to look at home, and remember who her own grandfather was. Some of my family, for ought I 'know, might ride in their coaches, when the grand'fathers of some voke walked a-voot. I warrant she 'fancies she did a mighty matter, when she sent us 'that old gownd; some of my family would not have picked up such rags in the street; but poor people are always trampled upon. The parish ' need not have been in such a fluster with Molly. You might have told them, child, your grand'mother wore better things new out of the shop.' 'Well, but consider,' cried George, what answer shall I make to madam?' I don't know what answer,' says she; you are always bringing your 'family into one quandary or other. Do you re'member when you shot the partridge, the occasion ' of all our misfortunes? Did not I advise you never to go into squire Western's manor? Did not I 'tell you many a good year ago what would come of it? But you would have your own headstrong 'ways; yes, you would, you villain.'

Black George was, in the main, a peaceable kind of fellow, and nothing choleric nor rash; yet did he bear about him something of what the ancients called the irascible, and which his wife, if she had been endowed with much wisdom, would have feared. He had long experienced, that when the storm grew very high, arguments were but wind, which served rather to increase than to abate it. He was therefore seldom unprovided with a small switch, a remedy of wonderful force, as he had often essayed, and which the word villain served as a hint for his applying.

No sooner, therefore, had this symptom appeared, than he had immediate recourse to the said remedy, which though, as it is usual in all very efficacious medicines, it at first seemed to heighten and inflame. the disease, soon produced a total calm, and restored the patient to perfect ease and tranquillity.

This is, however, a kind of horse-medicine, which requires a very robust constitution to digest, and is therefore proper only for the vulgar, unless in one single instance, viz. where superiority of birth breaks out; in which case, we should not think it very improperly applied by any husband whatever, if the application was not in itself so base, that, like certain applications of the physical kind which need not be mentioned, it so much degrades and contaminates the hand employed in it, that no gentleman should endure the thought of any thing so low and detestable.

The whole family were soon reduced to a state of perfect quiet; for the virtue of this medicine, like that of electricity, is often communicated through one person to many others, who are not touched by the instrument. To say the truth, as they both operate by friction, it may be doubted whether there is not something analogous between them, of which Mr. Freke would do well to inquire, before he publishes the next edition of his book.

A council was now called, in which, after many debates, Molly still persisting that she would not go to service, it was at length resolved, that goody Seagrim herself should wait on miss Western, and endeavour to procure the place for her eldest daughter, who declared great readiness to accept it: but Fortune, who seems to have been an enemy of this little family, afterwards put a stop to her promotion.

CHAP. X.

A story told by Mr. Supple, the curate. The penetration of squire Western. His great love for his daughter, and the return to it made by her.

THE next morning Tom Jones hunted with Mr. Western, and was at his return invited by that gentleman to dinner.

The lovely Sophia shone forth that day with more gaiety and sprightliness than usual. Her battery was certainly levelled at our hero; though, I believe, she herself scarce yet knew her own intention; but if she had any design of charming him, she now succeeded.

Mr. Supple, the curate of Mr. Allworthy's parish, made one of the company. He was a good-natured worthy man; but chiefly remarkable for his great. taciturnity at table, though his mouth was never shut at it. In short, he had one of the best appetites in the world. However, the cloth was no sooner taken away, than he always made sufficient amends for his silence: for he was a very hearty fellow; and his conversation was often entertaining, never offensive.

At his first arrival, which was immediately before the entrance of the roast-beef, he had given an intimation that he had brought some news with him, and was beginning to tell, that he came that moment from Mr. Allworthy's, when the sight of the roastbeef struck him dumb, permitting him only to say grace, and to declare he must pay his respect to the baronet, for so he called the sirloin.

When dinner was over, being reminded by Sophia of his news, he began as follows: I believe, lady, 'your ladyship observed a young woman at church yesterday at even-song, who was drest in one of your outlandish garments; I think I have seen your ladyship in such a one. However, in the country, such dresses are

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• Rara avis in terris, nigroque simillima cygno,

"A rare

That is, madam, as much as to say, 'bird upon the earth, and very like a black swan." The verse is in Juvenal. But to return to what I was relating. I was saying such garments are 'rare sights in the country; and perchance too, it was thought the more rare, respect being had to

the person who wore it, who, they tell me, is the daughter of Black George, your worship's gamekeeper, whose sufferings, I should have opined, 'might have taught him more wit, than to dress forth his wenches in such gaudy apparel. She created so much confusion in the congregation, that if squire Allworthy had not silenced it, it 'would have interrupted the service: for I was once about to stop in the middle of the first lesson. Howbeit, nevertheless, after prayer was over, and 'I was departed home, this occasioned a battle in the church-yard, where, amongst other mischief, the head of a travelling fiddler was very much broken. This morning the fiddler came to squire Allworthy for a warrant, and the wench was brought before him. The squire was inclined to have compounded matters; when, lo! on a sud'den the wench appeared (I ask your ladyship's 'pardon) to be, as it were, at the eve of bringing forth a bastard. The squire demanded of her who was the father? But she pertinaciously refused to 'make any response. So that he was about to make her mittimus to Bridewell when I departed.'

And is a wench having a bastard all your news, doctor?' cries Western; I thought it might have been some public matter, something about the

' nation.'

‹ I am afraid it is too common, indeed,' answered the < parson; but I thought the whole story alto'gether deserved commemorating. As to national matters, your worship knows them best. My concerns extend no farther than my own parish.'

Why, ay,' says the squire, I believe I do know a little of that matter, as you say. But, come, Tommy, drink about: the bottle stands with you.' Tom begged to be excused, for that he had particular business; and getting up from table, escaped the clutches of the squire, who was rising to stop him, and went off with very little ceremony,

The squire gave him a good curse at his departure; and then turning to the parson, he cried out, 'I smoke it: I smoke it. Tom is certainly the veather of this bastard. Zooks, parson, you remember how he recommended the veather o'her to me. ‹ D—n un, what a sly b-ch'tis. Ay, ay, as sure as two-pence, Tom is the veather of the bastard.'

I should be very sorry for that,' says the parson. Why sorry,' cries the squire: Where is the mighty matter o't? What, I suppose dost pretend 'that thee hast never got a bastard? Pox! more ' good luck's thine; for I warrant hast done a there"fore many's the good time and often.'

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Your worship is pleased to be jocular,' answered the parson; but I do not only animadvert on the sinfulness of the action,-though that surely is to be greatly deprecated, -but I fear his unrighteousness may injure him with Mr. Allworthy. And truly I must say, though he hath the character of being a little wild, I never saw any harm in the young man; nor can I say I have heard any, save what your worship now mentions. I wish, indeed, he was a little more regular in his responses at church; but altogether he seems

Ingenui vultus puer ingenuique pudoris.

That is a classical line, young lady; and, being ' rendered into English, is "A lad of an ingenuous countenance, and of an ingenuous modesty:" for this was a virtue in great repute both among the • Latins and Greeks. I must say, the young gentleman (for so I think I may call him, notwithstanding his birth) appears to me a very modest civil 'lad, and I should be sorry that he should do him'self any injury in squire Allworthy's opinion.'

Pooh!' says the squire: Injury with Allworthy! Why Allworthy loves a wench himself. Doth 'not all the country know whose son Tom is? You