future means of fupporting them; and at laft a fmall Cure of fifteen pounds a year was offered me in a distant neighbourhood, where I could ftill enjoy my principles without moleftation.. With this propofal I joyfully clofed, having determined to increase my falary by managing a little farm.

Having taken this refolution, my next care was to get together the wrecks of my fortune; and all debts collected and paid, out of fourteen thousand pounds we had but four hundred remaining. My chief attention therefore was now to bring down the pride of my family to their circumftances; for I well knew that afpiring beggary is wretchedness itself.

You

cannot be ignorant, my children,' cried I, that no prudence of ours could have prevented our late misfortune; but prudence may do much in difappointing its effects. We are now poor, my fondlings, and wisdom bids us conform to our humble fituation. Let us then, without repining, give up those splendours with which numbers are wretched, and feek in humbler circumstances that peace with which all may be happy. The poor live pleasantly without our help, why then should not we learn to live without theirs? No, my children, let us from this moment give up all pretenfions to gentility; we have ftill enough left for happinefs if we 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 diftrefsful circumstances attendant on penury. The

B 5

day

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 bleffing from me. This I gave him from my heart, and which, added to five guineas, was all the patrimony I had now to bestow. • You are going, my boy,' cried I, to London on foot, in the manner Hooker, your great ancestor, travelled there before you. Take from me the fame horfe 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 farewell.' As he was poffeft 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.

[ocr errors]

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 increase 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 fhewn 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

« PreviousContinue »