x84 
was reading the new{paper, fhe obferved 
that our houfe was advertifed to be fold, 
and a hint, which to any body elfe, 
would have been as dark as the explan- 
ations of a ftatefman, produced a firm 
conviction in my mind, that fhe would 
nct be fatisfied without making it our 
frechold. I affented, as ufwal, but from 
another motive than fhe fuipected ; for, 
while fhe was expatiating on the advan- 
tave of having “ a houfe of one’s own, 
no rent to pay, the low price of eftates,”’ 
and other prevailing inducements, I hug- 
ged myfelf in the idea, that when the 
houfe became our own, It would put 
an end to all future fchemes of removal. 
‘This being agreed upon, “ fhe would 
make the purchafe herfelf in perfon ;” 
and why ? becaufe the has often declared 
that the happteft moments of her life 
_are thofe during which her heart fiut- 
ters 1m unifon with the vibrations of an 
auéiioneer’s hammer, and that fhe would 
rather be out of pocket, at a fale, than 
not out of breath when the laf ftroke 
falls. 
We were now, I thought, beyond the 
reach of removal, and £ thought right ; 
but that the mind fhould not ftagnate in 
inactivity, many fubftanttal alterations 
have been fince carried into executicn, 
becaufe, my wife fays, we may do what 
we will with the houfe, “now it IS our 
own.’ —For all the above coniider- 
ations, fhe has univerfally obtained the 
character of a WOMAN of TASTE, al- 
though fome have given her the more 
familiar name of aNOTABLE WOMAN. 
But, fir, even repairs and alterations 
muft be fometimes interrupted. There 
muit be times when no partition requires 
to be pulled down, ‘and no fhelves want 
to be put up; when hinges and locks do 
their duty in filence, and fcouring may 
fupply the place of paint ; when every 
chairs in its place, and every tub ftands 
on its own bottom. To fill up thefe 
snterftices, and keep the mind in. ex- 
ercife, when no affairs of her own de- 
mand her attention, my wife has ac- 
quired a very happy knack at managing 
the affairs of other people. Her ac- 
quaintance being pretty extenfive, and 
her opinion looked up to, as the opinion 
of a woman living in a great houfe 
eught to be, the is never without op- 
portunitics of making other people’s 
cares her own. If there is a purchafe 
to be made, a child to be born, a difeafe 
to be cured, a patient to be fent to the 
difpenfary, an clection to be gained, a 
drefs. to be made up, a writer te be {ent 
Charaéter of a Wife. 
[ March, 
to India, or a fervant's place to be filled, 
fhe is in perpetual motion, and never 
quits her-purpefe until her endeavours 
end in final fuccefs or difappointment.— 
By the bye, it is a very remarkable cir- 
cumftance, and which I cannot other- 
wife account for, than by faying that it 
is part of her fyftem, that whether fhe 
lofes or wins, fhe feems equally pleated. 
From ber eagernefs in thefe yarious 
puriuits, fhe has been miftaken by 
ftrangers, fometimes for a mantuamaker, 
a eee at fales, a phyfician in petti- 
coats, the lady of a director, the matron 
of an hofpital, and fometimes for a nurie, 
a midwife, and the keeper of a regifter- 
office. Such ts the verfatility of her ta- 
lents, that nothing is intolerable which 
ferves to make her anxious, and nothing 
feems trouble{ome that is attended with 
a great deal of plague. On account of 
all thefe good deeds, fhe has obtained 
the reputation of a moft BENEVOLENI 
WOMAN. 
One confequence of intermeddling in 
the affairs of other people would to many 
‘be an objeét of terror; | mean the chance 
of getting into ferapes ; but with my 
lady, that feems to be a recommendation. 
It is not unfrequently that fhe is under 
the neceflity of applying to my lawyer 
to extricate her out of what other pe 
ple wou!d call difficulties, but which the 
deems the pleating confequence of know- 
ing more about natural jufice than arti- 
ficial quibbles. She 1s, indeed, very 
fond of law : you may naturally fuppoie 
that its delays and uncertainty are high- 
ly in favour of her fyftem. She has 
had a few trials about fome property the 
brought me at our union, but they were 
fhort, and therefore net very fatistactory. 
Were fhe not extremely fertile in de- 
vifing exercifes’ for her hopes and fears, 
and , confequently, not fianding im need 
of my affiftance, or ifj] had any great 
point to gain with her, I don’t know but 
I might be prevailed upon to gratify 
her with a chancery fuit, and fecure her 
happimefs on a lafting foundation. 
To all the above “expedients may be 
added the purchafe of lottery tickets, 
and of bargains, the arrangement of dif- 
putes in families, &c. But life is longer 
than we commonly imagine. We cannot 
always be concerning ourfelves in the 
affairs even of other people. There are 
times when invention muft be employed 
to devife fchemes of action, and to open 
fources of hope and fear, indcpendent 
or foreign aid. And fees likewife, my 
wite is entitled to the praife of great 
fertili tys 
