atchings by J. Emokshank
1817
ARTES
SCIENTIA
VERITAS
LIBRARY
OF THE
UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN
CALUMIBUS
UNUM
TUEBOR
SI-QUÆRIS-PENINSULAM-AMŒNAM
CIRCUMSPICE
828
0764
Lady the the th
Splitt
8
با اهم
OF
H.
VERT WER
Yadetaylor soulp
EthHeathooke
THE
CONTRAST:
OR THE
OPPOSITE CONSEQUENCES
O F
GOOD AND EVIL HABITS,
EXHIBITED IN THE
LOWEST RANKS OF RURAL LIFE.
FOR THE BENEFIT OF
INTELLIGENT SERVANTS,
INTELLIGENT
AND THE
BEST PROFICIENTS
1 N
SUNDAY SCHOOL S.
પ
LONDON:
PRINTED FOR T. LONGMAN; G. G. J. & J. ROBINSON,
PATERNOSTER-ROW; J. JOHNSON, ST. PAUL'S
CHURCH-YARD; AND T. CADELL, STRAND.
M.DCC.LXXXVII.
English
Dobell
10-21-40
-41481
}
TO THE
CANDID
READER.
OME previous apology is thought
requifite, for this the firft, as it will
certainly be the laft attempt of the
fort, by two of thofe humble beings,
whom nobody knows, as refiding con-
ſtantly in a retired village remote from
the capital. They ought in prudence,
it may be faid, to have been withheld
from it by their acknowledged inex-
perience of the buftle of life, in the
world at large. A defire to ſecond the
good
[iv]
good intentions of the Rector of the
parish, in behalf of the children of
poor cottagers, was the particular oc-
cafion, that has drawn them forth, per-
haps too rafhly, to meet the public
eye. He had eſtabliſhed there, about
two years ago, the inftitution of a
Sunday School, upon the plan he
thought beft adapted to impart ſome
rational fenfe of religion to the appre-
henfion of uninformed, but not unin-
telligent young peasants. He had
rendered it perpetual, by depofiting in
the government funds a fum fufficient
to maintain it, and afford proper en-
couragement to its moft deferving pu-
pils, requiring no other contribution
of his parishioners but a good wifh for
its ſucceſs, from a fincere approbation
of its uſeful tendency.
It
[v]
It was in concurrence with this ge-
neral wish that the minds of two very
young perfons, who in every reſpect
are moſt indebted to the Rector, were
led to the firſt faint idea of a work not
likely at the time to receive from them
its form and fubftance. The follow-
ing flight ſketches of the pen, and
pencil were, however, after frequent
heſitations upon the propriety of their
undertaking them, thus far imperfect-
ly drawn, for the fole purpoſe of being
put into the hands of thofe children,
whofe laudable proficiency, and de-
cent character, upon leaving the
fchool, might promife a degree of at-
tention to the moral inftruction they
are intended to convey. Their object
is plainly this: To recommend juſt
1
prin-
[ vi ]
principles of action in the loweſt ranks
of life in country villages, and power-
fully to impreſs theſe upon the moſt
fenfible hearts among them by the ex-
hibition of a diftinguiſhed portion of
happineſs, flowing from a right and
orderly conduct, placed in a direct and
ſtriking contraſt with extreme wretch-
edneſs confequent upon a wrong and
diforderly one.
It ſeemed not unreaſonable to ex-
pect, that young men and women,
born to a life of fervitude and labour,
but of a ready apprehenfion, and do-
cile temper, difpofing them to fober
thought, might the more eafily be de-
terred from evil courfes, and encou-
raged to perfevere in good ones, if the
inftances exhibited of the two oppofite
feries
/
[vii]
ſeries of profperous and unhappy events
ſhould be repreſented as rifing natural-
ly, and in fome fenfe neceffarily, from
a general tenor of behaviour, in cir-
cumſtances nearly fimilar to their own.
For thus all their future Fortune, as
they improperly call it, or the pro-
bable portion of felicity or mifery, to
which they may look forward in time
to come, would ſeem to riſe, in ma-
nifeſt diſplay, to their view, enfuing,
as in human life they are frequently
ſeen to enfue, immediately from their
own well or ill-directed choice, and
not ſo much from the effect of mere
accident, as in novels, and fabulous
relations, they are uſually made to ap-
pear.
This
1
[viii]
This humble attempt in a caufe,
that difdains not the well-meant en-
deavours of the weakest of its advo-
cates, having with all its imperfec-
tions, obtained in fome degree the ap-
probation of the indulgent clergyman,
and received the benefit of his patient
revifal; it is through his hands they
at laſt conſign it to the prefs. They
are the leſs diſfheartened now by the
uneafy apprehenfions they felt, and ſtill
muſt feel in ſeeing themſelves thus ex-
poſed to the cenfure of the public.
They may hope, however, in their re-
tired fituation to be in a great meaſure
out of the reach of its humiliating
fcorn, or ironical praife, of a grave
moral tale, to which they are ſenſible
it would be extreme folly to expect that
much attention will be paid above the
ſphere
7
[ ix ]
ſphere of thoſe, to whofe ufe alone it
is meant to be applied. They have
no ambition to attract the notice of
thoſe gentry, who are involved in the
preſent perpetual round of diffipation.
It is not there they look for any ſerious
concern about the principles and man-
ners of people in low life. Of the few,
who have escaped the general infection,
they flatter themfelves the obvious
tendency alone of the work may pof-
fibly procure it fome countenance.
Their confciouſneſs of a charitable in-
tention will, at any rate, be the truſty
fhield, to which it will be always in
their power to fly for protection.
t
سم
Their
#
[ x ]
Their first intention was to admit no
expreffion throughout to rife above the
level of the apprehenfion of the moſt
untutored peafant. They have here
and there, perhaps improperly, de-
parted from that intention. It is
with diffidence they plead their only
excufe for a few deviations of this fort.
Though aware of this feeming impro-
priety, they have been kept from rec-
tifying it by the following reflection,
the truth of which experience has re-
peatedly confirmed in themſelves. It
is no unprofitable exercife for young
minds in a low degree of cultivation
to be put now and then to the neceffi-
ty of redoubling their attention and
enquiry, to get over flight difficulties;
every call for ſuch enquiry ftill awaken-
ing their modefty, and adding fresh
light
[xi]
It is
light to their underſtanding.
hoped, after all, that whatever is beſt
calculated to work powerfully upon
the heart of the ignorant reader will
be found in general plainly and intel-
ligibly expreffed.
F
CON-
CONTENTS.
PART I.
CHAP. I. Sarah Meanwell's parents-
Her early tokens of a good dif-
pofition,
Page 3
CHAP. 2. Her gradual improvement-Sent
to ſchool-Raiſed to be an aſſiſt-
ant to the ſchool-miſtreſs..
CHAP. 3. Lofes her father-her benefac-
treſs. A frightful accident-
10
Diftreffed
lieved.
Unexpectedly re-
22
СНАР.
ii
CONTENTS.
CHAP. 4. Comfortable and difagreeable
occurrences at, Farmer. Tefty's,
CHAP. 5. Proſpect of calmer days,
CHAP. 6. Agreeably fettled at Worthy Hall.
-Unpleaſant circumſtances made
eafy by diſcreet conduct.
CHAP. 7. Sally's improvement from every
quarter. A terrible diſaſter in
the family raiſes her characṭer to
¯an exalted pitch,
34
41
46
55
CHAP. 8. A further display of found piety,
and fuperior good ſenſe in Sally, 70.
CHAP. 9. Coltish relapfes-is restored-
married,
CHAP. 10. Promotions at Worthy Hall.-
A chearful ſcene at Meanwell
75
farm,
81
CHAP.
CONTENTS. iii
CHAP. 11. Happy conformity of two dif-
ferent good characters,
CHAP. 12. A character of the other fex in-
troduced, exactly correfpondent to
Sarah Meanwell's,
CHAP. 13. A ſketch of the life and charac-
ter of John Goodchild,
CHAP. 14. He is engaged first as fecretary,
then as houſe ſteward to Lord
Alton,
CHAP. 15. Singular excellency of that No-
bleman,
CHAP. 16. Bravery of Goodchild,
CHAP. 17. His farther advancement,
CHAH. 18. Propoſal of marriage properly
accepted -Sudden fhifting of
fcenes at Meanwell-Farm,
89
95
100
109
120
125
129
135
$
CHAP.
ív
CONTENTS.
CHAP. 19. An obftacle to the defireable
event-happily removed,
CHAP. 20. Conclufion,
142
152
PART II.
CHAP. I. Parentage of Richard Core-
worm-his early tokens of a bad
difpofition,
CHAP. 2. Sent to ſchool by a compaſſionate
clergyman,
CHAP. 3. His Perverfenefs - Truantſhip
-Ingratitude,
165
166
173
CHAP. 4. Detection, and puniſhment, 179
СНАР.
}
CONTENT S.
CHAP. 5. Falls into fresh difgrace-leaves
School-goes into a farmer's fer-
vice,
CHAP. 6. Robert Coreworm dies, - his
repentance,-his first and last
advice to Richard,
CHAP. 7. Goes into a gentleman's fervice
-turned off-bewildered in a
Storm,
CHAP. 8. His diftrefs-beggary-repulſe
-relief-recommendation to a
place,
CHAP. 9. Blunders, beyond expectation,
into the place,
CHAP. 10. Promife of amendment-Re-
187
191
198
204
214
lapfe,
220
CHAP.
vi CONTENT S.
CHAP. II. His intrigue with a housemaid
-Outlines of her character in
childhood,
Page 226
CHAP. 12. Night adventure in a barn, 232
CHAP. 13. Dolly is introduced to her fa-
ther, and by him to the fervice
of a baker,
CHAP. 14. Rifes to preferment through
unworthineſs,
CHAP. 15. Gets triumphantly out of a fad
Scrape through cunning and im-
pudence,
GHAP. 16. Increaſe of villainy-detection
—impriſonment,
CHAP. 17. Coreworm is vifited in prison
by a truly venerable man,
237
242
246
250
1
259
CHAP.
CONTENTS.
vii
CHAP. 18. Coreworm tried-condemned-
untimely death of Graceless, 265
CHAP. 19. Execution of Coreworm-his
Mother's fudden death➡Con-
clufion.
279
}
THE
BRIGHT SIDE
.OF THE
CONTRA´S T.
THE
HAPPY EFFECTS
OF A
DOCILE DISPOSITION
AND
ORDERLY CONDUCT,
EXHIBITED IN THE
L I
I F E
F
!
SARAH MEANWELL.
PART I
B
1
'
THE
L I F
E
법​.
SARAH MEANWELL
CHAP. I.
Her parents-Her early tokens of a good dif-
W
pofition.
ILLIAM and Mary Meanwell were
humble cottagers, in a pleaſant village.
They had ſeen better days, in the phraſe of
common report, which, however, upon this
occafion, was rather mifapplied; for they
always appeared contented ftill, and even
chearful. He had formerly farmed an hundred
acres of his own freehold land. But affec-
1
B 2
tion
4
THE LIFE OF
tion and pity for a brother, whofe diftrefs,
gradually brought on by lofs of cattle, failure
of crops, and other unavoidable misfortures,
he had always generously relieved, and for
whom at laſt he had become furety, to the
amount of the whole value of his eſtate, had
now for fome years reduced him to the con-
dition of a day-labourer.
THE decent character of this worthy
couple, their frugality, neatneſs, induſtry,
and uncommon civility, made them ge-
nerally reſpected by all their neighbours. It
was in this low, yet almoſt enviable ſtate,
that they were bleſſed with a lovely daughter.
Little Sally, fo their only child was called,
was of a ſweet temper, and tractable difpofi-
tion, of a perſon and manner fo remarkably
engaging, that it was impoffible not to feel a
tender affection for her at firſt fight. It was
therefore generally, and with reaſon faid,
that ſhe was the greateſt bleffing upon earth
to
SARAH MEANWELL;
5
to her good parents. Far from being a
burthen to their indigent circumftances,
fhe added comfort to their labours, and was
indeed the conftant delight of their life.
William, by his ſkill in the management of
hop-grounds, and all other branches of
huſbandry, never wanted employment.
Mary had, fome years ago,, been houfe-
keeper to Mr. Worthy, the very refpectable
lord of the manor, who had now feveral chil-
dren; and fhe had generally a great deal of
plain work to do for them. With this her
more conftant occupation, a little ſpinning,
knitting ſtockings, and attention to domeftic
cleanliness, her hands were never idle. But
her moſt pleaſing care was in the inſtruc-
tion of her dear child. She had taught her
to read the Bible, very fenfibly chufing for
her improvement, the moft intelligible,
moral parts of it. She had alfo enabled her
to repeat ſeveral prayers and hymns, and
every anſwer to the queſtions in the Church
B 3
Cate-
199
THE LIFE OF
Catechifm, at an earlier age than would
eafily be credited.
Mrs. Worthy, who had formerly been
Mary's miſtreſs, had never been forgetful of
her faithful ſervices. Befides the profitable
employment, this lady afforded her humble
neighbour, fhe had often given the good
woman the greateſt joy by the kind notice
ſhe took now and then of her little Sally,
whom, in reward for ſome remarkably pretty
anſwer ſhe had made her, fhe had cloathed
with great neatneſs, from head to foot. The
honoured family of her benefactreſs had once
been abſent from the village for nine months
together, to the great regret of the parish,
and all the country-neighbourhood. When
they again gladdened the eyes of the ruftic
congregation at church, which they attended
conftantly in a moſt exemplary manner, on
the Sunday after their return, it happened to
be the time, on which the minifter cate-
chifed the young children, in the middle of
the
SARAH
7
MEANWEL L.
the evening fervice. This good clergyman
had introduced a cuftom, in his manner of
catechifing, which it is greatly to be wished
that all his reverend brethren would follow.
Not content with making them repeat dif-
tinctly, word for word, the anfwers fet down
to the queftions in the Church Catechifm,
he
gave their young minds great affiftance
in comprehending the meaning of theſe anf-
wers, by the uſe of an excellent little book,
entitled, The Church Cathechifm broke into
Short Questions, to which is added an Explana-
tion of fome words for the eaſier underſtanding of
it. He recommended to the parents of theſe
children, and to a diligent and fenfible fchool-
miftrefs, who was fettled in the parish, what
they found upon trial an eaſy and delightful
taſk, contributing greatly to open, and add
freſh light to their firſt dawn of reaſon. In
this book he uſed to examine them fome-
times before the congregation, beſtowing
praife, and a reward of various good books
upon the most attentive and intelligent. In
B 4
this
THE LIFE OF
this uſeful exerciſe little Sally diſtinguiſhed
herſelf moſt honourably, by her apt and ex-
actly right anſwers to all the ſhort queſtions
made by the minifter to lead the children
into a way of finding out the true fenfe of
every part of the Catechifm. Her pretty
figure too, clad in the neat cloathing, laft
given by the good lady, and preferved entire,
drew every body's notice. But her inno-
cent look, fweet tone of voice, and furprif-
ing quickneſs of apprehenfion, fo ftruck her
kind benefactreſs; that fending for the mo-
ther and the child, as fhe walked after
church to her coach; " Mrs. Meanwell,
ſhe ſaid, I am indebted to you for a pleafing
entertainment indeed: then flipping a piece.
of gold into the good woman's hand: this
charming girl wants no other inftructreſs,
but yourſelf; that is plain: otherwiſe I was
purpoſing to eaſe you of ſome part of the
taſk, by ſending her to ſchool." With eyes
expreffive of humble gratitude, Mary thank-
ed the lady" I hope, madam, you will
approve
SARAH
MEANWELL.
approve of my going on with the delightful
taſk a little longer. By and by, the kind
favour, you generouſly propoſed, may be of
great ſervice to us."-" Well, Mary, when
that time comes, I defire you would let me
know."
B 5
CHAP.
1
IO
THE LIFE OF
CHA P. II.
Her gradual improvement.
Y
Sent to School,
Raiſed to be an affiftant to the School-
mistress.
WHILE Mary Meanwell was fitting at
her customary works of knitting or
fewing, her little Şally was uſed to fit on a
low ftool by her fide, at firſt naming her
letters, proceeding foon from fyllables to
words, and fhort fentences, and now to
reading fluently and diftinctly. The great
joy of William, when returned from his
daily labour, every evening, and a great part.
of the Sabbath-day, was in taking up the
lovely child on his knee, teaching her to
repeat a few of the hymns of Dr. Watts,
and of the pfalms of Mr. Merrick, hearing
her
To Face Page 11
Shitch'd by I.S.D.
Elch'd by I. Cruckshank
NIV
M
OF
SARAH
If
MEANWELL.
her read fome chofen parts of the Bible, and
afking her fentiments upon what the read.
He always cloſed this wholeſome exercife of
her tender mind by making her kneel down,
himſelf too, and his wife devoutly kneeling;
while the child, with uplifted eyes and
hands, implored, in the prayers they had
taught her, the mercy and bleffing of God
upon herſelf and them..
Mary did not neglect to bring her on by
degrees in fuch uſeful works, as fhe beſt un-
derftood herſelf, fuch as knitting and the
uſe of her needle. But when Sally was-
eight years old, ſhe began to think it was
now time to accept the kindnefs, her bene--
factrefs had once propofed. There was a
remarkably good day-ſchool in the pariſh,
much encouraged and recommended by Sir
George and Lady Worthy; for this liberal
friend of indigent merit, had now fucceeded
to the title and great wealth of his antient
family. Mary confidered that the ſchool-
miftrefs
B 6
12
THE LIFE OF
miſtreſs could teach her child fome know-
ledge of mantua-making, as fhe made gowns
for moſt of the poor people of the place, and
employed, for certain hours of the day, the
eldeſt and neateft hands of the girls, in work-
ing under her direction. Her huſband, at
other hours taught them, with a great num-
ber of other girls and boys, writing and ac-
counts. Being both decent, attentive, and
fenfible people, Mary Meanwell thought fhe
could now fafely intruft her Sally to their
care. She therefore took the firft opportu-
nity, upon carrying home fome work ſhe
had done for Lady Worthy, humbly to
exprefs her preſent thoughts concerning the
future welfare of her child. The generous
lady applauded the poor woman's good in-
tention, and gladly took upon herſelf the
whole expence of fulfilling t. The little
girl was accordingly led to the ſchool by her
mother early the next morning.
She
SARAH MEANWEL L. 13
\
She left with her a little baſket contain-
ing two ſmall plum loaves, or rolls of bread,
in which a few currants had been baked,
and a pint bottle of milk, with a little horn
cup; promifing to come and fetch her home
in the evening. It was an unpleaſant thing
to Sally to be ſeparated from her dear mo-
ther, for a whole day, as ſhe had ſcarcely
ever before been abfent from her half that
time. But the kind treatment fhe imme-
diately met with from the ſchool-miſtreſs,
and the great efteem the diſcerning girl foon
conceived for one, whom fhe quickly found
to be a good-tempered and very fenfible wo-
man, reconciled her to it entirely. Know-
ing it was for her good, ſhe always went to
fchool very chearfully, nor ever once made
an idle pretence, or indulged a wish to be
excufed from going. And when ſhe was
there, ſhe had ſomething peculiarly winning
in her manner, by receiving as a favour every
order of her miftrefs. So indeed her good
mother had perfuaded her always to confider
them.
1
14
THE LIFE OF
them. She accordingly performed her taſks
with the mot manifeft tokens of pleaſure.
It is no wonder they were in general well
done. When there was any thing amiſs in
her needle-work, ſhe would humbly thank
her miftrefs for pointing it out to her, and
take out the faulty part without grumbling.
or looking fulky, pleafed with the hope of
gaining praiſe by working it afreſh very
neatly. She was much admired for her
manner of reading, and the great eaſe with
which the learned by heart, and repeated
with exact propriety what was taught her,
the good habit of which ſhe had acquired ſo
early, and fo well, of her father and mother.
She was no lefs quick and happy in her pro-
grefs with her writing-mafter.
She ad-
vanced in cyphering likewiſe to as great per-
fection and readinefs, as it could poffibly be
thought requifite for her to learn. Her
hand-writing in time was fo elegant, and
her ſpelling fo exactly right, of what, for
the exercife of a mind fo early ripening, fhe
was
SARAH MEANWEL L.
15
was fometimes fet to write, upon a given
fubject, that her mafter, in triumph and
boaft of his little fcholar's wonderful profi-
ciency, and maturity of judgment, beyond
her years, uſed to fhew it to all who viſited
his ſchool.
Such, in fhort, was the progrefs fhe made
under thefe good inftructors, and the ſchool
itſelf became fo flourishing; that Mr. and
Mrs. Sagely, her mafter, and miſtreſs,
found it their intereft to make an advanta-
geous propoſal to her mother; who had now,
upon Sally's entering her fourteenth year,
found her fufficiently inftructed to be of
fome affiftance to her at home, and had
talked of removing her from ſchool." It
ſhall be for your daughter's advantage, and
your's, Mrs. Meanwell, faid Mrs. Sagely,
if you fhall approve of what I am going to
propofe. You are quite right in the high
opinion you have of your daughter's ac-
com-
16
THE LIFE OF
compliſhments.
We think as highly of
them, I affure you. As a proof we do, it is
our defire to raiſe her, though a child, to the
ftation of affiftant-teacher under us. As we
are certain of receiving credit and benefit
from this, it is but right that Sally and you
ſhould likewife profit by it."-A moderate
falary was immediately agreed upon; Mrs.
Sagely confenting to her attendance in the
ſchool only five days in the week.
The good girl continued two years in her
new office, rifing higher ftill in the eſteem
of every one. The inftruction fhe helped
to communicate to the other children con-
tributed ftill more and more to her own im-
provement. Her beautiful perfon, taller
than is common for her age, the affection
and eſteem always fhewn her by the mafter
and miſtreſs, and the great notice which the
gentlefolks, who fometimes vifited the
ſchool, uſed always to take of Sally, made
all
SARAH
17
MEANWELL.
all the ſcholars refpect her; while her ſweet
temper and gentle manners gained their love.
So powerfully did her mild influence by de-
grees prevail over the minds of the children,
that when Mrs. Sagely had found it necef-
ſary to puniſh ſome fault in a fenfible child
(for it was over fuch minds that Sally had
the greateſt influence) ſhe uſed commonly
to requeſt her young affiftant, to fecond her
correction by her foothing methods of per-
fuafion.
Great indeed was the help fhe afforded in
this manner to the fchool-miftrefs, and
greater ftill the benefit of the children. She
had an engaging way, upon theſe occafions,
of ſoftening her advice by many ſtriking and
entertaining ftories, which the recollected to
have heard or read. One inftance of this
fort may fuffice. There was one good qua-
lity, by which ſhe had conftantly been dif-
tinguiſhed herſelf, which therefore the was
fitteft
18
THE LIFE OF
1
fittelt to recommend to others. Sally was
truth itfelf, and Young Truth was the ho-
nourable name by which Mrs. Sagely, with
›an affectionate ſmile, had been often uſed to
call her. Never once had fhe, to avoid the
rifque of being blamed for any petty fault
or neglect, endeavoured to fcreen or excufe
herſelf by telling a lie. A lively little boy,
who had once got into this bad fcrape, and
been ſeverely punished for it, was thought a
fit fubject for Sally to work upon.
"Don't you know, my dear boy, faid the
gentle adviſer, that if you fay what is not
true, God Almighty will certainly know it?
He can fee and hear every thing you do and
fay, and he will certainly puniſh, a liar worſe
than the fchool-miftrefs can, or any crea-
ture in the world. You muſt be fenfible,,
that when you tell a lie, you are commonly
found out, and puniſhed for it. Depend
upon it, when you are diſcovered and ſuf-
fer
SARAH MEANWELL. 19
fer for it here, it is always beſt and happieſt
for you. All the lies you tell, that eſcape
from puniſhment in this world, muſt either
be wiped off by repentance, and love of
truth, for the future, or they will bring you
foon to the moft frightful torments in ano-
ther life, or perhaps fome terrible misfor-
tune will befal you, by the judgment of
God, though you may call it only a ſudden
accident. I'll tell you what happened to a
naughty boy, that uſed to tell lies ſo often,
that nobody would believe a word he ſaid,
even when he told the truth.”
One day when his father chid him for
lingering as ufual, when he fhould have
gone to ſchool, he ſaid, with real fright, he
had just heard a mad bull was ſcampering
furioufly in a field that lay directly in the
way. The father, who had been often de-
ceived by his impudent untruths, faid-
"No more of your truant tricks with me,
be-
20
THE LIFE OF
begone;"-and turned him out of doors.
The boy, being refolved to thun the field he
dreaded, ran off a round-about way. He
had not gone far along the road, when the
bull, having leaped over a hedge, came run-
ning full butt towards him, and before he
could get out of his way, caught him up on
his horns, which broke two of his ribs, and
toffed him high in the air. Down he fell
upon rough flints, which fo bruifed and cut
his limbs, that after fuffering horrible pains,
he remained a miferable cripple all his days.
What convinced the lad that this was a
judgment from heaven, was the bull's paf-
fing by ſeveral boys, that were ſtanding
nearer, and more directly in the way, and
turning afide to run at him. And this per-
fuafion made it prove a mercy to the boy in
the end for though this terrible accident
fhortened his days, it faved his foul alive,
and from the miſeries of hell, by making
him repent of his wickedness: and fo we
read
SARAH MEANWEL L. 21
read in fcripture, "that God in judgment
remembers mercy." Thus did Sally enforce
her friendly advice, ſo as to ſtrike a laſting
impreffion upon the minds of all her little
pupils.
CHAP.
22
THE LIFE.
?
ཥ
CHA P. III.
Lofes her father-her benefactress. A fright-
ful accident-Diſtreſſed-Unexpectedly re-
lieved.
WHEN
HEN Sally had now paffed her fif-
teenth year, ſhe wrote fo neat and
free a hand, ſhe was fo ready an accompt-
ant, and ſo perfect in every kind of work,
Mrs. Sagely could teach, that their mutual
efteem for each other daily encreaſed, and
the affectionate attention the one conſtantly
paid to the other, fecured that of their pu-
pils for both. She might have remained
longer, and, to the rifing credit of the
fchool, might have continued to add frefh
advantage and reputation to herſelf, in her
preſent
SARAH
23.
MEANWEL L.
•
prefent ftation: but an unexpected ſtroke of
fate now turned all her attention another
way. This was the much lamented, and
almoſt ſudden death of her good father, by a
violent fever; which cloſed a life, more
perfectly ſpotless, more illuftrious for un-
common generofity, than fome of the bright-
eft of thoſe that we fondly admire in hiſtory.
This melancholy event obliged her to quit
the ſchool, that the might affift and comfort
her poor mother. With a heart almoſt
breaking at the fad lofs they had ſuſtained,
fhe took an affectionate farewell of the
ſchool-miſtreſs, who, in difcharging the
ſmall ſalary engaged to be paid to her as an
humble affiftant, added to it a prefent of five
Thillings more. This addition the generous
girl received with gratitude, as a token of
Mrs. Sagely's approbation. The, whole of
her falary fhe carried home to her mother:
but the five fhillings fhe laid out in ſuch
ufeful and pleaſing little books, as ſhe knew
would
24:
THE LIFE OF
would be moſt acceptable to children, as re-
wards for their good behaviour; and of
theſe the humbly begged the favour of Mrs.
Sagely's acceptance, and diftribution among
her pupils as fhe thought fit. The good
miſtreſs received this judicious mark of the
excellent difpofition of Sally with a tear of
joy, and embracing the beloved child, "I
cannot find it in my heart, faid fhe, to
baulk fo good, fo fenfible, and kind a pur-
poſe: but my dear Sally muſt come, from
time to time, and enjoy the pleaſure of the
good effect of it. The children all love you
to that degree, that it will do them more
good, if I give you all the praiſe, as I cer-
tainly fhall, of this act of generofity."
Never were affurances of endleſs affection
and refpect more fincere than they expreffed
at parting.
Mrs. Meanwell and her daughter dwelt
many months at their neat cottage, without
en-
SARAH MEANWEL L.
25
entrenching at all upon their former favings,
or enduring the flighteft préffure of want.
Being now grown dexterous and quick at
her needle, Sally helped her mother to dif-
patch more than three times the work fhe
could ever before undertake, and being both
remarkably healthy, the mutual comfort
they afforded each other met with no inter-
ruption, till another fudden loſs deprived
them of their main fupport. This was the
death, in childbed, of their liberal benefac-
trefs, and the immediate removal of Sir
George Worthy to London, whither he
went to refide with all his family, to fuper-
intend the education of the younger part of
it. Though deeply afflicted at the departure
of the kind rewarder of their industry, their
pious truft in Divine Providence kept up
their fpirits. They earned enough by ſpin-
ning to fupply their moderate wants, and
their ftrong attachment to each other, ftill
C
raifed
26
THE LIFE OF
raiſed their humble contentment to real hap-
pinefs.
In this manner they lived for about a
twelvemonth, when a freſh difafter plunged
them into the greateft diftrefs. Being roufed
early one morning by a violent cry that a
neighbour's houſe was on fire, Sally ſprung
up in an inftant, and running out half dref-
fed into the ſtreet, foon returned to tell her
mother it was a falfe alarm. Some fames
had been obferved to iffue from the top of a
chimney, which being difcovered in time,
had been well extinguished.
But how
piercing was the grief of the poor girl,
upon ſeeing her dear parent lying on the
floor, at the foot of the ftair-cafe, down
which, in her hurry and fright, ſhe had
tumbled, from top to bottom, cut her fore-
head terribly, which had covered all her face
with blood, and broke her right arm. Tho'
half diftracted with grief for her fufferings,
her
SARAH MEAN WEL L.
27
her daughter had the preſence of mind, when
he had helped her, with much difficulty,
to crawl back to her bed, to fend a ſpeedy
meffenger for a furgeon from the neighbour-
ing town. Then returning, fhe dreffed the
wound very properly herſelf in Dame Mean-
well's forehead, which, tho' frightful in ap-
pearance at firſt, was found to be of no great
confequence. Upon examining the broken
arm, the furgeon pronounced it to be not very
alarming, it being but a fimple fracture, no
rent or bruiſe being ſeen on the ſkin, and no
fymptom of an inward wound. He had not,
however, completely difcovered every cir
cumftance of the cafe. The good woman's
wrift had been violently ſprained, and to
that he had applied no remedy. Her ex-
treme pain, chiefly from thence, kept her
reftlefs and feverish tiH the next morning,
At the dawn of which, Sally fent again for
the furgeon. He looked with concern at
the fwelled and inflamed wrift and hand.
C 2
Per-
28
THE LIFE OF
Perplexed and doubtful now of his ſpeedy
cure of that, or the other hurt, he applied
´a lenient remedy to the anguiſh of the wriſt,
declaring her perfect recovery from the ef-
fects of the fprain and fracture muſt be the
work of time. However, (not to torture
the reader with all the miſery the two truly
good creatures underwent) he effected it, in
fome degree, in a little more than two
months. The arm was well fet, and as firm
as ever but of her hand, he could give her
little hope of recovering, for as many
months more, the entire ufe. Thus dif-
abled from ſpinning, or needlework, the
mother neceffarily depended upon the daugh-
ter's industry alone for their future main-
tenance. Sally, though reduced to a beau-
tiful ſkeleton, by continual watchings, ſee-
ing her mother's healthful look returning,
begged her to be of good cheer: her labour
night and day would keep them both from
want, though very nearly ftripped, by this
fatal
SARAH MEANWEL L. 29
fatal accident, of all their little favings.
This, however, through the weakneſs of her
own health, ſhe would unavoidably, with-
out a little affiſtance from her true friend,
Mrs. Sagely, have found at laft fome diffi-
culty in doing. In this extreme preffure,
Providence would not fuffer them to lan-
guiſh many days. The relief it decreed at
length to come from a quarter whence it was
leaft expected, from an uncle of Dame
Meanwell, who had never fhewn her the
ſmalleſt act of kindneſs during the life of
her huſband.
Farmer Tefty, fo was this uncle called,
furpriſed them by his fudden appearance at
their humble cottage. A circumſtance in
his own fituation, and the general good re-
port he had heard of his niece and her
daughter, with fome faint touches of re-
morfe for his former harfhness, which ne-
wertheleſs he outwardly maintained to have
been
C 3
30
THE LIFE OF
เ
been ſtrictly proper, were the joint occafion
of his prefent vifit.
This man, who was always obftinate and
ſtiff in his opinion, had never forgiven Wil-
liam Meanwell, for flighting the advice he
had given him, not to bring ruin upon him-
felf, and his wife, by a foolish attempt to
fave his brother from it: and when the
merciless creditors of that brother, who died
infolvent, fued William for his bond, and
compelled him to part with his eftate, he
had underhand become the purchaſer. Tefty
had continued, after that, to dwell many
years upon a large farm, of five hundred
acres, which he held at a low rent under a
noble lord, a great improver of land, in the
neighbourhood; leaving the care of Mean-
well's land (for fo it was ſtill called) to his
only ſon, a man of his own rough caft of
character, except in his father's preſence,
when he appeared fubmiffive and fupple
ehough.
Page 31.
GARY
T.S.D. Akd
I. Qret?
با الام
OF
MI
C
H
SARAH MEANWELL!
31.
enough. This uncle of Mary Meanwell
having lately loft his wife, had just removed.
to his own ſmaller piece of freehold land,
which had a good houſe upon it, pleaſantly
fituated, and very convenient, and had fent
his fon to occupy the rented farm.
Upon entering his niece's cottage, he
stared around for fome minutes, in filent
wonder at the perfect neatneſs of every part
of it, and the almoſt elegant plainneſs of her
daughter's drefs and her own. Not a word
did he anſwer to her exclamation-My un-
cle her repeated curtfies, or fome tears,
that many a painful recollection drew from
her. At laft out came bluntly, "Yes 'tis
I. And this little hole is tight and ſmart,
and all that, I'll affure you. And here I am
come to turn you out of it; if you can bear
to live with your old flint-hearted uncle.
Tell me, if you fhould like to go back to
that was, till your fool of
your own houſe,
>
C 4
a huf-
32
THE LIFE O
OF
a huſband"- Oh! Sir!'" Come, come,
!'—“Come,
old ſtories we'll remember no more-And
that pretty Mifs too! Can fhe turn thofe
white hands to any thing? Ha! Minx,
Can't put thoſe nice fingers of thine to any
thing but a needle?-Odfo! I had forgot-
Your mother has a game hand, I fee”—(Her
fprained wrift, though now much better,
was ſtill held in a fling.) Then turning
about with an obfervant eye, he added, in a
fofter tone, to Sally" So, fo! then all
this is your handy work, is it? Wench-
Well, pack up your alls. I fhall go, and
fend a waggon for them directly." Out he
fallied at theſe words, without allowing time
for his niece to utter a fyllable in anſwer.
He was inftantly obeyed by the mother and
daughter, not without fome fighs and flut-
terings, upon leaving their quiet cot; and
that very evening they found themſelves fet-
tled in a fnug apartment in a houſe, which
Mary Meanwell was pleaſed to ſee had been
altered
SARAH MEANWEL L. 33
altered with judgment, to that degree, that
it recalled the lefs to her memory the plea-
fanter years the once had paſſed there with
her dear lamented William.
C 5
CHAP.
A
34
THE LIFE OF
t
CHA P. IV.
Comfortable and difagreeable occurrences at Far-
mer Tefty's.
THE management of her uncle Tefty's
family, where Dame Meanwell acted
as houſekeeper, and her daughter beftirred
herſelf, under her direction, briſkly, and
with great attention to the farmer's peremp-
tory orders, was lefs unpleaſant than they at
first expected. Tefty had a fund of native
good ſenſe, that kept him generally in the
right, if permitted to have his way. His
impatience of contradiction, which rendered
his choler outrageous, they found it eaſy
never to offend, by the obliging gentleneſs
of
SARAH MEAN WELL.
35
of temper natural to them both. By de-
grees the favage fiercenefs of his manners
began to ſoften, and his converfation-fome-
times to aſſume a vein of pleaſantry, that
was agreeable enough. His thorough know-
ledge of the farming buſineſs, and of all the
work he wanted to have done, gave every
one he employed a full affurance that he
knew his own mind; and they had beft ob-
ſerve it, or have nothing to fay to him. So
he was commonly obeyed with great punc-
tuality. They found a dairy-maid only in
the houſe, who continued there, a briſk and
diligent affiſtant to Sally, in keeping every
part of the houſe in perfect neatneſs.
ing a buſtling good-humoured girl, fhe
helped her to difpatch the work with eafe;
and Sally, in her turn, would affift her in
her proper buſineſs in the cow-houſe, dairy,
and in dreffing victuals for the family, the
number of which, befide thoſe already
known, was not great, but uncertain, as the
C 6
Be-
las
36
THE LIFE OF
labourers employed were more or lefs, at
different times. This active life had a hap-
py effect upon the conftitution of a girl,
never before accuſtomed to the continual
ftir, in which he was now every day en-
gaged. Her ftrength encreaſed. Her com-
plexion freſhened, and though fomewhat lefs
delicate, grew more lively. She began at
laft to take delight in all the female, depart-
ment of the bufinefs of a farm, which her
mother underſtood perfectly well, having
been brought up to it in her early youth.
For above two years, this manner of life
went on agreeably enough, with but few in-
terruptions of the general fatisfaction, from
Tefty's choleric temper. The behaviour
indeed of his Son Hodge, when occafion
brought him to the houſe, and his father
chanced to be out of the way, was much leſs
tolerable it was a ftrange compound of
fpleen and mirth, reafon and abfurdity,
good
SARAH MEANWEL C. 37
•
good and ill-will: to Dame Meanwell it
was ſometimes brutally infolent, as her vi-
gilance checked him in a purſuit he had
greatly at heart. But it was more offenfive
ftill to her daughter, of whom his treatment
was often fo wild and irregular as might
make it fufpected that he was diſordered in
his fenfes, from his accofting her one mi-
nute with aukward familiarity, the next
humbly begging pardon; now peſtering her
ear with ruftic jefting, then gazing on her
with fixed admiration, and a look imploring
pity; then fnatching a kifs when off her
guard, or when repulſed and ſtruggling for
it, offering at more indecent liberties. From
this outrage ſhe was once defending herſelf,
with loud cries and tears, and threats to
complain to his father, when fuddenly the
door burst open. In rufhed Tefty booted
and ſpurred, and brandiſhing a large horſe-
whip. He had heard the laft words of Sal--
ly, and thoroughly understood what had
hap-
38
THE LIFE OF
happened. But when cafting his eyes upon
the girl, he faw her pale, trembling, ready
to faint, with her chin, her cheek, and bo-
fom all covered with blood, he flew to his
fon, and with one ftroke of his horſewhip,
laid him ſprawling upon the floor. Sally
ran in to prevent the repetition of many a
dreadful kick that began to follow the blow,
entreating him to proceed no farther in his
anger, and aſſuring him, which was really
true, that the blood he ſaw, had fprung na-
turally from her nofe, without any hurt to
her at all." A good-natured filly wench,
fays Tefty, I believe the lies-get up, you
monſter-Say grace for what you've got,
you favage-If you like the fauce, return
to your tricks again, you ruffian, and you
ſhall have twice as much. The girl is un-
der my protection, you dog, touch her
again, at your peril." Away fneaked
Hodge, expreffing his thanks to his father in
filence, by a low bow, with his back turned
towards
}
Page 39
I;SD). Sha
I.Ch. Et d
UNIL
OF
MI
·H
SARAH MEAN WE'L L. 39
towards him; but muttering vengeance in
his heart againft Sally, for whom he had
conceived a paffion, that drove him now
quite befide himſelf.
Watching flily an opportunity of catching
her alone, and out of the houſe, he ſought
it in vain for ſeveral weeks; till feeing her
walk toward the dairy with a pail of milk
upon her head, he followed, and was going
to feize her, when, either through deſign,
or fright more probably, the overturned the
milk - pail directly upon his head, and
drenched him completely all over in the
white deluge. Away fhe ran that inſtant,
with fhrill cries for help, to the other maid,
who was milking the cows at a fmall dif-
tance. She cried fo loud, that the wench
from the cow-ftall, the farmer from the
barn, and her mother from the houſe, were
all met ſtaring together in the yard, firſt at
Sally's affrighted looks, and hair in ſtrange
difa
40
THE LIFE OF .
diſorder, by her cap's falling off, in the fray,
then at Hodge's ridiculous trim. But of
this, as he immediately caught his father's
eye, he had cunning enough to avoid an ex-
planation, by ſcampering off with uncom-
mon agility. Tefty strove in vain to over-
take him. His terrible denunciation of ven-
geance alone reached the ears of his fon,
who was inftantly out of fight.
CHAP.
SARAH MEANWELL.
4F
!
CHAP. V.
Profpect of calmer days.
THE farmer, inftead of enquiring at lei-
?
fure into the circumftances of the cafe,
which would have carried off, in a laugh,
great part of his choler, went into the fta-
ble, without fpeaking a word, faddled his
horfe, and gallopped off, in a vain ſearch of
his fon. He could get no tidings of him at
the great farm, nor at any of the neighbour-
ing towns, till after feveral months; when
a travelling pedlar informed him he had feen
Hodge enlifted, as a foldier, in a regiment
which was then marching to embark for
America. Tefty's temper now grew daily
more and more intractable: the buſineſs of
both
42
THE LIFE OF
both farms, under his fole management, kept
it in a continual ferment. His niece, but
more eſpecially her daughter, whom he re-
garded as the occafion of his domeftic mis-
fortune, were daily fufferers by his encrea-
fing ill-humour. Their mifery, at certain
times was fo great, that they would often
declare it was impoffible to abide with him
any longer; but it was alfo. impoffible to
leave an uncle, a protector, in ſo inconfol-
able a ſtate. With redoubled diligence, they
did. all in their power to footh, his melan-
choly.
At length, after leading for feveral
months a moft vexatious life, in a continual
hurry and agitation of fpirit, a well-timed
vifit from Mrs. Sagely gave a new turn
to their affairs, and adminiſtered comfort-
able hopes to all the parties of the enjoy-
ment of calmer days. This conſtant friend
and -
SARAH
43
MEANWELL.
and admirer of her beloved pupil informed
Mrs. Meanwell, that Sir George Worthy,
whoſe former lady had been fo kind to her
and her daughter, was lately married again,
and returned to fettle altogether in the
country. That he had enquired after them,
and finding them gone from the parish, he
had called upon her to learn what was be-
come of them. All the information fhe
could give him was of their prefent abode
with farmer Tefty. Were they happy
there?'-She could not tell. He wished
ſhe could take an early opportunity of en-
quiring in what fituation they were at pre-
fent; and ſhe was accordingly come for that
purpoſe. She added, that the prefent Lady
Worthy, of whom every one ſpoke very
highly, was in want of a fervant, to be em-
ployed as an affiftant to the houfe-keeper,
and occafionally to work at her needle. And
the gentleman had ſaid, he defired to know
7
of
44
THE LIFE OF
of Mrs. Sagely, whether Sally could be en-
gaged for that ſervice.
The mother and daughter looked at each
other, with a tender concern, and then at
the good ſchool-miſtreſs for fome time,
without ſpeaking a word. At length,-
"my dear child, faid Mrs. Meanwell, it will
be a great pain for us to part. But confi-
dering my uncle's prefent difpofition, it
may be for your good. At any rate he muſt
be informed of this propofal immediately, if
you are at all inclined to liſten to it." Sally
had ſcarcely expreffed a faint half-confent,
when Tefty abruptly entered. Having
heard the purport of Mrs. Sagely's embaffy
from her own mouth; "Hark you, Dame,
fays the Ruftic, the girl's a fool, if ſhe don't
jump at it, and make you her beft curtſy,
and all that. The worft I can fay of the
wench is that he is too good, and too clever,
and too handſome for my buſineſs, by half;
be-
SARAH MEANWEL L.
45
befides, the affair I have juſt been about will
make me want her work no longer. I have
ftruck up a bargain for my t'other farm,
ftock, and cattle, and goods, and all. They
are all very well off my hands, which will
not now have a quarter of the work they
had before. So you and I, Niece, may
ſpare that pretty Mifs to the gentlefolks.
Go, girl, put on your beft trim, and all that;
and march off immediately with this dame
to Sir What d'ye call him's. And, d'ye
hear? if we don't ſee you again before milk-
ing-time, your geer fhall be fent after you.'
CHAP.
46
THE LIFE OF
}
·
CHA P. VI
Agreeably fettled at Worthy Hall.-Unpleaſant
circumſtances made eafy by difcreet conduct.
LADY Worthy was exceedingly pleaſed
with the decent appearance and come-
linefs of Sally; but her modeſt and ſenſible
anfwers, when queftioned about all the
great things, which had been reported of her
abilities, won her heart at once." Having
never ferved in a genteel family, fhe was
quite ignorant, fhe faid, of what might be
expected from her. It ſhould be her ſtudy
to learn her duty, and her delight to obey
her ladyship."" My own maid, Trufty,
faid the lady, who is chiefly about my per-
fon, will tell you what plain-work may be
wanting,
1
SARAH MEANWELL.
47
wanting, and what affiſtance you may give
her, in her office of houfe-keeper." The
wages propoſed exceeded Sally's expectation.
A fervant was fent to her mother, by the
lady, who had fmiled at Mrs. Sagely's ac-
count of Tefty's hafty temper, and peremp-
tory determination, that if approved, fhe
ſhould be fettled in her place that very day.
A cart arrived, early in the evening, with a
fmall cheft of drawers, and Mrs. Meanwell,
who having enjoyed the fatisfaction of fee-
ing her daughter's fituation anſwerable to
her wiſhes, and taking a tender leave of her,
returned back with a light heart to her un-
cle.
Sally was charmed with a certain refem-
blance the found in Mrs. Trufty's charac-
ter, and even her perfon, to her dear mo-
ther, the fame gentle and attentive look, the
fame clearness of apprehenfion, civility, and
readiness of reply, with the fame prudent
and
48
THE LIFE OF
and ſkilful management, though their ſcenes
of action were now fo widely different.
They foon contracted a fincere efteem for
each other: great indeed were the affiſtances
Mrs. Trufty found in Sally's ready uſe of
her pen, as well as her needle, who in re-
turn received daily inftruction from the ex-
ample of fo experienced a lady's-woman,
and houſe-keeper. The former had ferved
Lady Worthy in both theſe capacities for
many years. In her fuperintendance now
over almoſt all the work of a very large fa-
mily, fhe was furprized and delighted at the
eafe and quicknefs, with which her young
friend foon learned to render her burthen
lighter. But the doing this was the moſt
delicate part of the preſent fituation of Mrs.
Meanwell, for fo fhe was generally called in
the family. Being often led by the direc
tion of the houſe-keeper, and ſometimes by
their miſtreſs, to a particular inſpection of
the pantry, the kitchen, the feveral offices,
and
1
SARAH MEANWELL.
49
and almost every room of the houſe, it was
no eaſy matter to perform this taſk, without
offence to the lower fervants, who now and
then would drop a flight hint of her want
of authority. But foon her obliging and
friendly difpofition, her frankneſs and truth,
but eſpecially her fuperior good fenfe got
the better of all their little prejudice at her
interference in what at firſt had diſpleaſed
them, as not belonging to her ſtation.
As the houſekeeper always attended her
miſtreſs in the vifits Sir George and his Lady
often made to Lord Alton, his uncle, whoſe
moſt reſpectable family was feated at the
diſtance of twenty miles, it was neceſſary,
during their abſence of three or four days,
for Sally to act as her deputy. Lady Wor-
thy very properly took care that all the fer-
vants should be made to underſtand this:
notwithstanding which, upon theſe occa-
fions, Sally Meanwell frequently found the
charge
D
50
THE LIFE OF
charge a heavy one, and was much perplex-
ed, and driven into great difficulties, in her
delicate fituation. The family had, with
due care and diligence, been always kept
very orderly, and the numerous fervants, of
both fexes, were in general good fort of peo-
ple; yet in the abſence of all eyes that kept
them moft in awe, fhe faw with pain, they
gave a looſe to their behaviour, which ſhe
could not approve, and found it hard to
control. All bufinefs went on lamely, and
not as it ought to do. Out they fallied, in
goffipping parties, for ſeveral hours together.
Their romping, noiſe, and nonfenſe within
doors, when they received the vifits of fer-
vants, from families under lefs regulation,
were very difgufting to her. Though vexed
at heart, Sally contented herſelf at firſt with
pointing out, in few and gentle words, the
impropriety of their conduct, and humbly
entreating them to fave her the difagreeable
neceffity of complaining of it. Thus her
pru-
SARAH
51
MEANWELL.
prudence enfured her a degree of reſpect, (to
which the mildneſs of her manner, and ftill
more perhaps, the perfuafive eloquence of
unaffuming beauty, not a little contri-
buted;) and preferved her in general from
infolent replies. All the rest of the fer-
vants regarded her, except one of the
houfe-maids, by far the moſt faulty of them
all. Sufan Coltish, who was of a touchy
diſpoſition, not only inſulted her grofsly her-
felf, upon the occafion, but laughed at all
the reft, for tamely bearing to be found fault
with by a fellow-fervant. When Mrs.
Meanwell civilly endeavoured to make her
comprehend it was her duty in general to act
as ſhe did, and it was more particularly Mrs.
Houſemaid's good, fhe had in view, in her
advice, the pert huffy rifing in her airs, and
with more fnappifh anfwers, either compel-
led her to retire, or flung out herſelf in a
huff.
·
D 2
Luckily
52
THE LIFE OF
Luckily Sally diſcovered in Mrs. Steady,
the cook, the ground-work of a worthy cha-
racter, much ſkill and diligence in her buſi-
nefs, great modefty, and a ferious turn of
thought. She was juſt as little given to gad-
ding, and as much diſpleaſed with ribaldry
as herfelf. Meanwell was really beloved by
this Mrs. Steady, whofe good graces fhe had
gained by always offering her friendly aid,
if ever ſhe ſaw her in need of it, from any
more than ordinary buftle. The like ob-
liging conduct fhe readily fhewed to all her
- fellow-fervants, when it fell in her way. If
the unexpected arrival of a great deal of
company, as it fometimes happened, threw
them all into a hurry, Sally feemed to have
the gift of multiplying herſelf to ſerve them
all.
The chamber-maids, cooks, butler,
and houſe-keeper, appeared all at once to
find their feveral works made eaſy to them
by her chearful affiftance.
Every
SARAH
53
MEANWELL.
Every idler, flut, and goffip began to re-
form, out of a real defire to gain her good-
will. She herself acquired every day fome
ufeful article of knowledge, in attiring her
lady, in marketing, book-keeping, cookery,
and every one of the fmalleft departments
belonging to a great houfe. No wonder then
the advanced very quickly to the higheſt de-
gree of esteem with her miftrefs. Lady
Worthy had the fatisfaction likewife of con-
ceiving a better opinion, than ſhe had be-
fore, of almoſt all the other fervants, whofe
work fhe faw better done, and whom Mrs.
Meanwell was delighted in commending to
her mistress, if they, in any way, deferved
it. To her friend, the cook, ſhe was parti-
cularly glad to do juftice. All theſe kind
offices the commonly did them, with Lady
Worthy, through the mediation of Mrs.
Trufty, who was happy in finding the good
order of the family moſt pleaſingly improved:
and without the leaft envy, but great love
D3
and
54
IFE OF
THE
and gratitude to Sally, fhe always acknow-
ledged to whom it was in great meaſure ow-
ing. The untoward diſpofition, and pètu-
lance of Coltish alone, continued fometimes
to teize and infult her ftrangely. But this
was the lefs regarded, as the reft were punc-
tual in their duty, and obliging in their de-
portment to her. They were all too good-
natured to become the accufers of Sufan,
whoſe agreeable ſprightlineſs at times, in the
midſt of her moſt culpable fallies, had gene-
rally conciliated their good will. She often
gave tokens of a mind not uncultivated, and
greatly fuperior to her ftation; but there was
fomething extremely unaccountable in her
conduct. Her fellow-fervants had reaſon to
repent their not feeking to check her en-
creafing folly; as it foon brought about a
melancholy event, which threw the whole
family into great confternation.
CHAP.
SARAH MEANWELE.
55
CHA P. VII.
Sally's improvement from every quarter.
#
terrible diſaſter in the family raifes her cha-
racter to an exalted pitch.
IN the dextrous ufe of the needle, Mrs.
Trufty and the Cook excelled almoſt as
much as Sally; but each in a different way.
Mrs. Meanwell learned a great deal from
both. As they got inftruction in nice plain
work and mantua-making from her, ſhe re-
ceived good leffons from the one in the ele-
gant parts of millenary work, and from the
other in the cheapeſt and moſt ready method
of mending, and turning every rag to good
account. Even from the Butler fhe was
enabled to pick up much information, and
D4
that
୮
36
THE LIFE OF
that from diligent obſervation only: for the
ſpoke but little to him, and indeed was al-
ways very ſparing of difcourfe with any of
the men fervants. Lady Worthy, who had
great pleaſure in taking notice of the daily
figns of a good underſtanding in Sally's
whole conduct, admitted her infenfibly more
and more to the honour of her converfation.
As the lady's mind had been enriched by an
excellent education, with great ftore of all
fuch knowledge as is moft ufeful and orna-
mental in a woman, to which her admirable
good ſenſe and unaffected piety added a pe-
culiar grace and dignity, Meanwell received
every word ſhe ſpoke with attention and ve-
neration indeed, and found her own mind
furprizingly refined and improved by theſe
kind condefcenfions of her miftrefs. Nor
was fhe denied admittance to the library of
her maſter, who had been told of her delight
in reading. Of this kind permiffion fhe
gladly availed herſelf, when her mafter
and
SARAH MEANWELL.
57
and miſtreſs were elſewhere engaged; but in
hours only of perfect leiſure, and eſpecially
on Sundays. She often took great pleaſure
on thoſe days in reading to all the fervants
affembled in their hall at the beginning of
the evening, and that by the requeſt of the
moſt ſerious among them, either one of the
Lectures of Archbishop Secker upon the Church
Catechifm, or a Sermon of Tillotson abridged.
The catechetical lectures were a most ac-
ceptable donation of her prefent miſtreſs ;
the collection of ſhort but excellent dif-
courfes had been formerly given her by her
first benefactreſs: and though fhe could al-
moſt repeat the whole of theſe laft, they in-
tereſted her heart to that degree, that ſhe was
never tired of reading them.
1
Thus did Sally receive improvement from
every thing and every perfon about her.
From the pert houſe-maid Coltiſh alone ſhe
had little to learn but the daily exerciſe of
D 5
her
58
THE LIFE OF
her patience, which indeed was repeatedly
put to the fevereft trials, by her infolence
and irregular conduct. This was the more
furprizing, as the maid frequently diſcover-
ed a great ſhare of refpect, in her abſence,
for Mrs. Meanwell's acknowledged fuperi-
ority.
The giddy girl's ſpirits had one day been
obferved by a fellow-fervant to be thrown
into a ſtrange flutter upon the receipt of a
letter. She tore it open with great eager-
nefs and wildneſs in her looks. Cafting a
hafty glance upon it, fhe gave a doleful
fcream, and feeming ready to faint, funk
down upon the floor; then ftarting fudden-
ly, up the ſprung, and ran to her garret,
where the locked herſelf in. A chamber-
maid, who had watched Sufan's motions,
foftly followed her up ftairs, and applying
her eye to the key-hole of the door, ſhe ſaw
her tearing off her cap and hair, ſcratching
her
Page 59.
I.S.D. Shid
ル
​OF
SARAH
59
MEANWELL.
胄
​her cheeks, and ftamping furiouſly upon the
floor, and could hear nothing but curfes
muttered againſt her own folly, and bitter
exclamations againſt the cauſe of fome ter-
rible misfortune that appeared to have be-
fallen her. Fearing the girl might do her-
felf greater miſchief, fhe would have forced
open the door; but as that exceeded her
ftrength, down fhe flew haftily, and meeting
Mrs. Trufty and the butler, told them what
had happened. In a moment all the fer-
vants, and Sally among the reft, were at the
door of the garret. All within was filent.
The houſe-maid, though repeatedly called,
returned no anſwer. The butler, dafhing
his foot violently againſt the lock, burſt
open the door; there hung the poor wretch
by her garters from the tefter of her bed;
ſhe was inftantly cut down and laid upon
the bed by the butler, and a footman was
diſpatched for a furgeon.
D6
Mrs.
}
bo
THE LIFE OF
1
Về
Mrs. Meanwell, though extremely ſhock--
ed as well as the reft at the ghaftly appear-
ance of the wan and diſtorted countenance
of the poor creature, who ſeemed to be life-
leſs paſt recovery, applied her hand to Su-
fan's face and breaft; fhe found them cold
as clay; yet ſhe thought the could perceive
fome little convulfive motion ſtill about her
eyes and lips. Befeeching all the men to
retire, Mrs. Trufty and Sally haftened to un-
drefs her, while a chamber-maid ran down
for a pan of coals. Being put into a warm
bed, her face much difcoloured, and her
body ftill cold and motionleſs, gave little
hope of being brought back to life. On the
floor lay the fatal letter, which Sally picked
up. It announced that four lottery tickets,
of which the wretch had purchaſed ſhares,
had been all drawn blanks. While Trufty
and Meanwell were expreffing their horror
at the impious frenzy and unprincipled
mind the wench had diſcovered by this def-
perate
SARAH
6г
MEANWELL.
perate act, upon fo flight a caufe, in came the
furgeon. After opening a vein, and perform-
ing ſome other operations, he declared the
began to breathe. Her complexion returned
by degrees. She was feen to move, then to
open her eyes, and ftare for a moment on
all the aſtoniſhed faces affembled round the
bed: Uttering a faint fhriek, ſhe cloſed them
inftantly,and trembling exceedingly, ſhrunk
under the bed-cloaths, in convulfive agita-
tions of mind and body. The ſurgeon
beckon'd all to retire with him, except the
chamber-maid who had witneffed the begin-
ning of her frenzy; and to her he gave di-
rection to watch and give him notice when
ſhe ſhould appear a little more compofed.
An account was brought him after fome
time that a glimpſe of reafon feemed to be
now returning, tho' with much confufion
and diſtraction of thought, and frequently
uttering the words, undone, undone for ever.
The good furgeon, after preparing for her a
gently-
62
THE LIFE OF
gently-compofing opiate, (which he prefent-
ed to her with many foothing expreffions,)
and preſcribing what method he thought it
moft proper thoſe, who tended her, in her
preſent perilous ftate fhould follow for her
further recovery, acquainted Mrs. Meanwell
with a requeſt the poor creature had made
him, with great concern and terror in her
countenance, defiring him to whiſper to her
a wiſh that ſhe had moft at heart, to ſpeak
fomething to her in private before fhe
died.
ક
Upon Sally's entering the room and lock-
ing the door, at the girl's entreaty, Suſan,
with joined and uplifted hands, and a ſtream
of tears, implored her mercy and forgive-
neſs- Mine? poor thing! pray to God for
mercy, and I will join with thee in prayer
moſt heartily'—" Oh Mrs. Meanwell, you
are too good: the bafer wretch am I. You
little fufpect how guilty I have been to-
wards
SARAH MEANWEL L.
63
wards you. My faucinefs I know you for-
give; but you miffed fome months ago out
of your chest of drawers, a ſmall purfe con-
taining four guineas and fome filver; I can-
not die in peace without praying you to
pardon me for committing the theft. When
you had been kinder to me than I deſerved
a thousand times, (which indeed always uſed
to vex and make me the more infolent,) by
helping me to rub a mahogany table, I ſaw
a key drop out of your pocket upon the car-
pet. When your back was turned I picked.
it up, flew to your room, and robbed you,
for which may God and you forgive me.
The key I laid again unperceived in the
place upon the parlour floor, from whence I
had taken it; and where I fuppofe you
found it. What led me to this wickedneſs
was my obferving you put the purfe into the
drawer, as I came once on a fudden into the
room-But I muſt tell you all-It was Ro-
bert, the handfome footman of Lord Alton,
that
}
64
THE LIFE OF
that tempted me to commit the crime. He
had got ten pounds by a ſhare in a former
lottery and as he made love to me, a forry
man!"-Here confufion and bitter fobs in-
terrupted her narrative- He has not ruin-
ed you? I hope'-" No, I thank God;
though I am a poor credulous fool, I have a
little too much fenfe for that." What
then?" You fhall hear: he got me to
give him every farthing I had in the world,
and made me promife to beg, borrow, or
fteal enough to buy as many fhares as he
had in this lottery; and if we had any luck,
we ſhould go fnacks, and then he would
That letter is from a lottery-
marry me.
office to him, that my fhares are all blanks."
- A mighty matter! and could that drive
you to madnefs?'" No, not that only.
At the bottom is a line from the villain,
read it."-Sally took the letter, and with
difficulty decyphered thefe words fcrawled
with a pencil, which he had not noticed
before:
SARAH MEANWEL L.
65
before: "Mine too are all blanks; but what
is worse, I fear I am detected. So I must fly
for it; fo for ever farewell, Sue."-" He has
been as bad as I, faid Sufan, he firſt owned
it to me, and tempted me, horrid wretch, to
feize the first opportunity to do the like;
yet, I thank God, I never wronged man,
woman, or child, but you; and to you I had
the confident expectation of repaying foon,
with intereft, what I fo bafely ftole."
When the girl had ended her tale, and
received the affurance of pardon that ſhe had
implored, her mind appeared fomewhat
calmer, eſpecially when the tender-hearted
Sally declared ſhe would only report what
the letter diſcovered, without ever accufing
her of the theft; as her amendment and fu-
ture good behaviour, of which fhe had now
the moſt perfect confidence, would render
her worthy of entire forgiveneſs. The bo-
dily pains of Sufan were for a long time
hor-
66
THE LIFE OF
f
horrible indeed.
For feveral weeks fhe was
confined to her bed, with very little hopes of
life: during which, Mrs. Meanwell brought
her work every day, and remained often many
hours at her bed-fide, inftructing her in the.
principles of religion. The girl's heart was-
originally good, but in her childhood warp-
ed by bad example. Her underſtanding was-
indeed remarkably clear and ftrong by na-
ture, but ſo over-run by vanity, that no-
thing but a dreadful calamity could have
taught her wiſdom.
Her parents kept a
great inn at the neighbouring town. Tho'
they had given her an expenfive education
at a celebrated boarding-fchool eſtabliſhed
there, which, if fhe had had lefs conceit,
her quick parts might have improved to
great advantage; they never taught her any
good themſelves, nor inftructed her in the
fear of God, either by precept, or the influ-
ence of their own conduct. But as fhe
grew up a lively handſome girl, and was ex
pofed..
SARAH MEANWEL L'
67
poſed to much danger at home, they happen-
ed to have fenfe enough to keep her out of
harm's way, as they might reaſonably hope,
by fending her, for fome years from ſcenes
of riot and excefs, at firft to a decent fchool,
and afterwards to ſervice in a well-regulated
family.
Though a conftant attendance at church,
both morning and evening, was required
every Sunday of all the fervants of Sir
George and Lady Worthy, who were al-
ways punctual in their obfervance of that
duty themſelves; though it was recommended
to them, by advice and example, to receive
the facrament at ftated times (or, in other
t
words, to make in public, and before the
church of God, a folemn profeffion of their
hope of falvation through Jefus Chrift, and
their fincere defire and reſolution to live and
die in the Chriftian faith;) Coltiſh had hi-
therto complied with the reft, without the
flighteft
68
THE LIFE OF
}
Tho'
flighteſt ſenſe at heart of the facred work fhe
had been only appearing to perform.
Sir George, and in his abfence his Lady,
daily read prayers before the whole family
affembled in the hall; the ſenſe of no part
of them had ever entered the giddy wretch's
mind, which however keen and vigorous by
nature, was always bewildered by fome idle
fancy. It was no fmall taſk for Sally to
imprefs the understanding of fuch an incon-
fiderate creature with any true notion of re-
ligion. But far more difficult it must have.
been, without the bleffing imparted by the
late feemingly fatal difafter, to excite in her
heart and affections a real and lafting ſenſe of
her duty towards God, her neighbour, and
herſelf. Yet in bringing about this won-
derful change Mrs. Meanwell fucceeded al-
moſt beyond hope, through her pious ex-
hortations and prayers by Sufan's bed-fide
for many weeks together, while her death
was generally expected. Never, indeed,
was
SARAH MEANWELL.
69
was a truer penitent than this poor girl,
whoſe heart it pleafed God to touch with the
fincereft reinorfe, and to enlighten her
hitherto benighted foul with the beams of
his grace. The good principles which ſhe
had now imbibed from Sally, fhe faithfully
maintained all the rest of her life. Thoſe
who with reafon miftruft in general the fin-
cerity of all ſuch extraordinary converfions,
are deſired to reflect a little upon the circum-
ftances, that rendered this one perfectly
credible.
CHAP.
70
THE LIFE OF
CHA P. VIII.
A further display of found piety and fuperior
good fenfe in Sally.
USAN now regarded Mrs. Meanwell
SUSAN
with that high degree of veneration,
that often, with folded hands and ftreaming
eyes, fhe would declare it was hardly in her
power to refrain from falling down to wor-
fhip her, as a guardian angel fent from hea-
ven to ſnatch her from deftruction. Had
not Sally strictly enjoined her perpetual fi-
lence upon the ſubject, ſhe was even going
to proclaim to all the family every circum-
ſtance of the almoft unexampled generofity
of her moſt excellent and truly chriſtian
friend,
SARAH ME Â N WELL.
71
friend. Though ſhe continued a long time
in a languiſhing way, he was fo tenderly
treated and conftantly attended by Mrs.
Meanwell, and fo indulgently confidered by
Lady Worthy, that by degrees fhe began to
give hopes of her complete recovery. Her
Miſtreſs was inclined to love the girl for the
good and pious turn fhe had lately taken.
But to Sally the lady really looked up with
a ſort of reverence (though the knew not
half her merit,) as the infpirer of ſuch good
principles in a heart before utterly unac-
quainted with them. Sufan's fellow-fer-
vants, and all the neighbourhood, where it
was noifed abroad that the poor forfaken
damfel had hanged herſelf for love, pitied
her exceedingly, and ſome even admired her
heroifm. The fooliſh admiration they ex-
preffed for a deed fo horrid and impious as
felf murder, though occafioned by the ex-
ceffive ſtrength of a generous paffion, Love,
was ſometimes echoed in the family between
jeft
72
THE LIFE OF
jeft and earneft.
This was always no-
ticed with a painful concern by Mrs.
Meanwell. With great ſeriouſneſs, but
in her own modeft manner, fhe put to fi-
lence and confufion every filly expreffion
of this fort, by making the unthinking
praters fenfible of the deſperate frenzy, the
heinous fin against God, the deplorable con-
fequences of the deed upon which they were
talking ſo lightly and wantonly.
"Can the wretches, ſhe would fay, who
fhake off the ties of nature, by committing
murderous violence upon themſelves, find
in reaſon any juftification or colour of ex-
cuſe but abſolute madneſs? By what other
plea can we eſtabliſh any ground of hope,
that they ſhall be acquitted of the crime at
the day of judgment? But in many cafes,
after all, can reafon really admit this excuſe
to be available? Would the plea of diſtrac-
tion, ariſing from diforderly paffion, ſave a
man from capital puniſhment, who is con-
victed
SARAH MEANWELL.
73
victed of any act of felony at the bar of an
earthly 'judicature? Can the act of ſelf-
murder be free from guilt, when it is plain-
ly the confequence of an intemperate eager-
nefs of defire for what Providence is not
pleaſed to grant, when it is thus occafioned
by a finful and ungodly difpofition of mind?
Of theſe unhappy perfons we are apt to
ſpeak with pity and tenderneſs here. Alas!
of what uſe will that be to them at the bar
of fupreme juftice hereafter? With all their
fins upon their heads yet unpurged, unexpi-
ated by due contrition, tainted with a crime
of which they have cut themſelves off from
all power of repenting, till repentance will
be of no avail, to rufh thus rafhly into the
preſence of an avenging Judge-is that a
thing to be ſpoken of without horror and de-
teſtation ?
Such queſtions, obvious to right reafon,
however unregarded by men of no religious
E
prin
74
THE LIFE
LIFE OF
the
principle, Mrs. Meanwell accompanied with
fo moving and affectionate a tone of voice
and gefture, that the moft ftupid of her
hearers never failed to be fenfibly ftruck by
them. Tears and blushes were, upon theſe
occafions, fometimes feen upon faces that
had feldom fhewn thefe figns of grace before,
CHAP.
SARAH MEANWEL L. 75
CHA P. IX.
Goltiſh relapfes,—is reſtored,—and married.
WHIL
HILE youth and the natural ftrength
of Sufan's conftitution were flowly
bringing on her recovery, though ſhe ſtill
remained extremely languid and almoſt
helpless, a fecond fhock threw her back
again to death's door. Strict enquiries had
been made after Robert, Lord Alton's foot-
man, fince the day he fled. Above fix weeks
paffed before tidings were brought that he
had been ſeen going on board a fmuggling
veffel bound from Suffex for the coaſt of
France, that a violent ftorm from the ſouth
had, on the very evening before this account
E 2
at-
76
THE LIFE OF
arrived, driven back the fhip upon the rocks,
against which it had fplit to pieces, that all
the crew periſhed, and that among the dead
bodies thrown afhore by the waves the foot-
man's was found. Mr. Goodchild, the
faithful houfe-fteward of Lord Alton, had,
upon this news, been diſpatched to the place
to fee the poor fellow's corpfe interred. The
burial was hardly over, when among many
trunks and cafks recovered from the wreck,
a box, which the ſwelling tide had that in-
ftant caft upon the fhore, was fpied by an
honeſt publican, at whofe houſe Goodchild
put up, and where the deceafed had lodged
fome days before he went on board. The
name of Robert Thriftlefs being inſcribed
with nails upon the lid, and difcovering it
to have belonged to the footman, the land-
lord brought the box home, and delivered it
to the ſteward. Goodchild, after rewarding
the man for his honefty, rode back with the
box to his maſter's. Upon opening it be-
fore
+3
SARAH MEANWEL L.
77
fore all the family, many things of value
belonging to Lord and Lady Alton were
found, which had long been miffed and
fought for in vain. The rest of the contents
were fent to his father, a noted horſe-jockey
in the neighbourhood.
This tragical account a new houſe-maid,
lately hired to do the work of Sufan, rafhly
ran up to tell her. Mrs. Meanwell who had
juft then been writing for Mrs. Trufty,
being told this fad ftory, and well aware
how the fudden hearing it might affect Su- .
fan, flew up ffairs, and found her upon the
floor, ftruggling to all appearance in the
agonies of death. She had fallen into a fit,
out of which ſhe was not recovered but with
the greateſt difficulty. It was fo long and
violent, and left her fo very weak, that
about two months paffed before fhe could
again acquire the degree of ſtrength ſhe had
juſt recovered.
E 3
Her
78
THE LIFE OF
Her amiable friend and never-failing
comforter ftill foothed, exhorted, and at
length reſtored her mind to a juſt way of
thinking, and a due refignation to the will
of God. From the heart of Sally, that con-
ftantly glowed with a lively fenfe of the
divine preſence and government of all events,
fuch natural fentiments of pure devotion
flowed, as found an eaſy way into the foul
of Sufan. They approved themſelves thus
entirely to the light of the girl's own under-
ftanding, which was opening now to receive
them with joy as from a heavenly inftruc-
trefs. With returning reafon Coltifh once
more began to regain her ftrength, and in a
quicker progreſs than before. The fate of
Robert, tho' it ftill hung heavy on her heart,
and renewed the ſharp ftings of remorſe for
her own paſt miſconduct, contributed in the
main to calm it, by fixing her for the future,
the more firmly in her prefent good refolu-
lutions. Her giddineſs and levity were gone
for
1
SARAH MEANWEL L.
79
for ever; and a fettled air of ferioufnefs had
fucceeded in their place. The girl's come-
lineſs returned, attended with a decency'and
regularity of conduct fhe had never before
exhibited. She became infinitely more engag-
ing, if not hand fomer than ever; infomuch,
that John Digweed, a reputable and wealthy
farmer, of a hale conftitution, though bor-
dering upon threescore, a tenant of Lord
Alton, became enamoured of her. He had
heard a very favourable account of her ſtory,
and was fo ftruck with it, and the fight of
her perfon afterwards at church, that he
made her a propofal of marriage. The con-
fent of her parents, who were well known to
him, and whofe houſe he had conftantly fre-
quented on market-days, was previously ob-
tained. Her own focn followed, and the
knot was tied.. The gratitude of Mrs. Dig-
weed, who was really grown an excellent
good creature, overflowed continually in the
warmeft commendation of the eminent vir-
E 4
tues
80
THE LIFE OF
tues of Mrs. Meanwell; who had been the
chief inftrument of heaven, in exciting in
her heart the firſt idea fhe had ever conceived
of true goodneſs. The full poffeffion it had
now taken of her mind brought her bright
model to be perpetually preſent to it, and
preferved her ever after from any return to.
vice or folly.
CHAP,
SARAH MEAN WELL.
81
CHAP. X.
Promotions at Worthy Hall. A chearful ſcene
at Meanwell farm.
OME months went fmoothly over; at
SOME
the end of which, feveral well-merited
promotions took place at Worthy-Hall.
Mr. Corkwell, the butler, about that time,
found himſelf enabled, by an advantageous
propoſal, he had juft received, to fulfil an
engagement, into which he had entered with
Mrs. Trufty. He had a brother, who had
long carried on a profitable brewery. He
was now a widower, childlefs, and very
fickly. Into this bufinefs, of which Cork-
well had already fome knowledge, this bro-
ther
E 5
82
THE LIFE OF
ther offered to introduce him, defiring only
to ſhare the profits, and management of it,
for the first year, or till Corkwell ſhould ac-
quire a more competent knowledge of it.
The houſekeeper having confented, upon
the opening of any comfortable profpect of
this fort, to become Mrs. Corkwell, ac-
quainted Lady Worthy, as the butler did
Sir George, with their intentions. Tho'
loth to loſe two very good fervants, they
kindly wiſhed them joy, with generous ac-
knowledgements, expreffing a due appro-
bation of their paft fervices.
As this union was to take place without
delay, Mrs. Trufty, upon going down from
her miſtreſs, was bid to ſend up Sally. This
the perform'd with a flutter, a fmile, a tear,
and a hearty embrace, of all which fhe told
her he would quickly learn the meaning,、
Perplex'd with gueffes, up went Sally, and
heard, with agreeable furprize, the refolu-
tion
SARAH MEAN WE-L L.
8323
tion her lady had juſt taken, to raiſe her to
the ſtation Trufty was going to quit, and
the cook to the fecond place in her fervice,
which was now occupied by her. By this
regulation, the cook having before had un-
der her a good affiftant, and kitchen-maid,
they too gained each a ftep. The four va-
cancies were well fupplied. The fifth only
remained of the female fervants, or the low-
eſt place in the kitchen, and that was eaſily
filled. To the butler's poft a footman of
well tried honefty and. fobriety fucceeded.
As a thoufand good offices had paffed be-
tween Trufty and Meanwell, they now ex-
changed as many expreffions of an affection.
ate fenfe, and affurances of preferving a per-
petual memory of them.
A week only paffed before the junction,
and departure from Worthy-Hall of Mr.
and Mrs. Corkwell; one day of which Sally
was permitted to fpend with her mother.
E.6
She
}
84
THE LIFE OF
<
She had ſcarce embraced her, and received
her bleffing, with every token of mutual joy,
when her impatience to ſpeak of her promo-
tion was intercepted by Dame. Meanwell,
who faid, ſhe had heard of it from a kind
neighbour, the day before, together with an
admirable account of the very high efteem,
in which her beloved child was held by eve-
fy individual of the family.'
At that in-
ftant, in came the meffenger of the good
news, whoſe ears it had firſt reached acci-
dentally from Worthy-Hall. Who ſhould
this be but her friend and convert Coltifh,
now Mrs. Digweed. The farm, it feems,
which her huſband occupied, was that which
uncle Tefty had formerly rented.
The
two neighbouring farmers had lived many
years upon a fociable and friendly footing.
But to the mother of her guardian angel,
Mrs. Digweed rejoiced in fhewing every
mark of respect and civility in her power.
A moſt cordial intercourfe had commenced
be-
Page 85
I:SD. Snd
UNIL
M
OF
"CH
.
1
L.C.R.Etd
SARAH MEAN WELL.
85
between them, to their great and mutual
comfort and fatisfaction.
}
A fcene of awkward, yet not unpleaſing
perplexity now enfued between theſe three
good creatures. "Oh, Sally, ſaid Dame
Meanwell, I had almoſt forgot―There is a
bank-note for the twenty pounds my good
neighbour here had borrowed of you, and
which fhe begg'd me yefterday to take the
firſt opportunity of returning you.", Bluſhes
and ſmiles were exchanged in filence from
the two young faces. At laft- Not a
quarter of this'-faid Sally pointing to the
note I owe you more than twice as much,
interrupted Sufan haftily, which I fhall
ſtudy to repay with intereft, and ftill be ever
in your debt.' How is this?? cries Dame
Meanwell. Can my daughter have more
than forty pounds, befides what I have of
her's already!'-Oh! faid Mrs. Digweed,
Lady Worthy is a very generous lady-
But
1
86
THE LIFE OÉ
But I muſt be gone, dear good folks, and
leave you together, you have a million of
pleafing things to hear and tell each other."
After embracing Sally with a glowing cheek,
and whispering in her ear, You will be
filent, best of human beings,' out the flew.
•
}
Uncle Tefty, who with an air of un-
wonted chearfulneſs, ſpread over his rough
and wrinkled countenance, had been wit-
nefs of this laft fcene, caught Sally by the
hand, and giving it a rudé fhake-Thou
art a good wench, I believe, Sall. But this
young dame-o'my confcience, an fhe were
a man, I ſhould fancy ſhe had been thy lov
yer, and all that-bepraiſing thee for ever.
like mad. Thy friend quoth a-Never
before did I hear of a girl's brain crack'd
with friendſhip. But come, Mrs. Guardian.
Angel, and good Genius, and all that, fit
down, and take fome bread and cheeſe, and
cold bacon-I'll go, and draw the heavenly
being
SARAH MEANWEL L.
87
•
being a hearty can-then giving her t'other
ſhake-Faith and troth, though'f I've not
the knack at this fame fpeechifying, I am as
glad to fee thee, Sall, as if thou wert twenty
fine ladies, and waiting-maids, and cheru→
bims, and all that"-Before he came back
with the can, his niece had time to tell her
daughter that all now went on very pleafant-
ly-Her uncle's humour was changed much
for the better-He had fome time ago re-
ceived good news of his fon-By a ftrict
obedience, Hodge had highly recommended
himſelf in his corps, and in reward of fome
action of uncommon bravery, had been made
ferjeant-major-Digweed and Teſty toffed
off their cans together a little too much.
But they were always very good-humoured
in their cups, and minded their buſineſs very
notably. In comes the farmer with a double
quart mug, and one of his carters at his
heels, bearing a letter. Tefty fnatches, and
tears it open-" From Hodge, i'fackins-
Odfo!
88
THE LIFE OF
Odfo! Captain Roger Teſty! I proteſt-
Why, niece, why Sall, my boy is made an
officer, he tells me, a lieutenant of marines,
by George! and is going on board a ſhip,
to fight the French; and hopes to return
home with abundance of prize-money, and
all that-Run, Dick-(to the carter)—Tell
Mafter Digweed to come and drink health
and fuccefs to Hodge-no, I beg his pardon,
Captain Roger Tefty'-Sally enjoyed the
mirthful ſcene all the reft of the day, with
her mother and Mrs. Digweed, (who foon
came with her huſband,) till the declining
fun obliged her to return to Worthy-Hall.
СНАР.
SARAH MEANWEL L..
89
CHA P. XI.
Happy conformity of two different good cha~)
Pacters.
THE new double office of houſekeeper
and waiting-woman gave daily oppor-
tunities to Sarah Meanwell to fhew her gra
titude to Lady Worthy, and to confirm the
good opinion fhe had conceived of her abi
lities and temper, in both which refpects fhe
was perpetually diſplaying föme new excel-
lency. In her affiftant, Mrs. Steady, fo the
cook was now called, fhe found a valuable
friend, who, though of nearly double her
age and experience, could look up to her,
without the ſlighteſt touch of envy. Steady
had
90
THE L.I.FE
had the ſenſe to difcern, the honeſty to own,
and the generofity to delight in thoſe ſupe-
rior qualities in Mrs. Meanwell, and that
judgment beyond her years, which made her
a general bleffing to the family, in the place
fhe filled.
So exactly did fhe conform to the model
fet her by her young affociate, (for Sally
never allowed her to fufpect fhe claim'd the
fmallest degree of control or authority over
her,) that in affuming an attention to her
own perſon and figure now, which was less
in her power before, her head-dreſs, gown,
and every other article of her attire had the
fame elegant plainnefs, the fame perfect
neatneſs without a foil or fpot. Nothing
gay or flaunting, not the leaſt ornament un-
befitting a fervant was ever feen on Mean-
well or Steady. Though thus refembling
each other in external appearance, the vifi
ble difparity of years excepted, there was a
L
dif
SAR. A. H
95
MEANWELL!
difference in their difpofitions, from which,
by their prefent mutual communication of
thought, they both profited greatly, the
younger being open-handed, the elder frugal,
and each to a little exceſs.
Sally had, indeed, from her firft receipt of
wages at Worthy-Hall, remitted one half
of them conſtantly to her mother, to re-
main with her as a neft-egg, for immediate
relief to her beloved parent, if her fituation
with farmer Tefty fhould grow diſagreeable,
or he ſhould die, and leave her deftitute. Of
the remainder the beſtowed but half upon
herſelf, the reſt her compaffionate difpofition
commonly distributed among ſuch proper
objects, as fell in her way. I have nothing
for you, was never a phrafe with her, but
when that was really the cafe. So that in-
ſtead of the forty pounds her mother under-
ftood with wonder that ſhe was faid to have
faved, every quarterly payment generally
found
92
THE LIFE OF
found the good girl with empty pockets:
For the fum, which had been taken, in the
firſt purſe, that the had ever learned to knit,
was the produce of her former induſtry; and
Sufan's twenty pound note, in payment of
it, ſhe had refuſed taking out of the hands of
her mother.
But Mrs. Steady, though turned of forty,
ftill kept matrimony and future children in
her eye, and ftuck to her old habit of faving.
for them, for fhe had no parent or poor re-
lation to be concerned about. Againſt beg-
gars of every denomination fhe had a rooted
prejudice. Liberality to them, fhe faid, was
no charity, but ill-judging pity, that en-
courages idleness and impofture. This the
fpoke from
from conviction
conviction and principle,
grounded upon found ſenſe, and due reflec-
tion.
IN
SARAH MEANWEL L. 93
In one point the perfectly reſembled
Mrs. Meanwell, that whatever fhe faid,
one might always depend upon it, was the
very thing the thought. But her words
were few, her manner dry, and not engag-
ing on a first acquaintance. Never for
their own fakes, or for any body elſe, would
either of them do or fay a thing ſhe did not
believe to be right or true: But truth in
the one wore its milder, in the other its
feverer afpect. In honefty and fidelity to
the intereſt of their mafter and miſtreſs they
both rofe to equal credit.
in the ſmalleſt circumftance,
confidence and truſt.
They never,
betrayed any
Sally's difcretion in that reſpect was in-
deed remarkable beyond her years. Though
naturally of a frank and open diſpoſition,
The had been trained, from her childhood,
by her mother, and the fchool-miftrefs, in
the
94.
THE LIFE OF
the habit of reſerve with refpect to the fe-
crets of others. In Steady fhe faw the ex-
ample of due caution, in regard to her
own.
CHAP.
SARAH MEANWEL L. 95
CHAP. XII.
A character is introduced, exactly correfpondent
to Sally's, of the other fex.
MRS. Meanwell had been about two
years in her place of houſekeeper at
Worthy-Hall, when Lord Alton arrived
there upon a vifit to his nephew. Almoft
all that time he had lived in London, the
death of his lady having rendered his re-
fidence at the country-feat no longer agre-
able to him. He came attended only by his
Valet de chambre, and Mr. Goodchild, who
had been appointed, but the day before, the
fteward of his lordſhip's landed eſtates, but
who had diſcharged, for fome time paſt, the
office
96
THE LIFE
office of his fecretary, and domeftic ftew-
ard.
Meanwell and Steady were always handy,
and exact in ſeeing that every thing was in
proper order, for the reception of an acci-
dental gueſt: So that never was the leaſt
confufion or hurry to be feen, upon the ar-
rival of a ſtranger. The vifits of Sir
George and his lady to his lordship's feat
had been diſcontinued from the death of Lady
Alton. Once or twice only Sally had at-
tended her miſtreſs thither, juft upon her-
entrance into her new offices. The perfon,
therefore, and character of the ſteward were
not entirely new to her. By the circum-
ftances of the life and conduct of John
Goodchild, of which a particular account
hall be given in the five fucceeding chap-
ters, it will appear how perfectly the diſpo-
fition of this excellent young man agreed
with that of Sally Meanwell. The out-
line
SARAH MEANWELL.
97
line of their future deftiny might properly
be faid to have been traced by the hand of
nature, at their very first meeting. The
fame diftinguiſhed abilities and punctuality
in fulfilling their duty in ftations fomewhat
fimilar, a conformity in age, in which he
exceeded her about four years only, the fame
engaging deportment, the fame beauty, and
ftriking elegance of perfon, made it impof-
fible for them not to conceive a certain like-
ing for each other, from their firſt acquain-
tance. But this liking, though accompa-
nied with eſteem for his character, had made
comparatively but little impreffion in the
heart of Sally, during their ſhort interviews
at Lord Alton's. In Goodchild's the effect
was much ſtronger. To his paſſionate ad-
miration of the amiable qualities of her
mind and perfon, his reafon and reflection
added an entire approbation of her, as a moſt
defirable partner in all the cares and com-
forts of his future life, whenever a profpec
F
fhould
98
THE LIFE OF
fhould be opened to him, of a fufficient pro-
vifion to maintain a wife. The occafion of
this vifit of Lord Alton to his nephew af-
forded fuch a profpect. His lordship's land-
ſteward, who was alfo Sir George Worthy's,
and who likewife received the rents, and
fuperintended the eſtate of Mr. Powel, an
opulent gentleman, whofe property lay con-
tiguous to both theirs, had been lately dif
miſſed, with infamy, by the laſt-mentioned.
That gentleman had juſt given information
to his noble neighbour of this difmiffion,
upon the difcovery of certain fhuffling tricks,
which he had long carried on unfufpected.
This had now induced Lord Alton likewiſe
to difcard the detected knave.
His lordſhip had raiſed his tried and faith-
ful fecretary to that poft, and was come to
recommend him to his nephew for the fame
employment. With their neighbour, Mr.
Powel, who had been the firſt in detecting
the
SARAH MEANWELL.
99
the fraud of the former fteward, he had al-
ready fucceeded. Goodchild was approved,
and admitted to the fuperintendance of the
fecond eftate; and was now, without diffi-
culty, engaged at Worthy-Hall to the ma-
nagement of the third. This preferment, in-
ftead of turning the head of this good young
man, or inciting him to raife it to higher-
views, fixed his mind the more fteadily to
its moft defirable object.
F 2
CHAP.
100
THE LIFE OF
CHAP. XIII.
Afketch of the life and character of John
Goodchild.
JOSEPH, the father of John Good-
child, was an out-penfioner of Chelſea
College. He had diſtinguiſhed himſelf, not
lefs by his bravery, at the fiege of the Ha-
vannah, in the repulfe, that was made, un-
der the Moro caftle, of an attack upon our
entrenchments, than by his humanity, in
taking priſoner, and ſaving at the ſame time
the life of a Spaniſh officer, in doing which
he had received a wound in his left arm,
which difabled him in fome degree from the
ufe of it, and obliged him to quit the mili-
tary
SARAH
ΙΟΣ
MEANWEL L.
་
tary ſervice of his country. He had been
taught in his youth to write a good hand,
and had a fufficient knowledge of accompts,
to teach them, as far as is requifite for thè
common occafions of life. He fettled, at
his return to England, at a fmall country
town, where he had formerly been agree-
ably quartered. There he fet up a day-
fchool, and married a fenfible woman, who
had lived many years, as nursery maid, in
the well regulated family of the worthy rec-
tor of the parish. She proved an excellent
affiftant to Joſeph, in teaching his ſcholars
of both fexes to read. But the girls the
kewife inftructed in the ufe of the needle,
at which fhe was accounted a neat and ſkil-
ful work-woman.
Their only fon, John, who was a finè
hopeful boy, diſcovered, at an earlier âge
than moft children are able to be taught any
thing, the most pleafing märks of a good
memory
F 3
102
THE LIFE OF
memory, and great quickneſs of apprehen-
fion. He difplayed, in his childhood, every
token of an excellent difpofition. His tem-
per, as he grew up, though naturally very
gentle and tractable, exhibited, upon proper
occafions, the fame fpirit, courage, and high
fenfe of honour, that were feen in his brave
and honeft Father. The franknefs and
truth, which appeared, at all times, in his
open countenance, whether mild, or ani
mated, evidently proceeded from an inborn
averfion for all arts of deceit and cunning.
Yet he obtained, from a conftant habit of
enquiry, and eager purfuit of new inftruc-
tion, fuch a keennefs of penetration, as
made it very difficult for any one to impofe
upon him. He was the general favourite
of all his ſchool-fellows, whofe good quali-
ties at all refembled his own: and by the
example he ſet them of unwearied diligence
in learning, he not only gained great credit
to the ſchool, but he grew in time the occa-
fion
SARAH MEANWEL L. 103
fion of his father's progrefs in new bran
ches of knowledge. Jofeph, now, for the
benefit of his fon, added to his former fmat-
tering in arithmetic fome acquaintance
with the mathematics, as far at leaft as be-
longed to land-furveying, which he found
a pleafing and foon a profitable fludy. Be-
ing frequently employed, when diſputes a-
rofe about the dimenfions of a piece of
ground, he acquired, and taught his fon
with eaſe, a ready method of determining
the point with exactnefs and for all the
landed gentry round, he drew, with neat-
nefs and accuracy, maps and plans of their
eftates.
When the lad had paffed his fourteenth
year, the clergyman, in whofe family hist
mother had lived, with great credit, in the
charge of ſeveral children, called forth John
to employments, which became the fource
of his future advancement in life.
Dr.
F 4
Wife,
204
THE LIFE
LIFE **
Wife, this good rector, had now introduced
his fons, with fair profpects, into the world,
and feen his daughters well married.
As
age began to enfeeble his fight, he was in
want of younger eyes, to relieve his own
in reading, in writing occafionally, and
keeping his family accompts. The good
qualities and proficiency of little John had
not eſcaped his notice. He had often encou
raged, and rewarded his diligence with
marks of approbation, in books adapted to
his years, and progrefs in knowledge. He
had obferved, that inftead of wafting his
time with idle bòys on holidays, and when
the church was over on a Sunday, his chief
delight was in reading thoſe books, about
which he would fometimes examine him :
and Joſeph had ſhewn him ſome collections,
which his boy had made with great care,
of what he could recollect of the fermons
he had juſt heard, written in a fair hand, in
a book he had given him for that purpoſe.
Natu-
SARAH MEANWELL?
105
Naturally pleaſed, in confequence of the
favourable opinion every man has of his
own productions, (from the illuftrious
preaching Archbiſhop in Gil Blas, down to
the humble writers of a few leaves, for the
ufe of the children of poor people,) with
what he could not. but regard as a mark of
true judgment in John, Dr. Wife was glad
to engage fo good, fo fenfible and judicious a
lad for the fervices abovementioned.
The doctor was a very active juftice of
peace, and tranfacted of courſe much bufi-
nefs of public importance. He had foon oc-
caſion for a clerk, having at length dif
charged one, who had ferved him in that
capacity for fome years with fufficient fkill,
but whom he had found unfaithful to the
truft. He began therefore, upon trial of
John's abilities, to think of training him
up for the office. He made him acquainted,
by degrees, with every neceffary circum-
ftance
F 5
106
THE LIFE OF
ſtance relating to it: he employed him oc-
cafionally in confulting and reading various
law-books. The youth paid a diligent at-
tention to his maſter's inftructions, with
great improvement to himſelf in every re-
ſpect. He made eſpecially confiderable ad-
vances in law-learning, for which the daily
application of it, in the great variety of bu-
finefs, about which his mafter was confulted,
and his own clear difcernment peculiarly
qualified him. He fucceeded the better in
the acquifition of ſuch uſeful knowledge, by
his being ſeldom diverted from it to any
other purfuit, eſpecially by his maſter's in-
ftructing him how to turn it to account in
real life. It was no fmall advantage to John,
that his mind was not confuſed by all the
flaſhy ftuff, that only ferves to fwell the va
nity, and render impertinent and ridiculous
the natural dulnefs of an academical block-
head, who has only gleaned the refuſe of
what
SARAH MEANWELL.
107
what is too often improperly called a learned
education.
When, upon giving repeated proof of his
laudable proficiency, he fucceeded ſoon after
to the office of clerk to fo very vigilant a
member of the quorum, he redoubled his
diligence to difcharge it, with credit to him-
felf and his worthy employer. A vaft en-
creaſe of bufinefs of this fort was continual-
ly crowding upon the hands of this truly
reverend magiftrate. So highly was his
judgment prized, throughout all the coun-
try, that to him they flocked in all diſputes;
and by no man were they ever ſo happily,
or expeditiouſly terminated, as by Dr.Wiſe,
to the frequent difappointment of attornies
and pettifoggers.
During ſeven years John Goodchild had
executed his part of all this buſineſs, with
ftill encreafing credit, under fo excellent a
mafter,
108
THE LIFE OF
maffer, when a fatal ſtroke of the dead paffy
fuddenly deprived the country of that watch-
ful guardian, but merciful affertor of its
wholeſome laws, the parifh of their moſt
beloved and reſpected guide, and young John
of an invaluable friend and patron. Not a
dry eye was ſeen at the funeral of this good
man, which was attended, with every token
of deep concern, by all the neighbouring
gentry, and by every individual of both
fexes, and all ages, among his parishioners.
A legacy of twenty pounds, bequeathed in
his will to John, the dutiful youth put into
the hands of his parents, as he had always
regularly done two thirds of the wages li-
berally allowed him by his reverend bene-
factor.
CHAP.
SAŘÁH MEANWELL. rog
CHAP. XIV.
Es engaged first as fecretary, then as house-few-
ard to Lord Alton.
OUNG Goodchild had fincerely joined
YOUNG
the public lamentation for the death.
of Dr. Wife. But his private regret, in fe
general a lofs, was fuch as did peculiar ho-
nour to his virtuous difpofition. Many
were the tears he fhed' in fecret for the de-
parture of the generous inftructor, who had
taken fuch pleaſure in forming his mind to
fome conformity with his own, in every
kind of real worth. He lamented alfo his
deprivation of an employment, which gave
him great infight into the buſineſs and
buftle
110
THE LIFE OF
buftle of human life. But his abilities na-
tural and acquired being now well known,
and deſervedly eſteemed, did not fuffer him
to remain long without employment. A
meffage from Alton-Court fummoned him
to an office of equal importance, and greater
advantage. The noble proprietor of that
fplendid feat had highly reſpected, and lived
in great friendſhip with his late patron, and
was confequently no ftranger to John's qua-
lifications and merit. He was glad now to
engage him, at a very high falary, for the
poft of his private ſecretary.
This employment introduced him of
courfe into much converfation with Lord
Alton, a nobleman of the rare fterling an-
cient ſtamp, who wanted no luftre of pedi
gree, to render him one of the higheſt orna-
ments of his elevated rank. This much-re-
fpected peer, and moft truly great man,
whoſe judgment and keenneſs of difcern-
ment
SARAH MEANWELL.
III
ment were equal to his beneficence, was
agreeably furprized to find the young man's
accompliſhments greatly to furpafs thofe of
the perſon whom he had fucceeded in his
preſent ſtation, and who had been boaftfully
recommended to him from one of our fa-
mous univerfities, as a man of diſtinguiſhed
learning and talents; who indeed had
abundance of conceit, and a proportional
deficiency of common fenfe. John's very un-
common good fenfe was always tempered with
modefty. Though his anfwers, when ſpoken
to, were remarkably direct and clear, he was
no leſs reſpectful in his manner of deliver-
ing his opinion, when any thing happened
to be referred to it by his lordship. Per-
fectly free from the ſlighteſt taint of affecta-
tion, or false pretence, there was fuch an
exact propriety in the whole tenor of his
behaviour, that it is no wonder he recom-
inended himſelf daily more and more to the
eſteem of fo good a judge of men and man-
ners.
FI2
THE LIFE OF
mers. His general civility to all, and ob-
liging deportment, even to the loweft do-
meftic, obtained him the good will, and
unfeigned regard of all the inferior fervants-
the family. To this (as we have before
obſerved, with refpe& to the power of beau-
ty, recommended with modefty in the other
fex,) the youth' exceedingly genteel, yet
manly figure, might a little contribute..
His father, though it lay out of his way to
teach him the minute ftep, had taken great
pleaſure in forming the motions of hist
body to all the graceful attitudes of a ſoldi-
er: And this habit appeared now, when he
had paffed his one and twentieth year, to
have added a certain natural air of dignity,
as well as eafe and elegance to his tall and
comely perfon..
Mr. Mac Haught alone, the houſe-ſtew
ard, who affumed the ftate of a great man,
though in a manner directly the reverfe of
his
SARAH
MEANWEL L. 113
This mafter, regarded John with no favour-
able aſpect. This lofty perfonage prefided
at the fecond table, and expected at leaft as
much deference as his lordſhip from all the
fervants of the family, whom he treated with
the groffeft indignities, if they ever appeared
to flight in the leaft his extravagantly arro-
gant claims, at which they had long mur-
mured in fecret. At the first appearance of
á new favourite, he betrayed his difguft and
jealoufy, which now flamed out in frequent
marks of indignation and diſdain, at the ge-
neral partiality in favour of Goodchild. It
was a great mortification to him, the imme-
diaté vice-roy, to fee a groom or a föótman
ready to ſerve a petty clerk, with almoſt equal
attention and reſpect, and viſibly with great-
er pleaſure, than he ferved him, the deputy
lord of Alton-Court. But a caufe of ftill
fiercer diſpleaſure was the degree of confi-
dence and eſteem, to which this infignificant
upftart, this whiffling quill-driver, whofe life
had
114
THE LIFE OF
had not attained as yet to half the number
of his years, was manifeftly rifing with their
common fovereign. He had, for many
months, diffembling his vexation, kept a jea
lous watch upon all Goodchild's motions,
and tried in vain a thouſand ſubtile ftrata-
gems to undermine him in his lordship's fa-
vour, without fufpecting that John faw
plainly through them all, and inwardly deſ-
piſed them, though he ftill treated Mac
Haught with all the outward reſpect, he
claimed from his years, and fuperior fta-
tion.
But what was of ftill greater conſequence
to Goodchild, their benign, but obſervant
Lord-paramount, who had often laughed in
fecret at the ridiculous demeanour of the
Bafhaw, fo oppofite to his own, which this
mock-lordling always affumed towards all
the inferior vaffals, was now equally aware
of his envy and fpite againſt his fecretary,
and
SARAH MEANWELL.
115
and waited with attentive expectation to ſee
what lengths he meant to carry them.
Goodchild had often fmiled in filence at
many an infulting fpeech, which Mac-
Haught had made to him, without the
flighteſt provocation given, or anſwer re-
turned, on his part, though inwardly re-
folved to crush his arrogance effectually, if
it fhould become no longer tolerable. Con-
tent to fee all who were prefent, expreffing
in their looks a tacit refentment of his un-
accountable ill-treatment, which he always
appeared himſelf to think utterly unworthy
of notice, the flighted clerk enjoyed an eaſy
triumph over the incenfed Lord-deputy, by
a moft provoking look of gentle pity, which
in Goodchild was real, and not affected. The
ftrange mortal's pride, exafperated to mad-
nefs, by this calm indifference, broke forth
at length into a ftorm of clamorous abuſe.
Loud indeed was his rage, eſpecially when
his impetuous expreffion of it, in a broad
northern
116
THE LIFE OF
年
​northern dialect, threatening immediate dif-
miffion to all the fervants of the family,
forced at length a laugh from Goodchild,
which was echoed firft from fide to fide of
the hall, where thirty fervants were affem-
bled, and witneffes of the ſtrange ſcene, till
all joining at once in chorus, the thunder-
ing peal fhook the whole manfion, and
called down Lady Alton firft, and immedi-
ately after his Lordſhip, who was already
apprized of his steward's frenzy. With his
ufual condefcenfion- Let me partake of
your mirth, good-folks,' faid the amiable
peer, who was no implicit admirer of Lord
Cheſterfield, nor had any averfion to a
hearty laugh, upon a proper occafion. But
at the inftant, as he glanced his eye upon
the humorous expreffion of the ſeveral rifi-
ble faces in the circle, (reftrained indeed,
for the prefent, in refpect to their lord and
lady,) the ſympathetic mufeles of his own
placid countenance at once expanded. An
involuntary
Page 117
LED).
NID
OF
M
XX
d
1
ICk. Et?
SARAH
117
MEANWELL.
involuntary laugh, he could no longer ftifle,
bursting forth, the full chorus again ftruck
up, and with redoubled ftrength. It had
Jafted near a minute, fometimes finking
lower, then riſing higher and louder than
before, when the imperious Steward roared
out-filence; his obfequious Lord firft
fhewed the example of obedience, bowing
with great gravity. The whole affembly
food mute." How have I deſerved this
treatment? Is it for your amuſement only,
they preſume to uſe me thus, my lord?"
faid Mac Haught, advancing with the air of
an enraged turkey-cock. That you ſhall
know this moment,' faid Lord Alton, with
great coolness, refuming his proper dignity,
and feating himſelf and his lady in two
chairs of ſtate at the upper end of the hall.-
Now, Sir, (majeſtically to 'Mac Haught)
and you, Sir, (with a fmile to Good-
child)-keep filence both, I charge you. I
fhall
118
THE LIFE OF
fhall try and decide upon your respective
merits and demerits, by the evidence of all
prefent-from the loweft ftable-boy and
fcullion, who were firſt interrogated, and ſo
upwards, to the valet de chambre, and but-
ler, one by one, the voices ran pretty much
alike in the main, all expreffive of diflike,
in fome degree, of the fteward, in compari-
fon at leaſt of the opinion they gave of the
ſecretary, in the warmest commendation of
whom they all unanimously concurred.
Mac Haught, tho' fomewhat creſt-fallen,
difdained to wait the ſentence of the court,
or ſpeak one word in reply to the evidence,
but advancing, with neck unbent, toward
the judge, declared his defire inſtantly to
refign, or rather to throw up his office. It
were needleſs to defcribe the general fatis-
faction, which overspread all faces, at this
refignation, or downfall of pride and arro-
gance; or to add that it was greatly height-
ened,
SARAH MEANWE L L. 119
ened, when Lord Alton rifing, told Mac-
Haught, he took very kindly the opportu
nity, it now afforded him, of conferring the
poſt of ſteward of his houſehold on fuperior
and modeft merit.
CHAP.
$20
THE LÍTE OF
CHAP, XV.
Singular excellency of that Nobleman.
THE office of private fecretary being
very compatible with that of houfe-
fteward, Lord Alton was delighted to find
them both more completely filled than ever,
by one perſon. The additional truſt repoſed
in Goodchild, for the diſcharge of theſe re-
fpective offices, led him of courfe into a
clofer connection with his lordſhip, and a
more thorough infight into his private con-
cerns. And great indeed was the fatisfac-
tion they both felt upon a more intimate
and familiar acquaintance with each other.
Every qualification, required for the ftew-
ardſhip,
SARAH MEAN WE L L.
121
ardſhip was far more eminently difplayed in
modeft John, than in the conceited cox-
comb who had thrown himſelf out of it.
His method of keeping the account of
houſehold expences, was particularly neat,
and always exact. His lord loved regulari-
ty, and did not diſdain to look into his own
affairs. This enabled him, with great judg-
ment, and without injuring his circum-
ftances, to do many more acts of generofity.
and charity, than would eaſily be credited,
in this age of univerfal diffipation, and
thoughtless extravagance. It was therefore
a great recommendation of Goodchild, that
in the examination of his accompts from,
time to time his maſter had no trouble at all,
but always found much pleaſure in feeing
them perfectly clear and diftinct.
In difcharge of his duty as confidential
fecretary to Lord Alton, Goodchild had
G
been
122
THE LIFE OF
}
been admitted to fome knowledge of a pecu-
liar excellency of his moft noble maſter,
which must now be difcloſed to the reader's
notice, though that incomparably great man
ftudies always to conceal it from the public
eye. Some hundreds of neceffitous trades-
men, artificers, farmers, and labourers, are
by this nobleman relieved with loans of fmall
and great fums, without intereft, but with a
written promiſe of repayment at a ſtipulated
time. If by redoubling their induſtry they
enable themſelves to fulfil their obligations
with punctuality, he will fometimes, for
their farther encouragement, confent to leave
the fum ftill in their hands, for a more dif-
tant term, after examining and confidering
well their plans for improving it to the beft
advantage for themſelves. It is this ftrict
regard to the proſpects, character, and con-
duct of the perfons benefited by his liberali-
ty, that renders it moft peculiarly uſeful and
meritorious. If he finds them grown more
✔
dex-
SARAH MEAN WELL.
123
dextrous, and likely to better their circum-
ftances confiderably by purſuing ſome rea-
fonable plan, which approves itſelf to his
good opinion, or the approbation of perſons,
whofe judgment he eſteems better than his
own in fuch matters, he will readily double.
or treble the loan. Not lefs than forty
thousand pounds of this nobleman's proper-
ty is thus continually kept afloat, at a higher
intereft than the moft productive commerce
ever afforded, the ineftimable fatisfaction of
knowing that by the fame act he is perpetu-
ally improving the morals and circumſtances
of the perfons relieved *.
G 2
It
* It muſt here be noted, that the mode of benefi
cence which diſtinguiſhes this excellent peer, is fimilar
to that which was practiſed half a century ago, upon a
ſmaller ſcale, in Dublin, by the incomparable Dean
Swift, whofe character, in that point of view, which
had been ſtrangely misconceived by a writer, eminent
in other refpects for his learning, virtue, and religion,
has been completely vindicated by the ingenious Mr.
Thomas Sheridan,
124
THE LIFE OF
It now became the province of Mr. Good-
child, from time to time, to take an exact
fcrutiny how theſe objects of his lord's judi-
cious and fingular bounty went on, in ob-
ferving their ſeveral engagements, and re-
port accordingly, how far they uſed, with
induſtry, the best methods preſcribed to help
themſelves out of their difficulties. The
accompt he was required to keep of this
mode of charity, and its correfpondent ef-
fects, as a fpur to the induftrious, and a re-
lief to the diftreffed, was a little perplexing:
yet he kept them conftantly in fuch regular
order, that no perplexity ever appeared: but
in due profecution of his maſter's plan, and
for the benefit of the debtors themſelves,
(whom he treated with fuch civility, as they
had never received from Mac Haught,)
he found it ftill expedient frequently to re-
commend, and fometimes rigorously to re-
quire from the indolent and tardy, a greater
degree of punctuality.
CHAP.
SARAH MEANW E L L.
125
CHA P. XVI.
Bravery of Goodchild.
THE liberality of Lord Alton was not
extended to thofe only who made a
direct and perfonal application to it; the
exact particulars of whofe cafe he always
inquired into very minutely; and if he
found their account of it not ftrictly con-
formable to truth, he difmiffed them with a
fharp rebuke, and occafionally puniſhed
their attempts at impofition with great ſeve-
rity. But the moft highly commendable
exertion of his beneficence, and in which
his example is moft rarely followed, was his
often feeking in fecret, and at no fmall
G 3
rifque
26
THE LIFE OF
rifque and trouble to himſelf, an ocular
proof of the real circumftances of diſtreſs,
which he meant to relieve.
It was upon an occafion of this fort, that,
paffing through a blind alley, in which, ac-
companied with Goodchild, he had been
vifiting, and had faved from periſhing, the
numerous family of an unfortunate tradef-
man, that long had languiſhed in the extre-
mity of mifery, they were fuddenly attacked
by three ftout ruffians. One of them level-
led a deadly blow with a bludgeon at Lord
Alton's head. John interpofing, caught
the ftroke upon his left fhoulder, which
it bruiſed very forely, and diſabled him, for
fome weeks after, from the uſe of that arm.
At the fame inftant, having tripped up the
robber's heels, and feized his weapon, he
faw the two other cut-throats rufh upon his
mafter, and one of them pinioning his arms
behind
Page 127
I.S. D. Jk &
ง
NIL
CF
ESTONSUMERIALADRUKISERBENTARZADIAEEE!
J. Għet d
SARAH
127
MEANWELL.
behind him, while the other held a long
knife to his breaft, preparing to ftab and
rifle him. The uplifted arm of the affaffin
received fo furious a ftroke from Goodchild,
that it dropped motionleſs, and defperately
fractured juſt above the elbow, and with it
dropped the inftrument of murder. The
next moment as the firft affailant, who had
recovered his legs, together with the other
villain, was advancing again to the affault,
the latter difcharged a piftol, the ball of
which grazed lightly upon the cheek of
John, and took off the tip of his left ear,
but was by him faluted with a blow, fo well
aimed at his right temple, that it levelled
him fenfeleſs to the ground. The other
Aled.
Of the three affaffins two were inftantly
fecured. The third alfo ftumbling in his
flight againſt a poſt, was ſeized by a watch-
G 4
man,
128
THE LIFE OF
man, who with two more came running,
alarmed at the neife of the piftol. The
ruffians thus taken into cuftody, were of
courfe brought to their trial, condemned,
and executed.
1
-
:
Wh
CHAP.
SARAH MEANWELL.
129
CHA P. XVII.
His farther Advancement.
FROM this time Lord Alton kept his
high obligation to Goodchild perpetual-
ly in mind. He refpected his brave deli-
verer as a friend; and was determined to
ſeek the beſt means of raiſing him above the
condition of a fervant; however he might
regret the irreparable lofs he ſhould himſelf
fuftain by it. The defired opportunity of
promoting him, which foon after preſented
itſelf, made that regret the lighter, as it ftill
kept up a clofe connection between them.
At the return, which his lordſhip had
lately made to his former favourite refidence
G 5
at
130
THE LIFE OF
1
at Alton-Court, (from the enjoyment of
which he had utterly eſtranged himſelf, after
death had there deprived him of his tender-
ly beloved and moſt accompliſhed lady,) he
received, upon his arrival, a vifit from Mr.
Powel. This gentleman, his neighbour
and intimate friend, had juft made the lucky
diſcovery, which has before been hinted, of
the deceitful tricks of Counſellor Coolcraft,
the land-fteward whom Lord Alton, Sir
George Worthy, and himſelf employed;
and was come to communicate to his lord-
ſhip the ſtep he had taken of difcarding the
wretch with infamy, upon his detection.
This defpicable reptile had been regular-
ly educated for the profeffion of a lawyer, at
Cambridge and Lincoln's Inn. Having
little employment as chamber-counfel, and
lefs talents for the bufinefs of the bar,
(where his character had been ſomewhat
blown upon, for a dark tranfaction, which
had
SARAH MEANWELL. 13t
had been too lightly hufhed,) he had fettled
many years in a country town, where his
paſt hiſtory being little known, he had made
ſhift to patch up his broken reputation. He
had wormed himſelf into the good opinion
of the neighbouring gentry, by an overacted
diſplay of a fingular averfion from deceit
and hypocrify, of the most punctiliouſly
fcrupulous veracity, and a primitive fimpli-
city in all his dealings. His pretence, or
outward fhew of thefe qualities, which in
real characters of this caft, commonly af-
fume a manner fomewhat blunt and dry,
was the more remarkable, as in him they
were, contrary to cuftom, generally accom-
panied with a foft infinuating addreſs, and
warm profeffions of zeal for the interefts of
his employers. He had fucceeded to that
degree, by a dextrous application of thefe
arts to the blind fide of the moft clear-
fighted, that he had got at length under hist
management the three largeſt eftates, in the
county.
132
THE LIFE OF
county. Though the noble and honourable
poffeffors of thofe eftates really furpaffed
their neighbours in underſtanding, almoſt as
much as they did in property, he had long
kept them in the dark, with refpect to his
true character. He had made them believe he
was continually thinking on ways and means
to improve their lands, with better ſecurity,
and advancement of rents; while in fact he
was always forming fresh fchemes for fecret
embezzlement.
"
The contrivances of Coolcraft were fo
artfully concealed, and fo deeply laid, that
the ſeveral breaches of truft of this matchlefs
impoftor had remained unfufpected by Sir
George Worthy, or even by Lord Alton,
whofe knowledge of mankind was great,
and feldom allowed him to be the dupe of
deceit and cunning. But the knave had
taken advantage of his lordſhip's long ab-
fence in town for the bolder practice of his
frauds,
SARAH MEANWEL L. 133
frauds, with lefs fear of diſcovery from the
difcernment of Mr. Powel, whofe concerns
he had always managed with peculiar cau-
tion, as his more conftant refidence in the
country afforded him greater leifure and op-
portunity for obfervation. The exceffive
fmoothneſs of Cooleraft had before at times
raiſed fome fufpicion in that gentleman's
breaft, and a late hint he had received from
a tenant of the abfent lord, had made him
juſt then particularly watchful over him.
It was a maſter-ftroke indeed of villainous
cunning, in a matter reſpecting a ſecret me-
thod of compounding with an ignorant ten-
ant, for a breach of fome article in a leaſe,
which this watchfulneſs of Mr. Powel had
defeated, at a time when the fubtle rogue
had been plying a double portion of his ſkill
in concealment.
The information Mr. Powel gave of this
difcovery to Lord Alton was received with
fome
134
THE LIFE OF
ſome ſurpriſe, but great thankfulneſs. An
excellent fubftitute for the office of the dif-
carded fteward naturally prefented himſelf
to his lordship's mind. He made the un-
common good fenfe, integrity, and merits of
Goodchild, the fubjects of his warmeft com-
mendation to Mr. Powel, who with great
cheerfulneſs likewife agreed to commit to
him the fuperintendance of his landed
eftates. And it was now for the purpoſe of
a like recommendation to his nephew, that
his lordſhip paid his preſent viſit to Worthy
Hall.
CHAP
SARAH MEANWELL. 135
CHAP. XVIII.
Propofal of marriage properly accepted-Sudden
Shifting of scenes at Meanwell-Farm.
THE admirable order and management
of every part of the houſehold at
Worthy-Hall, the decency, the eaſe and
cheerfulneſs with which all was conducted
under the direction of fa young and lovely a
woman as Mrs. Meanwell, exhibited a ſcene
which the reader, perhaps, in fympathy with
her fecret admirer, may find fome pleaſure
in revifiting. It determined at once in
Goodchild the refolution, which paffion had
firft excited, and reflection afterwards con-
firmed. The admirers of romance, or the
love
136
THE LIFE OF
love-intrigue of a novel, will here be of-
fended at the abrupt and unceremonious
manner in which this interefting part of the
narrative is going to be hurried over. But
if they have endured to caſt an eye thus far,
they muſt long ago have perceived this hif-
tory was never meant to pleaſe their taſte.
After Mr. Goodchild had expreſſed to
Mrs. Meanwell his fenfe of the great obli-
gation he had to Lord Alton, to whom he
was first indebted for his prefent comfort-
able profpects, he took occafion from thence
to introduce a modeſt account of his im-
proved fituation. He then infinuated his
inclination to marry, and fettle fomewhere
in that neighbourhood, in order to be in
the center of the three eftates he was now
to fuperintend. He had diſcernment enough
to perceive in the great attention viſible in
Sally's undiſguiſed and honeſt countenance,
a fort of fatisfaction, which ſhe ſtruggled
in
SARAH MEAN WEL L. 137
in vain to conceal. His propofal to her of
marriage was accordingly made without de-
lay, and without affected formality accepted
in fact, though in words her anſwer only
fignified that in an affair of ſo great moment
the counſel and confent of her mother were
firſt requifite to be had, before fhe could ſay
any thing. This was indeed fo clearly un-
derſtood, that he immediately fealed his cer-
tainty of triumph with a kifs, and ſhe, with
a bluſh and a ſmile, confirmed it.
Lord Alton departed the day after, ac-
companied by his new ſteward; with whom,
for a generous purpofe, he was going to
vifit a detached part of his eſtate that lay on
the road to Alton-Court. Sally took the
first opportunity of acquainting her miftrefs
with the propoſal ſhe had juſt received, and
her anſwer. Lady Worthy expreſſed her
entire approbation of both, with her advice
to go the very next day to confult her mo-
ther.
.138
THE LIFE OF
ther. This refpectable lady, the cordial
friend of Mrs. Meanwell, difplayed, at the
fame time, in her looks, a viſible and lively
mixture of regret and fatisfaction.
The young flutterer haftened early the
next morning to Meanwell-farm. A whole
month had paffed without her receiving, as
ſhe uſed to do every week, any tidings from
thence. It had made a ftrange revolution
about that place. She found Mrs. Dig-
weed in deep mourning, with her mother;
and was informed that old farmer Digweed
had, for a difarder in his bowels, improperly
fought relief from a bottle of brandy, which
had heightened their inflammation, and car-
ried him off in two days. Uncle Tefty was
not at home. He had yeſterday received a
letter from his fon the lieutenant, dated at
a diftant fea-port in the weft. The thirty-
gun fhip in which he ferved had just taken
and
SARAH
MEANWELL. 139
and brought into port a French Eaft-India-
man, after a bloody engagement, in which
the Captain of the king's frigate, and half
the other officers were killed, and he him-
felf had got a feratch, he ſaid, which he did
not matter at all; yet he wished to fee his
father immediately. Tefty had mounted
and galloped off the very minute after he had
received the letter, and her kind neighbour
was.come this day to ftay with her in his
abfence. The daughter was now, with a
flight heſitation, going to diſcloſe her er-
rand, when, to her great furpriſe, ſhe per-
ceived it had flown to the ears of Dame
Meanwell the evening before.
She told Sally her uncle was hardly gone
out of fight, when lo! a coach and fix
horfes ftopped at the door. The generous
and affable Lord Alton, who had lefs pride
than any peafant upon his vaft eftates, had
dif
140
THE LIFE OF
difmounted from it, together with his new
fteward. Goodchild had briefly explained
to her the purport of this vifit, his love to
her daughter, and the profpect he had of a
comfortable maintenance.. To this his
lordſhip had moft obligingly added-" Let
me join, Mrs. Meanwell, in fuing for your
confent."-This fhe, with great humility
and gratitude, had expreffed by three words,
and a joyful countenance" You cannot,
faid Lord Alton, better enfure your own
happiness, and that of your daughter, than
by thus connecting it with that of this moſt
valuable, and truly excellent friend of mine.
I am going to furvey and fettle ſome im-
provements of a piece of land adjoining to
this pleaſant farm of yours, the freehold
property of which I fhall gladly make
over to Mr. Goodchild and his heirs for
ever.'
"
1
With
Page 140
IS:D. Skḍ
LCk. Ez d
OF
'CH.
บ
SARAH MEANWELL.
14.1
With a civil excufe for their hafty depar-
ture, they were gone, ſhe ſaid, before ſhe was
quite fure the tranſactions of the last ten
minutes were not all a dream.
CHAP.
142
THE LIFE OF
CHA P. XIX.
An obftacle to the defireable event -happily
A
removed.
N union now fo paffionately defired, ſo
highly approved by all parties upon
due reflection, was retarded near three
months by an unexpected obftacle. This
was the unaccountable abſence of farmer
Tefty, whoſe confent, and preſence at the
ceremony Sally and her mother thought in-
difpenfibly requifite. No tidings had his
niece received about him, fince his abrupt
departure, no answer to feveral letters fhe
had directed to him at the fea-port, whither
he had been ſummoned by his fon. Mr.
Goodchild had gone in vain to ſeek him
there.
SARAH MEANWEL L.
143
there. All he could learn was that the fa-
?
ther, with his fon, had left the place about
fix weeks ago, to return, as they declared
their intention, to Meanwell-farm.
The bravery of the gallant Lieutenant,
Roger Tefty, was celebrated with laviſh
praiſes, by his brother officers at the port.
The wound, of which his letter had made
fo flight a mention, they ſaid, was at the
time he wrote fuppofed to be a dangerous
fleſh wound in the thigh. When his father
had arrived, the cure had appeared to be well
advanced but before the danger was pro-
nounced well over, his impatience to ſee a
young woman, whom he propofed to mar-
ry, had hurried him from thence, though
againſt the advice of his furgeon, whofe re-
port of the wound was nevertheleſs a too
favourable one, Goodchild ſpent ſeveral
days in fruitlefs fearch for the farmer and
his fon, upon the road, before he durft pre-
fent
144
THE LIFE OF
fent himſelf with an account of his ill fuc-
cefs at Meanwell-farm, or Worthy-hall. Ex-
treme indeed was the torture they endured
from ſuſpenſe for about two months.
Dame Meanwell at length diſcovered the
flow approach of her uncle, down a little
hill, about a furlong diſtant from his dwell-
ing. He was returning alone, with his head
inclined toward the neck of his horſe, over
which a long crape hung down from his hat.
Tefty alighted without fpeaking a word.
In respect for the grief he fuppreffed, the
fame melancholy filence was kept, for fome
hours, by all about him, when he entered
the houſe. At length, with a deep figh,
and the firſt tears he had fhed, for above fifty
years paft, he gave his affliction vent-
"Niece, the prop of my life is gone, the ſtaff
of my age is broken. All, all is over with
old George. His glorious boy, thy girl's
huſband that ſhould have been, is no more."
A long
SARAH
145
MEAN WELL.
1
A long pauſe enfued. From what could be
gathered by fnatches, and the interrupted
parcels of his forrowful tale, it appeared
that the lieutenant's wound, irritated by
the motion of the carriage, which however
his father fuffered not to proceed without
caution, and as much gentleness as poffible,
had broke out afreſh by the way. This had
occafioned their ftriking out of the road, to
a little town at the diſtance of ſeveral miles,
where Roger recollected that a reputable
naval furgeon dwelt, who had ſerved in a
fhip that he before had failed in. The
wound examined, opened afreſh, and probed
by an able hand, was found to have been
unfkilfully treated, and healed too foon.
Not all the powers of medicine, or the chi-
rurgical art, applied for feveral weeks with
the moſt diligent attention, could prevent
the mortification from ſpreading, and end-
ing the life of the brave lieutenant.
H
A def-
1.46
1
THE LIFE OF
A defperate paffion for his lovely coufin,
with an ardent refolution to die, or by fome
?
noble deed to merit her eſteem, had wrought
wonders in his untutored mind, raiſing it
up to a pitch of heroiſm, and enabling him
to perform the feats of valour, which had
entitled him to the rank he bore. So eager,
at his landing, was his defire to fee her, that
he was not, without great difficulty, pre-
vented from adventuring upon the journey
immediately. A too flattering report of his
caſe, from the furgeon who had firſt attend-
ed him, and Roger's high ſpirits, had de-
ceived his father, who little dreamed he was
deſtined ſo foon to bury him.
All his property, which in pay and prize-
money, though not then aſcertained, was
found afterwards, upon the fale of the India
hip and cargo, to exceed nine thouſand
pounds, he had bequeathed by will to his
beloved Sarah Meanwell, after his father's
death,
SARAH
147
MEANWELL.
death, only referving three hundred pounds
of it for the improving and embelliſhing
Meanwell farm, which Tefty had promiſed
to leave at his deceaſe to his niece, with all
his eſtate real and perſonal, entailed to Sally.
So extremely difconfolate was the honeſt
farmer for the loſs of his fon, that for fome
weeks it was thought expedient to avoid all
mention to him of the propoſed marriage of
Mr. Goodchild with his niece's daughter.
As upon receiving her mother's approbation
of it, Sally had returned to Worthy-Hall,
refolving there to wait, in patience, for the
arrival and conſent of Tefty; the report
immediately conveyed to her by Mrs. Dig-
weed, of the late event, and the good far-
mer's deep affliction, convinced her of the
propriety of fhunning for a while his pre-
fence, till time fhould render the comple-
tion of her wiſhes more ſeaſonable, by foft-
ening the ſharpneſs of his grief.
H 2
The
148
THE LIFE OF
The fettlement of Mr. Goodchild upon.
Digweed farm, of which, in freehold pro-
perty, Lord Alton had made a generous do-
nation to the preferver of his life, haftened
the defirable event. It brought on a friend-
ly communication, and interchange of good
offices, between that amiable youth and
Tefty, who was before no ftranger to his
excellent character. He undertook, and ex-
ecuted, with judgment and fuccefs, the
agency for the lieutenant's prize-money.
He was admitted into council, (a rare favour
indeed to any man from the farmer,) about
the appointed embelliſhments of Meanwell's
land; while Tefty fuggefted to him fome
good hints for the improvement of his late.
grant.
So rapid was the progrefs the young
fteward made in the eſteem and goodwill of
the old farmer, that while Mrs. Meanwell
was watching an opportunity to found her
uncle's
SARAH MEANWELL.
149
uncle's mind, with reſpect to a point ſhe was
fearful of introducing too foon, ſhe was
agreeably prevented by this unexpected-
Overture. -"Hark ye, niece, I'll tell thee
a piece of my mind-But firft, tell me, pr'y
thee, what's thy opinion of this fine gentle-
man of a ſteward?-Oddsfiſh, I never could
bear the fight or the ſmell of a fine gentle-
man before. But this fpark, I verily think,
is not fo much in fault--If God made him
fuch, how can he help it? you know-For
in fpite of his air of a lord, and his holding
his head up fo high, and his pigtail, and all
that, I'll be fworn the good-fellow is no
fool--a clean head, niece-aye, and a clean
heart too, that's the best on't.-Well then,
I'll tell thee what, dame-I have loft a
brave fon, alas! and thou a good fon in
law; and heaven has fent thee a better;
aye a better match, I fay, for thy fine lady
of a waiting-maid. I begin to ſmoke he has
a month's mind for fhe; though'f he never
told
H 3
150
THE LIFE OF
told me fo-If that be the cafe, he fhall
have her, or my name's not George Tefty-
What a power of fine things has he been
Spouting to me, about ſhe, for all the world
in Dame Digweed's way, but without all
her riddle-me-ree-Oh! by the by, I fan-
cied once the buxom widow fighed for he.
Ah! he was a charming young man, fhe
faid, and would make a ſweet huſband for
fome body; and I thought him a ninny to
let fuch a tight wench, and all her wealth,
and all that, go back to her father's, inſtead
of keeping her ftill, as part of his ftock,
upon the farm.-But no,-Sall's his girl,
I'll lay my life on't. Aye; and his girl ſhe
fhall be and 'tis I that ſay it-Hey day!
what a plague are you laughing at.".
It was a ſmile of joy that overſpread the
face of Mrs. Meanwell, who feizing the op-
portunity ſhe had fought before in vain, gave
her uncle a full and true account of every
cir-
SARAH MEAN WELL.
ISL
་
circumſtance confirming the truth of his
difcovery." Anan? Why, how now! I
thought of crying done firft; and you've
been ftriking up the bargain beforehand.
Oho! well-And a bargain it ſhall be, I'll
promiſe you So haul us hither your white
ewe immediately.-Fly, Dick, get the horſes
to bring Sall.-I'll fetch up my tup with a
whiſtle.-Run, Tom, for Goodchild, while
I
go
to the parfon, to get the warrant iſſued
to confine the vagrants. Fore George,
I'll hamper them fooner than they are yet
aware. Ye fha'nt have your way in every
thing. Ere noon to-morrow, their nooſe
fhall be faften'd without a reprieve."-It
was Teſty decreed, and obedience, on all
hands, enſued of courſe.
CHAP.
H 4
152
THE LIFE OF
CHAP. XX.
Conclufion.
O'R the first ten months after the com-
FOR
pletion of this happy marriage, Mrs.
Meanwell and her uncle were obliged to re-
fide, at different times, with the young folks
at Digweed 'farm, for feveral weeks together,
while fome alterations, for elegant conveni-
ence, were executing at Meanwell-houſe,
by the good tafte, and at the expence of Sir
George Worthy. The farmer, in the mean
time, was carrying on the plantations, im-
provements, and embelliſhments of his own
land, as appointed by his fon. The found-
hearted ruftic would often declare he never
knew
SARAH
MEANWELL. 153
knew perfect contentment, before he became
better acquainted with the character of his
fon John, and daughter Sall, as he loved to
ftile them. His manner grew daily more
and more approaching to common civility,
and his natural humour and pleaſantry were
far preferable to it.
The works intended were all juſt accom-
pliſhed, and his daughter Goodchild had
happily recovered perfect ftrength, after
being brought to bed of a beautiful boy, on
whom he bestowed his own name, George,
with fuch lively tokens of joy and fatisfac-
tion, as the beloved infant's happy parents
alone could parallel; when an apoplectic
feizure fuddenly deprived of fenfe and mo-
tion the good farmer Tefty, and ſoon cloſed,
without a pang, his truly valuable, if not
altogether blamelefs life. His perfonal ef-
fects, exclufive of the freehold, deviſed by
will to Mrs. Meanwell, but for her life
H 5
only,
154
THE LIFE OF
only, are ſuppoſed to amount in value to
about feven thouſand pounds. His pleaſant
farm delightfully improved, is now the pro-
perty of his niece, and refidence likewiſe of
her excellent fon and daughter. To this
bleſt abode of love, contentment, peace, and
truth, they removed upon the death of uncle
Tefty: a little before which, Mrs. Dig-
weed, now Mrs. Proby, was married to an
honeſt and ſkilful young farmer, the only
fon of Mr. Powel's principal tenant, who
now occupies the great farm rented by her
former huſband. And a great acquifition
this intelligent and induftrious tenant has
proved to the new proprietor; while the
two young wives and Mrs. Meanwell
heartily rejoice in the neighbourhood.
Mr. Corkwell is now rifen to affluence,
by a confiderable inheritance at the death of
his brother, and the fuccefsful management
of an extenfive brewery. Nor does the
great
SARAH MEANWELL.
155
great change in circumſtances or mode of
living fit awkwardly at all upon him, or his
wife, the affectionate friend of our heroine.
In their large and commodious houſe in
London, they have an elegant apartment
always ready to receive their conftant ami-
cable correſpondents from Meanwell-farm,
whenever buſineſs or amufement calls them
to take a ſhort trip to town; and they as
gladly return their vifits, by fhort relaxa-
tions from bufinefs, in the country. The
two worthy couple had derived from nature
the effentials of true politenefs. The chief
requifites to grace their prefent fituation
they had improved into fettled habits, in-
the two families, where due decorum was
beſt maintained of any in the kingdom. Of
the amiableness of complaifance, and a ge-
neral obfervance of what Dryden calls the
fweet civilities of life, they could not fail to
acquire a lively perception, from the affec-
tionate reſpect, which they faw univerfally
paid
THE LIFE QE
paid to the benevolent and affable lords of
Alton-court and Worthy-hall, between
which and Meanwell-farm, a frequent and
delightful intercourfe is ftill continually
kept up.
2
The father and mother of John Good-
child are now living in a green old age.
Though they chufe to remain in their old
habitation, they are now relieved from the
fatigue of an employment, lefs fuited to their
years and circumſtances, as, they participate
of courſe in the enjoyment of their fon's
prefent affluence. Seldom a week paffes
without their being viſited by their dutiful
fon and daughter, with whofe charming
eſtabliſhment at Meanwell-place they gene-
rally come to bleſs their eyes for a day or
two, about once a month.
Mr. and Mrs. Sagely continue ftill, with
encreafing comfort and reputation to them-
felves,
}
SARAH MIE ANWELL.
157
!
felves, but with the affiftance now of two
under-teachers, to difcharge the duties of
their truly uſeful and important ſtation.
This they do, through choice rather than
neceffity, as their paft fervices to the rifing
generation have been rewarded with uncom-
mon gratitude, efpecially by moft liberal
preſents from their beſt beloved, and highly
honoured pupil.
Mrs. Meanwell is juft now beholding,
with anxious hope, her lovely daughter,
who promiſes very foon to gladden her eyes
with another grandchild. It is indeed the
general wiſh of all, who can duly eſteem the
extraordinary worth of John and Sarah
Goodchild, and that is by all, who are fo
fortunate to know, and whofe characters.
bear fome affinity or refemblance to it,
that they may go on profperouſly to im-
prove and adorn fociety, with a numerous
race
158
THE LIFE OF:
race of beings, as good and happy as them-
felves.
L
THUS We have ſeen in the lives and cha-
racters of this exemplary pair, that by their
docility of difpofition, amiable manners,
and diligent attention to deſerve the eſteem
of worthy perfons, their perſeverance in
fhort in the ftraight path, which the pro-
vidence of God, and under him, their pa-
rents and teachers pointed out to them,
good habits gained timely poffeffion of their
breafts, and were eſtabliſhed there for life.
Their temper and paffions were duly regu-
lated, their whole conduct orderly and uni-
form.
They were thus naturally, and by cer-
tain confequence, led on to the conſtant en-
joyment of the most valuable bleffing that
heaven
SARAH MEANWEL L. 159
heaven can beſtow on a rational being, that
internal peace and purity of mind, that in-
tegrity and applauſe of conſcience, without
which profperity can afford no pleaſure, nor
adverfity find any relief from pain. This
adds peculiar felicity to the delightful fi-
tuation, to which we fee them raiſed.
It multiplies their joys, and adds a per-
manency and fecurity to them, which all
the inftability of human life cannot entirely
take away, as the profpect of happinefs, to
fuch good perfons, is not confined to this
life only. Though they have too juſt and
too exalted views of the defigns of Providence
to expect full fatisfaction from any prefent
ſcenes, no mortal was ever gratified with a
ſweeter or more perfect relifh of the good
things here beſtowed upon them.
And now, with respect to the external
trappings of life, let the titled flaves, or mini-
ons of ambition, faſhion, and pelf, affect to
look down, with difdain, upon the fortunes.
of
160
THE LIFE OF
of creatures low-born, in rank fo far be-
neath their ſphere. Let them proudly trace
their own grandeur from fources indiftinctly
feen perhaps in remote antiquity; or they
might elfe be found to have rifen from
cauſes merely incidental, or fuch as a diſ-
creeter pride fhould rather teach them to
fupprefs. With far fuperior claim to ſelf-
complacency may John and Sarah Good-
child now look back upon the well-ſpent
years of their paft life, as they look forward
upon endleſs ages of happineſs in their fu-
ture profpects. For with pious awe, grati-
tude, and truft, they are ftill, in heart and
mind, contemplating that Almighty hand,
which has conducted them fafely through
the dangers of childhood, directed their ſteps
to proceed with caution through the fnares
of youth, and rewarded their proficiency in
every amiable and virtuous quality with a
correſpondent encreaſe of ſolid fatisfaction.
One advantage they enjoy, in a peculiar de-
>
gree,
SARAH MEANWEL L. 161
gree, an honourable diſtinction, in the cor-
dial regard and affection of the best judges
of real merit; a diftinction, which the pur-
blind diſpenſers of the gifts of fortune have
not very commonly any title or defire to ob-
tain themſelves; and have never the power
to bestow upon their undeferving favour-
ites.
END OF PART THE FIRST.
THE
DARK SIDE
OF THE
CON
TRA S T.
RAST.
THE
WRETCHED EFFECTS
ΟΣ A
PERVERSE DISPOSITION
AND
DISORDERLY CONDUCT,
EXHIBITED IN THE
L I F
I
F E
RICHARD CORE WORM.
PART II.
THE
L I
F
E
O F
RICHARD COREWORM.
CHAP. I.
Parentage-Early tokens of a bad diſpoſition.
RICHARD Coreworm was born of
parents, whoſe poverty was indeed ex-
treme, but not their greateſt cauſe of
wretchedneſs. Had their difpofitions led
them to a due exertion of their abilities,
they might have got their livelihood, with
tolerable comfort, by the work of their own
hands. Robert, his father, could mend
hedges,
166
THE LIFE OF
hedges, thraſh in a barn, or help to thatch
it in winter, and in the other ſeaſons, he
had always variety and plenty of work in the
field. Martha Coreworm, his mother,
uſed to ſpin a little wool at home, and
fometimes, in fair weather, help at the
hay and corn harvefts, hop-binding and
picking, weeding, and other rural works.
But ſhe was of a lazy and fauntering difpo-
fition, and expofed to the fcoffs of all her
neighbours for the dirtinefs of her own drefs,
and the little care fhe took to mend her huf
band's cloaths, who like herſelf generally
made a ragged and moſt filthy appearance.
Yet in pity, and fome fort of excuſe for her,
they accused him of ſpending moſt of the
money he earned, in getting drunk at the
ale-houſe, cricket matches, or the neigh-
bouring fairs.
Being ſtrong and healthy, with only one
child, in a country, where the labouring
hands
RICHARD COREWORM.
167
hands found full employment all the year
through, this miſerable couple faw many of
their poor neighbours burthened with nu-
merous families, yet enabled to live com-
fortably enough, by being induftrious, fo-
ber, and frugal, while it was a moft pitiful
fhift indeed they made to get their bread,
through their own intemperance, indolence,
and folly. Their ſon Dick, from the time
he could go alone, they troubled their heads
very little about. As he was a lufty child,
under no confinement, he waddled in dirt
and mire, rambling about the highways and
hedges the whole day long. He came often
home with a black eye or bloody noſe, ſome-
times with a bruife in his leg, or a thorn in
his foot. The cure of his hurts was left to
nature, and his careleffnefs to correct itſelf.
But as he grew old enough to do mifchief
to others, he would now and then come in
for a ſmart horſe-whipping from the neigh-
bours,
168
+
THE LIFE OF
bours, whom he used to offend by throwing
ſticks or ftones at their chickens, ducks, or
pigeons, breaking windows, ſpoiling fencès,
and various other mifchievous tricks, pro-
ceeding from idlenefs, and activity under no
regulation, the rank nurfèries of every
noxious weed.
t
CHAP.
RICHARD COREWÖR M. 169
CHA P. II.
Young Coreworm fent to ſchool by the com-
paffionate clergyman of the parish.
ALTHOUGH Dick might have de-
rived fome good from his. fufferings,
being often ſeverely handled for the mif-
chief he was conftantly doing, yet being
taught nothing, and never fet to any work,
he ftill continued as perverfe and prone to
evil as ever. He became, indeed, a public
nuiſance to all the neighbours, who juftly
accufed his father and mother, of incur-
ring a double ſhare of guilt themſelves, in
every offence he committed, as being rather
pleafed with his unlucky tricks, than dif-
I
pofed
470
THE LIFE OF
poſed to puniſh them. Thefe worthleſs
parents lived to rue moft wretchedly their
indulgence and neglect.
Mr. Beft, the rector of the parish, ob-
ferving, with a compaffionate concern, how
fadly Dick's parents abandoned him to his
own depravity, after having in vain re-
proached them frequently for their criminal
inattention to a prime law of nature, a due
care of their offspring, which degraded them
below the level of the moſt ſtupid or ſavage
of brute beafts, undertook to reſcue him
from the pernicious influence of their bad
example; and to apply, in the beſt manner
he could, fome correction to the lad's evil
difpofitions.
Together with the firft fhoes and
ſtockings he ever put on, and a ſmall
change of coarfe linen, he fent him a caſt-off
fuit
RICHARD COREWORM.
131
fuit of cloaths of his fon's, well mended,
and of a fize exactly fit for the boy, that he
might make a tolerable appearance in it at
fchool, whither he fent him at his own ex-
pence; hoping Dick might get ſome notion
of his duty there, and in time ſhake off the
bad habits he had contracted.
To Robert and Martha, the juſt reproof
which accompanied this benefaction, tho'
enforced with a most friendly warmth,
might as well have been delivered in He-
brew. His favour too, as far as Richard's
mind and character was concerned, would
have been just as little attended to, if a mo-
ment's thought upon their own intereft in
it, had not inclined them to accept of it.
The thanks of this ftupid pair, though
fullenly expreffed, were, however, re-
turned with a certain degree of fatisfac-
tion; but for the fake of themſelves alone.
I 2
They
172
THE LIFE OF
*
They regarded this act of kindnefs merely
as it took off their hands fome plague about
their troubleſome brat.
1
СНАР.
RICHARD CORE WORM. 173
CHA P. III.
Dick's Perverſeneſs-Truant/hip-Ingratitude.
R¹
ICHARD thus decently equipped
now went to ſchool with a number of
other children of the parish, boys and girls,
to a tidy poor woman, whom the rector had
thought fit to eſtabliſh there, with all due
encouragement, for the purpoſe of teaching
the children to read, and to acquire fome
notion of the plain and practical parts of
religion, of their duty to God and man,
and the grounds of their hopes and fears af-
ter death. Through her hands, he at cer-
tain times beftowed many good books of
hymns, and prayers, and explanations of
I 3
the
174
THE LIFE OF
the catechism, to be diftributed, as rewards
of good behaviour, among the children who
appeared moſt likely to make a proper ufe of
them. The good woman found it a very
difficult matter to do any thing with Dick.
He was of fuch an untoward, obftinate diſ-
pofition, that it was almoft impoffible to
teach him even his letters, or to bring him
to obferve any order in his condu&t, or dif-
cipline in the leaft. He would, indeed, be
often contriving to avoid going to ſchool,
by various lying excufes, which hẽ had al-
ways ready for that, and every fault that he
committed.
One day, when the reft of the children
were learning to read, like good little boys
and girls, Coreworm flyly watched the eyes
of the fchool-miftrefs, and flipped out,
while ſhe was buſy in teaching ſome other
child, and did not fee him go. Away into
the ſtreet ran Dick, as faſt as he could run,
and
RICHARD COREWORM.
175
and there he joined two as idle brats as him-
felf, but lefs in fault, as they had never
been fent to ſchool. At first they fcamper-
ed over the fields together, tearing down
hedges, treading down corn, and robbing
orchards. At laft they chanced to ftroll
near the parfonage. As they were fculking
about the barn-yard, where Dick's generous
benéfactor uſed to keep his poultry, it came
into the rogue's head to rob the hen-roofts.
But they fearched in vain, as the hens and
ducks laid their eggs in a place, the door of
which was locked, with a fpace at bottom
for the poultry to creep in. Then they
began to throw ftones at fome fparrows
which they faw flocking about the corn-
ricks; and as the chickens were feeding
there, Dick purpoſely let fly a fint at the
head of one of them, and killed it upon the
fpot. The diverfion was exactly fuited to
the taſte of young Richard, who expreffed,
with a ſhout, his triumph at the miſchief
I 4
he
176
THE LIFE OF
he had done. Two or three other chickens.
and ducklings were maimed, or killed out-
right; and a pigeon, with its wing broken,
was feen to drop down in the garden at
the feet of two fervants there at work; who,
upon hearing at the fame time a hallooing
of boys about the barn-yard, and gueffing
the truth, went each of them, with a tough
fwitch in his hand, to fee and punish the
miſchievous brats they fufpected.
Dick perceived them coming at a diſtance,
and preſently jumped over a wattled hedge,
and left his two companions to fhift for
themſelves. They fcrambled up both to-
gether to the top of the hedge. One tried to
jump off into the road, but Coreworm,
with a fiend-like grin, by a fly twitch be-
hind, made him leap fhort into a deep ditch
full of mud on the other fide, up to his noſe
in filth and mire, where he ftuck faft. The
1
other
RICHARD CORE WORM.
177
other fared ſtill worfe; for Dick, by a ſmart
jerk, dragged him backward upon fharp
flints, that bruiſed him forely in his head,
his back, and one leg, fo that he could
hardly crawl for fome time.
The boy, who had tumbled into the
ditch, might in all probability have been
fuffocated there, if the two fervants had not
come up to the place, and dragged him out;
which when they had done, they gave a ſe-
vere drubbing to him and his limping com-
panion. And a profitable leffon this dif-
after and diſcipline proved to the two little
wretches, who roared piteouſly, proteſting
they had not thought of going there, to
throw ftones into the yard, if Dick Core-
worm had not propofed it firft to them;
freely confeffing, at the fame time, that his
chief purpoſe was to rob the hen-roofts.
I 5
The
*#78
THE LIFE OF
The fervants, well knowing Dick's evil
difpofition, did not doubt the crime of
which they accufed him, and refolved he
fhould not escape his fhare of the punish-
ment.
CHAP
RICHARD COREWOR M. 179
CHAP. IV.
Detection, and punishment.
THE fervants went immediately to the
houfe, and told Mr. Beft, as they were
in duty bound to do, what miſchief had
been done in his barn-yard among the Poul-
try, and what the boys they had just been
correcting had told them; that Coreworm
was the first to prompt them to it. The
good clergyman, lefs difpleafed at the mif-
chief done, than at the incorrigible difpofi-
tion, ingratitude, and impudence of Dick,
calmly declared that he would have the
matter cleared up, particularly with regard
to the guilt of Coreworm.
He fent his
fervants
180
THE LIFE OF
fervants to make an enquiry where he had
been ſeen by any one at the time, and at
what hour he had been obferved to abfent
himſelf from fchool. A labourer, who had
been at work in an oppofite field, told them
he had ſeen Dick running off as faſt as he
could, without his hat, at the inftant he had
heard the outcries of a young varlet, flounc-
ing in the miry ditch;-that he ſaw him
afterwards crouching for fome minutes.
under a hedge, then creeping homeward,
feemingly in great fright, as if ſomebody
was purſuing clofe at his heels; for he often-
ftarted and looked back.
At the fchool they could only learn the
hour of his running off, when the mistress
was 'bufy and did not fee him go. At Ro-
bert Coreworm's, the hat was owned, which
the fervants had picked up from the ditch.
But they could get no information from the
mother, whom they found alone, dofing
over
RICHARD COREWORM.
L&E
over a pipe of tobacco, but that Dick came
home to her in the evening, about the uſual
time, and from fchool, as he told her, un-
commonly dirty; but that, or aught that
befel him, out of her fight, fhe never re-
garded. She only remembered, he came in
fhivering exceedingly, and complaining of
being very cold, for the ſchool-miſtreſs kept
a bad fire, and he could never get near it,
upon which Martha faid ſhe had fent him
up to bed.
Theſe feveral accounts being brought
back to Mr. Beft, plainly made him fee
Dick was a truant, a mifchievous rogue,
and an impudent liar. Defirous fill to
check, if poffible, thefe evil difpofitions, he
fent an order to the fchool-miftrefs, to pu-
nish the boy according to his directions,
when he came to ſchool the next day. This
fhe did in the following manner.-She
flogged him long and unmercifully, putting
forth
182
THE LIFE OF
forth all her ftrength, with a new birch rod,
before all his ſchool-fellows, and then tied
a great pafteboard cap upon his head. On
the front a frightful figure of the Devil was
feen torturing a finner in the flames, and
over theſe the word LIAR was written in ca-
pital letters. With great good ſenſe ſhe al-
ways fought to impress the hearts of her
fcholars with the utmoft hatred and con-
tempt of this character, as the baſeſt and
moſt abject imaginable. She therefore pu-
nifhed lying with more than ordinary ſeve-
rity, and every method of difgrace fhe could
invent. This crime, which, in wretches of
the like worthlefs caft, is generally at-
tended with various other breaches of the
rules of common honefty, and is evi-
dently a prefumptuous defiance of God, the
Almighty fearcher of hearts, had never been
checked, hardly fo much as noticed in
Richard by his ftupid parents: but he had
often
RICHARD COREWOR M.
183
often fmarted for it, under the rod of the
fchool-miſtreſs.
Of lying he had, upon this occafion, been
repeatedly guilty, as he had not only de-
ceived his mother that night, but had de-
nied to the fervants, in a fhuffling manner,
which plainly betrayed his falfhood, that he
had any hand in the mifchief; and this
brought on a long ftring of impudent lies,
when he was charged with it the next mor-
ning.
He ſtood therefore before the whole
fchool, with the cap of difgrace on his head,
and his hands tied behind him, for a confi-
derable time, and then his miftrefs fhut him
up, bound faſt to a ſtaple in a little dark
hole, where ſhe kept her wood; at the door
of which Will Careless, another boy, who
had more ſenſe, and a much better difpofi-
tion in the main, but had likewiſe been
guilty
184
THE LIFE OF
guilty of lying, was made to ftand, with his
leg: tid togaher, and read over and over a
fhort effon againft lying, written in artless,
but fignificant verfe, by Dr. Watts, which
that good man, with a truly judicious and
benevolent intention, adapted to the appre-
henfion of children, nobly difregarding his
own fame as a writer. This they were
ordered to continue repeating without ceaf-
ing, till they could fay it all by heart.
Their fentence was, that neither of the liars
fhould stir from his feparate confinement,
or have any thing to eat or drink, but a lit-
tle ftale bread and plain water, till the boy
who had learned to read, had taught himfelf
and Dick to perform the task. About an
hour after, ſhe looked in upon them. No-
thing done. They had both been crying
ever fince. A few ſmart ftrokes of a ſwitch
on the fhoulders and hands enfued, with a
promiſe to double the ftripes every half hour
till the taſk fhould be learned,
This made
them
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RICHARD COREWORM.
185
them effectually fet about conning the leffon
as faſt as poffible, that they might not get
repeated chaftifement, and be kept in their
fad penance the whole night: for they were
very much afraid of being left alone in the
dark, as naughty children moft commonly
are; while good and fenfible children dif-
dain and laugh at ſuch idle terrors. Before
the evening clofed, Will Careleſs was able
to repeat the taſk tolerably well, from be-
ginning to end; and Dick made a lame ſhift
to blunder through it as well as he could.
The miſtreſs then unbound and led them
forth and before the difmiffed the ſchool,
fhe made the two liars kneel down, and in
the hearing of all the fcholars ftanding round
them, repeat diftinctly after her a prayer,
written for the purpoſe by Mr. Beft, be-
feeching the God of truth, that he would
fave them from the devil, the father of lies,
and that he would forgive their heinous of
fence againſt his righteous law, and give
them
:
186
THE LIFE OF
them grace to abide in due fear of his rigor-
ous judgments againft unrepenting finners,
that by amendment of life they might efcape
the torments of hell, inflicted upon the
wicked after death. In the end, fe ex-
acted from them a promiſe not to be guilty
of the like again, under penalty of receiving,
treble puniſhment.
CHAP
RICHARD COREWORM. 187
CHAP. V.
Dick falls into fresh disgrace-leaves fehool→→
goes into a farmer's fervice.
O fenfe of fháme, no finart from pre-
No
fent fufferings, or dread of future,
not his reverend benefactor's earneſt, but
moft kind rebuke, could alter Dick's per-
verfe difpofition. It was indeed hardly
poffible now to be corrected, when fo
ftrongly confirmed by habit. Various and
tedious to tell, were the difgraceful fcrapes,
into which he was falling continually, moft
of them fuch as betrayed malignity of heart,
as well as want of principle.
The
188
THE LIFE OF
The next year, as fpring and fummer
came on, he grew in ftature very much,
and became leſs manageable at ſchool, from
whence his excurfions were more frequent,
and his miſdemeanors of every fort more
fearlefs. At length, in autumn, fome fine
peach and nectarine trees in the clergyman's
garden being one morning found entirely
ftripped of their ripe fruit, Dick, whofe
tricks were well known in the family, was
fufpected of courfe. When accufed, he
denied it at firſt with great infolence, till a
fervant obferving the rogue's pocket fwell
out very much, and feizing him fuddenly,
turned it infide out. Down dropped a ſcore
or two of peach and nectarine ftones, that
diſcovered the fruit had all been newly
eaten. Thus fhamefully convicted, he un-
derwent upon the ſpot fo fevere á drubbing,
that his father coming by, interpofed to
ſpare him; and hearing the fervant upbraid
the boy with ingratitude to his maſter,
1
a
" He
RICHARD COREWORM.
189
1
He owes nothing, I think, to the parſon,
Taid the churl, for fending him to ſchool.
The devil of any good can I fee he ever got
by it. You may tell your mafter fo, and
that he fhall not have the trouble of fend-
ing him there any longer." This sturdiness
of old Coreworm proceeded from his
having been juſt ſpoken to by farmer Stern,
who lived in a neighbouring pariſh, and
who ſeeing Dick to be a luſty boy, wanted
to employ him fometimes in riding cattle to
water, fometimes in attending an upper fer-
vant in various works of the field and gar-
den, down to picking ſtones, and other mat-
ters of ſmall account.
To thefe works young Richard was im-
mediately diſpatched. They were more
adapted to his rambling diſpoſition, than the
buſineſs at ſchool. Yet he performed them
not much to the farmer's fatisfaction, as
without conftant correction his conduct was
feldon
190
THE LIFE OF
feldom orderly for two days together, and
he would often leave his work, when moft
wanted, to ſkulk in orchards and gardens.
The cattle under his care, without good
watching, he delighted in treating with the
moft wanton cruelty. However, his maſter,
who was very ftri&, or in his abfence, the
labourers, who were ordered to keep a ſharp
eye over him, held him generally within
bounds, and by giving him now and then a
found horfe-whipping, obliged him to work,
though the trouble of compelling him almoſt
equalled the value of his labour.
CHAP.
RICHARD COREWORM. 191
CHAP. VI.
Robert Coreworm dies, his repentance,
his firſt and laſt advice to Richard.
Y conftant difcipline, and compulfion
BY
to work without ceaſing, under the eye
o farmer Stern, a moſt induſtrious and rigid
mafter, Dick was reſcued, in a great degree
for above three years, from the bad effects
of his wicked difpofition. For acts of cru-
elty or miſchief he had been often unmer-
cifully ſcourged to the bone. The dread of
certain puniſhment was
fite to keep him in awe.
continually requi-
manners he ſeemed, but
Yet at length, in
only feemed to
Having
have ſome faint difpofition to amendment.
192
THE LIFE OF
Having paffed his eighteenth year, his
limbs habituated to hard labour, had ac-
quired great ftrength, which improved his
perſonal appearance. But without the per-
petual watch, and frequent application of
the laſh of Stern, it was ftill manifeft no
change would be wrought in his evil con-
duct.
An event now took place, which natu-
rally ought to have awakened him to a far-
ther reformation, if any fpark of goodneſs
could ever have been kept alive in his breaſt.
His father had, by degrees, began to rue
more and more the fad effects of his obſti-
nate and incorrigible habit of drunkenneſs.
An univerfal languor, with great pain by
fits, feized all his limbs. His legs were
fwelled to an amazing fize, and he became
infirm and dropfical. He had the misfor-
tune one night, as he was ftaggering home
drunk from the ale-houfe, to put out one
of
RICHARD COREWORM.
193
of his eyes by tumbling in the dark over a
parcel of faggots that lay by the way ſide,.
which caufed him fharp and lafting torment.
But not even this could make him difconti-
nue his vifits to the ale-houſe, as long as he
had ftrength to crawl thither. However, he
was now obliged to ſtay at home, being con-
fined to his bed, and hardly able to move at
all. The dropfy grew daily worfe and worſe,
and foon became incurable, and his death
was vifibly approaching. On the day that
put a period to his wretched life, he kept his
fenfes, and ſmall ſhare of underſtanding al-
moft to the laft minute. As he fat up in
bed (for he could no longer breathe lying
down) he ſeemed a little eafier than he had
been for fome timè paft. He fent for his
fon to come to his bed fide.
Grief for all his paſt bad life, his utter
neglect of Dick, and the fad example he had
ſet him, made him wiſh to give a little good
advice
K
194
THE LIFE OF
ed out of this world.
advice to this wicked fon, before he depart-
By this diſcharge of
a natural obligation, which he had never
before attended to, he longed to quiet his
diſtracted ſpirit. In the agonies of a death-
bed repentance, he purpoſed, with fear and
trembling, to atone in fome degree for his
paſt worthleſsneſs, but with very faint hope
indeed that the awful Judge, before whom
he muſt ſhortly appear, would be thus dif-
poſed to forgive his fhameful diſregard of the
great duties of a chriftian, a huſband, a fa- ·
ther, and a member of Society.
Very unexpected glimmerings of good
fenſe, of reafon, and even of religion, broke
forth in his laſt moments, which his fottiſh
habits had almoſt totally extinguiſhed in the
courfe of his life. Many and moſt eager
were the wiſhes he expreffed with tears,
that he might recover out of this illneſs,
for a ſmall, a very fmall portion of time,
before
RICHARD COREWORM.
195
before he ſhould be fummoned to his dread-
ed doom, that by his future care to do his
duty in fome degree towards his offended
God, his miferable wife, and ungracious
fon, for the fhort remainder of his days, he
might obtain pardon for his paſt fins.
He earnestly entreated Dick to take warn-
ing from the anguiſh his mind was then en-
during, from his dread of finking fuddenly
into hell and damnation, through the juft
judgment of an avenging God. Moſt ſtrange
indeed it is to tell! But it was now the very
firſt time of his life, he had ever fpoken to
his fon of fearing God, or a future judgment
after death, or the doom of damnation in
hell to the wicked. He now particularly
reminded Dick of the crimes he had com-
mitted, and been fo often puniſhed for, his
'idleing, lying, pilfering, and acts of wanton
miſchief. He ſhould die, he faid, with lefs
pain and trouble upon his mind, if he could
K 2
have
196
THE LIFE OF
have any hope to touch the heart of his re-.
probate fon, to move the ftubborn wretch
to one thought of amendment of life, that a
father's guilt might not drag him too, down
to the fame terrible judgment, which he could
not poffibly escape himſelf.
At a declaration thus expreffive of extreme
deſpair, Dick hung down his head without
ſpeaking a word. His mother's eyes were
fixed upon the bed with a ghaftly ftare. Tho'
neither of them fhed a fingle tear, Martha
fobbed a little, and Richard ſeemed fome-
what fhocked at fo deplorable a fight for an
inftant. A confufed dread of he knew not
what poffeffed him. Of compaffion, forrow,
fhame, repentance he felt not yet the flight-
eft touch.
Unable to wreft from the miſ-
creant a ſingle word expreffive of contrition,
or a faint ſenſe of his paft mifdeeds, the
poor wretch, his dying father, caſt a look
of unspeakable horror upon his worthleſs
fon.
Page 196.
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OF
сн.
RICHARD COREWOR M. 197
fon. He groaned and expired a few minutes
after he had pronounced that dreadful fen-
tence of condemnation against himſelf, in
the moſt viſibly extreme agonies of mind and
body, and was buried at the expence of the
pariſh.
CHAP.
198
THE LIFE OF
CHAP. VII.
Richard goes into a gentleman's ſervicemi
turned offbewildered in a form.
D
ICK was not willing to advance one
farthing towards his father's funeral,
nor the future maintenance of his mother,
who being utterly incapable of earning a
fufficiency for her livelihood without the
fupport of the pariſh, through growing in-
firmities, added to the habitual lazinefs of
her difpofition, paffed all the miferable re-
mains of her ftupid life in dozing or fmoak-
ing perpetually, in an utter indifference
about her fon, and equally unnoticed by him.
Sometime after his father's death, Mr.
Sharp,
RICHARD COREWORM. 199
Sharp, a gentleman whoſe feat was in the
pariſh where Richard's mafter lived, hap-
pened to be in want of a ftout lad to affift
his gardener, and occafionally to help his
groom, in their ſeparate works. Seeing Core-
worm to be ftrong and well-built, he ſpoke
to farmer Stern about him, who tired at laſt
of keeping him to his work by dint of drub-
bing, was glad of an opportunity of getting
rid of him. Yet he honeftly told the gentle-
man, the lad could do his work well enough;
but it muſt be with good looking after. Mr.
Sharp, not difcouraged, faid his other fer-
wants would fee to that ; and was inconfi-
derate enough to hire him.
Dick took little pains to gain the good
opinion of his new mafter, or his fellow-
ſervants; but if not clofely watched, he
would daily idle away his time at play in the
village, inſtead of attending to his buſineſs.
The gentleman was mindful of the farmer's
KA
4
hint,
200
THE LIFE OF
hint, and gave ftrict orders to the upper
gardener and groom to follow him cloſe,
and train him up to his work, by ftripes,
like an ox or an afs. This laſted, with va-
riable fits of idlenefs, and ſeeming amend-
ment, for about a twelvemonth. An acci-
dental detection at length loft Richard that
place. His overfeer had miffed many things
out of the garden, which had been flightly
noticed. One day returning home, unex-
pected, from a journey, his maſter ſuddenly
lighted on Coreworm at the next village, with
a bundle fufpended bya ftick over his fhoulder.
Upon galloping inftantly up to him, he faw
that Dick, turning fhort from the path,
ſtarted with affright, then ſtood like one
thunderstruck, while the bundle opening,
dropped upon the ground, and diſcovered a
parcel of tulip roots, with ſeveral papers of
fine flower-feeds, that he had ftolen from
the gardener, together with about a ſcore of
cu-
RICHARD CORE WORM.
201
cucumbers, which being early for the fea-
fon, he meant to fell at a good price.
Guilt fo plain and undeniable admitted
no excufe. Coreworm fell down upon his
knees, begged his mafter to ſpare him the
beating he well deferved, owned that he had
been guilty of taking thoſe things out of the
garden, declared it was his firft fault of the
kind, and folemnly, with uplifted eyes, pro-
miſed it fhould be the laft.
"The laft, in
my fervice, it fhall certainly be, ſaid Mr.
Sharp, I ſhall take care of that. Your ly-
ing, and your incorrigible lazineſs, had be-
fore determined me not to be troubled with
you much longer. But this.laft act of dif-
honefty drives you from my houſe immedi-
ately. If I had not other buſineſs to attend
to at preſent, I ſhould certainly ſend you to
jail, and profecute you for this theft. But
fomebody elfe, I don't doubt, will foon be fo
good to do you that favour. Remember my
K 5
words;
202
THE LIFE OF
words; and never prefume to apply to me
for a character, which may enable you to
get another place. Be fure of this, that if
any perfon fhould enquire of me about you,
I fhall think myſelf bound to inform him
what an unworthy wretch you are." So
faying, he ordered a ftout fervant who at-
tended him to take charge of Coreworm, and
conducting him back, to look well he took
nothing away but what belonged to him,
ftrip off a new livery frock, he then wore,
and turn him out of the houſe; where he
was not fuffered to ftay another night..
Thus driven out with infamy, Richard.
pofted in hafte away from a place, where every
one defpifed him. Many a weary mile had he
wandered, till being loft upon a wide open
down, as evening clofed upon him, he was
pelted and thoroughly drenched, in a heavy
ftorm, or hurricane of wind, hail, rain,
thunder, and lightening. It lafted nearly
all the night; which, as may be well be-
lieved,
RICHARD COREWORM. 203
lieved, Dick paffed not entirely at his eaſe,
unfheltered from the dreadful tempeft, be-
wildered, ftumbling, forely bruiſed, with
many a fall over ftumps and briars, wet to
the fkin, encumbered with his wretched
wardrobe, packed up in a garden mat, that
now had acquired additional weight, and in
utter darkneſs, which the claps of thunder
bursting over his head, and the fudden flaſhes.
of lightening, that often ftruck him to the-
ground, and wrapped him in a ſheet of fire,
rendered ſtill more terrible.
CHAP.
204
THE LIFE OF
CHAP. VIII.
Dick's diftrefs-beggary-repulfe-relief-re-
commendation to a place.
HEN the morning dawn began to
W appear, the ſtorm abated. The
clouds fled before the driving blaft. Dick
found himſelf in a vaft open country, with
not a houſe in view for many miles. Yet
onward ftill he trudged, as the horſe-track
led him over the barren heath, his wet
cloaths clinging to his limbs, that well nigh
funk under him with cold and wearinefs.
But hunger and thirft were preffing. A few
fcattered trees now in fight, at a great dif-
tance, drew his fteps that way, in hopes of
a little
RICHARD CORE WORM.
205
a little reft and food, while his motion, with
a bright fun, and keen wind, dried his
cloaths upon his back.
The firſt houſe he faw belonged to a farmer.
At this lonely dwelling Richard ſtopped.
His beggarly whine at the door called forth
Flint, the rough inhabitant, who eyeing him
ſharply from head to foot, queftioned him,
in a breath, what he wanted? whence he
came? and whither he was going? Core-
worm's answer only told his want of fuften-
ance, as he had loft his way, and wandered
all night in the horrible ftorm. To that his
forry plight gave credit. A draught of beer,
with fome bread and cheefe, was ordered to
be brought out to him.
ging to be employed in
But
But upon his beg-
work of any kind,
the farmer repeated the queries he had be-
fore evaded, and cross-examined him vari-
ous ways. His ftory, ftammered out with
palpable contradictions, betrayed the vaga-
bond
206
THE LIFE OF
bond to a man, who having been once
villainously plundered by a more artful
guest of this fort, had learned caution
ever fince, and acquiring from thence
a peculiar keennefs of obfervation, was
at length become deeply read in the ex-
preffion of the human countenance. The
fufpicion Richard's looks had raiſed, now
roſe to proof, and got him a quick dif-
miffion from Flint," Get thee gone, thou
pitiful lying varlet. If ever thou dareft
fhew me thy hanging face again, I'll ſeize,
and lay thee by the heels for vagrancy; but
I have other work in hand. For this time
I leave thee at liberty to feek thy fortune,
and let me tell thee, I foreſee thou wilt foon+
bring thy ſtory to an untimely end." The
ftings of conſcious guilt, with preſent mife-
ry, were in truth marking Coreworm's fea-
tures with ftrong convulfive twitches. Mut-
tering a ftifled curſe againſt the farmer, with
eyes fixed upon the ground, away he ſneaked,
not knowing which way to betake himſelf.
He
RICHARD COREWORM.
207
He ſtill kept fauntering on, till he found
himſelf in a beautiful country, finely culti-
vated, and richly adorned with gentlemen's
feats. As he ſtood gazing with lack-luftre
eye, undelighted at its beauties, on the de-
clivity of a pleaſant hill, he was fuddenly met
by a young man, whom he at once recol-
lected to be Will Careleſs, who had formerly
been his fellow-fufferer at fchool for the
crime of lying. Strangely altered as they
both were in their perfonal appearance, fince
their rifing to the ftate of manhood; yet
each recalled the other to remembrance,
almoft at the fame inftant. Carelefs, who
was now in good plight, and tightly dreffed,
cordially accosted Coreworm, in all the
customary firft queftions of an old acquaint-
ance, after a long abfence. Dick, diſmally
chopfallen, coldly made anfwer, that he
was out of place, and wifhed Will would
recommend him to one. Afhamed to tell
his fchool-fellow all his diſtreſs, or reveal
to him the difgraceful fituation of his af-
fairs,
208
THE LIFE OF
fairs, he made no answer to the queſtions
of-What he was doing there? Or what
had brought him from his firſt abode into
this country, where he had no expectation
of feeing any one that knew him.
The other youth, who when a boy had
been rather wild, and inconfiderate, but
neither vicious nor obftinate, had greatly
mended his manners. He was now gene-
rally eſteemed an honeft, and very induftri-
ous fellow. He had for fome time been the
head ſervant of a great nurſeryman and gar-
dener, with a claim, by an engagement, to
his being admitted foon to an equal partner-
ſhip in the buſineſs. In the mean time he
overlooked and affifted in the feveral works
of planting, removing, pruning and engraft-
ing, in the nurſeries, and went about occa-
fionally cutting trees, and fuperintending
improvements in the gardens of the neigh-
bouring gentry. The prudent difcipline at
ſchool
RICHARD COREWORM.
209
ſchool having really taught him reflection,
he proved a laudable inftance of the happy
effects it may produce in a tractable temper.
As he ever after felt great regret, upon his
incurring the flighteft touch of blame, he
grew up an orderly, and well behaved young
man and his attentive and chearful dif-
charge of his duty in every circumſtance,
together with his obliging carriage, ob-
tained him the entire good will of his mafter,
and the feveral gentlemen who employed
him.
As he joined to the reft of his commend-
able qualities a great fund of good-nature,
he kindly wiſhed to befriend his wretched
fchool-fellow. He promifed to uſe his beſt
endeavours to get him a place, if he could
hear of a vacancy, which Dick might ſup-
ply, in any of the families where he was
employed. He procured him a lodging in
the mean time at the cottage of a fellow-
fervant
210
THE LIFE OF
fervant of his, who was a married man.
All that Careleſs could gather in converfa-
tion with Coreworm, was a ftring of com-
plaints, ill-calculated to recommend him
to the good opinion of the induftrious
youth;" The plaguy hard work, that had
been forced upon him, and the dog's
life he had led, under the cruel fcourge of
farmer Stern-In Squire Sharp's ſervice he
had been as fore driven-No pack-horfe
could ftand it."-Will fhook his head, and
by a few home queſtions wrung from Dick
a fort of confeffion of idlenefs, on his part,
which had coſt him his place; but he declared
he was determined to amend for the future.
Careless, for the prefent, preffed him not
farther. He had promiſed to befriend him,
and was as good as his word, and diligent
in his enquiries. He foon fucceeded, and
heard of a vacant place in the ſervice of a
genteel family, where a young man was
wanted
RICHARD COREWORM.
211
wanted as an under gardener. And here he
was exprefsly defired by Mr. Pliant, the
mafter of it, to look out for a flout young
fellow, who with fome knowledge of work
in a garden, might, in his appearance, oc-
cafionally do credit to a livery. As Rich-
ard's perſon, and former employment ſeemed
to anſwer not amifs, in theſe refpects, to
the gentleman's defcription, William im-
mediately recommended him to Mr. Pliant,
as a ſtrong healthy lad, very capable of do-
ing the buſineſs required. As to his
figure, he added, you will judge yourſelf,
Sir, how far that may be likely to fuit you
in better cloaths. It appears fomewhat
fhabby, I confefs, in his prefent trim."
He was defired to fend Coreworm the
next day, and to tell him, it would be ex-
pected he ſhould bring with him a written
character for honefty, diligence, and fobri-
ety, from the mafter, whom he had ſerved
laft.
212
THE LIFE OF
laft. Will gladly acquainted his fchool-
fellow with this profpect of fucceſs, aſking
him at the fame time, "If he had any
paper to fhew from Mr. Sharp ?" No
fach thing" There would be no great
difficulty to get one, would there ?"
No,
none at all; but the tyrant has uſed me
fcurvily I'll never go near him again.'-
"You muſt, I tell you, or you'll never
get another place, as long as you live.”
This converfation, of courfe brought on
a fucceffion of crofs queftions from Will,
to which Dick returned fuch indirect and
fhuffling anſwers, as were plainly meant to
cover fome palpable falfities, which they
rather betrayed. "Ah! Coreworm, ſaid his
good-natured friend, you are at your old
tricks, I perceive. Yet, I think, while I
have been ftriving to fhew you an act of real
kindneſs, you might as well have told me
truth. However, I'll do what I can for
you
RICHARD COREWORM.
213
you ftill. I have ventured to give a better
account of you, than you appear to deſerve.
Let me tell you now, that if your future
conduct fhall give me the lie, you must
never more expect me to befriend, or affiſt
you." Dick, louting low, abafhed for an
inftant before fuperior worth and truth, or
confounded rather at his own comparative
worthleffneſs, made Careleſs many raſh pro-
teſtations of good behaviour in time to
coma,
CHAP.
214
THE LIFE OF
CHA P. IX.
Coreworm blunders, beyond expectation, into the
place. Is hired, without a character from
his laft fervice.
HE next morning, Coreworm's vi-
THE
gorous and healthy appearance before
Mr. Pliant, who had not fo great ſkill in
phyfiognomy as farmer Flint, at firſt fight
beſpoke his favour, eſpecially as Will's ac-
count had prepared him to expect a more
unfightly figure. When aſked,- What
work can you do in a garden? his anſwer
was—' I can get the ground in order, and
put in feeds and plants.'" Do you bring
any recommendation?" An abfurd and
ridiculous
RICHARD COREWORM.
215
ridiculous blunder here befriended the ftu-
pid fellow, and faved him much confuſion.
No ſenſe could he make of the last quef-
tion, which to his dull ear, founded like,
"Do you bring 'em and rake 'em, and diſh
'em?" In fuppofition that theſe words bore
fome relation to what he had faid juft be-
fore, he chanced to anfwer, with a confi-
dent grin, Yes to be fure I can, Sir ?'-
This he uttered at random, without any
meaning, but an empty boaft of his abili-
ties. "Very well, faid Mr. Pliant, I will
write a line then, for you to carry to your
late mafter. If his anſwer fhall prove as
favourable to your character, as you are
fure it will, I fhall hire you accordingly."
Richard walked off, in doleful dumps,
with the letter, hopeleſs of obtaining any
favour from the mafter who had difcarded
him. Yet from defpair of any other expe-
dient, he caught at the ſhadow of a hope,
that
216
THE LIFE OF
that if he went, and begged his pardon very
humbly, telling him he muſt abfolutely ftarve
unleſs he would, out of charity, give him a
written character, poffibly the Squire might
at length relent. Full of thefe juft doubts,
and grouudlefs hopes, he pofted unwillingly
toward the village, from whence he had
been lately driven with fo much infamy.
As his mother was ftill living in the ham-
let, that lay upon the road, which led to the
houſe of Mr. Sharp, he thought he might as
well not pass by her little dirty hut, without
calling upon her. Never before had Rich-
ard ſhewn her the flighteft token of filial re-
gard or affection. Was it a fit of remorſe,
or compaffion, that at length miraculouſly
touched his callous heart? Nothing like
it. The motive, which alone, at any time,
had weight with him, produced his preſent
wiſh to ſee the poor woman; to try if he
could, in one point, ferve his purpoſe, and
learn
RICHARD COREWORM.
217
learn at leaſt of her how far the true reafon
of his leaving the fervice of Mr. Sharp fo
fuddenly, was known in the neighbourhood.
She fighed heavily, dropped a tear, ſhook
her head, and fadly muttered: fhe wa
afraid he would come to no good. Dick
told her, he was in view of a good fervice,
and was come to get a character from his
laft mafter, to enable him to get the place.
"A character? forfooth, cries Martha,
Oh! a precious one it will be, or thou'rt
much belied. And many hundred miles
thou haft to travel for it, unleſs thou getteſt
a rope, instead of it, by the way. 'Squire
Sharp and his lady paſſed by here this morn-
ing, in their coach. One of the ſervants,
ſpying me, ſaid they were going a long long
journey to the north, which he fays is the
furthermoft corner, or fag-end, of the world
——and, Gammer, quoth he, thy fon is a vile
dog.-What! is he turned off? quoth I.-
Aye, he has turned thief, quoth he, and
mark
21-8
THE LIFE OF
mark my words, he'll be turned off at laſt
at the gallows."
Little concern did Coreworm feel for the
footman's prophecy, that foft compliment
having long been quite familiar to his ear;
but he was overjoyed at his intelligence
about the 'Squire. Without beſtowing a
word, or a look in reply to his mother, back
he haftened immediately, with a lighter
heart, to his fchool-fellow. William al-
lowed this departure of Mr. Sharp was in
his favour, and promiſed to ſpeak as good a
word for him to 'Squire Pliant, as confci-
ence and truth would let him. He con-
trived for the purpoſe an errand to the great
houſe that very day, to prepare, if poffible,
a good reception for Dick. His friend's
excefs of good nature betrayed him here into
an act, which his confcience ever after found
it impoffible to juſtify.
After
RICHARD COREWORM.
219
After receiving over night from William
fome inftruction how he fhould behave,
Richard went the next morning to wait
upon Mr. Pliant. Delivering back the let-
ter, he faid he had been forely diſappointed
in finding his good mafter had juſt ſet out-
upon a long journey; and he had only heard
he was gone for a great while, and many
hundred miles off; but could not learn at
the houſe where a letter might be directed
to him. The circumftance of Mr. Sharp's
departure for Scotland, Mr. Pliant, upon
enquiry, found to be true; and receiving
from Careleſs a favourable account of Dick's
ability to do the work of an under gardener,
he ventured, the next day, from the good
opinion he had conceived of Coreworm's
young ſchool-fellow, to take him into his
fervice.
L2
CHAP.
220
THE LIFE OF
CHAP. X.
Promiſe of amendment-Relapſe.
RICHARD being now fettled in his
new place, followed for fome time the
good inftructions of his friend William, and
appeared really defirous to pleaſe. · A pro-
mife of confiderably higher wages, if he
approved himself worthy of them, at the
end of the year, was the chief worker of
this wonder. His proper buſineſs in the
family of Mr. Pliant lay chiefly without
doors, and was eafily learned. If fent oc-
cafionally on an errand, that left no room
for a miſtake, he diſpatched it not amifs, and
was tolerably ready in obferving whatever
was
RICHARD CORE WORM. 221
was required by the upper-gardener. This
man's work lying within a narrow compaſs,
he governed Richard with a much flacker
rein than his former overfeers. And as he
was a married man, and lived at fome dif-
tance from his maſter's houſe, and was not
over-diligent himſelf, his affiſtant found fre-
quent opportunities, in a morning and even-
ing, to run from his work into the village,
and play at fives, cricket, chuck-farthing,
down to ducks and drakes, in company with
all the moſt idle and worthlefs fellows of the
neighbourhood: and affociates of his own
caft were never wanting, from many weal-
thy families, where a number of fauntering
ragamuffins in fhowy liveries were kept, for
no other purpoſe, but a vain parade.
•
Richard nevertheleſs continued ftill to
pay fome regard to his mafter, whofe kind-
nefs and indulgence he appeared at times to
court. When he ſaw him enter the garden,
L 3
he
}
222
THE LIFE OF
he betook himſelf inftantly to his work, with
particular chearfulness. When out at his
fports, he would upon occafion fet an idle
boy to watch his maſter's motions; and upon
proper notice, would flily ſlip in at a wicket,
and be ſeen remarkably buſy and buſtling.
Theſe tricks were more than fufficient to
deceive Mr. Pliant, who had really con-
ceived a favourable opinion of him, and
thought him a brifk and diligent fellow;
and at the end of the year actually raiſed
his wages confiderably, according to agree-
ment.
The gentleman was in truth no
ſtrict obſerver, eafily pleaſed, and ſomewhat
careless in his difpofition. As he and his
lady were exceedingly fond of company,
and conftantly receiving or returning the
vifits of feveral genteel families, in their
opulent and populous neighbourhood, they
had neither leifure nor inclination to infpect
very narrowly into certain diſorders, which
are commonly fure, where a due fuperin-
tendance
RICHARD COREWOR M. 223
tendance is neglected, to creep into the eco-
nomy and government of a private family.
While the other domeftics were bufily em-
ployed within, waiting upon a numerous
affembly of gentry, and Dick was not want-
ed or miffed, out he fallied to ſeek the com-
pany of raſcals of his own ftamp, who were
fervants in other families. With theſe, upon
fuch occafions, he spent his time in gam-
ing, at which he began to grow very ex-
pert, fometimes at the ale-houſe, and ſome-
times at their mafter's houſes, as opportuni-
ties offered, to revel undisturbed by the
eye of thoſe whofe prefence might have
kept them in awe.
I
Coreworm, in his turn, when Mr. Pliant
and his Lady were abroad upon a viſit, and
it was certain they would return home late,
began to take the bold and diſhoneſt liber-
ties, at his maſter's houfe, of which he had
caught the example in this bad company.
L. 4
He
224
THE LIFE OF
He found but little oppofition from any of
his fellow fervants, and too much encou-
ragement from fome of them, to the intro-
duction of his gaming affociates into the
fervant's hall. The 'Squire's ale and beer-
cellar were never fpared at thefe burleſque
imitations below-ftairs, of what (however
generally prevalent) is moft truly deſpicable
in high life. His cunning knavery in plying
his parties at Loo, All-fours, or Cribbage,
with brimming cans, which he only ſham-
med himself, gave him great advantage over
all the other gamefters.
The other fervants of Mr. Pliant's family,
male and female, were all, except one, ho-
neft in the main, and had a better fenfe of
their duty to their mafter and mistress in
other refpects. But in this cafe they were
all greatly to blame. It was a culpable, as
well as fooliſh good-nature to a vicious fel-
low-fervant, that hindered them from com-
plaining
1
RICHARD' COREWO‘RM. 225
plaining of his abufe of too much indul-
gence. Thus infenfibly, and without in-
tending it, they made themfelves, in ſome
degree, accomplices in all his guilt. This
unfaithfulneſs and neglect of fo plain a
duty they had foon occafion to repent, when
being all turned away together from a very
good fervice, not one of them efcaped, in
the eye of the world, fome fhame of Core-
worm's infamy.
15
CHAP
226
THE LIFE OF
CHAP. XI.
•
His intrigue with a housemaid-Outlines of her
character in childhood.-
OREWORM went on every day from
COR
(
bad to worſe. Yet his inconfiderate
fellow-fervants ftill forbore complaining to
his maſter, being each unwilling to be the
firft accufer. His great idleness, and other
faults, his junketings eſpecially with his
worthless companions, at his maſter's ex-
pence, were indeed fo notorious, that it was
thought not even the continual diffipation
and inadvertency of Mr. Pliant could make
him overlook them. Richard had now
commenced a criminal connection with Do-
rothy Graceless, one of the houſe-maids, a
wanton
RICHARD
COREW OR M. 227
t
wanton baggage, of a difpofition not lefs
vicious than his own, though diſguiſed with
greater cunning.
As the progrefs and completion of the
crimes of Coreworm were hurried on by his
intrigue with this abandoned wench, it may
be proper here to look back to the early part
of her hiſtory; in which we may trace the
rife, and the gradual advances, which final-
ly led to the moſt fatal extremes of wicked-
nefs in the other fex.
Dorothy owed her birth to the unlawful
amour of Ann Slammekin, a chambermaid
at an inn, with Bob Graceless, a young and
handfome trooper, quartered at the houſe.
Her mother, being married afterwards to
Crabb the hoftler, to whom the bore feveral
children, never fhewed affection, or took
much concern about this unfortunate child.
Her huſband, having turned fmuggler, main-
tained
228
THE LIFE OF
tained her in idlenefs and flovenly plenty,
though in a joylefs manner, from the dan-
gers and terrors attendant upon his noctur-
nal expeditions. Dolly had, for about five
or fix years in her childhood, been put out
to board under the care of a village ſchool-
miftrefs, merely to keep her from being
troublefome at home, and out of the fight
of her churlish ftep-father, who had often
complimented his beloved fpoufe with this
civil addrefs." The deuce take thee,
ftrumpet, for plaguing me with thy baftard.
Keep the whelp out of my way, or thou,
and all thy litter, fhall rot in a ditch toge-
ther."—His obedient wife, having occafion-
ally fome command of money, had been able
hitherto to pay for her board. The girl's
obftinate behaviour, and unwillingneſs to
learn any thing at fchool, had occafioned
many a heavy complaint from her teacher,
which was always heard, with utter indif-
ference, by her unnatural parent. Her many
unto-
RICHARD COREWORM.
229
untoward vixen tricks, even fuch as were
moſt offenſive, and betrayed a wicked and
malicious difpofition, only provoked her mo-
ther's laughter.
At length, when ſhe had paffed her four-
teenth year, growing more and more unma-
nageable, the impudently fpurned at re-
proaches, or threatnings. Stripes were tried
in vain; and marks of difgrace, of every
fort her miſtreſs could contrive, being be-
come familiar to her, were alike difregarded.
The patience of the ſchool-miſtreſs at length
holding out no longer, fhe took her home,
and delivered to her unfeeling mother a full
and true account of all her bad qualities, her
idleneſs, lying, and delight in miſchief, but
eſpecially her pilfering from all the children,
and herſelf, of which trick, tho' conftantly
diſcovered, and feverely puniſhed, ſhe could
never cure her. The wench, in ſhort, was
grown fo bad, fhe would no more be troubled
with her.
The
230
THE LIFE OF
The ſmuggler chanced to be preſent at
this interview. He had just been ſnatching
a hafty meal, before his nightly excurfion;
while Dolly lay ſkulking in a corner, be-
hind a hog-tub. When the ſchool-miſtreſs
had done ſpeaking, Crabb ftamped, and
thundered out a furious oath, that his houſe
fhould be too hot to hold the flut, if ever
The came in his way. Then fternly bidding.
his domeftic flave at
her peril look to it-
he flipped on his boots, gave a loud crack
with his horſewhip, rendered truly terrible
to his wife, by a menacing frown, and fig-
nificant nod, fallied forth, and rode off upon
his wretched buſineſs. Trembling at the
wrathful threats of her tyrant huſband, and
fadly diftreffed what to do with this ungra-
cious, and detefted girl, the enraged mother
feized, and dragged her by the hair from her
lurking place; and from hard words was
proceeding to blows; when by a violent jerk
of her head, and the lofs of a handful of
hair,
RICHARD COREWÓR M. 231
hair, the culprit got free, and nimbly took
to her heels. Out of the houſe ran Doro-
thy, while her kind parent, not attempting
to ftop her, gently cried," Go and be
hang'd, you young toad, go, and let me
never ſee you more."-The latter part of
this tender maternal injunction, the very
firſt ſhe had ever received, that was perfect-
ly welcome to her, the dutiful daughter was
determined for once to reſpect, and reply-
ing, as gently- May I be hang'd, if you
do, you old toad,'-was out of fight in an
inftant.
CHAP.
232
THE LIFE OF
CHA P. XII.
Night adventure in a barn.
AFTER wandering till night overtook
her, ſpent with hunger and wearinefs,
fhe took fhelter in an empty barn; where
ſhe had no fooner clofed her eyes upon a
little dirty ftraw, which ſhe had picked up
in the yard, when in ruſhed a crowd of hi-
deous phantoms with a frightful noiſe,
which the dubious gleam of ftar-light rend-
ered really alarming, the clatter of brazen
pans and kettles, blended with the din of
diſcordant voices, of many clouted ſhoes
upon the floor, loud laughter, and the bray-
ing of an afs. Graceless in a cold ſweat,
and
Page 233
IS.D. Sk d
T:Ck. Etd
RICHARD COREWORM.
233
and breathless with fear, threw herfelf on
her knees. Prefently the hafty fparks of a
flint and fteel, and foon a lighted lanthoru
redoubled her horrors, difcovering a medley
of figures, juft then tremendous indeed to
her feared imagination, though familiar
enough to thoſe who live in the country,
the footy household, and equipage of a tra-
velling tinker, Dolly was terrified out of
her ſenſes at this fudden apparition, the
fight of theſe black hobgoblins, and the
huge hairy monfter, which getting fight of
the ſtraw, ran in haſte, advancing what
feemed his broad horns, and ready as the
thought to devour her. Her fereams brought
all the fwarthy tribe at once flocking toge-
ther around her. They enjoyed her terrors
for a while with rude mirth, till impatient
for fupper, the tinker's wife ſquatted down
upon the floor, and opening her wallet,
ftored with bread and cheeſe and broken
meat, her huſband fwung from his fhoulder
a large
f
234
THE LIFE OF
4
a large leathern bottle of beer, and fat down
by her fide, with their three children.
Dolly peeping wiſhfully over their ſhoul-
ders, foon got the better of her fears, and
whining out her petition for a morfel of
bread, was heartily welcomed to a fhare of
their coarſe but plentiful meal. Being now
at leiſure to examine their gueft, who was
rather tall of her age, and not uncomely,
and though a flattern, and bareheaded, with
difhevelled hair, not fhabbily dreffed like a
common tramper; they got from her in
anſwer to their queſtions, a lamentable tale
of a cruel father-in-law, and unnatural mo-
-ther. Her ftory obtained credit with the
tinker, who cried Aye, your father is a
rude ruffian, fure enough, Crabb is a four
dog, I know him full well.'—" What
Crabb, the hoftler of the black ſwan, ſaid
the wife, that married Nan the chamber-
maid, that had a baftard by Captain Grace-
lefs?
RICHARD CORE WORM.
235
lefs ?" I am Graceless,' faid the girl.-
"That thou art, I'll be fworn, quoth the
gentle trull, and as like thy true father as
two peas. Why, wench, he is now made
an officer, a quarter-mafter of a troop of
dragoons, that at this time lies in the town,
where we are going to-morrow, about ten
miles off; and you ſhall trudge it with us."
-Here the woman, whoſe ſhape, unencum-
bered with ſtays, but not ungraceful, and
features too, a little encumbered, but not
with paint, ftill plainly fhewed ſhe had once
been handfome, added with a figh, and wip-
ing off a tear," Thy father, child, has
been a forry wretch, alas! to many a poor
deluded girl. He is a fad wicked man ftill;
that's the truth on't-but he is a good-na-
tured foul, for all that. He fhall do fome-
thing for thee. Get up, Bob, and kiſs thy
fifter." This fhe faid to the ftouteft of the
three boys, whofe impudent face bore indeed
a brotherly likeneſs to the girl's, and who
was
236
THE LIFE OF
1
was ſmartly dreffed in the red and blue
turned coat of a drummer. Tho' at a loſs
what to think of this ftrange relationſhip,
Dolly gladly joined in the march with this
motley tribe the next day; and when weari-
ed with the length of way, was in her turn
lifted up by her courteous brother aftride the
back of the long-eared monſter, which had
terrified her in the night. The march was
often enlivened with wild attempts at a
martial tune upon the fife, by the young
candidate for the honour of a drum-ftick.
With many ſtops in their way of buſineſs,
at every village they paffed, they reached
their journey's end early in the afternoon.
CHAP.
RICHARD COREWORM.
237
CHA P. XIII.
Dolly is introduced to her father, and by him to
the fervice of a baker.
THE quarter-mafter
HÈ quarter-mafter fretting at a freſh
remembrancer of his paft mifdeeds, in-
troduced to him by the tinker's wife, began
at firft to curfe and fwear a little, till ftruck
with the ſuppoſed reſemblance abovemen-
tioned, he pauſed and pondered a while,
furveying the girl attentively. Confcious.
guilt, and conviction of the truth, from the
anſwers he received to the ſeveral queſtions
he put to his daughter, made him fuddenly
alter his note. He gave a guinea to the
com-
238
THE LIFE OF
*
compaffionate Trapes, whofe difinterefted
concern for a fellow-creature in diftrefs,
gave certain indication of a foul that de-
ferved a better fortune. Even in his ex-
tremely vicious character a fhort fit of gene-
rofity and pity was fometimes vifible. To
the guinea, therefore, upon fecond thoughts,
he added about a dozen fhillings' more.
Having drained his pockets of all the money
he could then command, he bade the wo-
man lay it out properly in getting a little
neceſſary change of apparel for the girl, and
call upon him again with her, when it was
ready, and the flut was put into a tidier
trim.
In the mean time, hearing that Weevil
the baker, who ferved his troop with bread,
was in want of fuch a girl, he found it no hard
matter to perfuade the man to take her into
his fervice, at very low wages. Having thus
got her off his hands, he never faw, or
thought
RICHARD
239
COREWORM.
thought of her more.
His courfe of wick-
edneſs was foon after, cut fhort in a duel,
having provoked a brother officer to chal-
lenge him for an infamous attempt to raviſh
his wife, whom he had contrived, by ftrata-
gem, to intoxicate. His daughter heard
the report of his death with extreme uncon-
cern. All his perſonal effects, amounting,
with his pay and arrears, to about fifty
pounds, he lived juft long enough to be-
queath to the kind hearted trull.
Dolly rejoiced mightily at the eaſy ſervice
of attendance, in a baker's fhop; for there
the filly wench fancied ſhe ſhould have little
elſe to do, but to eat all day long.
She was
ſtrangely miſtaken in her reckoning. Mrs.
Weevil was nice to exceſs in point of clean-
linefs, and moreover a notable fhrew; her
mafter, of a temper not fweeter than her
ſtep-father Crabb's. Her drudgery was al-
moft without intermiffion from five in the
morning
240
THE LIFE OF
morning till nine at night. Rough words
at first, and next a cuff, and laftly a fmart
horfe-whipping, were the confequence of
toitering, fluttishnefs, or other faults for
the first twelvemonth. Her little pilferings
of raiſins, currants, apples, &c. from pud-
dings and pies fent to the oven by the neigh-
bours, brought many a complaint from
them, and many a fore puniſhment upon
Dolly.
Being led, at length, by fhrewd obſerva-
tion, into many fraudulent tricks in the art
and myſtery of baking, practifed by her maf-
ter and miftrefs, fhe flily dropped hints of
her diſcovery, which ſtopped many a blow,
that was coming down heavily upon her
fhoulders. This produced a certain change
of behaviour in the baker and his wife.
Weevil found it expedient to treat her with
fomewhat lefs feverity, to wink fometimes
at
RICHARD COREWOR M. 241
at her negligence and miſdemeanour, and to
win her over to his intereft, by a promiſe
of raifing her wages, if fhe would mend her
manners.
Two other years he made a fhift to get
through in this ſervice, with encreaſing pro-
ficiency in the arts of deceit and cunning,
and the fame infolence on her part, frequent
bickerings with her miftrefs, and great dif-
fatisfaction of her mafter, who found his
cuſtomers by his own and her bad practifes,
forfaking his ſhop one by one. This at
-length opened the eyes of Weevil, and made
him refolve, by a better counterfeited maſk
of honefty, to retrieve his credit, a point,
which all his cunning could never after ac-
compliſh. He was, however, glad to ſeize
the firſt opportunity that preſented itſelf, of
getting rid of this domeftic plague upon
friendly terms.
M
CHAP.
242
THE LIFE O OF
1
CHAP. XIV.
Rifes to preferment through unworthiness.
A
Houfe-maid's place was vacant in a
gentleman's family, which Weevil
ferved with bread, at a ſmall diſtance from the
town. The unworthy girl he propoſed to
fhift off his hands into this place. It was the
houfe where Coreworm ferved as an under-
gardener. Application had been made to the
baker, by Mrs. Pliant's houfe-keeper, to in-
quire for a decent fervant to fupply that va-
cancy, which he had promiſed to do. In
telling Dolly he had this place in view for
her, where fhe would have more wages and
lefs work, he defired all quarrels and mif-
be-
RICHARD COREWOR M. 243
behaviour on both fides might now be for
got. He engaged upon certain conditions,
to give her a good character. He made her
fenfible it would be her intereft to do him
the fame kind office, then bade his wife in-
ftruct the girl in the duties of a ſtation ſhe
had once filled herſelf. The miftrefs ac-
cordingly took fome pains in giving Grace-
lefs a proper notion of the manner of con-
ducting herſelf in the ſervice of a gentle-
woman, and in a family fo different from
what fhe had hitherto feen. The baker's
recommendation being approved, and the
girl's perfonal appearance correſponding
with a written teftimony in her favour from
her miſtreſs, and the more flattering account
The gave of her own abilities, fhe was im-
mediately hired by the lady.
1
Her fidelity being from theſe deluſive re-
ports in her favour unqueftioned by Mrs.
Pliant, the two chief points fhe at prefent
M 2
in
244
THE LIFE OF
1
infifted on, were diligence and cleanlineſs.
With reſpect to theſe at leaſt, Dorothy, for
above three years had been forced into cer-
tain habits, which now were of effential fer-
vice to her. In early riſing ſhe exceeded
expectation. This indeed fhe had all her
life been accuſtomed to; which, together
with a new defire to pleaſe, and great bodily
ftrength, enabled her to diſpatch her buſineſs
much quicker than it ever had been done
by her predeceffor. She obtained by theſe
means the lady's good opinion, who was
pleaſed to ſee the ſtairs, parlour, and
dining-room, clean and in order fome hours.
fooner than they were wont to be; ſo that
to encourage her to perfevere in meriting
her favour, a promiſe was made of higher
wages, according to her deferts, at the end
of the first half year.
Refolved not to fall from theſe hopes, fhe
found great diffimulation and cunning ne-
ceffary
RICHARD CORE WORM. 245
ceffary to prevent a difcovery of her real
character. She appeared particularly atten
tive to two pretty children of her mistress,
pretending to be very fond of them. Thus
the crept into her lady's favour to that de-
gree, that Dolly's apparent good qualifica-
tions were often more noticed by Mrs. Pliant
than the real ones of the more deferving
fervants.
+
CHAP.
246
THE LIFE OF
}
CHAP. XV.
Gets triumphantly out of a fad fcrape through.
cunning and impudence.
HER acquaintance with Coreworm,
which foon grew into extreme famili-
arity, and a fatal connection, led her into a
fad fcrape, an act of thievery, that feemed
to threaten her utter difgrace, out of which
her impudence and quick contrivance too.
fucceſsfully delivered her. At Richard's
inſtigation, ſhe had ſtolen an expenſive trin-
ket from the elder child, a careleſs boy, who
accuſed his fifter of taking it: the younger,
a fhrewd little girl, fufpecting Dolly, as fhe.
had obferved her to admire it greatly, went
foftly
RICHARD COREWORM. 247
foftly up to the garret, and peeping into her
box, found the trinket there fure enough;
and there fhe left it, and ran directly to her
mamma, with her ſtrange ſtory. Dolly
chancing to be near, overheard her, and took
her meaſures accordingly. She got ready
in time to anſwer her lady's bell, and to
face, with an undaunted air, her fummons
to a moft horrible accufation." Laud !
ma'am, how could the dear little ſweet crea.
ture think me capable of fo much wicked-
nefs, I beg my box may be fearched imme-
diately." It was done. No trinket there.
"Look ye there now! poor little thing-
I'm forry the fhould up, and tell fuch a ter-
rible fib-Oh fye, Mifs, I vow, I quite,
quite bluſh again, to think of your telling
fuch a paw ftory.-I'll be further if the
pretty dear has not dropp'd it ſomewhere
upon the long gravel walk, where I faw her
playing with it this very morning."
M 4
The
248
THE LIFE OF
The other fervants were diſpatched for
the fearch, and foon found it lying, where
her ftout arm had ſkimmed it, at a confider-
able diſtance from the garret window, and
but little bruiſed, by its fall upon the turf,
near the edge of the walk. The child, con-
founded and out of her wits, was made to
afk Dolly's pardon, after repeating a long
prayer to God againſt lying and flandering.
With much ado, many wry faces, and an
aching heart, the little girl did as fhe was
bid, while Gracelefs, with a crocodile's
tear, kneeling down by her, flily pinching
and kiffing her at the fame time, begg'd her
miſtreſs to forgive and forget the ftrange
miſtake of her ſweet pretty darling.
The fuccefs of Dorothy upon this trying
occafion was compleat, and eſtabliſhed her
the more in her lady's good graces. But
alas it deceived her with falfe hopes of
going
Page 240.
TASUNERA
J. Chct a
I. S. D skḍ
با اله
OF
RICHARD COREWORM.
249*
going on ſtill in her wicked practices, with-
out diſcovery. Better had it been for her,
poor wretch! if a timely detection had then
expoſed her guilt, and faved her from the
increafing load of infamy and mifery, fhe
was deftined ſhortly to bear.
CHAP.
1
250
THE LIFE OË
CHA P. XVI..
Increafe of villainy-detection-impriſonment:
OREWORM, to whom it was at firſt
CORE
no difficult undertaking to feduce the
chaftity of Graceless, found it very eafy,.
after that, to entice her to become his accom--
plice in the execution of his groffeft acts of
villainy. The crimes of difhonefty, which he
had firft ventured to practice in fecret, had.
brought but trifling, and ſcarcely perceptible.
injury to the property of his indulgent mafter.
They were chiefly confined to ſuch articles
in the garden, as it was leaft probable the
upper gardener would mifs. But now a
wider field was opening for the exerciſe of his
knavery,
With
RICHARD COREWORM.
251
With the receiver of theſe petty thefts he
had contracted an intimate acquaintance.
Who fhould this worthy new affociate be,
but the already celebrated Mr. Crabb? He
had been difabled by the lofs of a leg in one of
his nightly adventures from purfuing them
any longer. He had buried his wife, and all
the children ſhe had brought him, fince their
marriage,withmorethanbare ſuſpicion of foul
play; and was now, in fecond nuptials, wed-
ded to a like paragon of decency, who kept a
brothel and tippling-houfe at the neighbour-
ing county-town, whither Coreworm was
occafionally fent on meffages. This unhorfed
knight-errant took Richard afide one day,
and affuming an air of grave importance,
with many a myftical wink, informed him,
in a whiſper, that he had now become a
practitioner of greater confequence, in the
black art and fcience of conveyancing--
that, in ſhort, all articles of ſmall bulk, buť
no fmall value, which might chance to find
their
252
THE LIFE OF
their way into the pockets of Coreworm, he
would receive, and pay for, in ready money;
as he had diſcovered a fafe and fecret me-
thod to diſpoſe of them to a rich jew-mer-
chant of his acquaintance Mr. Judas Decoy,
a great man indeed, a travelling habérdaſher
of ſmall wares..
This alone was wanting to advance the
progrefs of Richard's crimes, the completion
of which, and his final deftruction, were
hurried on by his intrigue with Dolly Grace-
lefs. Finding he had got her with child,
they formed their plan. together of decamp-
ing foon, without the ceremony of taking
leave, but not empty handed. Many and
various were the articles, which Coreworm's
own light-fingered dexterity conveyed away.
But through the hands of Dorothy, who let
flip no convenient opportunity of pilfering
more flily, they vanifhed as it were by
witchcraft. Great was the outcry in the
family;
RICHARD COREWORM.
253
family; of the butler, miffing fome fmall
articles of plate, of the children, complaining
of the loſs of their trinkets, of every ſervant
of the house expreffing their wonder at the
fuddendifappearance of filver buckles,buttons
and thimbles, fciffars, feals, and pen-knives.
The general alarm was foon caught by their
mafter and miſtreſs, whofe filk ftockings and
handkerchiefs, cambricks, laces, and other
things of value, were fought for in vain.
The laft mentioned were the feats of Grace-
leſs, without whoſe inftigation, and vehe-
ment hafte to be gone, the villainy of Core-
worm would not have driven him fo foon to
fuch daring extremities. Dark fufpicion,
unable to fix upon its proper object, with
any circumftance of proof, kept all the fa-
mily in confufion and diſturbance. A ge-
neral ſweep of all the fervants at once was
refolved upon, and foon afterwards took
place, notwithſtanding the detection of
Richard and Dorothy; as it was found they
were
254
THE LIFE OF
were every one, more or lefs, privy to fome
part of their mifbehaviour. They were all:
indeed infected with an itch of gaming,.
which they had caught from their ſuperiors';
and that diſeaſe alone is generally fufficient.
to deaden all fenfe of duty, and destroy all.
regularity of conduct.
The crimes of the profligate and aban-
doned pair could not poffibly have long
eſcaped diſcovery at home. But it was from
another quarter, which was not ſuſpected,
that it fell, with fudden and refiftiefs evi-
dence, on Coreworm. One of his gambling.
companions, having loft all his money to
him at cards, was confident he had detected
Richard in a notorious act of cheating at.
play. The gulled and lofing gamefter, with
great paffion and clamour, accufed him of.
foul play upon the ſpot, and was proceed-
ing to prove it, when Coreworm, who was-
much the ftouter fellow of the two, had im-
mediate
RICHARD COREWOKM.
253
mediate recourfe to fuch irreſiſtible counter-
proof of his innocence, as is commonly uſed
by a fharper, who knows himſelf an over-
match every way for his antagoniſt. He fell
upon the man in fuch fury, with kicks and
fifty cuffs, that the wretch, fore bruiſed, and
terrified out of his fenfes, cried out for mercy,.
and promiſed never again to queftion Dick's
fair play. Vowing vengeance in his heart
againſt the ruffian, who had thus robbed,.
and infamouſly mauled him, he after this
narrowly, watched, every motion of Core-
worm..
An opportunity foon prefented itſelf for a
fatal revenge. It was at their next rout, or
card affembly, that met in the kitchen of
one of the gentry, who were then vifit-
ing Mrs. Pliant's drawing-room, for the
fame genteel purpoſes, of diſcountenanc-
ing all rational purfuit, or converfa.
tion, of killing time, and picking pockets.
The liveried mafter of this revel had,
it
256
THE LIFE OF
it feems, alike been tricked, and bore, the
fame ill will to Richard. Juft as this truly
faſhionable circle was breaking up, and the
party-coloured gentry were difperfing to
their feveral homes, the fellow who had been
cheated and drubbed to boot, and had his-
eye continually upon Coreworm, obferved
him flily flip into his pocket a couple of fil-
ver ſpoons, that had been careleſsly left upon
the dreffer. Chuckling heartily in his fleeve
at this diſcovery, he waited the departure of
the rest of the company, to reveal it to his
fellow-ſufferer, whoſe maſter's property their
plunderer had that moment ftolen. He
might have accufed the villain before them
all, and eafily feized him upon the fact, or
he might have joined with his companion in
the purſuit, and recovered the ſpoons. But
being both arrant cowards, and as ſuch, of
courfe moft treacherously revengeful, they
agreed it would ferve their purpoſe beſt to let
him
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RICHARD CORE WORM. 257
him efcape that night, and get him appre-
hended early the next morning.
When the butler who had attended his
mafter, was returned with him, they were
informed by the footman of the robbery. As
the Gentleman was a juftice of peace, he
drew up inftantly a warrant for the appre-
henfion of the thief, and fent it very early
the next day, by a ftout conftable, accom-
panied by the butler and footman. They
found Coreworm in the ftable-yard, juſt go-
ing to mount a horfe, on which he was ac-
tually preparing to fly the country. They
feized, they pinioned, they fearched him
thoroughly, and befides the filver ſpoons,
they found upon him a diamond buckle of
Mrs. Pliant, which had lately been ftolen,
and conveyed to him by the housemaid.
While they were bufy at his pockets, he dif-
engaged his arms by a fudden wrench, broke
the footman's jaw with his fift, beat out four
of
258
THE LIFE OF
of his teeth, and was proceeding to make a
furious refiftance, when a blow from behind
of the conftable's bludgeon brought him to
the ground, and compelled him to ſubmit.
They bound him more effectually, and
dragged him to priſon.
>
CHAP
RICHARD COREWORM. 259
CHAP. XVII.
He is vifited in prifon by a truly reverend man,
SOME days after Coreworm had been
conveyed to priſon, he was vifited by
the good clergyman, whofe early endeavours
to reclaim him from his evil courfes, and
convert him to good, Richard had requited
fo ungratefully. Upon entering the priſon,
Mr. Beft was informed the poor wretch was
cloſe confined, and lay chained to the floor
of his cell, for engaging, the next day after
his commitment, at the head of a confpiracy
with other felons, to murder the turnkey
and keeper, and effect a general releaſe.
Being conducted to the door of the dun-
geon, the tender-hearted man faintly pro-
nounced
260
THE LIFE OF
nounced his name. - " Ah!
Ah! Richard,
again I am come"-Coreworm raiſed his
head, with a wild ftare. His reverend vi-
fitant beholding him, with filent compaffion,
could not refrain a gufhing tear at the
fhocking ſpectacle. Richard groaning in-
wardly, uttered a few indiftin& half fenten-
ces.--"Pray, good charitable gentleman, help
me-fave me-fpeak for me-oh! fave me
from the gallows,"-was the fubftance of
them.
As the clergyman, ſhaking his head, with
the deepeſt concern vifible in his counte-
nance, and eyes rivetted on Coreworm's,
only repeated, in a low voice, his laft word
-the gallows?--Is there no hope then?
faid the deſpairing wretch." Alas, un-
happy youth, replied his forfaken guide, it
were a fin to flatter thee with vain hope.
Thou muft die now for thy crimes. They
are fo many, and will be fo clearly proved
at thy trial, that no mercy canft thou ex-
pect
RICHARD COREWORM.
261
pect from man. All I am now come to
turn thy mind to, is a fincere contrition and
repentance of them, to bring thee to ſpend
the few fhort days thou haft to live in hum-
bly imploring thy Maker's forgiveneſs of
the wicked, impious life thou haft led, be-
feeching him to put it in thy power to be-
come more properly fenfible of thy grofs of-
fences againſt earth and heaven, than thou
appeareft likely to be, without a miracle.
May that God, who alone can fave thee from
a far worſe doom, than that thou dreadeft,
teach thee the true and only way to gain
his mercy after death."- Pfhaw, ftuff!"
grumbled forth the miferable mifcreant, and
threw his head haftily back upon the rug,
that was laid to fupport it.-"Think, oh
think (without obferving him, proceeded
his reverend adviſer) on the terrible puniſh-
ment thou haft deferved from God, for thy
wilful tranfgreffion of his laws. How often
haft thou heard at church, at that ſchool, to
which
!
262
OF
THE LI FE
}
which I fent thee, of that awful Being, whoſe
all-ſeeing eye thou canst no where eſcape,
whoſe dreadful judgment is fure to overtake
the unrepenting finner, and condemn him to
everlafting fire, or in other words, to hope-
Jefs ages of unutterable pain and mifery in
hell. It is from this moſt deſervedly dread
ed extreme of wretchednefs, I am come now
to do my utmoſt endeavour to preſerve thee.
Repent thee heartily then of all thy finful
courſes, and as a firſt proof of the fincerity
of thy repentance, begin by a free and full
confeffion of thy crimes.”
t
Here Coreworm, rattling his chains, his
funk eyes flashing with rage, raifed up his
head once more, and with a furious excla-
mation, cut the pious gentleman's exhortas
tion fhort. Of all the words he had spoken:
the laſt alone had obtained the fighteft at
tention from the abandoned eaitiff." Con-
feffron! he cried, by fits and ſtarts,-What!
confefs my crimes confefs, and take my
death
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RICHARD COREWORM,
263
death like a tame wether?-confefs, and
hang myfelf? Is that your wife counſel,
and be hang'd to you? Who'd be fool then?
-No-You fhall hang me yourſelf, If I do
-Who fent you hither, you old dotard, to
trick me out of my life ?-Could I but get
at you, I would not be hang'd for no-
thing"-roared the reprobate, ftruggling in
his fetters then finking down again upon
his rug, he muttered, after a moment's
paufe" What a plague could the parfon
come here for? to make my dying ſpeech?
or to bury me alive ?"-" No poor diſtrac-
ted youth, he was meekly anſwered, I came,
in pity to relieve, to comfort, to ſupport thy
foul. I came to prepare it to ſue for mercy
at the throne of God. I came to lead thy
hard heart to repentance."-" Repentance!
cried Dick, time enough for that when I am
condemned to die-'Tis you are hard-heart- ·
ed, I think, to come here, and din my ears
with your rigmeroll ſtuff that I don't under-
ftand, nor you neither, teazing me to death
before
霉
​264
THE LIFE OF
before my time."-Horror at the utter in-
fenfibility of Coreworm to all moral or re-
ligious principle, fealed the lips of the ve-
nerable man. He ftood a moment as one
thunderftruck: then fighing deeply, in de-
ſpair of making the leaft good impreffion
upon the mind of fuch a wretch, he filently
withdrew.
CHAP.
·
RICHARD COREWORM. 265
CHAP. XVIII.
Coreworm's trial-condemnation-untimely death
of Graceless.
UT few weeks paffed from the ſeizure
BUT
of Coreworm before the affizes for the
county were held, and the criminal was
brought to his trial. During his impriſon-
ment, his maſter and miftrefs, who upon his
apprehenfion, were immediately roufed from
their former inadvertency, to a cloſer in-
ſpection into every part of their domeftic
œconomy, were every day difcovering fome
freſh crime, which he had committed, ſome
unfufpected pillage of their property, which
beginning from the garden, cellar, and pan-
N
try,
266
THE LIFE OF
try, had proceeded to invade their wardrobe,
fideboard, and every part of the houſe.
Mrs. Pliant's eyes were now opened, and
turned upon the houſemaid, who had taken
advantage of her long inattention to her fa-
mily concerns, by cunning and hypocrify,
to creep into her good graces. The confe-
quences of Dorothy's guilty connection with
Richard were indeed becoming daily more
and more viſible. The unhappy girl was
duly brought to a ſtrict examination. She
began at first to deny it, not greatly caft
down, for a few minutes, nor bereft of her
ufual impudence, till terrified by a peremp-
tory look from her miftrefs, and her men-
tion at once of fome ftriking circumftances,
which made her guilt with Coreworm, and
her acts of diſhoneſty notorious, beyond all
doubt, the fuddenly turned faint, pale,
trembled exceedingly, fell down upon her
knees, fpeechlefs, but fobbing bitterly, and
hiding
1
RICHARD
267
COREWORM.
hiding her face with both her hands, while
the tears trickled faft through her fingers,
At length, without rifing from the ground,
or changing her pofture, fhe made an in-
diftinct confeffion of fome particulars of her
crimes, as the now plainly faw the most un-
deniable proof of guilt was ready to be pro-
duced againſt her.-By this confeffion it ap-
peared, that the wicked habits, which Grace-
lefs had contracted in her very childhood,
and never long foreborn, had here broken out
at firft, like thofe of Coreworm, in petty
pilferings, fuch as ſtealing tea or ſugar, coffee,
or chocolate, as opportunities offered, when
entruſted with keys to fetch any article of
that fort. But of all the other thefts ſhe had
committed, that of the diamond buckle par-
ticularly, which had been found upon Rich-
ard, ſhe laid the blame principally upon him,
who having once ruined her, had the power,
after
N 2
-268
THE LIFE OF
after that, of making her do whatever he
pleaſed.
Being detected upon the cleareſt teftimo-
ny, as an accomplice in an act of felony,
the mercy of Mr. Pliant and his Lady in
vain interpofed to fave her from being ap-
prehended, and caft into prifon, fome days
before the trial of Coreworm. For the pur-
poſe, however, of preferving her life, upon
this occafion at leaft, fhe was admitted to
turn evidence againſt her fuppofed feducer;
her fituation, truly pitiable in one refpect,
pleading ftrongly in her behalf. When
brought face to face againſt him at the bar,
ſhe was thrown into great confufion for
fome minutes. Upon being addreffed by the
counfel for the proſecution, her whole frame
was convulfed, her colour went and came,
her voice gave no diftinct utterance: but
the queftions being diſcreetly repeated, and
with lefs fharpneſs, fhe at length recovered
her
AICHARD CORE WOK M.
269
her fpeech, with fome degree of fortitude,
and delivered to the court her teftimony
against Coreworm, in fo full a man-
ner as alone was fufficient to convince the
jury of his having actually committed the
groffeft of the acts of villainy, of which he
ſtood accuſed. The charges brought againſt
the culprit receiving additional confirmation
from other evidence, were fo completely
proved, that the judge, in fumming up the
fubſtance of what had feverally been depofed
against him, declared him manifeftly con-
victed, and the jury, without withdrawing
out of court, gave in their verdict Guilty.
Before the truly venerable judge proceed-
ed to pronounce the dreaded fentence, he
addreffed the criminal in a very affecting
manner, with fentiments moft properly
adapted to fink deep into the minds of the
crowded auditory; and nearly to the fol-
lowing purport." Richard Coreworm,
N 3
you
270
THE LIFE OF
you ftand convicted of various acts of felo-
ny; for which the laws of the land have
juſtly decreed that you muſt ſuffer death by
the hands of the public executioner. Hein-
ous and deteftable as your particular crimes
have been, in one inftance eſpecially, as
they are rendered blacker by your ingrati-
tude to a moft generous and too indulgent
mafter; upon yourfelf, poor wretch, I can-
not help looking with a degree of compaf-
fion, mingled with unuſual horror. Your
extreme averfion from all good principles,
and obftinate bias to all kinds of evil, the
utter difregard of divine and human juſtice,
which your whole conduct manifeſtly be-
trays, are ſuch as I have feldom feen. They
convince me, alas! that it is neceffary now
you ſhould feel the fevereft vengeance of
thoſe laws upon which you have thus info-
lently trampled. It would be no lefs cruelty
to yourſelf than injuftice to the public to
grant longer life to fo hardened a crimi-
nal
RICHARD COREWORM.
271
nal as you, to ſpare an incorrigible offender,
whoſe black catalogue of crimes would be
only fwelling continually, with aggravated
guilt, from bad to worfe. I am therefore
compelled to repeat that the utmoſt rigour of
your fentence will infallibly take place. You
have utterly cut yourfelf off, as well by the
atrociouſneſs of your former offences, as by
your
late murtherous purpoſe in prifon, from
the flightest hope, or even bare poffibility of
a reprieve. You have haftened your mifer-
able doom, and rendered more grievous the
horrors of a jail, by the defperate attempt
you have made againſt the life of your keep-
ers. Though bitter indeed is the portion of
wretchedneſs you have yet to endure in this
life, be affured it will be very ſhort. You
have only three days to live. Heaven grant
that ſome unexpected grace, or miraculous
difplay of a merciful Providence, may now
reach your hitherto infenfible heart; if the
bottomless abyss of hell, which you have
N 4
now
272
THE LIFE OF
•
now full in your view, ordained by Divine
Juftice to receive all prefumptuous finners,
does not yet incline you to repentance. May
God enable you, by a right uſe of a few
precious moments, to avert or mitigate the
feverity of a far more dreadful condemna-
tion than that which, with great grief of
heart, I am now compelled to pronounce
against you."-He paufed about two mi-
nutes, ftruggling with vifible emotions of
pity, which always, upon fuch occafions,
peculiarly diftinguifhed the excellent man.
Then flowly, in a folemn tone, at which the
blood of all the affembled hearers was chilled
with awe, he delivered the fentence of death;
by execution at the gallows.
Coreworm convulfed with horror, at the
inftant, yet feeming more dead than alivé,
muttered inwardly, with intermingled
groans, in a voice hardly articulate, fome-
thing that founded like execrations againſt
himſelf,
L
RICHARD
COREWORM. 273
himſelf, the judge, the jury, and thewitneffes,
eſpecially againſt Dorothy. While the at-
tendant conſtables were preparing to con-
duct him back to priſon, a ſudden ftop was
made, and the eyes of the whole court were
turned to a motion of his kind and compaf-
fionate mafter. Mr. Pliant had been pre-
fent during the whole trial, and been ad-
mitted to a feat upon the fame bench with
the counſellors. He now rofe, and requef-
ted permiffion to addrefs a few words to the
judge, who with great attention bent for-
ward to hear him. He inquired, with a
look and expreflions of moft earnest entrea-
ty, while the compaffionate drops ſtole ſoftly
down his cheek, whether the entire and ab-
folute forgiveneſs of the prifoner, by the
perfon principally injured, and his moſt fer-
vent petition in his behalf, together with
the confideration that this was the very firſt
offence, for which the poor ignorant wretch
had been brought to. a trial, might not be
deemed
N 5
274
THE LIFE OF
deemed a fufficient plea for his recommenda-
tion to mercy, for a mitigation at leaſt of his
puniſhment, and the ſparing of his life.
The judge replied to Mr. Pliant, at firſt
in a lower tone-" You are not aware, good
Sir, that Compaffion itfelf here pleads
against you. To fpare the life of fuch a
wretch, indeed, would not be mercy"-then
raiſing his voice, that all the multitude, af-
ſembled in the court, might hear him diſ-
tinctly-"Sir, your application in behalf of
this condemned criminal, as it proceeds
from a motive of humanity, is certainly to
be commended, but cannot reverſe or fuf-
pend the doom of this unhappy man. I have
no doubt but the execution of a perſon who
has lived in your family, muft give a pain-
ful ſhock to your feeling heart. But, fir,
public fafety admits of no change or miti-
gation of the fentence I have pronounced.
Severe juſtice is neceffary-I defire all, who
are prefent, may attend to this.—It is necef-
fary
RICHARD COREWOR M. 275
fary the ſeverity of justice ſhould be ftrictly
executed upon fervants, who feloniouſly in-
vade the property of their mafters. A fer-
vant taken into a family, and becoming a
part of it, is of courſe trufted as fuch. Eve-
ry branch of a well-regulated family looks
up to the maſter of it, with the reſpect due-
to the common father of it, as watchful for
the good of all. And he, on his part, finds
it effential to his peace of mind to confide
in the good will and honeſty of all his do-
meftics. Thus you fee that the multiplied.
opportunities of incurring the guilt of dif
honeſty, which this confidence throws into
a fervant's way, abfolutely require a propor-
tionable check from terror to prevent them.
To this melancholy truth common fenfe,.
and daily experience bear ample teſtimony.-
Capital puniſhments are, alas! too requifite
to correct and reftrain the amazing frequen-
of crimes of this fort. Hence arifes the
conftant neceffity of a strict execution of
juftice
cy
276
THE LIFE OF
葡
​juftice to deter fervants from the commiffion
of thefe crimes, by the certainty of their
being punished with an ignominious death.
In the cafe of this Coreworm particular-
ly, all plea for mercy is entirely cut off, as
well by his attempt against the life of the
jailor, as by the heinoufneſs of his other
crimes. His death is certainly decreed.
Hanged he undoubtedly muft be, three days
hence, without the poffibility of a reprieve.
When the judge had clofed his fpeech
with theſe tremendous words, the criminal,
half frantic, was dragged, not without vio-
lence, back to his former dungeon.
>
His wretched accomplice, and involunta
ry accufer, Dorothy, had been obliged to
ftay in court, during the whole trial. Ex-
haufted with fatigue, and overcome with the
terrors, that kept her mind in continual
confternation all the time, fhe chanced to
ftand in the way, and caught the eye of
Richard,
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RICHARD COREWÓR M. 277
་
Richard, as the conftables were hauling him
along. He was hardly withholden by them,
or his chains, from wreaking a bloody ven-
geance on her.
He thundered out her
name with the direft curfes, which, in
addition to his frightful fcowl, ftruck al
moſt inftant death to her heart. Down the
funk upon the ſpot, in a fainting fit, and
feemed for fome time without life or mo-
tion, notwithſtanding the charitable at-
tempts to recover her, by fome ftanders by;
among whom was one, who alone beheld
her deplorable fituation, perfectly unmoved,
or rather with a degree of fatisfaction. This
was her moſt rancorous ftep-father Crabb,
who was little aware, at the time, of a fate
equally terrible impending over his own
head. Some perfons among the throng, not.
fo utterly void of compaffion, helped to re-
move her to a lefs crowded room, and ſup-
ported her in a chair, near an open window.
ABO
As
278
THE LIFE OF
As they ftood gazing round her, the at
length opened her eyes and mouth, attempt-
ing in vain to fpeak for words, a few
languid, but deep - fetched groans alone
found utterance. Being fuddenly ſeized
with labour pains, after ſtruggling about an
hour in agonies too horrible for deſcription,
The expired.
CHAP.
RICHARD COREWORM. 279
CHAP. XIX.
Execution of Coreworm-his mother's fudden
death.-Conclufion.
O
N the day fixed for the execution of
Coreworm, he received early in the
morning another compaffionate vifit from
the very reſpectable clergyman, who cha-
ritably came to impart to him the laſt kind
office in his power. Mr. Beft found the
wretch fitting upon the floor, and no longer
chained to it. His irons had been knocked
off: his thumbs only were tied faſt together.
The jailor ftood gazing on him, with folded
hands. His mother was kneeling by his
fide,
200
THE LIFE OF
fide, with a bending head, wringing her
hands in filent anguiſh. The reverend
man, fhuddering at the gaunt and haggard
aſpect of Richard, fo fhockingly altered in a
few days as hardly to retain a difcernible
feature of what he was, faintly addreſſed him
by name in a compaffionate tone, Oh!
Coreworm, once more I am come.-Go, fir,
pray, fir-I cannot ſpeak-I cannot hear-I
will not, oh! I cannot bear it-trembling
cried the felf-doomed criminal, covering his
averted face with the back of his hands.
All attempt at exhortation here would ma-
nifeftly have been out of feafon. Yet un-
willing utterly to abandon all hope of the
efficacy of a laft petition to the throne of
mercy, the good Rector befeeching all pre-
ſent to join him, applied himſelf to prayer.
Obferving the turnkeys, and as many of the
priſoners as could be admitted to affemble
about the door of the cell, were all devoutly
kneeling, and attentive to his addreffes to
heaven,
1
RICHARD COREWOR M. 281.
heaven, he prayed long and fervently, inter-
rupted only by the bitter groans, but not
one diftinct word, of the fon or mother.
The manifeft emotion, his petitions to the
divine mercy, raiſed in this unufual audi-
ence, touched his own breaſt moſt ſenſibly.
He ſeized the occafion of explaining to them,
with the ſpirit and efficacy of Paul to Felix,
the nature of the religion of Chrift, who
came not to be a Saviour only, but a divine
Lawgiver, or Preacher of righteouſneſs, to
confirm the ftric obligation to juftice by the
revelation of the judgment of God, who
will render to every man according to his
deeds; to the well-doers eternal life; but
tribulation and anguish to all impenitent
Inners. In this charitable exerciſe he con-
tinued without ceafing, till the fheriff's of
ficer arrived to fummon Coreworm to the
fatal cart.
Even there alfo the all-enduring charity
of
282
THE LIFE OF
of Mr. Beſt attended ftill the laft moments
of the dying malefactor, whofe approaching
fate as he was flowly drawn, through the
gazing throng, to the gallows, vifibly
racked his mind with moft dreadful pangs.
The ſpeechleſs terrors he expreffed in every
look and motion, were indeed more eloquent,
and inftructive to the numerous crowd of
fpectators, and ftruck their hearts more
forcibly than any words he could have ut-
tered. Inftead of the penitential pfalm
dolefully chaunted, but commonly with lit-
tle effect, under the gallows, a compaffion-
ate address to Coreworm firft, an ardent one,
after that, to the multitude, was followed by
a fhort prayer, delivered with great folem-
nity, and in a clear and ftrong tone of voice;
and was attended to, by all his hearers, with
unuſual awe and ſeriouſneſs. By the crimi-
nal himſelf it was accompanied only with
ſobs, and ſtifled moans. The executioner
then performed his office; and Richard
Coreworm,
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OF
RICHARD CORE WORM.
283
Coreworm, by the too requifite feverity of
human laws, was hurried, as a ſhameful
outcaſt from fociety, from light, from life,
to account in another world, for the crimes
he had committed in this.
His wretched mother carried along, as in
a ftream, with the populace, to the foot of
the gallows, gazed upon her fon, with dim
funk eyes, in which difmay and deep afflic
tion appeared to have almoſt utterly extin-
guiſhed all fenfe of prefent objects. But when
the cart moved off, and the beheld him ftrug-
gling violently in the pangs of death, her
jaw dropped quivering, her eye-lids cloſed,
fhe fent forth one faint, but truly frightful
fhriek, that plainly difcovered her heart-
ftrings were then burfting. Down fhe muft
have funk upon the ſpot, had not the pref-
fure of the throng prevented it. Supported
motionleſs for a while, fhe was at length
borne away by a compaffionate butcher,
beyond
284
THE LIFE OF
Beyond the outermoft circle of the crowd
but ſhe was perceived, before they could
reach it, to be quite cold and breathlefs
paſt recovery.
;
→
Before we clofe this calamitous hiftory,
the fate of fome other criminal actors in it-
muft not be omitted.. In the courfe of
Coreworm's trial, fome flight mention had
been made of the receiver of ſtolen goods,.
by Dorothy, who being cross-examined had
confeffed it was his fecret inftigation, which
had hurried them on in their career of vil-
lainy, by deceiving them with a treacherous.
fecurity, and falfe hopes of concealment.
It was the decree of juftice that Crabb
fhould involve himſelf in the puniſhment of
the crimes, the commiffion of which he had
privately abetted. Infatuated by a rafh cu-
riofity, he had that day mingled with the
crowd in the court. Having met the ob-
fervant eye of a watchful magiftrate, he
1
was
RICHARD COREWORM.
285
was apprehended, and detained in cuſtody,
while his houfe was fearched, by legal war-
rant. The cleareft evidence was produced
from thence, and confirmed by fufficient
teftimony, of his having been repeatedly
guilty of a crime, for which the legislature
has found it expedient to decree the ſevereſt
puniſhment*. Befides the arraignment of
Crabb, a matter of greater confequence to
the public ſafety was the detection of a den
of
* Whether a more eligible mode than capital inflic-
tions, or any one yet fübftituted in their ſtead for this,
and most other acts of felony.Whether (hard la-]
bour, not in affembled multitudes, but in folitary im-
priſonment, and feparate cells, except at the hours of
prayer, and moral and pious exhortation.-Whether
a well regulated relaxation of ſeverity to the more in-
duftrious and orderly, with an appointed proportion
of ftripes to the lazy and refractory, might not beſt
anſwer the purpoſe of an equitable government.
Or whether, for the fake of public example, and ex-
tenſive terror, theſe penal taſks ſhould not take place
in uſeful works, expoſed to the moſt general obſerva-
tion, at home, and not in regions where this nation
has little proſpect of any concern-Theſe points are
humbly ſubmitted to the determination of wiſer heads.
286
THE LIFE OF
1
of robbers and cut-throats, of whom his
brothel was the nightly haunt. Againſt the
wretched caitiff himſelf, and ſeveral of his
accomplices, among the reft, the prime
conveyancer, Decoy, whom Crabb had ex-
tolled as a rich Jew-merchant, being found
guilty of felony, criminal proſecutions were
inftantly commenced. Being brought to
their trial at the next affizes, they were all
of courſe convicted, condemned, and ex-
ecuted.
FROM the tragical account here delivered
of theſe offscourings of the human race, it
appears to have been their own perverſe dif-
pofition and diſorderly conduct alone, that
naturally drove them into thoſe labyrinths
of wretchedneſs, in which they wandered
through life to a deplorable and untimely
end.
RICHARD COREWOR-M.
287
end. It must alfo here be noted, that the
mifery of thefe mifcreants, commonly in-
flicted, even in this world, in a near pro-
portion to their guilt, may perhaps be juftly
regarded as ordained by heaven to be the
bitter foretaste of what it has denounced to
be the doom of impenitent finners in a
world to come. Let this ftriking confi-
deration fink deep into the hearts of all
young perfons of both ſexes, eſpecially when
they are led, by their own obfervation, to
contemplate, in real life, the fad fate of any
fuch unprincipled offenders againſt the laws
of God and man; who have defpifed in-
ftruction in their childhood; who have dif
regarded the rules of prudence, temperance,
and juſtice in their youth; or who having
broken through all the reſtraints of religion,
are profanely deriding its tenets in their
riper years. Let this teach them to reflect,
that, however apparently gay and elate by
fits thefe tranfgreffors of the rules of ſound
reaſon,
288
OF
THE LIFE O
reafon, as well as of piety and morality,
may be, in the momentary fluſh of merri-
ment and jollity; however thoughtleſs and
unterrified they may now be running their
criminal courfes, yet all their ways, their
inmoſt intents of heart are naked and open to
the eyes of him, with whom they have to do. His
vengeance, at prefent fufpended over their
heads, affords them perhaps the leisure of but
one day more for repentance, and if flighted
Aill, muft infallibly overtake them at the
laft.
An obvious reflection cannot fail to pre-
fent itſelf upon a review of the life of Core-
worm; that every vicious habit, which dif-
graced it, took its riſe at firſt in idleneſs.
Through a ſtupid neglect on the fide of his
parents, it was fuffered by degrees to acquire
a ftronger and deeper root; till through an
obftinacy of temper, on his part, repugnant
to all manner of diſcipline, it grew at length
utterly
RICHARD COREWOR M. 289
7
utterly incorrigible. To perfuade him then
to repentance and reformation of life was a
tafk as hopeleſs as to induce the Ethiopian
to change his ſkin, or the leopard his ſpots.
Frequent indeed and forcible were the
calls to amendment, applied to the dull ear,
and infenfible heart of Richard, by the cha-
ritable clergyman, the fchool-miſtreſs, his
two firſt maſters, his dying father, his re-
formed ſchool-fellow: vain efforts all, alas!
to fave a wretch already funk into a degree
of depravity, fo abfolutely defperate, as to
be then irrecoverably eftranged from all
tendency to good. The Divine Searcher of
hearts alone can tell how far thefe falutary
checks might have contributed to reclaim
even him, had they been applied in time, and
enforced with due feverity by thoſe, who
were appointed by the laws of nature to keep
a ftrict watch over his fteps, in the early stages
of life, to train him up to honeft induſtry,
to inftill into his mind the principles of re-
ligion
O
290
THE LIFE O F
ligion and juſtice, and thus at leaſt to impress
upon his heart a due fenfe of the effential dif-
ference of good and evil actions, and the
contrary effects they are fure to produce in
this life, and in the life to come. Had
every good motive, and inclination, which
the gracious Author of his, and every hu-
man foul, has originally implanted in its
nature, not been conftantly counteracted by
his own wilful and felf-acquired propenfity
to evil, and farther perverted by the perni-
cious example of his parents, who can fay
that a feeling conviction of the error of his
ways might not have produced a fimilar
change in him to that, which wholefome
difcipline, and fubfequent reflection
wrought in William Careleſs? He might
poffibly then have renounced, and obtained
pardon for his paft fins. The mercy of
God might have enlightened his under-
ftanding, and at length have inclined even
his tubborn heart unto wifdom. He might
thus,
RICHARD COREWORM.
291
thus, a reclaimed, and happy convert, like
his friend, have paffed through the remainder
of life, with decency and comfort. Inftead
of the horror and defpair which overwhelmed
his foul in death, it might have been
fupported and cheared in that hour, with
a well-grounded truft in the grace and in-
terceffion of a reconciling Saviour, with a
lively and certain hope of receiving the re-
ward of the truly penitent, in the life to
come; from all which he appears to have
wilfully excluded himſelf, by an obftinate
purfuit of his own perdition.
FINIS.
*
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UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN
3 9015 01316 3434
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