undoubtedly have been of that clafs, which certain logicians denominate the knock-down argument. Ezekiel's was applied ad verecundiam; rhetoric of a milder fpecies, yet not lefs efficacious, having reduced his opponent to a fituation, in which any reasonable person would have blushed at being seen.

The only way to make peace was to part the combatants, and this was done by Henry, who took his friend Ezekiel under the arm, and by force, rather than perfuafion, conducted. him off the field of battle. The eyes of Jemima caught a glimpse of him, whilst engaged in this office, and that one glimpse tended more to allay her rage, than all the fedatives, which Zachary's art could have administered; but this it effected by a revolu tion rather than a reform; for whilft it calmed one storm, it raised another: fhe now grew mawdlin, and began to whine and whimper in a piteous fort; the old woman was fummoned to provide a change of clothes, and Zachary, glad to devolve his attentions upon Bridget, made a courteous exit, and retired to his chamber.

Jemima in the mean time proceeded in the task of repairing the damages, which her perfon M 6

and

and apparel had incurred in her conteft with the preacher, muttering revenge between whiles, and meditating projects for another interview with the youth, whofe appearance had encouraged her with hopes that he might yet be won to continue in her fervice; and as no means feemed fo likely to decoy him as a reconciliation with Sufan, fhe determined within herself instantly to start a negotiation for that purpose.

CHAPTER VI.

Is any Merry? Let him fing Pfalms.

WH

HILST Henry walked flowly homewards with his friend Ezekiel, he was fain to lend a patient ear to an entire recapi tulation of the learned controverfy, which had, like most other controverfies of the fort, exafperated both parties, and convinced neither. The good man had now the whole argument to himself, and managed it after his own liking, without interruption, branching it out into fo many digreffions, and commenting upon it as he went on fo diffufively, that it may well be doubted

doubted if his companion was one whit the wifer, especially as his thoughts were pre-engaged by the events that had paffed in his conference with the Doctor. Ezekiel's new-birth, though strongly infifted on by him as the one thing needful in Jemima's defperate state of health and morals, did not at that moment intereft Henry quite fo much as the new scene of things, which now feemed opening upon him with more aufpicious hopes than he had hitherto ventured to indulge. Nothing ftruck Ezekiel with fuch furprize, (as he frequently remarked to Henry) nothing seemed to him fo unnatural in the behaviour of Jemima, as that the fhould be offended with him for an act of kindness, "to which," added he, "I proteft unto you, I was mov'd by no other confideration than that of rendering her all the service in my power; for, having heard that Mr. Kinloch had pronounc'd upon her cafe, I came in pure charity and good will to apprife her that she had not many days to live, and for this my friendly office the ungrateful huffey treated me as you faw; but fome natures are not fenfible of any kindness you can

fhew them."

When they arrived at the cottage, Dame

May

May and Sufan had fpread the board with clean linen, and a homely, but comfortable, meal, and welcomed them with a fmile, that would have recommended worse fare. Ezekiel, who had the hospitality, though not the purse, of a bishop, gave a nod of approbation to the women, and a hearty greeting to his companion. He then drew himself up to an erect posture, and, with much folemnity, began a grace, that would have served for the dinner of a cardinal, and which held his meffmates by the ears long enough to cool the meat and tantalize their hunger a polite preacher might have difpatched a modern fermon in the time Ezekiel took to warn his hearers how they indulged their flefhly appetites; which exhortation he had no fooner finifhed, than he cried out, "Fall to, my good friends, with a hearty ftomach, and much good may it do !" you inference not exactly correfponding with the doctrine of the text, but probably better ftomached by the hearers than any part of it, and more readily obeyed.

4

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an

When hunger was appeased, and the fragments fet by, Ezekiel, turning to his gueft, faid, "Methinks, friend Henry, thy countenance befpeaketh a cheerful heart; and verily

it gladdens me to behold it; for the face of an honeft man is the index of his thoughts. The maiden also, who fitteth befide thee, feemeth to participate in thy good fpirits, which is to me a fure token that I have not beftowed labour in vain upon her; for whereas the eye of the lover is fullen and fad, her's on the contrary is bright and joyous: our good dame also is merry, and in footh fo am I; for I experience fomething at my heart, which augurs better days: not that I complain of time paft in my own particular; Heaven forbid! I am thankful for my lot, and contented therewith. It is not the rich man's gold that is to be envied; it is his opportunity of doing good therewith that I covet; to cheer the widow's heart, to cherish the helpless orphan, to employ the labouring poor, fuccour them in fickness, and wipe away the tear from the cheek of the mourner, these are the voluptuous enjoyments, these the real luxuries of life, which the great may revel in; this is their bed of down, their feast of dainties, and their flow of pleasure. But do they not too often let thefe joys escape them? Alas, I fear they do! They give, indeed, but do they blefs withal? They scatter to the importunate and undeferv