Consid. Yes Sir, and since she has become a truly spiritual Mary, she has continued not less a notable Martha. She is always frugal and industrious, though never mean: while she is prudent and saving, she is just, generous, and kind.

Wor. Sir, it is your mercy to have such a wife. Consid. Sir, a wife is either the best or the worst piece of furniture a man can possibly possess.

Wor. We have frequently heard, that her character is that of a most liberal economist: by all accounts, I do not know what her poor neighbours would do without her. It is said, that she can make the richest caudle, and cook the best broth, and patch up the greatest quantity of old clothes, at the cheapest rate, of any person in the parish, for the good of her poor neighbours.

Consid. Indeed Sir she can; though by her notableness she coaxes many a shilling out of my pocket; but while she is such a conscientious, yet generous economist, I lose nothing by all she gives; and whatever she does, is done with cheerfulness! I never saw her melancholy but once, and that was enough to make us both melancholy, when we lost our two sons by being both drowned in the river, at the same time.

Mrs. Wor. Ah dear Sir! though we were not acquainted with each other in those days, yet we sincerely sympathised with you.

Consid. Oh madam! It was enough to break our hearts; two more promising children never lived; and surely never were two brothers known to be more affectionately fond of each other. Indeed this was the cause of the catastrophe; for my eldest son seeing that his brother had got out of his depth, and was crying for help, unfortunately plunged in after him with all his clothes on; and was carried down the stream with him, when they both sunk together in a deep hole, under some willows that overhung the bank. To see two such lovely, alert children, that had left my honse but an hour before, full of all that

vivacity and life which belongs to youth, brought home breathless, and stretched on the same boardOh Sir![Mr. Considerate weeps.]

Wor. But it seems Sir, it was that calamity which first brought Mrs. Considerate to seek after the consolation of the Gospel.

Consid. Yes Sir, I trust this heavy judgment has been overruled in much mercy to us both; for while we still continued very much dejected by our loss, our kind neighbours did all they could, in their way, to revive our spirits, by inviting us to their tea tables and card parties; but alas! in vain. We did not then know, under the loss of both our beloved Isaacs, as we had no other child left but our daughter, that we wanted an Abraham's faith to support us.

Wor. Ah Sir! we get but poor consolation from any other quarter; it requires more than is to be found in nature under such circumstances, meekly to say, "Thy will be done."

Consid. Why Sir, for a time I foolishly thought I could console my mind from natural reasons and moral philosophy; and it was just then Mr. Lovegood sent us that excellent little treatise upon affliction,* entitled "Correction, Instruction; or the Rod and the Word;" together with a consolatory letter, written with such modest tenderness and humility, as very much captivated my wife and daughter, while I had too good an opinion of my own understanding, to suppose I needed any instructions from him; yet I could not but at the same time, love and admire his design.

Wor. But I think Sir, it was this event that first brought Mrs. Considerate and your daughter to Brookfield church?

Consid. Yes Sir, and I found they were soon instructed in the lesson of meek and humble submission to the will of God, which I had still to learn; and it

*Written by Mr. Thomas Case, one of the ejected ministers, and recommended by Dr. Manton, of which a new edition has been lately published.

was a long time before shame would let me go with them, though I never opposed. The preaching and conduct of Mr. Dolittle, gave me but a poor opinion of the religion he professed. Well Sir, though it has been the will of God to deprive me of my future expectations, by taking from me two such dear children, yet may your daughter, and newly adopted son, long live to be a blessing to their neighbourhood! I really trust this will prove a happy event to many, though it is probable Mrs. Merryman, from her situation in life, might in some respects have formed a more advantageous connexion for herself.

Wor. Why, we esteem it a very happy connexion, when the better side of the question is taken into consideration; for between friends, my daughter had a very handsome offer from young Mr. Gay; and I was highly pleased with her conduct on this occasion. The moral character of Gay is quite unexceptionable, his fortune is ample, and in many respects he is a very desirable young man: but then his connexions are quite in the world, and he himself is not averse to what are improperly called the innocent amusements, or rather gayeties of life.

Miss Consid. Yes Sir, she was pleased to give me a hint that she had received such a proposal; but said, however in other respects she might like him, yet, as it regarded religious matters, she thought they never could be happy with each other.

Wor. Why we perceived that for some days there was a strong struggle upon her mind, till she broke it to us, with a full determination not to attend to it: and for a considerable time, we have discovered a much stronger bias towards Mr. Merryman.

Consid. Sir, I think nobody can wonder at that : since he has been blessed with the grace of God, he isbecome a very amiable youth. All that know him, one would think, would cry concerning him, “What hath God wrought!"

Wor. This made us determine to leave the young people to the leadings of their own minds. What

she loses in point of affluence, I am satisfied, by the blessing of God, she will gain in point of happiness.

Consid. Sir, if God preserve their lives, I have no doubt but that the union will be attended with his blessing. We have nothing to do but to follow the wise rules which we find in our Bibles, and that will assuredly prove the ready way to happiness. When people are unequally yoked in any connexions in life, especially in the marriage state, they may depend upon it, they will make themselves miserable through life. I cannot but think that Miss Worthy has acted a part, as you observe, highly commendable to her character. If she should be the less affluent, I am sure she will be a thousand times more happy with Mr. Merryman, than ever she could have been with Mr. Gay.

Wor. She will doubtless be called to move in a more humble sphere; yet therein she will be much more likely to be protected and preserved. Thomas Newman, who just left the room as you came in, has been giving us a very pleasing narration, how they were both received at Sandover on the day of their marriage.

Consid. Ah Sir! I have heard all about it. The people of Sandover think themselves very happy on the occasion, though Mr. Spiteful of Mapleton, goes about from house to house, railing at the match like a madmam.

Wor. What is that to him?

Consid. True Sir; but I think he would burst if he had not now and then an opportunity to vent his spleen; he has got hold of the old stale cry, which is indeed promiscuously levelled against all religious people that Mr. Merryman is a Jacobin, and is contriving all he can to overturn the Church and State; and that all the canting tribe, round about the country, are secretly combined together in the same plot, by Sunday schools, and other religious exertions; while I hope truly religious people are better taught

than to interrupt the state, especially while the state never interrupts them.

Wor. I do not believe there is a man living, more attached to the government of his country than Mr. Merryman. But let Mr. Spiteful rail on, for nobody believes him; I question if he believes himself. Such persons can do no harm, but as they do harm to themselves.

Consid. But Sir, did you hear what a fine speech poor Thomas Newman made use of to him, when he took it into his head to banter the poor man, while he had some of his master's cattle to attend to at the last Mapleton fair?

Wor. What was that, Sir?

Consid. Why Sir, Farmer Snakish and Mr. Spiteful, who are cousins german, came both of them together to the upper green, where you know the fair for cattle is kept, and seeing poor Thomas, who was there attending upon the sale of his master's property; they came up to him, and began talking about the price of cattle; but more with a design to banter him, than to deal with him. They next began sneering at Thomas about his young master, how he came to run away from home so soon after his miraculous conversion, and whether it was not after some of his old wicked tricks.

Wor. What could they mean by that?

Consid. Oh Sir, they had got hold of the story of Mr. Henry Littleworth's design in his journey to Locksbury, and this was their way of interpreting it. After this they began with their insulting speeches against Mr. Lovegood, laughing at Mrs. Chipman's miraculous conversion, and insinuating as though it was only a trick between her and Mr. Lovegood. Then they began making their bitter remarks on Mr. Merryman, saying that the top and bottom of his conversion, appeared now to be nothing but craft, that he might contrive to get your daughter for his wife. Thomas replied, that he was well persuaded such a conversion could never have been accomplished but by