MRS. HASTINGS. 211 



was conducted by Mrs. Hastings with admirable 

 skill, as Dr. Hastings was too much of a scholar 

 and philosopher to bestow any trouble on the sub- 

 ject. He was a sort of boarder and lodger in his 

 own house, and hearing no complaints, he was 

 satisfied that every thing went on well. He was 

 fond of, and admired, his wife, although he now 

 and then joked a little on the peculiarities of her 

 disposition. For instance, she was fond of physick- 

 ing her poor neighbours, several of whom came to 

 the rectory at a stated time for medicine. The 

 Doctor, seeing some of these in attendance, called 

 out c Mrs. Hastings here are seven or eight 

 ' victims waiting for you.' The poor however, as 

 well as the rich were greatly attached to her. The 

 former found in her a kind and liberal benefactress, 

 to whom they could apply in every period of dif- 

 ficulty and distress. She relieved their wants, and 

 administered to their comforts whenever it was in 

 her power to do so. Her 'richer neighbours were 

 received by her with the utmost kindness and hos- 

 pitality, and there was a, frankness in her good- 

 humoured smile which could not fail to find its 

 way to every one's heart. Those who have passed 

 the greatest part of their lives in London, have 

 had but few opportunities of knowing the comforts 

 and enjoyments to be found in visiting a well regu- 

 lated house in the country. There is a freshness, 

 if I may call it so, about every thing an absence 



