MISCELLANEOUS ESSAYS. 



mi 



innocence and insensibility ; at pre- 

 sent they are animated and expres- 

 sive, and her bright eyes begin to 

 learn their proper language, and at 

 times shoot forth glances, unex- 

 pected, and heretofpre unknown to 

 them. Perhaps I may be asked how 

 I became acquainted with this total 

 change in the manners of these 

 young people, which 1 shall shortly 

 answer. I soon learnt that James's 

 father was a man with whom I was 

 Avell acquainted, having served him 

 in my character of counsellor many 

 times with success, which caused 

 him frequently to solicit my advice 

 and assistance in other affairs not re- 

 lative to my profession. 



One day I received an unexpected 

 visit from the good old man, pur- 

 posely to know my opinion about 

 his son's courtship. You have so 

 frequently successfully assisted me, 

 Mr. Counsellor, said he, that I trust 

 you will not refuse hearing me now, 

 about a matter of importance to me. 

 You certainly know, as the whole 

 neighbourhood talks of it, that my 

 gon courts your neighbour Agnes. 

 He is crazy after her, which is no 

 wonder ; we have been in the same 

 situation, and I must say, that he is 

 so careful, so orderly, and pleases 

 Die and his mother so well, that we 

 should be sorry to cross his inclina- 

 tions, which would certainly render 

 faim miserable, and perhaps lead him 

 to the grave. 



You probably arc acquainted with 

 your neighbours, and may be able 

 to inform me what they arc. — I 

 now thought the good man wished 

 to know if the girl had any money, 

 so that I answered him that 1 did 

 not think they possessed much ; that, 

 as far as I could see, the young wo.^ 

 inan had plenty of clothes, but that I 

 did nut suppose that the mother 



could give lier daughter any mar- 

 riage-portion, i do not ask you 

 that, replied my honest client ; the 

 daughter herself told the very same 

 thing to .James at the first outset, 

 and that is a matter of indifterence 

 to us ; the sweetest money is what 

 one earns one's self. My son un- 

 derstands his profession, and is in- 

 dustrious : I shall shortly let him 

 exhibit his masterpiece, and undergo 

 his examination ; and between you 

 and me, I have with care and oeco- 

 nomy accumulated much more thaa 

 people think for ; I only want you 

 to tell me, whether Agnes conducts 

 herself with propriety, andcspocially 

 if she is good-tempered, for my 

 James is a sheepish boy, and if he 

 married a vixen it would break his 

 heart. This, however, I cannot be- 

 lieve of the girl, pleasing as she is : 

 our Kitty is almost as much in love 

 with her, as her brother is, and my 

 dame is already as fond of her as if 

 she were her own daughter. 1 an- 

 swered him, that his and his family's 

 friendship could not be better be- 

 stowed, than on Agnes ; that 1 durst 

 venture to be answerable for her 

 good temper: that she was well-edu- 

 cated, and that, although I could in 

 mj' house hear almost every thing 

 that was going forward next door, 

 I had not, during six Jears, heard 

 the least noisy word between mother 

 and daughter; that she was as duti- 

 ful as possible to the old lady, and 

 as to neatness and oeconomy, my 

 neighbour was well grounded in 

 both, and that her daughter, sen- 

 sible as she was, must have learnt 

 the same from her. In a word, that 

 1 did not doubt but James had made 

 an excellent choice, and would with 

 Agnes be a happy man. 



Well, I am heartily glad you giv« 

 the girJ such a good character, said 



the 



