Springett-and so, indeed, she proved; for, on reaching Home after a lengthened Ramble, I saw the Tiger Lilies lying on the Table, and found she had spent a full Hour with Father, who much relished her Talk. Sure, she might have brought a blind Man Flowers that had some Fragrance, however dull of hue.

To-day, as we were sitting under the Hedge, we heard a rough Voice shouting, "Hoy! hoy! what are you about “there?” To which another Man's Voice, just over against us, deprecatingly replied, "No Harm, I promise you, "Master. . . . We have clean Bills of "Health ; and my Wife and I, Footsore and hungry, do but Purpose to set up our little Cabin against the Bank, till the Sabbath is overpast." "But you must set it up Somewhere else," cries the other, who was the Chalfont Constable; "for we Chalfont "Folks are very particular, and can't "have Strangers come harbouring here

66

66

66

66

"in our Highways and Hedges,-dying, "and making themselves disagreeable."

66

"But we don't mean to die or be

disagreeable," says the other. "We are "on our Way to my Wife's Parish; and

"Oh! but we can, though," says the Constable. And, besides, this is not "the King's Highway, but only a Bye66 way, which is next to private Property;

"and

66

" and the Gentleman at present in Occupation of that private Property will be highly and justly offended if you go "to give him the Plague."

66

66

"That's me," says Father. "Do tell him, Deb, not to be so hard on the poor People, but to let them abide where they are till the Sabbath is over. "dare say they have clean Bills of Health, "as they state, and the Spot is so lonely,

66

66

I

they need not be denied Fire and "Water, which is next to Excommuni"cation."

So I parleyed with John Constable, and he parleyed with the Travellers, who really had Passports, and seemed Honest as well as Sound. So they were permitted, without Let or Hindrance, to erect their little Booth; and in a little while they had collected Sticks enough to light a Fire, the Smoke of which annoyed us not, because we were to Windward.

"What have we for Dinner To-day?” says Father.

"A

"A cold Shoulder of Mutton," says Mother, who had thrown 'em a couple of Cabbages.

"Well," says Father, "'twas to a cold "Shoulder of Mutton that Samuel set "down Saul; and what was good enough "for a Prophet may well content a Poet. "I propose, that what we leave of ours "To-day, should be given to these poor 'People for their Sabbath's Dinner; and "I, for one, shall eat no Meat Today."

66

In fact, none did but Mary and Mother, who find fasting not good for their Stomachs ; soe Anne, who is the most fearlesse of us all, handed the Joint over to them, with some broken Bread and Dripping, which was most thankfully received. In Truth, I believe them harmless People, for they are now a singing Psalms.

ELLWOOD

LLWOOD has turned up agayn, to the great Pleasure of Father, who delights in his Company, and likes his Reading better than ours, though he will call Pater Payter. Consequence is, I have infinitely more Leisure, and can ramble hither and thither, (always shunning Wayfarers), and bring Home my Lap full of Flowers and Weeds, with rusticall Names, such as Ragged Robin, Sneezewort, Cream-and-Codlins, Jack-in-theHedge, or Sauce-alone. Many of these I knew not before; but I describe them to Father, and he tells me what they are. He hath finished his Poem, and given it Ellwood to read, in the most careless Fashion imaginable, saying, "You can take "this Home, and run through it at your "Leisure. I should like to hear your

66

Judgment on it some Time or other." Nor do I believe he has ever since given himself an uneasy Thought of what that

Judgment