1665. 66 Meaning to, nor I neither, with"out your condefcending to explayn "it - Cycle, Epicycle, nocturnal "Rhomb." "Well, well," returned he, beginning to fmile, "'twas unlikely fhe "fhoulde be with fuch Difcourfe de "lighted. Not capable, alas! poor 66 Mary's Ear, of what is high. And "yet, thy Mother, Child, woulde "have stretched up towards Truths, 66 though beyond her Reach, yet to "the inquiring Mind offering rich 66 Repaft. And now write Satiety "for Sobriety, if you love me." While erafing the obnoxious Word, I cried, "Dear Father, pray "anfwer "anfwer me one Question-What is "a Rhomb?” 66 "A Rhomb, Child?" repeated he, laughing, "why, a Parallelogram or 'quadrangular Figure, confifting of "parallel Lines, with two acute and "two obtufe Angles, and formed by "two equal and righte Cones, joyned 66 together at their Bafe! There, are "you anie wifer now? No, little "Maid, 'tis beft for fuch as you Not with perplexing Thoughts To interrupt the Sweet of Life, from which God hath bid dwell far off all anxious Cares, C And 1665. 1665. April 19. And not moleft us, unless we ourselves Seek them, with wandering Thoughts and Notions vain." I heartilie wish our Stepmother were back, albeit we are foe comfortable without her! Mary, taking the Maids at unawares laft Night, found a strange Man in the Kitchen. Words enfued; he flunk off like a Culprit, which lookt not well, while Betty Fisher, brazening it out, woulde have at firfte that he was her Brother, then her Coufin, and ended by vowing to be revenged on Mary when she lookt not for it. I would have had Mary fpeak to Father, Father, but he will not; perhaps foe beft. Polly is in the Sulks to Daye, as well as Betty, faying, "As "well live in a Nunnerie." 1665. When the Horfe is ftolen, fhut April 20. the Stable Door. Mary locked the lower Doors, and brought up the Keys herselfe, yestereven at Duske. Anon dropped in Doctor Paget, Mr. Skinner, and Uncle Dick, foe that we had quite a merrie Party. Dr. Paget fayd how that another Cafe of the Plague had occurred in Long Acre; howbeit, this onlie makes three, foe that we trust it will not spread, though 'twoulde be unadvised to goe needlefflie 1665. needlefflie into the infected Quarter. Uncle Dick would fayn take us Girls down to Oxon, but Father fayd he could not spare us while Mother was at Stoke; and that there was noe prevalent Diftemper, this bracing Weather, in our Parish. Then felle a mufing; and Uncle Dick, who loves a Jefte, outs with a large brown Apple from's Pocket, and holds it aneath Father's Nofe. Sayth Father, roufing, "How far Phanfy goes! 66 thy Voice, Dick, carried me back "to olde Dayes, and affected, I think, "even my Nofe; for I could protest "I fmelled a Sheepfcote Apple." And, feeling himselfe touched by its cold |