THE RURAL SOCRATES, p^^ 



■^^ wealth left them by their fathers, advancing with 

 ** hady ftrides towards ruin, by abandoning themfclves 

 ** to intoxication and floth I Is it rot realonable to fcar^ 

 ** that thele unfortunate families plunged into mifery, 

 **. will cry aloud for vengeance againfl the infamous a- 

 *'varicc of tavern keepers, who have contributed to 

 ** the diflipation of their wealth !*'— ^' There are, how- 

 ** ever, to be found, landlords who may be called for- 

 ** tunate ; and, who have acquired great wealth by 

 •' their bufinefs/^-— '' Acknowledged ; yet how rare 

 *' are the inilances of their continuing rich to the third 

 *' generation ? Their children iulenfibly accuftomed to 

 *^ a libertine life, lofe all inclination for induftry ; in 

 *' accumulating riches at the expencc of others, they 

 " grow impoiing and wicked : and would you wifh 

 *^ to expofc your children to the like temptations ? 

 *' Would you wifh that ail the fatigue and trouble wc 

 ** have endured in the culture of our land (hould prove 

 ** ufelefs ? and that our children, corrupted by bad ex- 

 " amples, (hould be abandoned to beggary, and ey.pend 

 *' more in one day than they can gain in twenty years 

 *' by this unworthy occupation ? — Heaven forbid, but 

 " no one ever aUerted that thefe confcquences mull in- 

 " difpenfably happen." — " The probability is furely 

 *' that this muft happen ; and do you not daily fee with 

 *^ what facility children adopt bad examples ^''— >'^ We 

 ^' muft allow it/' — '' Suppofe then that to happen, 

 *' which you thus admit to be poffiblc ; with wbatNun- 

 *' ceafmg reproaches would your minds be deprcfTed, 

 *^ for having been the caufc of your children's depravi- 

 "^^ ty ? Whereas, if you follow my advice, you may in 

 ** truth, amafs lefs money ; but our children, inured to 

 *' labor, will be contented with the produce of their 

 *' land, and the blefiing of heaven will vifit them,as it has 

 *^ vifited us !'' — *^ Weil then you mull purfue your own 

 *' courfe ; we are always obliged to fubmit to your 

 *' opinion) even though w« arc fure you are in the 



*^ wrong ; 



