the ufual price, for I am not going to make you rich, but ufeful.

Not rich, Sir? cried the Shepherd. How can I ever be thankful enough for fuch bleffings? And will my poor Mary have a dry thatch over her head? and fhall I be able to fend for the doctor when I am like to lofe her? Indeed my cup runs over with bleffings, I hope God will give me humility. Here he and Mary looked at each other and burft into tears. The Gentlemen faw their diftrefs, and kindly walked out upon the little green before the door, that thefe honeft people might give vent to their feelings. As foon as they were alone they crept into one 'corner of the room, where they thought they could not be seen, and fell on their knees, devoutly bleffing and praifing Gon for his mercies. Never were heartier prayers prefented, than this grateful couple offered up for their benefactors. The warmth of their gratitude could only be equalled by the earneftnefs with which they befought the bleffing of GoD on the work in which they were going to engage.

The two Gentlemen now left this happy family, and walked to the Parfonage, where the evening was spent in a manner very edifying to Mr. Johnfon, who the next day took all proper meafures for putting the Shepherd in immediate poffeffion of his now comfortable habitation. Mr. Jenkins's father-in-law, the worthy Gentleman who gave the Shepherd's wife the blankets, in the firft part of this hiftory, arrived at the Parfonage before Mr. Johnson left it, and affifted in fitting up the Clerk's cottage,

Mr. Johnson took his leave, promifing to call on the worthy Minister and his new Clerk once a year, in his fummer's journey over the Plain, as long as it fhould please God to spare his life. -We hope he will never fail to give us an account of thefe vifits, which we fhall be glad to lay before our readers, if they fhould contain inftruction or amufement. 2.

JACK BROWN and JAMES STOCK, were two lads

apprenticed at nearly the fame time, to Mr. Williams, a Shoemaker, in a fmall town in Oxfordfhire; they were pretty near the fame age, but of very different characters and difpofitions.

Brown was eldest fon to a farmer in good circumftances, who gave the ufual apprentice fee with him. Being a wild, giddy boy, whom his father could not well manage or inftru&t in farming, he thought it better to fend him out to learn a trade at a diftance, than to let him idle about

at home; for Jack always preferred bird's-nefting and marbles to any other employment; and would trifle away half the day, when his father thought he was at school, with any boys he could meet with, who were as idle as hinfelf; and never could be prevailed upon to do, or to learn, any thing while a game at taw could be had for love or money. All this time his little brothers, much younger than himself, were beginning to follow the plough, or to carry the corn to mill as foon as they were able to mount a cart-horfe.

Jack, however, who was a lively boy, and did not naturally want either fenfe or good nature, might have turned out well enough, if he had not had the misfortune of being his mother's favourite. She concealed and forgave all his faults.

-To be fure he was a little wild, fhe would fay, but he would not make the worfe man for that, for Jack had a good fpirit of his own, and the would not have it broke, and fo make a mope of the boy. The farmer, for a quiet life, as it is called, gave up all thefe points to his wife; and, with them, gave up the future virtue and happinefs of his child. He was a laborious and induftrious man, but he had no religion; he thought only of the gains and advantages of the prefent day, and never took the future into the account, His wife managed him entirely, and as she was really notable, he did not trouble his head about any thing farther. If fhe had been careless in her dairy, he would have ftormed and fworn; but as the only ruined one child by indulgence, and almost broke the hearts of the reft by un

kindness, he gave himself little concern about the matter. The checfe certainly was good, and that indeed is a great point; but fhe was neglectful of her children, and a tyrant to her fervants. Her husband's fubftance, indeed, was not wafted, but his happiness was not confulted. His house, it is true, was not dirty, but it was the abode of fury, il temper, and covetoufnefs. And the farmer, though he did not care for drink, was too often driven to the public houfe in an evening, because his own was neither quiet nor comfortable. The mother was always fcolding, and the children were always crying.

Jack, however, notwithftanding his idleness, picked up a little reading and writing, but never would learn to caft an account; that was too much labour. His mother was defirous he fhould continue at fchool, not fo much for the fake of his learning, which he had not fenfe enough to value, but to fave her darling from the fatigue of labour; for if he had not gone to school, fhe knew he must have gone to work, and the thought the former was the leaft tiresome of the two. Indeed this foolish woman had fuch an opinion of his genius, that she used, from a child, to think he was too wife for any thing but a parfon, and hoped fhe fhould live to fee him one. She did not with to fee her fon a minifter becaufe fhe loved either learning or goodness, but because fhe thought it would make Jack a gentleman, and fet him above his brothers.

Farmer Brown ftill hoped, that though Jack was likely to make but an idle and ignorant farmer, yet he might make no bad trade finan,