PROGRESS TO THE MINES. 126 



The widow smiled graciously upon me, and entertained me very handsomely. 

 Here 1 learned all the tragical story of her daughter's humble marriage with 

 her uncle's overseer. Besides the meanness of this mortal's aspect, the man 

 has not one visible qualification, except impudence, to recommend him to a 

 female's inclinations. But there is sometimes such a charm in that Hibernian 

 endowment, that frail woman cannot withstand it, though it stand alone 

 without any other recommendation. Had she run away with a gentleman 

 or a pretty fellow, there might have been some excuse for her, though he 

 were of inferior fortune : but to stoop to a dirty plebeian, without any kind 

 of merit, is the lowest prostitution. I found the family justly enraged at it; 

 and though I had more good nature than to join in her condemnation, yet I 

 could devise no excuse for so senseless a prank as this young gentlewoman had 

 played. Hero good drink was more scarce than good victuals, the family 

 being reduced to the last bottle of wine, which was therefore husbanded very 

 carefully. But the water was excellent. The heir of the family did not 

 come home till late in the evening. He is a pretty young man, but had the 

 misfortune to become his own master too soon. This puts young fellows 

 upon wrong pursuits, before they have sense to judge rightly fo.r themselves. 

 Tliough at the same time they have a strange conceit of their own sulBciency, 

 when they grow near twenty years old, especiallj'- if they happen to have a 

 small smattering of learning. It is then tliey fancy themselves wiser than 

 all their tutors and governors, which makes them headstrong to all advice, 

 and above all reproof and admonition. 



21st. I was sorry in the morning to find myself stopped in my career by 

 bad weather brought upon us by a north-east wind. This drives a world 

 of raw unkindly vapours upon us from Newfoundland, laden with blight, 

 coughs, and pleurisies. However, I complained not, lest I might be sus- 

 pected to be tired of the good company. Though Mrs. Fleming was not 

 so much upon her guard, but mutinied strongly at the rain, that hindered 

 her from pursuing her dear husband. I said what I could to comfort a gen- 

 tlewoman under so sad a disappointment. I told her a husband, that stayed 

 so much at home as her's did, could be no such violent rarity, as for a wo- 

 man to venture her precious health, to go daggling through the rain after 

 him, or to be miserable if she happened to be prevented. That it was 

 prudent for married people to fast sometimes from one another, that they 

 might come together again with the better stomach. That the best things in 

 this world, if constantly used, are apt to be cloying, which a little absence 

 and abstinence would prevent. This was strange doctrine to a fond female, 

 who fancies people should love with as little reason after marriage as before. 

 In the afternoon monsieur Marij, the minister of the parish, came to make me 

 a visit. He had been a Romish priest, but found reasons, cither spiritual or 

 temporal, to quit that gay religion. The fault of this new convert is, that he 

 looks for as much respect from his protestant flock, as is paid to the popish 

 clergy, which our ill-bred Hugonots do not understand. INIadam Marij, had 

 so much curiosity as to want to com.e too ; but another horse was wanting, 

 and she believed it would have too vulgar an air to ride behind her husband. 

 This woman was of the true exchange breed, full of discourse, but void of 

 discretion, and married a parson, with the idle hopes he might some time or 

 other come to be his grace of Canterbury. The gray mare is the better 

 horse in that family, and the poor man submits to her wild vagaries for peace' 

 sake. She has just enough of the line lady, to run in debt, and be of no 

 signification in her household. And the only thing that can prevent her 

 from undoing her loving husband will be, that nobody will trust them beyond 

 the sixteen thousand,* which is soon run out in a Goochland store. The 



* Sixteen thousand pounds of tobacco was the legal salary of a minister. — Ei>. 



ir 



