CHAP. IX.

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

R. Burchell had fcarce taken leave,

MR

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 dreffed, 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 proposed that every gentleman fhould fit in a lady's lap. This I pofitively objected to, notwithstanding a look of difappro

approbation from my wife. Mofes was therefore dispatched 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 first discomposed us: however, after a little fhoving and dragging, they at laft went merrily on. Our mufic 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 for

ward

ward, came flocking about us. My girl moved with so much grace and vivacity, that my wife could not avoid discovering the pride of her heart, by affuring me, that though the little chit did it fo cleverly, all the steps were ftolen from herself. The ladies of the town ftrove hard to be equally easy, but without fuccefs. They swam, fprawled, languished, 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 coarse manner, when she observed, that by the living jingo, she 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 converfa

tion

tion at this time, was more reserved 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, Shakespeare, and the mufical glaffes. 'Tis true, they once or twice mortified us fenfibly by flipping out an oath; but that appeared to me as the fureft symptom of their distinction, (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 their other accomplishments. One of them obferved, 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

wife warmly affented to both; adding, that there was nothing fhe more ardently wifhed than to give her girls a fingle winter's polishing. 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 taste 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 beftow? 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 myself to the benefit.' I was not such a stranger to the world as to be ignorant that this was the fashionable cant to disguise the infolence of the bafeft propofal; but I made an effort to fuppress

my