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testing, that if he had birth and fortune to entitle him to match into fuch a family as our's, fhe knew no man she would fooner fix upon. I could not but smile to hear her talk in this lofty strain: but I was never much difpleafed with those harmless delufions that tend to make us more happy.

СНАР.

CHAP. IV.

A proof that even the humbleft fortune may grant happiness, which depends not on circumstance, but conftitution.

T

HE place of our retreat was in

a little neighbourhood, consisting of farmers, who tilled their own grounds, and were equal ftrangers to opulence and poverty. As they had almoft all the con veniencies of life within themselves, they feldom vifited towns or cities in fearch of fuperfluity. Remote from the polite, they ftill retained the primeval fimplicity of manners; and frugal by habit, they scarce knew that temperance was a virtue. They wrought with chearfulness on days of labour; but obferved feftivals as intervals of idleness and pleasure. They kept up the Christmas carol, fent true-love-knots on Valentine morning, eat pancakes on Shrove-tide, fhewed their wit on the first

of

of April, and religiously cracked nuts on Michaelmas eve. Being apprized of our approach, the whole neighbourhood came out to meet their minifter, dreffed in their fine cloaths, and preceded by a pipe and tabor: A feast also was provided for our reception, at which we fate chearfully down; and what the conversation wanted in wit, was made up in laughter.

Our little habitation was fituated at the foot of a floping hill, fheltered with a beautiful underwood behind, and a pratling river before; on one fide a meadow, on the other a green. My farm confifted of about twenty acres of excellent land, having given an hundred pound for my predeceffor's good-will. Nothing could exceed the neatnefs of my little enclofures: the elms and hedge-rows appearing with inexpreffible beauty. My house confifted of but one story, and was covered with thatch, which gave it an air of great fnugnefs; the walls on the infide were nicely white-washed, and my daughters under

undertook to adorn them with pictures of their own defigning. Though the fame room served us for parlour and kitchen, that only made it the warmer. Besides, as it was kept with the utmost neatness, the dishes, plates, and coppers, being well fcoured, and all difpofed in bright rows on the shelves, the eye was agreeably relieved, and did not want richer furniture. There were three other apartments, one for my wife and me, another for our two daughters, within our own, and the third, with two beds, for the reft of the children.

The little republic to which I gave laws, was regulated in the following manner: by fun-rife we all affembled in our common apartment; the fire being previously kindled by the fervant. After we had faluted each other with proper ceremony, for I always thought fit to keep up fome mechanical forms of good breeding, without which freedom ever destroys friendship, we all bent in gratitude to that Being who gave us another day.

This

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