history, as often as I see occasion; of which | the little wretch before him. He then rang I am myself a better judge than any pitiful his bell, and ordered an elderly woman-sercritic whatever. And here I must desire vant to rise immediately, and come to him; all those critics to mind their own business, and not to intermeddle with affairs, or works, which no ways concern them; for, till they produce the authority by which they are constituted judges, I shall not plead to their jurisdiction. and in the mean time was so eager in contemplating the beauty of innocence, appearing in those lively colours with which infancy and sleep always display it, that his thoughts were too much engaged to reflect that he was in his shirt when the matron came in. She had indeed given her master sufficient time to dress himself; for, out of respect to him, and regard to decency, she had spent many minutes in adjusting her hair at the looking-glass, notwithstanding An odd accident, which befell Mr. Allworthy at his all the hurry in which she had been sumreturn home. The decent behaviour of Mrs. moned by the servant, and though her masDeborah Wilkins; with some proper animad-ter, for aught she knew, lay expiring in an apoplexy, or in some other fit. J CHAPTER III. versions on bastards. I HAVE told my reader, in the preceding chapter, that Mr. Allworthy inherited a large fortune; that he had a good heart, and no family. Hence, doubtless, it will be concluded by many, that he lived like an honest man, and owed no one a shilling, took nothing but what was his own, kept a good house, entertained his neighbours with a hearty welcome at his table, and was charitable to the poor, i. e. to those who had rather beg than work, by giving them the offals from it; that he died immensely rich, and built an hospital. And true it is, that he did many of these things; but had he done nothing more, I should have left him to have recorded his own merit on some fair free-stone over the door of that hospital. Matters of a much more extraordinary kind are to be the subject of this history, or I should grossly mispend my time in writing so voluminous a work; and you, my sagacious friend, might with equal profit and pleasure travel through some pages, which certain droll authors have been facetiously plpased to call The History of England. Mr. Allworthy had been absent a full quarter of a year in London, on some very particular business, though I know not what it was, but judge of its importance by its having detained him so long from home, whence he had not been absent a month at a time during the space of many years. He came to his house very late in the evening, and, after a short supper with his sister, retired much fatigued to his chamber. Here, having spent some minutes on his knees, a custom which he never broke through on any account, he was preparing to step into bed, when, upon opening the clothes, to his great surprise, he beheld an infant, wrapt up in some coarse linen, in a sweet and profound sleep, between his sheets. He stood some time lost in astonishment at this sight; but, as good-nature had always the ascendant in his mind, he soon began to be touched with sentiments of compassion for It will not be wondered at, that a creature, who had so strict a regard to decency in her own person, should be shocked at the least deviation from it in another. She therefore no sooner opened the door, and saw her master standing by the bed-side in his shirt, with a candle in his hand, than she started back in a most terrible fright, and might perhaps have swooned away, had he not now recollected his being undrest, and put an end to her terrors by desiring her to stay without the door till he had thrown some clothes over his back, and was become incapable of shocking the pure eyes of Mrs. Deborah Wilkins, who though in the fiftysecond year of her age, vowed she had never beheld a man without his coat. Sneerers and profane wits may perhaps laugh at her first fright; yet my grave reader, when he considers the time of night, the summons from her bed, and the situation in which she found her master, will highly justify and applaud her conduct; unless the prudence, which must be supposed to attend maidens at that period of life at which Mrs. Deborah had arrived, should a little lessen his admiration. When Mrs. Deborah returned into the room, and was acquainted by her master with the finding the little infant, her consternation was rather greater than his had been; nor could she refrain from crying out, with great horror of accent as well as look, My good sir! what's to be done?' Mr. Allworthy answered, she must take care of the child that evening, and in the morning he would give orders to provide it a nurse. Yes, sir,' says she, 'and I hope your worship will send out your warrant to take up the hussy its mother, (for she must be one of the neighbourhood,) and I should be glad to see her committed to Bridewell, and whipt at the cart's tail. Indeed, such wicked sluts cannot be too severely punished. I'll warrant 'tis not her first, by her impudence in laying it to your worship.'-'In laying it to me! Deborah,' answered Allworthy; 'I 48 can't think she had any such design. I sup- There were some strokes in this speech, which perhaps would have offended Mr. Allworthy, had he strictly attended to it; but he had now got one of his fingers into the infant's hand, which, by its gentle pressure, seeming to implore his assistance, had certainly outpleaded the eloquence of Mrs. Deborah, had it been ten times greater than it was. He now gave Mrs. Deborah positive orders to take the child to her own bed, and to call up a maid-servant to provide it pap, and other things, against it waked. He likewise ordered, that proper clothes should be procured for it early in the morning, and that it should be brought to himself as soon as he was stirring. Such was the discernment of Mrs. Wilkins, and such the respect she bore her master, under whom she enjoyed a most excellent place, that her scruples gave way to his peremptory commands; and she took the child under her arms, without any apparent disgust at the illegality of its birth; and, declaring it was a sweet little infant, walked off with it to her own chamber. to display them to the reader, if I knew any CHAPTER IV. The reader's neck brought into danger by a description; his escape; and the great condescension of Miss Bridget Allworthy. THE Gothic style of building could produce nothing nobler than Mr. Allworthy's house. There was an air of grandeur in it that struck you with awe, and rivalled the beauties of the best Grecian architecture; and it was as commodious within as venerable without. It stood on the south-east side of a hill, but nearer the bottom than the top of it, so as to be sheltered from the north-east by a grove of old oaks, which rose above it in a gradual ascent of near half a mile, and yet high enough to enjoy a most charming prospect of the valley beneath. In the midst of the grove was a fine lawn, sloping down towards the house; near the summit of which rose a plentiful spring, gushing out of a rock covered with firs, and forming a constant cascade of about thirty feet, not carried down a regular flight of steps, but tumbling in a natural fall over the broken and mossy stones, till it came to the bottom of the rock; then running off in a pebbly channel, that with many lesser falls winded along, till it fell into a lake at the foot of the hill, about a quarter of a mile below the house on the south side, and which was seen from every room in the front. Out of this lake, which filled the centre of a beautiful plain, embellished with groups of beeches and elms, and fed with sheep, issued a river, that for several miles was seen to meander through an amazing variety of meadows and woods, till it emptied itself into the sea; with a large arm of which, and an island beyond it, the prospect was closed. On the right of this valley opened another of less extent, adorned with several villages, and terminated by one of the towers of an old ruined abbey, grown over with ivy, and part of the front, which remained still entire. The left-hand scene presented a view of a very fine park, composed of very unequal ground, and agreeably varied with all the diversity that hills, lawns, wood, and water, laid out with admirable taste, but owing less to art than to nature, could give. BeAllworthy here betook himself to those yond this, the country gradually rose into a pleasing slumbers, which a heart that hun-ridge of wild mountains, the tops of which gers after goodness is apt to enjoy when were above the clouds. thoroughly satisfied. As these are possibly sweeter than what are occasioned by any other hearty meal, I should take more pains It was now the middle of May, and the morning was remarkably serene, when Mr. Allworthy walked forth on the terrace where the dawn opened every minute that | to acknowledge the truth, she was always lovely prospect we have before described to ready to oblige her brother, and very selhis eye. And now, having sent forth streams dom, if ever, contradicted his sentiments: of light, which ascended the blue firmament she would indeed sometimes make a few before him, as harbingers preceding his observations, as, that men were headstrong, pomp, in the full blaze of his majesty, up and must have their own way, and would rose the sun; than which one object alone wish she had been blessed with an indein this lower creation could be more glori-pendent fortune; but these were always ous, and that Mr. Allworthy himself pre-vented in a low voice, and at the most sented, a human being replete with bene-amounted only to what is called muttering. volence, meditating in what manner he However, what she withheld from the inmight render himself most acceptable to his fant, she bestowed with the utmost profuseCreator, by doing most good to his crea-ness, on the poor unknown mother, whom tures. Reader, take care. I have unadvisedly led thee to the top of as high a hill as Mr. Allworthy's, and how to get thee down, without breaking thy neck, I do not well know. However, let us e'en venture to slide down together; for Miss Bridget rings her bell, and Mr. Allworthy is summoned to breakfast, where I must attend, and, if you please, shall be glad of your company. The usual compliments having passed between Mr. Allworthy and Miss Bridget, and the tea being poured out, he summoned Mrs. Wilkins, and told his sister he had a present for her; for which she thanked him, imagining, I suppose, it had been a gown, or some ornament for her person. Indeed, he very often made her such presents; and she, in complaisance to him, spent much time in adorning herself. I say, in complaisance to him, because she always expressed the greatest contempt for dress, and for those ladies who made it their study. But if such was her expectation, how was she disappointed, when Mrs. Wilkins, according to the order she had received from her master, produced the little infant! Great surprises, as hath been observed, are apt to be silent; and so was Miss Bridget, till her brother began, and told her the whole story, which, as the reader knows it already, we shall not repeat. she called an impudent slut, a wanton hussy, an audacious harlot, a wicked jade, a vile strumpet, with every other appellation with which the tongue of virtue never fails to lash those who bring a disgrace on the sex. A consultation was now entered into, how to proceed in order to discover the mother. A scrutiny was first made into the characters of the female servants of the house, who were all acquitted by Mrs. Wilkins, and with apparent merit; for she had collected them herself; and perhaps it would be difficult to find such another set of scarecrows. The next step was to examine among the inhabitants of the parish; and this was referred to Mrs. Wilkins, who was to inquire with all imaginable diligence, and to make her report in the afternoon. Matters being thus settled, Mr. Allworthy withdrew to his study, as was his custom, and left the child to his sister, who, at his desire, had undertaken the care of it. CHAPTER V. Containing a few common matters, with a very uncommon observation upon them. WHEN her master was departed, Mrs. Deborah stood silent, expecting her cue from Miss Bridget; for, as to what had passed before her master, the prudent Miss Bridget had always expressed so housekeeper by no means relied upon it, as great a regard for what the ladies are pleas- she had often known the sentiments of the ed to call virtue, and had herself maintained lady, in her brother's absence, to differ such a severity of character, that it was ex-greatly from those which she had expresspected, especially by Mrs. Wilkins, that she would have vented much bitterness on this occasion, and would have voted for sending the child, as a kind of noxious animal, immediately out of the house; but, on the contrary, she rather took the good-natured side of the question, intimated some compassion for the helpless little creature, and commended her brother's charity in what he had done. ed in his presence. Miss Bridget did not, however, suffer her to continue long in this doubtful situation; for, having looked some time earnestly at the child, as it lay asleep in the lap of Mrs. Deborah, the good lady could not forbear giving it a hearty kiss, at the same time declaring herself wonderfully pleased with its beauty and innocence. Mrs. Deborah no sooner observed this, than she fell to squeezing and kissing it with as great raptures as sometimes inspire the sage dame of forty and five towards a youthful and vigorous bridegroom, crying out in a shrill voice, O the dear little creature! the dear, sweet, pretty creature! Well, I vow, it is as fine a boy as ever was seen!' 50 So when the approach of Mrs. Deborah was proclaimed through the street, all the inhabitants ran trembling into their houses, each matron dreading lest the visit should She with stately steps fall to her lot. proudly advances over the field; aloft she bears her towering head, filled with conceit of her own pre-eminence, and schemes to effect her intended discovery. These exclamations continued till they their heads; the amorous dove, and every were interrupted by the lady, who now innocent little bird, spread wide the alarm, proceeded to execute the commission given and fly trembling to their hiding-places. her by her brother, and gave orders for pro- He proudly beats the air, conscious of his viding all necessaries for the child, appoint- dignity, and meditates intended mischief. ing a very good room in the house for his nursery. Her orders were indeed so liberal, that, had it been a child of her own, she could not have exceeded them; but, lest the virtuous reader may condemn her for showing too great regard to a base-born infant, to which all charity is condemned by law as irreligious, we think it proper to observe, that she concluded the whole with The sagacious reader will not, from this saying, Since it was her brother's whim to adopt the little brat, she supposed little simile, imagine these poor people had any master must be treated with great tender-apprehension of the design with which Mrs. ness for her part, she could not help thinking it was an encouragement to vice; but, that she knew too much of the obstinacy of mankind to oppose any of their ridiculous humours.' Wilkins was now coming towards them; but, as the great beauty of the simile may possibly sleep these hundred years, till some future commentator shall take this work in hand, I think proper to lend the reader a little assistance in this place. With reflections of this nature she usualIt is my intention, therefore, to signify, ly, as has been hinted, accompanied every act of compliance with her brother's inclina- that, as it is the nature of a kite to devour tions; and surely nothing could more con- little birds, so it is the nature of such pertribute to heighten the merit of this compli- sons as Mrs. Wilkins to insult and tyranance, than a declaration that she knew, at nise over little people. This being indeed the same time, the folly and unreasonable- the means which they use to recompense ness of those inclinations to which she sub-to themselves their extreme servility and mitted. Tacit obedience implies no force upon the will, and, consequently, may be easily, and without any pains, preserved; but, when a wife, a child, a relation, or a friend, performs what we desire, with grumbling and reluctance, with expressions of dislike and dissatisfaction, the manifest difficulty which they undergo must greatly enhance the obligation. condescension to their superiors; for nothing can be more reasonable, than that slaves and flatterers should exact the same taxes on all below them, which they themselves pay to all above them. peo Whenever Mrs. Deborah had occasion to exert any extraordinary condescension to Mrs. Bridget, and by that means had a little soured her natural disposition, it was usuthese As this is one of those deep observations al with her to walk forth among which very few readers can be supposed ple, in order to refine her temper, by ventcapable of making themselves, I have thoughting, and, as it were, purging off all ill huproper to lend them my assistance; but mours; on which account, she was by no this is a favour rarely to be expected in the means a welcome visitant: to say the truth, course of my work. Indeed, I shall seldom she was universally dreaded and hated by or never so indulge them, unless in such in- them all. stances as this, where nothing but the inspiration with which we writers are gifted, can possibly enable any one to make the discovery. CHAPTER VI. Mrs. Deborah is introduced into the parish, with a On her arrival in this place, she went immediately to the habitation of an elderly matron; to whom, as this matron had the good fortune to resemble herself in the comeliness of her person, as well as in her age, she had generally been more favouraTo this woman ble than to any of the rest. she imparted what had happened, and the design upon which she was come thither that morning. These two began presently to scrutinise the characters of the several young girls who lived in any of those houses, and at last fixed their strongest suspicion on one Jenny Jones, who, they both agreed, was the likeliest person to have committed this act. This Jenny Jones was no very comely girl, either in her face or person; but nature had somewhat compensated the want of teemed Jenny as a very sober girl,' (though, indeed, she knew very little of her,) and had rather suspected some of those wanton trollops, who gave themselves airs, because, forsooth, they thought themselves handsome.' Jenny was now summoned to appear in person before Mrs. Deborah, which she immediately did. When Mrs. Deborah, putting on the gravity of a judge, with somewhat more than his austerity, began an oration with the words, 'You audacious strumpet,' in which she proceeded rather to pass sentence on the prisoner than to accuse her. beauty with what is generally more esteemed by those ladies whose judgment is arrived at years of perfect maturity; for she had given her a very uncommon share of understanding. This gift Jenny had a good deal improved by erudition. She had lived several years a servant with a schoolmaster, who, discovering a great quickness of parts in the girl, and an extraordinary desire of learning, (for every leisure hour she was always found reading in the books of the scholars,) had the good nature, or folly, (just as the reader pleases to call it,) to instruct her so far, that she obtained a competent skill in the Latin language, and was, perhaps, as good a scholar as most of the young men of quality Though Mrs. Deborah was fully satisfied of the age. This advantage, however, like of the guilt of Jenny, from the reasons above most others of an extraordinary kind, was at- shown, it is possible Mr. Allworthy might tended with some small inconveniences; for, have required some stronger evidence to as it is not to be wondered at, that a young have convicted her; but she saved her acwoman so well accomplished should have lit-cusers any such trouble, by freely confessing tle relish for the society of those whom for- the whole fact with which she was charged. tune had made her equals, but whom education had rendered so much her inferiors; so it is matter of no greater astonishment, that this superiority in Jenny, together with that behaviour which is its certain consequence, should produce among the rest some little envy and ill-will towards her; and these had, perhaps, secretly burnt in the bosoms of her neighbours ever since her return from her service. Their envy did not, however, display itself openly, till poor Jenny, to the surprise of every body, and to the vexation of all the young women in these parts, had publicly shown forth on a Sunday in a new silk gown, with a laced cap, and other proper appendages to these. The flame, which had before laid in embryo, now burst forth. Jenny had, by her learning, increased her own pride, which none of her neighbours were kind enough to feed with the honour she seemed to demand; and now, instead of respect and adoration, she gained nothing but hatred and abuse by her finery. The whole parish declared she could not come honestly by such things; and parents, instead of wishing their daughters the same, felicitated themselves that their children had them not. Hence, perhaps, it was, that the good woman first mentioned the name of this poor girl to Mrs. Wilkins: but there was another circumstance that confirmed the latter in her suspicion; for Jenny had lately been often at Mr. Allworthy's house. She had officiated as nurse to Miss Bridget, in a violent fit of illness, and had set up many nights with that lady; besides which, she had been seen there the very day before Mr. Allworthy's return, by Mrs. Wilkins herself, though that sagacious person had not at first conceived any suspicion of her on that account: for, as she herself said, 'She had always es This confession, though delivered rather in terms of contrition, as it appeared, did not at all mollify Mrs. Deborah, who now pronounced a second judgment against her, in more opprobrious language than before: nor had it any better success with the byestanders, who were now grown very numerous. Many of them cried out, "They thought what madam's silk gown would end in:' others spoke sarcastically of her learning. Not a single female was present, but found some means of expressing her abhorrence of poor Jenny; who bore all very patiently, except the malice of one woman, who reflected upon her person, and, tossing up her nose, said, "The man must have a good stomach, who would give silk gowns for such sort of trumpery.' Jenny replied to this, with a bitterness which might have surprised a judicious person, who had observed the tranquillity with which she bore all the affronts to her chastity; but her patience was, perhaps, tired out: for this is a virtue which is very apt to be fatigued by exercise. Mrs. Deborah, having succeeded beyond her hopes in her inquiry, returned with much triumph, and, at the appointed hour, made a faithful report to Mr. Allworthy, who was much surprised at the relation; for he had heard of the extraordinary parts and improvements of this girl, whom he intended to have given in marriage, together with a small living, to a neighbouring curate. His concern, therefore, on this occasion, was at least equal to the satisfaction which appeared in Mrs. Deborah, and to many readers may seem much more reasonable. Mrs. Bridget blessed herself, and said, 'For her part, she should never hereafter entertain a good opinion of any woman.' For Jenny before this had the happiness of being much in her good graces also. |