fmall applaufe, I have frequently thought of our frolick fome rambles in vacation time, and the merry dancings we had at Mother Red-Cap's in Back-Lane; the hurling matches we have played at Dolphin's-Barn, and the cakes and ale we used to have at the Organ-houfe on Arbor-Hill. These things have often occurred to my mind: but little did I think we fhould ever mect again on Stainmore-bills. What ftrange things does time produce! It has taken me from a town life to live on the moft folitary part of the globe:- And it has brought you to journey where never man I believe ever thought of travelling before. So it is, (I replyed), and ftranger things, dear Jack, may happen yet before our eyes are closed: why I journey this untravelled way, I will inform you by and by; when you have told me by what ftrange means you came to dwell in this remote and filent vale. That you fhall know, (Mr. Price faid) very foon, as foon as we have eaten a morfel of fomething or other which my dear Martha has prepared against my return. Here it comes, a fowl, bacon and greens, and as fine I will answer as London market could yield. Let us fit down, my friend, and God bless us and our

meat.

Down then we fat immediatly to our dish, and moft excellent every thing was.

H 4

The

The story of Jack Price,

The focial goodness of this fond couple added greatly to the pleasure of the meal, and with mirth and friendship we eat up our capon, our bacon, and our greens. When we had done, Price brought in pipes and tobacco, and a fresh tankard of his admirable ale. Liften now (he faid) to my story, and then I will hearken to yours.

23. When I left you at Sheridan's school, my remove was from Ireland to Barbadoes, to become a rich uncle's heir, and I got by my Indian airing a hundred thousand pounds. There I left the bones of my mother's brother, after I had lived two years in that burning place, and from thence proceeded to London, to fpend what an honeft, laborious man had long toiled to fave. But I had not been above three months in the capital of England, when it came into my head to pass some time in France, and with a girl I kept made haft to the French metropolis. There I lived at a grand rate, and took from the French Opera-house another whore. The Gaul and the Briton were both extreme fine girls, and agreed fo well together, that I kept them both in one house. I thought my felf fuperlatively happy in having fuch a brace of females, and fpared no coft in procuring them all the finery and pleasures that Paris and London could yield. I had a furnished houfe in both these cities, and

and with an expenfive equipage went backwards and forwards. In four years time I fpent a great deal of money, and as I had loft large fums at play, and these two whores agreed in the end to rob me, and retire with the money, where I should never difcover them, I found my felf in very midling circumstances, and had not fix hundred pounds left in the fourth year from my uncle's death. How to difpofe of this and my felf was now the question. What shall I do, (was my deliberation) to fecure bread and quiet? Many a thoughtful hour this gave me, and at length I determined to purchase a little annuity. But before this could be effected, I went down to Westmoreland, on an information I had received, that my two ladies were at Appleby with other names, and on my money appeared as women of fortune. But this journey was to no purpose, and I was preparing to return to London, when my wife you faw at the head of the table a while ago, came by chance in my way, and pleafed me fo well with her good understanding, face and perfon, that I refolved to marry her, if the would have me, and give her the management of my five hundred pounds on a farm, as he was a farmer's daughter, and could manage one to good advantage. Her father was

lately

lately dead, and this little mountain farm she continued to occupy: therefore nothing could be more to my purpose, if I could prevail on her to make me her husband, and with fome difficulty fhe did, to my unspeakable felicity. She had no money worth mentioning but her house was pretty and comfortable, and her land had grain and cattle; and as I threw into her lap my five hundred pounds, a little before we were married, to be by her difpofed of and managed, according to her pleasure, the foon made fome good improvements and additions, and by her fine underftanding, fweet temper, and every Chriftian virtue, continues to render my life fo compleatly happy; fo joyous and delightful; that I would not change my partner and condition, for one of the firft quality and greateft fortune. In her I have every thing I could wish for in a wife and a woman, and fhe makes it the fole study and pleasure of her life to crown my every day with the highest fatisfactions and comforts. Two years have I lived with her on thefe wild mountains, and in that time I have not had one dull or painful minute, but in thinking that I may lofe her, and be the wretched furvivor. That thought does fometimes wound me. In fum, my friend, we are the happieft of wedded mortals, and on this finall, remote farm, live

TG

in a ftate of blifs to be envyed. This proves that happiness does not flow from riches only: but that, where pure and perfect love, ftrict virtue, and unceafing industry, are united in the conjugal ftate, they can make the Stainmore mountains a Paradice to mortals, in peace and little.

But it is not only happiness in this world that I have acquired by this admirable woman, but life eternal. You remember, my friend, what a wild and wicked one I was when a school-boy, and as Barbadoes of all

parts

of the globe is no place to improve a man's morals in, I returned from thence to Europe as debauched a fcelerate as ever offended Heaven by blafphemy and illegal gratifications. Even my loffes and approaching poverty were not capable of making any great change in me. When I was courting my wife, the foon difcerned my impiety, and perceived that I had very little notion of hell and heaven, death and judgment. This the made a principal objection against being concerned with me, and told me, she could not venture into a married connexion with a man, who had no regard to the divine laws, and therefore, if he could not make me a Chriftian, in the true fenfe of the word, he would never be Mrs. Price.