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Thus she went on, exclaiming against herself. O Sir! what misery and mischief has sin brought into the world, and what a mercy that God ever stopped me in my mad ways.

Loveg. Yes Mr. Henry, none of us can be sufficiently thankful for the power of that divine grace, which saves from a thousand evils. But could you discover, from Mrs. Chipman's conversation, what were her future designs?

Edw. Sir, she could hold no conversation with us whatever. I am afraid she will lose her senses or her life.

Loveg. Let us hope for the best Edward. We cannot be surprised at the strength of her feeling, on receiving such tidings respecting her poor husband; the grace of God always restores tenderness to the mind. But this, for the present, makes it a more melancholy event; as almost whatever is said to her, can have no other tendency than to add to her grief; and how to advise her, as to the steps she should take under present circumstances, is a most difficult task. Were she to accept of her father's invitation, and return home; the sight of her dying husband might be the cause of her death also: for thousands of people have been killed by grief.

Hen. O Sir! when it first pleased God to awaken me to a sense of my sins, nothing so affected me as the thought, that my vile conduct might have sent my dear parents with broken hearts to the grave.

Edw. But Sir, if you could come to our house, and say something by way of comforting the poor creature, we should esteem it a great kindness. We really do not know what to do with her, and she pays great attention to what you say. Till the letter came, about her husband's illness, she began now and then to look a little composed! she took a deal of notice of what you said yesterday was se'nnight in your sermon, as how God could over-rule the wicked purposes of mankind to bring about the eternal good of themselves and others: though sin was not the less abomi

nable on that account. I dare say Sir, you remember what you said about Onesimus, who was permitted to rob and then run away from his master, that he might be brought to the knowledge of the truth, by the preaching of St. Paul. She seemed to take a deal of notice of that observation.

Loveg. Well Edward, if it be your wish, I shall have no objection. I have an hour to spare, and will go with you directly.

[Mr. Lovegood, Henry, and Edward walk to the Golden Lion. In the road Edward observes :]

Edw. Sir, I believe I must lay aside public-house keeping. My wife and I think out of our little farm, (you know our Squire is very moderate in his rents) and by making a little malt we can keep ourselves very well, especially since we buried our last poor little girl; we have now but three children left.

Loveg. O no Edward, by no means. For as soon as you give over, some one else will be starting up; especially as the turnpike road lies through our village and then it is probable that nothing but riot and drunkenness will be brought into our parish; and one public house is quite enough for this place.

Edw. Why Sir, did you not hear what a riot we were likely to have had at our house, last Tuesday evening, from a set of drovers that came along this way?

Loveg. No, not I.-I never hear of riots at your house.

Edw. Why Sir, after I had put their beasts into the field, they came into the house, and began cursing and swearing; and as I thought it might answer best to speak to them with as much good temper as I could, as generally that goes farthest with such sort of people, I told them, that ours was a very regular house; and that for the sake of good order, I thought it best, that we should all swear by turns, and that it was my turn to swear next: and thus we should all prove, one by one, where was the good of it, and what advantage comes by it; thorefore, for the sake of good

manners, I begged they would stop till after they had heard me swear. One of them, having cast his eyes on what I have painted in large letters over the mantle piece, SWEAR NOT AT ALL, directly said, with a great oath, that he should burst if he was kept from swearing at that rate. I then told them, I would do any thing in reason to oblige them, if they would but oblige me; and that made them quiet for a while.

Loveg. Well, if that was the case, your end was answered, and who knows, what may be the future good effects of such a testimony against their profane conversation.

Edw. But Sir, it did not end here. For it seems they had been laying wagers as they came along the road, and they had engaged to spend it in drink before they went to bed and when I told them, they could have no more liquor in my house, than what was really good for them: for I had not suffered a person to get drunk within my doors for above these seven years; immediately they began cursing and swearing at me, and abusing my d-d religion, as they profanely called it, in the most outrageous manner. I directly told them, if they did not behave quietly I should go to the gentleman, who was my Landlord and a justice of the peace, and who would allow none of these doings in our village, and that he would make them pay for every oath they swore. They then began to be so noisy, that I thought I should actually be obliged to send to the 'Squire for a warrant ; but at last, after I had promised them a pint of beer before supper, and two pints after supper, as it had been a very hot day; provided they did not swear over it, they became pretty orderly, and one of them suffered me to talk to him very seriously; and I gave him some of the religious tracts, our 'Squire wished me to put into the hands of travellers who come our road.

Loveg. This is no proof that you should give up your public house; but just the contrary; for had they gone but two miles farther, to Mapleton, there 1 fear they might have made themselves wicked enough; at

least they were restrained for a while; and now they have heard something they may remember another day. Besides, I am told, that a great many decent sober travellers have lately found their way to your house, for the sake of the quiet and orderly accommodations they find there; and where are the people to go to on a sunday, if you shut up your public house? I am persuaded you are as much in the way of duty in your public house, as I am when in the pulpit; and I am sure, your excellent landlord, Mr. Worthy is of the same opinion. He will never suffer you to pull down your Golden Lion, for a few rubs of this sort.

Edw. But Sir, had some of my sober customers happened to have been there; how I should have been ashamed of myself! and it was but the night before the Stewards of our benefit club met at our house.

Loveg. Ashamed of yourself-for what? I am sure they would never have thought the worse of you, or religion, on that account; besides, I think I can give you a remedy for this evil, at a very small expense Wait a few days and see if I cannot.

[The Golden Lion is a little snug, clean place, situated on the brook from whence the village takes its name: it had a nice old fashioned porch before the door. Mr. Worthy immediately contrived a plan to adorn the brook with some weeping willows, and the front of this porch in a captivating tasty style, though consistent with its original simplicity; making it still more like a neat summer-house, by sending his gardener to plant some honey-suckles and flowering shrubs about the porch and on the little green before the door. On a tablet on the front of the porch thus adorned the following lines were soon afterwards painted:

Let the kind trav'ller of a friendly mind
Step in, and all he wants he here shall find;
A grateful welcome and a wholesome bed,
A peaceful pillow for a sober head,

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