^28 ANNUAL REGISTER, 1805. 



the worthy man, but do not you 

 think it better the young folks 

 «hould wait a year or two before 

 they marry ? at present I fear it 

 would only be children's play. 



No, my dear neighbour, said I, 

 that is not by any means my opinion. 

 These matters must not be kept 

 drawling, or we risk their non-com- 

 pletion through envy and slander. 

 1 would immediately bring every 

 thing to a conclusion, and the 

 sooner the better. Your son, who 

 has hitherto lived so temperately, 

 will now, as I firmly believe, ap- 

 proach the nuptial chamber w ith a 

 purity equal to that of Agnes. You 

 understand me, but you will per- 

 haps hardly believe how much this 

 reciprocally contributes to a stead- 

 fast wedded love. 



Well, then, Mr. Counsellor, it 

 will be best to conclude tlic wedding 

 directly : but I have one request to 

 make you, which I hope you will 

 tiot refuse : I have invited Agnes 

 and her mother to dine with us to- 

 morrow. Our aunt will likewise 

 be of the party ; one of these days, 

 the children will inherit a pretty sum 

 from her, but it is better to wait 

 than to fast for it, for she may, as 

 you know, bequeath it from them. 

 So much for this. My request is, 

 therefore, that you partake of our 

 meal, and then we may come to 

 some resolution on the subject. 

 You will not be sumptuously enter- 

 tained ; we know nothing of such 

 things ; we shall send some ribs of 

 beef to the oven, and my dame w ill 

 prepare a dish of grey pease, and 

 some other trifles ; at any rate there 

 will be enough. 



I was much pleased with this 

 invitation, and promised that I 

 should certainly attend at the hour 

 appointed. 



Ante omnia vultut 



Accessere boni, nee iners paupergue T»- n 

 luntas. Ovid. 



We found to make a happy party, 

 A chearful face, and welcome hearty. 



As I endeavour to avoid the repe- 

 tition of unnecessary compliments, 

 when 1 visit my friends, 1 never am 

 the first comer of the guests, so that 

 1 suited m) self to the precise dinner 

 hour of my worthy client, and made 

 ray appearance with the first dishes. 

 I was the only person waited for, 

 and I do not remember to have been 

 received any where with more natu- 

 ral tokens of unfeigned regard- 

 Thc company consisted of Agnes 

 and her mother, and the family, 

 which with myself and the old aunt, 

 (whose presence 1 thought a good 

 sign) made the number eight. The 

 old man took my hand, which, from 

 mere frank-heartedness he squeezed 

 roughly. Ilis dame came and of- 

 fered me her lips, which I kissed 

 with a loud smack, as well as those 

 of our aunt, who mumbled ten timet 

 that I was heartily w elcome. 



For this slightly disagreeable job, 

 I was amply made amends, by three 

 kisses, without guile, which each of 

 the young girls exchanged for as 

 many of mine, and which I enjoyed 

 with less noise and more leisure than 

 the former. Agnes, who doubtless 

 knew I had used my best endca- 

 TOurs to forward the match, seeing 

 me approach her, turned as red as 

 scarlet, although her beautiful brown 

 eyes appeared very friendly. But 

 I caunot express the hearty kindness 

 with which James received me, for 

 the same reason : I could hardly 

 loosen my hands from his. Had ho 

 not bethought himself, I really be- 

 lieve he would have kissed them, 

 and his gratitude was plainly legibl« 

 in every feature, Tfc« 



