over.

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'You can read the name, I suppose,' cried I, 'Ephraim Jenkinson.' 'Yes,' returned he, the name 'is written plain enough, and I know the gentleman too, 'the greatest rascal under the canopy of heaven. This is 'the very same rogue who sold us the spectacles. Was he not a venerable looking man, with grey hair, and no flaps to his pocket-holes? And did he not talk a long string of learning about Greek and cosmogony, and the ' world?' To this I replied with a groan. Ay,' continued he, he has but that one piece of learning in the 'world, and he always talks it away whenever he finds a 'scholar in company; but I know the rogue, and will 'catch him yet."

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Though I was already sufficiently mortified, my greatest struggle was to come, in facing my wife and daughters. No truant was ever more afraid of returning to school, there to behold the master's visage, than I was of going home. I was determined, however, to anticipate their fury, by first falling into a passion myself.

The two

But, alas! upon entering, I found the family no way disposed for battle. My wife and girls were all in tears, Mr. Thornhill having been there that day to inform them, that their journey to town was entirely over. ladies having heard reports of us from some malicious person about us, were that day set out for London. He could neither discover the tendency, nor the author of these but whatever they might be, or whoever might have broached them, he continued to assure our family of his friendship and protection. I found, therefore, that they bore my disappointment with great resignation, as it was eclipsed in the greatness of their own. But what perplexed us most was to think who could be so base as to asperse the character of a family so harmless as ours, too humble to excite envy, and too inoffensive to create disgust.

Yes, she is gone off with two gentlemen in a post-chaise, and one of them kissed her, and said he would die for her.'-PAGE 289.

CHAPTER XV

THA

HAT evening and a part of the following day was employed in fruitless attempts to discover our enemies : scarcely a family in the neighbourhood but incurred our suspicions, and each of us had reasons for our opinion best known to ourselves. As we were in this perplexity, one of our little boys, who had been playing abroad,

brought in a letter-case, which he found on the Green. It was quickly known to belong to Mr. Burchell, with whom it had been seen, and, upon examination, contained some hints upon different subjects; but what particularly engaged our attention was a sealed note, superscribed, the copy of a letter to be sent to the ladies at Thornhillcastle. It instantly occurred that he was the base informer, and we deliberated whether the note should not be broke open. I was against it; but Sophia, who said she was sure that of all men he would be the last to be guilty of so much baseness, insisted upon its being read. In this she was seconded by the rest of the family, and at their joint solicitation, I read as follows:

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'LADIES,

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The bearer will sufficiently satisfy you as to the person from whom this comes : one at least the friend ' of innocence, and ready to prevent its being seduced. 'I am informed for a truth, that you have some intention of bringing two young ladies to town whom I have some 'knowledge of, under the character of companions. As 'I would neither have simplicity imposed upon, nor virtue 'contaminated, I must offer it as my opinion, that the 'impropriety of such a step will be attended with dangerous consequences. It has never been my way to treat the infamous or the lewd with severity; nor 'should I now have taken this method of explaining 'myself, or reproving folly, did it not aim at guilt. Take 'therefore the admonition of a friend, and seriously reflect ' on the consequences of introducing infamy and vice into retreats where peace and innocence have hitherto ' resided.'

Our doubts were now at an end. There seemed indeed something applicable to both sides in this letter, and its censures might as well be referred to those to whom it

was written, as to us; but the malicious meaning was obvious, and we went no farther. My wife had scarce patience to hear me to the end, but railed at the writer with unrestrained resentment. Olivia was equally severe, and Sophia seemed perfectly amazed at his baseness. As for my part, it appeared to me one of the vilest instances of unprovoked ingratitude I had met with. Nor could I account for it in any other manner than by imputing it to his desire of detaining my youngest daughter in the country, to have the more frequent opportunities of an interview. In this manner we all sate ruminating upon schemes of vengeance, when our other little boy came running in to tell us that Mr. Burchell was approaching at the other end of the field. It is easier to conceive than describe the complicated sensations which are felt from the pain of a recent injury, and the pleasure of approaching vengeance. Though our intentions were only to upbraid him with his ingratitude, yet it was resolved to do it in a manner that would be perfectly cutting. For this purpose we agreed to meet him with our usual smiles, to chat in the beginning with more than ordinary kindness, to amuse him a little; and then in the midst of the flattering calm to burst upon him like an earthquake, and overwhelm him with the sense of his own baseness. This being resolved upon, my wife undertook to manage the business herself, as she really had some talents for such an undertaking. We saw him approach, he entered, drew a chair, and sate down. A fine day, Mr. Burchell.'-' A very fine day, Doctor; though I fancy we shall have some rain by the *shooting of my corns.'' The shooting of your horns,' cried my wife in a loud fit of laughter, and then asked pardon for being fond of a joke. Dear madam,' replied he, 'I pardon you with all my heart, for I protest 'I should not have thought it a joke had you not told

'me.

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Perhaps not, Sir,' cried my wife, winking at us, and yet I dare say you can tell us how many jokes go 'to an ounce.'- -'I fancy, madam,' returned Burchell, 'you have been reading a jest book this morning, that ounce of jokes is so very good a conceit; and yet, 'madam, I had rather see half an ounce of understanding.' 'I believe you might,' cried my wife, still smiling at us, though the laugh was against her; and yet I have seen 'some men pretend to understanding that have very 'little.' 'And no doubt,' replied her antagonist, you ‘have known ladies set up for wit that had none.'—I quickly began to find that my wife was likely to gain but little at this business; so I resolved to treat him in a style of more severity myself. Both wit and understanding,' cried I, are trifles without integrity; it is that which gives value to every character. The ignorant peasant 'without fault, is greater than the philosopher with 'many; for what is genius or courage without an heart? 'An honest man is the noblest work of God.'

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'I always held that hackney'd maxim of Pope,' returned Mr. Burchell, 'as very unworthy a man of genius, and a base desertion of his own superiority. As the ' reputation of books is raised not by their freedom from 'defect, but the greatness of their beauties; so should that of men be prized, not for their exemption from ‘fault, but the size of those virtues they are possessed of. 'The scholar may want prudence, the statesman may 'have pride, and the champion ferocity; but shall we 'prefer to these the low mechanic, who laboriously plods 'through life without censure or applause? We might as well prefer the tame correct paintings of the Flemish 'school to the erroneous, but sublime animations of the 'Roman pencil.'

Sir,' replied I, 'your present observation is just, ' when there are shining virtues and minute defects; but