56 THE RURAL SOCRATES, 



tarlil, and a rigid father whofe parfimony refufed to his* 

 children the enjoyment of any diverfion. — *' You are ex- 

 *=' cefBvely in the wrong (laid one of his neighbors to' 

 ^' Kiiyogg) to treat your children ib inho'ninly by refu- 

 '* fing them every kind of recreation ! — \nd who has 

 *^' informed you (faid he) that I deny them recreation ? 

 ^' Pray have they not as much health and cheerfjlnefs 

 *' as your own f** — •'' Bat do not you abfoliitely deny 

 *' their appearance at all places where young people 

 *' meet to be merry with propriety and decency ? Have 

 *' not you commanded your Tons not to go to the tav- 

 '' ern ? Nay, it \|K3" but the dther day, you refuted ta 

 •^^ let your daughter accept an invitation to an entertain* 

 *' mentjwhere fee might have eaten and drank, *nd dan- 

 ^^ ced, and diverted hcrfelf like the refl of^the world !'* 

 ** — My daughter had not the leaft: inclination to go; 

 •^^ flie can' laugh and divert herfelf at home* Do you think 

 *^that drinking to excefsy or being imiTioderately mer- 

 ^' ry, are the only things that give fatisfa^tron ? Can 

 " you eat more at a tavern than nature permits ? Can 

 '•* you be more thian merry V' — '' Clearly not; but a lit- 

 '* tie fcflivity at proper intervals, iB of great fervice ; 

 *'• we return to our occupation with frefli alacrity.^'-— 

 *^^ Ah 1 my friend, have I not oblervcd,' that when you 

 " have been, guilty of irregularity at the tavern over- 

 ^^ ivight, you were very little difpofed for bulinefs in the 

 " morning ! You have complained of tiae head-ach, 

 ^'^ of wane of rcfi, aild I'cgrettcd the money foolhiily 

 ^' lavilhed away .''^-~-'' I confefsit; yet fu rely life is not 

 *' intended to be a circle of labor, without including 

 *'* Ibme hours of plcafure."— -'' Have you then no plea- 

 ^* fare In eukivating your land, and beholding the hap- 

 *■' py revi^ard of your induflry ?"— •' Yes, undoubtedly 

 *' the appearance of a good harveft gives me real plea- 

 *'' fare." — '^Andliave you ever felt the leail difpofi- 

 *' tion to repentance, afb?r laboring all day, and per- 

 *' forming the duties of your flation r"-^'' Never.'* — 

 *"* Why then, niy 5^o?d neipjibor, do you not give the 



*' preference 



