So, should you deign to take this worthless hand,

Far as he dared, his Nephew this way led, And told his tales of lasses rashly wed, Told them as matters that he heard,' He knew

'Patty, my love! the will of God, 'tis plain,
Is that we live by what we can obtain ;
Shall we a weak and foolish man offend,
And when our trial is so near an end ? '
This hurt the maiden, and she said, "Tis
well!

Unask'd I will not of your purpose tell,
But will not lie.'—

6

'Lie! Patty, no, indeed, Your downright lying never will succeed! A better way our prudence may devise, Than such unprofitable things as lies. Yet, a dependant, if he would not starve, The way through life must with discretion carve,

And, though a lie he may with pride disdain, He must not every useless truth maintain. If one respect to these fond men would show, Conceal the facts that give them pain to know; While all that pleases may be placed in view, And if it be not, they will think it true.'

The humble Patty dropp'd a silent tear, And said, 'Indeed, 'tis best to be sincere.' James answer'd not-there could be no reply To what he would not grant, nor could deny: But from that time he in the maiden saw What he condemn'd; yet James was kept in awe;

He felt her virtue, but was sore afraid
For the frank blunders of the virtuous maid.
Meantime he daily to his Uncle read
The news, and to his favourite subjects led:
If closely press'd, he sometimes staid to dine,
Eat of one dish, and drank one glass of wine;
For James was crafty grown, and felt his way
To favour, step by step, and day by day;
He talk'd of business, till the Uncle prized
The lad's opinion, whom he once despised,
And, glad to see him thus his faults survive,
'This Boy,' quoth he, 'will keep our name
alive.

Women are weak, and Patty, though the best
Of her weak sex, is woman like the rest:
An idle husband will her money spend,
And bring my hard-earn'd savings to an end.'

or true;

One must confess that girls are apt to dote
On the bright scarlet of a coxcomb's coat;
And that with ease a woman they beguile
With a fool's flattery, or a rascal's smile;
But then,' he added, fearing to displease,
'Our Patty never saw such men as these.'
'True! but she may-some scoundrel may
command

The girl's whole store, if he can gain her hand:
Her very goodness will itself deceive,
And her weak virtue help her to believe;
Yet she is kind; and, Nephew! go, and
say,

I need her now-You'll come another day.'
In such discourses, while the maiden went
About her household, many an hour was spent,
Till James was sure that when his Uncle died,
He should at least the property divide:
Nor long had he to wait-the fact was quickly
tried.

The Uncle now to his last bed confined,
To James and Patty his affairs resign'd;
The doctor took his final fee in hand,
The man of law received his last command;
The silent priest sat watching in his chair,
If he might wake the dying man to prayer,-
When the last groan was heard; then all was
still,

And James indulged his musings-on the Will.

This in due time was read, and Patty saw
Her own dear Cousin made the heir-by-law.
Something indeed was hers, but yet she felt
As if her Uncle had not kindly dealt;
And but that James was one whom she could
trust,

She would have thought it cruel and unjust.
Ev'n as it was, it gave her some surprise,
And tears unbidden started in her eyes;
Yet she confess'd it was the same to her,
And it was likely men would men prefer.
Loth was the Niece to think her Uncle wrong;
And other thoughts engaged her- Is it long
That custom bids us tarry ere we wed,
When a kind Uncle is so lately dead ?
At any rate,' the maiden judged, ''tis he
That first will speak-it does not rest with
me.'

James to the Will his every thought confined,

And found some parts that vex'd his sober mind.

He, getting much, to angry thoughts gave way, For the poor pittance that he had to pay, With Patty's larger claim. Save these alone, The weeping heir beheld the whole his own; Yet something painful in his mind would dwell,

'It was not likely, but was possible: '— No-Fortune lately was to James so kind, He was determined not to think her blind : 'She saw his merit, and would never throw His prospects down by such malicious blow.' Patty, meanwhile, had quite enough betray'd

Of her own mind to make her James afraid
Of one so simply pure: his hardening heart
Inclined to anger-he resolved to part:
Why marry Patty ?-if he look'd around,
More advantageous matches might be found;
But though he might a richer wife command,
He first must break her hold upon his hand.
She with a spinster-friend retired awhile,
'Not long,' she said, and said it with a smile.
Not so had James determined :-He essay'd
To move suspicion in the gentle maid.
Words not succeeding, he design'd to pass
The spinster's window with some forward lass.
If in her heart so pure no pang was known,
At least he might affect it in his own.
There was a brother of her friend, and he,
Though poor and rude, might serve for
jealousy.

If all should fail, he, though of schemes bereft, Might leave her yet!-They fail'd, and she was left.

Poor Patty bore it with a woman's mind, And with an angel's, sorrowing and resign'd. Ere this in secret long she wept and pray'd, Long tried to think her lover but delay'd The union, once his hope, his prayer, his pride;

She could in James as in herself confide:
Was he not bound by all that man can bind,
In love, in honour, to be just and kind?
Large was his debt, and when their debts are
large,

The ungrateful cancel what the just discharge;
Nor payment only in their pride refuse,
But first they wrong their friend, and then

accuse.

Thus Patty finds her bosom's claims denied,
Her love insulted, and her right defied.
She urged it not; her claim the maid with-
drew,

For maiden pride would not the wretch pursue: She sigh'd to find him false, herself so good and true.

Now all his fears, at least the present, still,He talk'd, good man! about his uncle's will,'All unexpected,' he declared,—' surprised Was he and his good uncle ill-advised: He no such luck had look'd for, he was

the shot

would do

Avow'd his right, and fee'd his lawyer too:
The Will, indeed, provided for a son;
But was this Sailor youth the very one?
Ere Jack's strong proofs in all their strength
were shown,

To gain a part James used a milder tone;
But the instructed tar would reign alone.

At last he reign'd: to James a large bequest Was frankly dealt; the Seaman had the

rest

Save a like portion to the gentle Niece,
Who lived in comfort, and regain'd her peace.
In her neat room her talent she employ'd,
With more true peace than ever James enjoy'd.
The young, the aged, in her praise agreed-
Meek in her manner, bounteous in her deed;
The very children their respect avow'd:
''Twas the good lady,' they were told, and
bow'd.

The merry Seaman much the maid ap

prov'd,

Nor that alone-he like a seaman loved; Loved as a man who did not much complain, Loved like a sailor, not a sighing swain; Had heard of wooing maids, but knew not how

'Lass, if you love me, prithee tell me now,' Was his address-but this was nothing cold'Tell if you love me;' and she smiled and told.

He bought her presents, such as sailors buy,

Glittering like gold, to please a maiden's eye,
All silk, and silver, fringe and finery :
These she accepted in respect to him,
And thought but little of the missing limb.
Of this he told her, for he loved to tell
A warlike tale, and judged he told it well:-
'You mark me, love! the French were two
to one,

And so, you see, they were ashamed to run;

That struck me here-a man must take his lot;

A minute after, and the Frenchman struck :
One minute sooner had been better luck
But if you can a crippled cousin like,
You ne'er shall see him for a trifle strike.'
Patty, whose gentle heart was not so nice
As to reject the thought of loving twice,
Judged her new Cousin was by nature kind,
With no suspicions in his honest mind,
Such as our virtuous ladies now and then
Find strongly floating in the minds of men.
So they were married, and the lasses vow'd
That Patty's luck would make an angel
proud :

6

Not but that time would come when she must prove

That men are men, no matter how they love: '

And she has prov'd it; for she finds her man As kind and true as when their loves began. James is unhappy; not that he is poor, But, having much, because he has no more; Because a rival's pleasure gives him pain; Because his vices work'd their way in vain; And, more than these, because he sees the smile

Of a wrong'd woman pitying man so vile.

He sought an office, serves in the excise, And every wish, but that for wealth, denies ; Wealth is the world to him, and he is worldly

I

P. WHAT I have ask'd are questions that relate

To those once known, that I might learn their fate.

This wealthy Uncle ;-who could mix with them

Whom his strong sense and feeling must condemn,

And in their follies his amusement find,
Yet never lose the vigour of his mind-

knew,

Much do I wish to learn his fortunes too.
Yet what expect ?—He was a rich man's Heir,
His conduct doubtful, but his prospects fair;
Thoughtless and brave, extravagant and gay,
Wild as the wind, and open as the day;
His freaks and follies were a thousand times
Brought full in view: I heard not of his
crimes.

Like our Prince Hal, his company he chose
Among the lawless, of restraint the foes;
But though to their poor pleasures he could
stoop,

He was not, rumour said, their victim-dupe. His mother's Sister was a maiden prim, Pious and poor, and much in debt to him. This she repaid with volumes of reproof, And sage advice, till he would cry Enough!' His father's Brother no such hints allow'd, Peevish and rich, and insolent and proud, Of stern, strong spirit: Him the Youth withstood,

see.'

Upbraid not, Uncle! till I beg of thee.' 'Oh! thou wilt run to ruin and disgrace.' 'What! and so kind an Uncle in the place?' 'Nay, for I hold thee stranger to my blood.' 'Then must I treat thee as a stranger would: For if you throw the tie of blood aside, You must the roughness of your speech abide.' 'What! to your father's Brother do you give A challenge?-Mercy! in what times we live!' Now, I confess, the youth who could supply Thus that poor Spinster, and could thus defy

Had something still to win esteem and love.
Perhaps he lives not; but he seem'd not made
To pass through life entirely in the shade.
F. Suppose you saw him,-does your mind
retain

So much, that you would know the man again?
Yet hold in mind, he may have felt the press
Of grief or guilt, the withering of distress;
He now may show the stamp of woe and pain,
And nothing of his lively cast remain.

Survey these features-see if nothing there May old impressions on your mind repair! Is there not something in this shattered frame Like to thatP. No not like it, but the same; That eye so brilliant, and that smile so gay, Are lighted up, and sparkle through decay.

But may I question? Will you that allow ? There was a difference, and there must be now; And yet, permitted, I would gladly hear What must have pass'd in many a troubled year.

F. Then hear my tale; but I the price demand;

That understood, I too must understand Thy wanderings through, or sufferings in the land;

And, if our virtues cannot much produce, Perhaps our errors may be found of use.

To all the wealth my Father's care laid by, I added wings, and taught it how to fly. To him that act had been of grievous sight, But he survived not to behold the flight. Strange doth it seem to grave and sober minds; How the dear vice the simple votary blinds, So that he goes to ruin smoothly on, And scarcely feels he's going, till he's gone. I had made over, in a lucky hour, Funds for my Aunt, and placed beyond my power:

The rest was flown, I speak it with remorse, And now a pistol seem'd a thing in course.

But though its precepts I had not obey'd, Thoughts of my Bible made me much afraid Of such rebellion, and though not content, I must live on when life's supports were spent; Nay, I must eat, and of my frugal Aunt Must grateful take what gracious she would grant;

And true, she granted, but with much dis

course;

Oh! with what words did she her sense enforce !

Great was her wonder, in my need that I Should on the prop myself had raised rely— I, who provided for her in my care, 'Must be assured how little she could spare ! I stood confounded, and with angry tone, With rage and grief, that blended oath and groan,

I fled her presence-yet I saw her air Of resignation, and I heard her prayer; 'Now Heaven,' she utter'd, ' make his burden light!'

And I, in parting, cried, 'Thou hypocrite!' But I was wrong-she might have meant to pray;

Though not to give her soul-her cash-away. Of course, my Uncle would the spendthrift shun;

So friends on earth I now could reckon none.
One morn I rambled, thinking of the past,
Far in the country-Did you ever fast
Through a long summer's day? or, sturdy,
go

To pluck the crab, the bramble, and the sloe,
The hyp, the cornel, and the beech, the food
And the wild solace of the gypsy brood?
To pick the cress embrown'd by summer sun,
From the dry bed where streams no longer
run?

Have you, like school-boy, mingling play and toil,

Dug for the ground-nut, and enjoy'd the spoil?

Or chafed with feverish hand the ripening wheat,

Resolved to fast, and yet compelled to eat? Say, did you this, and drink the crystal spring,

And think yourself an abdicated king, Driv'n from your state by a rebellious race? And in your pride contending with disgrace,

Could you your hunger in your anger lose,
And call the ills you bear the ways you choose?
Thus on myself depending, I began
To feel the pride of a neglected man;
Not yet correct, but still I could command
Unshaken nerves, and a determined hand.
'Lo! men at work!' I said, ' and I a man
Can work! I feel it is my pride, I can.'
This said, I wander'd on, and join'd the poor,
Assumed a labourer's dress, and was no more
Than labour made-Upon the road I broke
Stones for my bread, and startled at the stroke;
But every day the labour seem'd more light,
And sounder, sweeter still the sleep of every
night.

'Thus will I live,' I cried,' nor more return
To herd with men, whose love and hate I spurn.
All creatures toil; the beast, if tamed or free,
Must toil for daily sustenance like me;
The feather'd people hunt as well as sing,
And catch their flying food upon the wing.
The fish, the insect, all who live, employ
Their powers to keep on life, or to enjoy,
Their life th' enjoyment; thus will I proceed,
A man from man's detested favours freed.'

Thus was I reasoning, when at length there

came

A gift, a present, but without a name.
'That Spinster-witch, has she then found a way
To cure her conscience, and her Nephew pay,
And sends her pittance? Well, and let it buy
What sweetens labour; need I this deny?
I thank her not; it is as if I found
The fairy-gift upon this stony ground.'

Still I wrought on; again occurred the day, And then the same addition to my pay.

Then, lo! another Friend, if not the same, For that I knew not, with a message cameCanst keep accounts?' the man was pleased

to ask

'I could not cash!--but that the harder task.' 'Yet try,' he said; and I was quickly brought, To Lawyer Snell, and in his office taught. Not much my pay, but my desires were less, And I for evil days reserved th' excess.

Such day occurr'd not: quickly came there

one,

When I was told my present work was done :
My Friend then brought me to a building large,
And gave far weightier business to my charge,
There I was told I had accounts to keep,
Of those vast Works, where wonders never
sleep,