S36 THE RURAL SOCRATES. 



'f when we do not liv^ like all the reft of the world.''— 

 *^ Bat v/ho are theie fneerers ?" — " All our neighbors! 

 '' who never ceafe to obferve, that we are very fingu- 

 *' lar people." — V* But fay (in return) is it not very 

 '' honorable for your father, that he has a free accefs to 

 '^ perfons at the head of the republic ; that he receives 

 " vlfus from perfons of all ranks, who think it an hopor 

 *' to know him ; that Rrangers from all countries often 

 *' come tojiim; that even princes treat him as their 

 *' friend ; and that his fons can have the bell matches 

 *' in the country ? What peafant was ever honored like 

 *' your father : Yet it is from thefc very fingularities, of 

 *' which you complain, from his unalterable afliduity in 

 '-' his labor, and from his care to inculcate the like ar- 

 ^'' dor in his children in their early youth, in order to 

 ^' preferve them from the diforder which is feen reign- 

 *-' ing every where elfe ; that all thefe marks o»r diflinc- 

 " tion ariic, and that his family fo eminently profpers. 

 *-' Without thefe qualities, he v/ould have remained a 

 "' poor peafant, confounded in the crowd ; and God 

 '^ knows v/hat would have been the lot of iiis children : 

 ^' they would probably have been diiperfed, and "forced 

 *-' to feek their bread among ilrangers.'^ — " There is 

 ^"^ no difputing this ; but IbJl things may be puflied too 

 " far.'' — '' Butpray, (my dear Hans) when you delcend 

 ^^ a fleep hill v»^ith your waggon, why do you put a drag 

 ^' to your wheels V' — i^ Certainly that the waggon, pref- 

 "' fed on by its weight,- may not rufli with violence, and 

 ■•' crufti the cattle which are yoked to it." >' And why 

 ^^ do you put a clog on the feet of your colt, inftead of 

 ^' leaving him entirely at liberty :''-—''• That he may 

 *' not hurt himfelf in his ramblings and may learn a 

 '^ fleady pace." — And yet, my friend, you are angry 

 ^^ with your father, becaufe he puts a drag upon you; 

 "^ and prevents you from being hurried on by bad ex- 

 ^' ample.s towards the luxury, debauch and idlenefs, 

 ''' which may drive you into perdition. Alas, my poor 

 ^^ HanSj let your father proceed : the manners of our 



*^ days 



