and on the Countenance of the latter, Love, Duty and Respect were agreeably blended. Health, Beauty and Innocence glowed in the Features of all, and I could not forbear surveying for fome time, with a delightful mute astonishment, five Persons so thoroughly amiable, and so thoroughly satisfied with each other.- Unconfcious that they had any particularities to attract so much admiration, they feared that my filence was occafioned by the fatigue of my fultry Journey. The eldest young Lady, who was about fourteen, in obedience to a fign from her Mother, left the Arbour, but foon returned, followed by a Servant with Chocolate, and placed a dish of Strawberries on a small Table, which they heartily pressed me to taste, assuring me, they were that Morning growing within a few yards of me. I told my Friend I would chearfully accept of his obliging offer but defired I might not interrupt his Reading.-No, no, my dear Friend, faid he with a smile, you did not come to hear me read - it is my custom indeed to take up some instructive and en tertaining Author for an hour or two in the Morning, while my Wife and Daughters are at their Needles, and I commonly chuse both French and English, for the benefit of my young Family. I took up a French Author just now, in order to accustom my Fanny's Ear to that Language, H 3

while :

while I encreased my Son's knowledge of the Sci. ences, and was just going to read the Seasons ot THOMSON, to give him hints for a Landscape, and to furnish my Wife and Daughters with fubjects for their Needles. I told him I could not enough applaud the manner in which he parcelled out his Morning, and intreated him to let me point out one of my favourite Passages - I then looked for Spring, and repeated the following Lines

What is the World to them,

Its Pomp, its Pleasure, and its Nonsense all!
Who in each other clasp whatever fair
High fancy forms, and lavish hearts can wish;
Something than Beauty dearer, should they look
Or on the Mind, or mind-illumin'd Face,
Truth, Goodness, Honour, Harmony and Love,
The richest Bounty of indulgent Heaven.
Mean time a smiling Offspring rises round,
And mingles both their Graces. By degrees.
The human Blosom grows; and every Day
Soft as it rolls along, shews some new Charm,
The Father's Lustre, and the Mother's Bloom.
Then infant Reason grows apace, and calls
For the kind hand of an affiduous Care.
Delightful Tafk! to rear the tender Thought,

To teach the young Idea how to shoot,

:

こ

To

To pour the fresh Instruction o'er the Mind,
To breath th' enlivening Spirit, and to fix
The generous Purpose in the glowing Breast.
O speak the Joy! Ye whom a fudden Tear
Surprizes often, while you look around,
And nothing strikes your Eye but fights of Bliss,
All various Nature preffing on the Heart;
An elegant Sufficiency, Content,
Retirement, rural Quiet, Friendship, Books,
Eafe and alternate Labor, useful Life,
Progreffive Virtue, and approving Heaven.
These are the matchless Joys of virtuous Love,
And thus their Moments fly.

On closing the Book, I observed with pleasure
the eyes of this happy Pair, which beamed on
each other Love and admiration. They thanked
me for my genteel compliment, as they termed
it, and foon afterwards my Friend carried me to
view the Beauties of his peaceful Retreat. Were
1 to describe them all, I should fill a Volume in-
ftead of a Paper, and shall therefore confine my-
felf to a Mount in his Garden, the summit of
which we gained by an easy serpentine approach,
having both our Eyes and Nostrils regaled, on the
right and left, by a variety of the flowery Tribe.
When we reached the top, and fat down on a Bench
which turned on a Pivot, I never beheld a more
joy-

Η 4

1

joy-infpiring Profpect. - Hills and Dales sweetly interchanged, the former covered with innumerable Trees, adorned with the most vivid Colors, the latter diversified with Cows and Sheep, Haycocks, Corn-fields, and verdant Meadows, through which our justly-celebrated River meander'd, and heighten'd the richness of the View. Sometimes we faw loaded Barges, sometimes glided Pleasure Boats, and fometimes stately Swans, whose snowy plumage became still more confpicuous by the Rays of the Sun, which darted on it and made its glossiness more dazling. They seemed themselves to be confcious of the superb Figure they made, and to flutter their Wings with exultation. I could not check my raptures at these pleasing fights, my whole Soul was charmed with the Beauties of Nature, and greatfully poured forth her Thanks to Him who scatters Blessings with equal Profufion and Liberality on the throned Monarch, and on the cottaged Hind who whistles blyth before his well-filled Cart at dewy Eve. I then congratulated my Friend on the felicity he could not but enjoy with such a Family in such a fituation. " I am indeed," said he, "fupreme

ly blest in the possession of the kindest, the best " of Wives, and the most deserving Children, "whom I have not yet been able to part with"How, interrupted I, does not your Son go to fome

fome Seminary of Learning? "No my "Friend," replied he, "My Son has hitherto "only had me for his Master, and the assistance "now-and-then of our Rector, a valuable Man " respected by all who know him for his Piety " and Erudition. You seem to be surprized -" but I will give you a short detail of our domestic "Employments: Employments known only by " a few, and by a few only relished. - We all " rise in Summer at Six, and, if the Weather " is favourable, assemble in the Bower in which

66

you found us. There we thank the Great " Giver of every thing for our present Preservati"on, and implore his farther Protection. I chuse "this Spot because it is airy, and consequently " wholesome, and because every spreading Leaf, every opening Bud, and every pointed Thorn, gives evident proofs of his Omnipotence, and 66 warms us to Devotion.

66

The feather'd Song"sters too, join their gratulations to ours, and " fwell the Chorus of Thanksgiving. When " this first act of duty has been performed, I re

pair with my Son to my Closet, in which we " study for two hours, while my Wife and Daughters give the necessary Orders for the regu"lation of the Family-Affairs: and then we " breakfast, either in the Bower, or in the back " Parlour, which serves us for a Chappel in bad Weather