'protracted of such enjoyments! how immaterial the 'difference between him who retires the soonest, and him 'who stays the latest! This is seeing life in the best 'view, and this unwillingness to quit our friends is the 'most amiable motive from which we can derive the fear ' of death; and yet the longest enjoyment which we can เ hope for of this kind is of so trivial a duration, that it 'is to a wise man truly contemptible. Few men, I own, 'think in this manner; for indeed few men think of death 'till they are in its jaws. However gigantic and terrible an object this may appear when it approaches them, เ they are nevertheless incapable of seeing it at any distance; nay, though they have been ever so much 'alarmed and frightened when they have apprehended 'themselves in danger of dying, they are no sooner 'cleared from this apprehension, than even the fears of 'it are erased from their mind. But, alas! he who escapes from death is not pardoned; he is only reprieved, and reprieved to a short day.

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Grieve therefore no more, my dear child, on this 'occasion: an event which may happen every hour; 'which every element, nay almost every particle of เ matter that surrounds us, is capable of producing; and 'which must and will most unavoidably reach us all at 'last; ought neither to occasion our surprise nor our 'lamentation.

My physician having acquainted me, (which I take very kindly of him) that I am in danger of leaving you 'all very shortly, I have determined to say a few words 'to you at this our parting, before my distemper, which 'I find grows very fast upon me, puts it out of my

power.

'But I shall waste my strength too much. I intended 'to speak concerning my will, which, though I have 'settled long ago, I think proper to mention such heads

VOL. VI.

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เ of it as concern any of you, that I may have the comfort ' of perceiving you are all satisfied with the provision I ' have there made for you.

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'Nephew Blifil, I leave you the heir to my whole estate, except only 500l. a-year, which is to revert to you after the death of your mother, and except one 'other estate of 500l. a-year, and the sum of 6000l., 'which I have bestowed in the following manner:

'The estate of 500l. a-year I have given to you, Mr. 'Jones: and as I know the inconvenience which attends 'the want of ready money, I have added 1000l. in เ specie. In this In this I know not whether I have exceeded or fallen short of your expectation. Perhaps you will 'think I have given you too little, and the world will be as ready to condemn me for giving you too much; but 'the latter censure I despise; and as to the former, unless เ you should entertain that common error which I have ' often heard in my life pleaded as an excuse for a total want of charity; namely, that, instead of raising gratitude by voluntary acts of bounty, we are apt to raise ' demands, which of all others are the most boundless ' and most difficult to satisfy.-Pardon me the bare ' mention of this; I will not suspect any such thing.'

Jones flung himself at his benefactor's feet, and taking eagerly hold of his hand, assured him his goodness to him, both now and all other times, had so infinitely exceeded not only his merit but his hopes, that no words could express his sense of it. And I assure you, Sir,' said he, your present generosity hath left me no other 'concern than for the present melancholy occasion. O! my friend! my father!' father!' Here his words choked him, and he turned away to hide a tear which was starting from his eyes.

Allworthy then gently squeezed his hand, and proceeded thus: I am convinced, my child, that you have

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'much goodness, generosity, and honour, in your temper: if you will add prudence and religion.to these, you 'must be happy; for the three former qualities, I admit, 'make you worthy of happiness, but they are the latter only which will put you in possession of it.

'One thousand pound I have given to you, Mr. 'Thwackum; a sum I am convinced which greatly ex'ceeds your desires, as well as your wants. However, you will receive it as a memorial of my friendship; and whatever superfluities may redound to you, that piety which you so rigidly maintain will instruct you how to dispose of them.

A like sum, Mr. Square, I have bequeathed to you. This, I hope, will enable you to pursue your profession 'with better success than hitherto. I have often ob'served with concern, that distress is more apt to excite contempt than commiseration, especially among men of business, with whom poverty is understood to indicate 'want of ability. But the little I have been able to 'leave you will extricate you from those difficulties 'with which you have formerly struggled; and then I 'doubt not but you will meet with sufficient prosperity 'to supply what a man of your philosophical temper ' will require.

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'I find myself growing faint, so I shall refer you to my will for my disposition of the residue. My servants 'will there find some tokens to remember me by; and there are a few charities which, I trust, my executors 'will see faithfully performed. Bless you all. I am เ setting out a little before you.'

Here a footman came hastily into the room, and said there was an attorney from Salisbury who had a particular message, which he said he must communicate to Mr. Allworthy himself: that he seemed in a violent hurry, and protested he had so much business to do,

that, if he could cut himself into four quarters, all would not be sufficient.

'Go, child,' said Allworthy to Blifil, 'see what the เ gentleman wants. I am not able to do any business เ now, nor can he have any with me, in which you are 'not at present more concerned than myself. Besides, 'I really am I am incapable of seeing any one at present, or of any longer attention.' He then saluted them again; but said he should be now glad to compose himself a little, finding that he had too much exhausted his spirits in discourse.

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Some of the company shed tears at their parting; and even the philosopher Square wiped his eyes, albeit, unused to the melting mood. As to Mrs. Wilkins, she dropt her pearls as fast as the Arabian trees their medicinal gums; for this was a ceremonial which that gentlewoman never omitted on a proper occasion.

After this Mr. Allworthy again laid himself down on his pillow, and endeavoured to compose himself to rest.

CHAPTER VIII.

Containing matter rather natural than pleasing. BESIDES grief for her master, there was another source for that briny stream which so plentifully rose above the two mountainous cheek-bones of the housekeeper. She was no sooner retired, than she began to mutter to herself in the following pleasant strain: Sure master might have made some difference, methinks, between me and the other servants. I suppose he hath left 'me mourning; but, i'fackins! if that be all, the devil 'shall wear it for him, for me. I'd have his worship

'know I am no beggar. I have saved five hundred

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pound in his service, and after all to be used in this manner. It is a fine encouragement to servants to be 'honest; and to be sure, if I have taken a little something now and then, others have taken ten times as 'much; and now we are all put in a lump together. 'If so be that it be so, the legacy may go to the devil with him that gave it. it. No, I won't give it up neither, 'because that will please some folks. No, I'll buy the gayest gown I can get, and dance over the old curmudgeon's grave in it. This is my reward for taking his part so often, when all the country have cried shame of him, for breeding up his bastard in that manner; but he is going now where he must pay for all. It 'would have become him better to have repented of his 'sins on his death-bed, than to glory in them, and give เ away his estate out of his own family, to a misbegotten 'child. Found in his bed, forsooth! a pretty story! ay, ay, those that hide know where to find. Lord forgive him! I warrant he hath many more bastards เ to answer for, if the truth was known. One comfort is, they will all be known where he is a going now."The servants will find some token to remember me "by." Those were the very words; I shall never forget them, if I was to live a thousand years. Ay, ay, I shall remember you for huddling me among the เ servants. One would have thought he might have ' mentioned my name as well as that of Square; but ' he is a gentleman forsooth, though he had not clothes 'on his back when he came hither first. Marry come with such gentlemen! though he hath lived here this many years, I don't believe there is arrow a servant in the house ever saw the colour of his money. The 'devil shall wait upon such a gentleman for me.' Much more of the like kind she muttered to herself; but this taste shall suffice to the reader.

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