abroad: for it is not so much by observing how people talk, as how they live, that we ought to judge of their characters.

After a pleasant walk Mr. Johnson got within sight of the cottage, to which he was directed by the clump of hawthorns and the broken chimney. He wished to take the family by surprise; and walking gently up to the house he stood awhile to listen. The door being half open, he saw the Shepherd, (who looked so respectable in his Sunday coat that he should hardly have known him,) his wife and their numerous young family, drawing round their little table, which was covered with a clean though very coarse cloth. There stood on it a large dish of potatoes, a brown pitcher, and a piece of a coarse loaf. The wife and children stood in silent attention, while the Shepherd, with uplifted hands and eyes, devoutly begged the blessing of Heaven on their homely fare. Mr. John. son could not help sighing to reflect, that he had sometimes seen better dinners eaten with less appearance of thankfulness.

The Shepherd and his wife then sat down with great seeming cheerfulness, but the children stood; and while the mother was helping them, little freshcoloured Molly, who had picked the wool from the bushes with so much delight, cried out, "Father I "wish I was big enough to say grace, I am sure I "should say it very heartily to-day, for I was think"ing what must poor people do who have no salt to "their potatoes, and do but look, our dish is quite "full."—"That is the true way of thinking, Molly," said the father; " in whatever concerns bo

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dily wants and bodily comforts, it is our duty to compare our own lot with the lot of those who are worse off, and this will keep us thankful: on the "other hand, whenever we are tempted to set up our own wisdom or goodness, we must compare "ourselves

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"ourselves with those who are wiser and better, and "that will keep us humble." Molly was now so hungry, and found the potatoes so good, that she had no time to make any more remarks; but was devouring her dinner very heartily, when the barking of the great dog drew her attention from her trencher to the door, and spying the stranger, she cried out, "Look "father, see here, if yonder is not the good gentle"man!" Mr. Johnson finding himself discovered, immediately walked in, and was heartily welcomed by the honest Shepherd, who told his wife that this was the gentleman to whom they were so much obliged.

The good woman began, as some very neat people are rather too apt to do, with making many apologies that her house was not cleaner, and that things were not in fitter order to receive such a gentleman. Mr. Johnson however, on looking round, could discover nothing but the most perfect neatness. The trenchers on which they were eating were almost as white as their linen; and notwithstanding the number and smallness of their children, there was not the least appearance of dirt or litter. The furniture was very simple and poor, hardly indeed amounting to bare necessaries. It consisted of four brown wooden chairs, which by constant rubbing, were become as bright as a looking glass; an iron pot and kettle; a poor old grate, which scarcely held a handful of coal, and out of which the little fire that had been in it appeared to have been taken, as soon as it had answered the end for which it had been lighted-that of boiling their potatoes. Over the chimney stood an old fashioned broad bright candlestick, and a still brighter spit; it was pretty clear that this last was kept rather for ornament than use. An old carved elbow chair, and a chest of the same date which stood in the corper, were considered as he most valuable part of the Shepherd's

Shepherd's goods, having been in his family for three generations. But all these were lightly esteemed by him, in comparison of another possession, which, added to the above, made up the whole of what he had inherited from his father; and which last he would not have parted with, if no other could have been had, for a king's ransom: this was a large old bible, which lay on the window seat, neatly covered with brown cloth, variously patched. This sacred book was most reverently preserved from dog's ears, dirt, and every other injury, but such as time and much use had made it suffer in spite of care. On the clean white walls was pasted, a hymn on the Crucifixion of our Saviour, a print of the Prodigal Son, the Shepherd's Hymn, a New History of a True Book, and Patient Joe, or the Newcastle Collier*.

After the first salutations were over, Mr. Johnson said, that if they would go on with their dinner he would sit down. Though a good deal ashamed, they thought it more respectful to obey the gentleman, who having cast his eye, on their slender provisions, gently rebuked the Shepherd for not having indulged himself, as it was Sunday, with a morsel of bacon to relish his potatoes. The Shepherd said nothing, but poor Mary coloured and hung down her head, saying, "Indeed, sir, it is not my fault, I "did beg-my husband to allow himself a bit of meat "to-day out of your honour's bounty; but he was "too good to do it, and it is all for my sake." The Shepherd seemed unwilling to come to an explanation, but Mr. Johnson desired Mary to go on. So she continued: "You must know, sir, that both of 66 us, next to a sin, dread a debt, and indeed in some cases a debt, is a sin; but with all our care and

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"pains we have never been able quite to pay off the "doctor's bill for that bad fit of rheumatism which I "had last winter. Now when you were pleased to "give my husband that kind present the other day, "I heartily desired him to buy a bit of meat for "Sunday, as I said before, that he might have a "little refreshment for himself out of your kindness. "But,' answered he, Mary, it is never out of 66 my mind long together that we still owe a few shillings to the doctor, (and thank God it is all we "did owe in the world). Now if I carry him this money directly it will not only shew him our honesty and our goodwill; but it will be an encou"ragement to him to come to you another time in 66 case you should be taken once more in such a bad "fit; for I must own,' added my poor husband, "that the thought of your being so terribly ill "without any help, is the only misfortune that I 66 want courage to face."

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Here the grateful woman's tears ran down so fast that she could not go on. She wiped them with the corner of her apron, and humbly begged pardon for making so free. "Indeed, sir, said the Shepherd, "though my wife is full as unwilling to be in debt "as myself, yet I could hardly prevail on her to consent to my paying this money just then, because she said it was hard I should not have a taste of the "gentleman's bounty myself. But for once, sir, I "would have my own way.. For you must know,

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"as I pass best part of my time alone tending my "sheep, 'tis a great point with me, sir, to get com"fortable matter for my own thoughts; so that 'tis "rather self interest in me to allow myself in no

pleasures and no practices that won't bear thinking 66 on over and over. For when one is a good deal "alone, you know, sir, all one's bad deeds do so "rush in upon one, as I may say, and so torment one,

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that there is no true comfort to be had but in "keeping clear of wrong doings and false pleasures; " and that I suppose may be one reason why so ma66 ny folks hate to stay a bit by themselves.-But as "I was saying-when I came to think the matter

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over on the hill yonder, said I to myself, a good "dinner is a good thing I grant, and yet it will be "but cold comfort to me a week after, to be able to say-To be sure I had a nice shoulder of mut"ton last Sunday for dinner, thanks to the good gen"tleman! but then I am in debt. I had a rare din"ner, that's certain, but the pleasure of that has 66 long been over, and the debt still remains. I have 66 spent the crown; and now if my poor wife should "be taken in one of those fits again, die she must, "unless God work a miracle to prevent it, for I can

get no help for her. This thought settled all; "and I set off directly and paid the crown to the "doctor with as much chearfulness as I should have "felt on sitting down to the fattest shoulder of mut"ton that ever was roasted. And if I was content"ed at the time, think how much more happy I "have been at the remembrance! O sir, there are "no pleasures worth the name but such as bring no "plague or penitence after them."

Mr. Johnson was satisfied with the Shepherd's reasons; and agreed, that though a good dinner was not to be despised, yet it was not worthy to be compared with a contented mind, which (as the Bible truly says) is a continual feast. "But come," said the good gentleman, W hat have we got in this brown mug?" "As good water said the Shepherd, " as any in "the king's dominions. I have heard of countries "beyond sea in which there is no wholesome water; "nay, I have been myself in a great town not far "off, where they are obliged to buy all the water which they get, while a good Providence sends to