TilE RURAL SOCRATES. 



55 



diTrion from heaven, eommonly in favor of their oivn 

 illicit purfuits after gain ; while their gifts, by indulg- 

 ing beggars in idlenefs, encourage them to the commif^ 

 lion of every fort of crime, fuch as theft, impofture, and 

 lewdncfs. 



Of all the rules of condu^ pra^lfed by Kliyogg, there 

 are none which have cod him more trouble in the 

 execution than the two laft. He has been accufed of 

 unparalleled feverity towards his children ; and, branded 

 with infufferable avarice and inflexibility to the poor.— ^ 

 But, unmoved by the fe reproaches, he has perfevercd in 

 a refolution vv^hofe re£litude he acknowledged. His 

 children, it is true, never experience the rapturous fen- 

 fai'ions which are excited by coflly prefents ; but they 

 are fo much the more contented and gratified with the 

 enjoyment of what is neceffary and convenient for their 

 flation. 



Thefirfl time I went to vifit him, I was defiroiis of 

 leaving a ^leafing remembrance of me in the minds of 

 his children by fom.e trifling prefents ; and was fome- 

 what furprifed not to find in them the lead inclination to 

 accept them. Their father defired, at nrH:, that I would 

 not give mylelf fo much trouble ; and as I took his man- 

 ner of declining only as a compliment my offers were 

 continued ; but he infifled flill more vehemently that 

 they fhould not be repeated.—- In vain I remonfrratcd 

 that it was right for young people to have proper in- 

 dulgences, and that what I begged their acceptance of 

 was a trifle. It is not. Sir, faid he, with fome emotion, 

 the value of what you wifli to give my children, that 

 caufes this repugnance ; but my perfuafion of the dan- 

 gerous coniequences to them attending thefe fort of 

 gifts. 



He exerted eqtTal iirmncfs in banifhing tliofe dlpin-- 

 tions anntxed to particular days ; for at his table there 

 k no preference in good cheer given to Sundays or Fef- 

 tivals, the conclufion of hay or corn harveli, or chriflenv 



