To fay truth, the wifeft man is the likelieft to poffefs all worldly bleffings in an eminent degree: for as that moderation which wisdom prescribes, is the fureft way to useful wealth; fo can it alone. qualify us to tafte many pleasures. The wife man gratifies every appetite and every paffion, while the fool facrifices all the reft to pall and fatiate

one.

It may be objected, that very wife men have been notoriously avaricious: I anfwer, not in that instance. It may likewise be said, that the wifest men have been, in their youth, immoderately fond of pleasure I anfwer, they were not wife then.

Wisdom, in fhort, whofe leffons have been reprefented as fo hard to learn by those who never were at her school, teaches us only to extend a fimple maxim univerfally known and followed even in the lowest life, a little farther than that life carries it. And this is not to buy at too dear a price.

Now, whoever takes this maxim abroad with him into the grand market of the world, and conftantly applies it to honors, to riches, to pleasures, and to every other commodity which that market affords, is, I will venture to affirm, a wife man; and must be so acknowledged in the worldly fenfe of the word: for he makes the best of bargains; fince in reality he purchases every thing at the price only of a little trouble, and carries home all the good

things I have mentioned, while he keeps his health, his innocence, and his reputation, the common prices which are paid for them by others, entire and to himself.

From this moderation, likewife, he learns two other leffons, which complete his character. First, never to be intoxicated when he has made the beft bargain, nor dejected when the market is empty, or when its commodities are too dear for his purchafe.

But I must remember on what fubject I am writing, and not trefpafs too far on the patience of a good-natured critic. Here therefore I put an end to the Chapter.

С Н А Р. I V.

Containing fundry curious Matters.

As foon as Mr. Allworthy returned home, he

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took Mr. Blifil apart, and after fome preface, communicated to him the propofal which had been made by Mr. Western, and, at the fame time, informed him how agreeable this match would be to himself.

The charms of Sophia had not made the least impreffion on Blifil; not that his heart was preengaged; neither was he totally infenfible of beauty, or had any averfion to women: but his appetites

were, by nature, fo moderate, that he was eafily able, by philofophy or by study, or by fome other method, to fubdue them; and as to that paffion which we have treated of in the first Chapter of this Book, he had not the least tincture of it in his whole compofition.

But tho', he was fo entirely free from that mixed paffion, of which we there treated, and of which the virtues and beauty of Sophia formed so notable an object; yet was he altogether as well furnished with some other paffions, that promised themselves very full gratification in the young Lady's fortune. Such were avarice and ambition, which divided the dominion of his mind between them. He had more than once confidered the poffeffion of this fortune as a very defirable thing, and had entertained some distant views concerning it: but his own youth and that of the young Lady, and indeed principally a reflection that Mr. Western might marry again, and have more children, had reftrained him from too hafty or eager a pursuit.

This last and most material objection was now in great measure removed, as the propofal came from Mr. Western himself. Blifil, therefore, after a very short hesitation, answered Mr. Allworthy, that matrimony was a fubject on which he had not yet thought; but that he was fo fenfible of his friendly and fatherly care, that he should in all things fubmit himself to his pleasure.

Allworthy was naturally a man of fpirit, and his prefent gravity arofe from true wisdom and philofophy, not from any original phlegm in his difpofition: for he had poffeffed much fire in his youth, and had married a beautiful woman for love. He was not, therefore, greatly pleased with this cold answer of his nephew; nor could he help launching forth into the praises of Sophia, and expreffing fome wonder that the heart of a young man could be impregnable to the force of fuch charms, unless it was guarded by fome prior affection.

Blifil affured him he had no fuch guard, and then proceeded to discourse fo wifely and religiously on love and marriage, that he would have ftopt the mouth of a parent much lefs devoutly inclined than was his uncle. In the end, the good man was satisfied, that his nephew, far from having any objections to Sophia, had that esteem for her, which in fober and virtuous minds is the fure foundation of friendship and love. And as he doubted not but the lover would, in a little time, become altogether as agreeable to his mistress, he forefaw great happiness arifing to all parties by so proper and defirable an union. With Mr. Blifil's confent, therefore, he wrote the next morning to Mr. Western, acquainting him that his nephew had very thankfully and gladly received the proposal, and would be ready to wait on the young Lady, whenever the should be pleafed to accept his vifit,

Western was much pleased with this letter, and immediately returned an anfwer; in which, without having mentioned a word to his daughhe appointed that very afternoon for opening the scene of courtship.

ter,

As foon as he had dispatched this meffenger, he went in queft of his fifter, whom he found reading and expounding the gazette to Parfon Supple. To this expofition he was obliged to attend near a quarter of an hour, tho' with great violence, to his natural impetuofity, before he was fuffered to speak. At length, however, he found an opportunity of acquainting the Lady, that he had bufinefs of great confequence to impart to her; to which fhe anfwered, "Brother, I am entirely at your fervice. Things look fo well in the North that I was never in a better humor.

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The Parfon then withdrawing, Western acquainted her with all which had paffed, and defired her to communicate the affair to Sophia, which fhe readily and chearfully undertook; tho' perhaps her brother was a little obliged to that agreeable Northern afpect which had fo delighted her, that he heard no comment on his proceedings; for they were certainly fomewhat too hafty and violent.