fufion, that I believe never any body was better provided ; and, amongst other Things, my Father took Care to buy me a choice Collection of Books.

CHAP. XLII.

Mr. Thompson gives his Son a Paper of Inftructions, for the Management of his Conduct.-Mr. Diaper refolves, with his Spoufe, to spend some Time in Yorkshire.-Prig employed advantageously by Mr. Goodwill. They accompany Thompson to Dover.Their tender Parting.-He embarks on board the Haftings, Capt. Social, Commander. →→ They weigh Anchor, and fet Sail on their Voyage to the Eaft-Indies.

T

HE nearer the Time of my Departure approached, the more fenfibly my Father and Mother were affected at the Thoughts of lofing me; and, indeed, I myself felt all that Anxiety that is so natural, at a View of the Distance that would foon divide me from all I held dear. Mrs. Goodwill and Mrs. Diaper caught the infectious Concern from my Mother; and the former began to be forry fhe had ufed any Means to forward my Going. I spent as much Time as I could with

thefe

thefe worthy Women, and endeavoured, in Concert with the other Gentlemen, to diffipate, as much as poffible, the Uneafiness that poffeffed my Mother's Mind, and to cure her of those apprebenfive Thoughts fhe entertained of the Difafters that might happen to me.

My Father one Morning took me aside; and, taking me into his Arms, whilft he indulged a few Tears, which rolled down his Cheeks, faid, My dear Son, you are going to be divided from me,perhaps, for ever. I have yielded to your Importunity; and, now I have done fo, 1 am uneafy for the Event: However, that Being, who orders every Thing for the best, will, I hope, guide and protect you, prosper your Ways, and return you safe to your difconfolate Parent, whofe only Comfort you are, and to the Arms of your valuable Friends. I have drawn up here a Sett of Inftructions for you, my Dear, which I recommend to your frequent Perufal, that fo, when you are far from me, your Father's Care may ftill follow you. If you act agreeably thereto, which I don't at all doubt, you will be happy. He ceafed here, and gave me the dear Paper, over which I fhed many Tears; and shall never forget the affectionate and truly excellent Contents, which were as follow:

My

My dearest Son,

H

ARD as it is to think of Parting with you,

I yield to your Defires, and commit you to the Care of that overseeing Providence, that directs and governs all the Actions of our Lives; but as you have difappointed all thofe fanguine Hopes and Expectations, I had fondly raised to myself, of immediately seeing you fettled in your native Country, and receiving that Comfort and Pleasure, the Knowledge of your being near me would have inspired; and you are going to launch into an uncertain Ocean of Difficulties, and to encounter the unavoidable Dangers of a long and tedious Voyage, and a Sojourn in a distant, sultry Climate, obnoxious to the Health of the Inhabi tants of thefe Northern Countries; you are bound, by the most facred Ties, to act agreeably to the Dictates of Wisdom and Virtue, and, as much as lies in your own Power, to preserve yourself safe, that you may return once more to bless me, before I die. You will, therefore, excufe to the Affection and the Tenderness of a Parent, that I give you fome Leffons for the Government of yourself, in your hazardous Undertaking; tho' I am fenfible your good Senfe, and your excellent Endowments of Mind, render it in fome Measure unneceffary.

In the first Place, oh! my Son, preserve, in all your Words and Actions, a thorough Veneration and Regard for the Divine Being; let nothing buy your Attention from that Object of your Thoughts, have an Intention to please him in all you do, be conftant in fuch Acts of grateful Devotion to him, as raise the Soul from its earthly Fetters, and will secure an Ease and Calm of Mind in the greatest Diftreffes and Troubles you can meet with.

I need not inculcate to you, I hope, to perfevere in the steady Practice of the Precepts of your immortal Saviour, and, by adhering to those Maxims of Virtue and Religion you have imbibed, fecure yourself, at all Events, a Place where Sorrow never fhall come, nor Sin and Death fhall ever abide. This Practice will always keep your Breaft tran-quil and eafy, amidst the moft torturing Hardships; and, were the whole World, as Horace fays, to feel a general Diffolution, you would hear the mighty Shock with Unconcern, and unappaled.

To your Superiors fhew a generous and difinterefted Refpect; to your Equals, an honeft, open Freedom; and to your Inferiors, a good-natured Humanity, and a proper Senfibility of what they do to ferve you.

In the Company's Concerns, behave with a Fidelity, that your own Heart shall never reproach you with; and in fuch legal Opportunities as occur,

of

of profiting yourself, fhew no Greediness, no rapacious Avarice; and thofe Riches you thus may chance to acquire, will be as Balm to your Mind, and you will never furvey them with that peevith Anxiety, ill-bought Wealth does always occafion.

Never affect fuperior Knowledge to those you are concerned with; and, in dealing with the Natives of the Country you are proceeding to, let them fee that you are a real Chriftian, and that that sets you above them, in Sincerity, Honour, and Honesty, as much as it does in your future Expectations of Hereafter; then, perhaps, tho' you are not required to step out of your Road, to attempt it, you may make them inamoured of those Doctrines you profefs, and become Partakers of the Crofs of Chrift.

Be not hafty nor paffionate, the common Fault of those who refide long in hot Countries; Paffion deforms the Vifage, hurts the Bosom, and renders a Man uneafy in himself, and odious to those about him.

Drink with Moderation, for your Health's Sake. I charge you to avoid all Intemperance of that Kind, which deftroys fuch Multitudes in the Indies. Look upon yourself as accountable for your Life, and the Use of it, to the Author of your Being; and that Father and Mother's Happiness or Miferyyour here depend upon its Valuablenefs and Prefervation.