Mr. Bracebridge and Miss Boothby in the Park.

HE next morning being fine, Miss Aston

THE

went for an airing in the chariot; I accompanied her, and whilst we drove, I procured her leave to visit Mr. Boothby that afternoon and evening. Indeed she begged I would never be at the trouble of asking her permission to be absent; "for," says she, "I wish you to consider yourself free to act as you please. Our house is always your home whilst you choose to remain; and I would have you to know that it is not because you are engaged to me at a salary you are to lose your privileges as a lady and your freedom as a woman.'

Indeed you are very good to me, madam,” I answer'd; "and I only wish I could justify my reception of your bountiful kindness by the sense

that I deserv'd it."

And truly I did; and I'll not deny that whilst I look'd on her, I was smote with a pang at the

My compassion is like to triumph. 179

deceit I was practising, and wondered keenly that Mr. Bracebridge could find it in him to act the hypocrite to so truthful and beautiful a character. Had I been a man, and had she loved me as she loved Mr. Bracebridge, 'tis certain I could not have done her an injury; her sweet, fond helplessness would have defeated my evil promptings ; her pretty fidelity would have put to flight any sneaking resolutions of ill; I could not have beheld her blindness and given her pain. Even as a woman I was sorry fate should have brought me into antagonism with so helpless a creature. Had she been haughty and passionate; had she been robust and healthful; nay, had she but had the use of her sight, I could have sapped the hope and joy of her life without a moment's remorse. But here she was, sweet and cordial to me, and I working to break her heart! Well, when the weakness passed, I was glad to be rid on't; for had it lingered, I had broke with Mr. Bracebridge. But I was presently reanimated by a sense of my position. I perceived the insecurity of my hold on life unless I could get a footing; besides, his beauty came to urge me with a passion not easy to repel.

To accommodate me, Miss Aston desired the dinner to be served by two; for I had told her I was to be with my father at four o'clock. My Lady Ringwood was very garrulous at the meal; but Miss Aston was thoughtful. Yet it was ever the character of her sweetness to triumph over the moods of her melancholy; and no one that addressed her, but was rewarded by the prettiest, 'tenderest smile that ever made a kind of music of a blind countenance.

My lady had been particularly pleased with Dr. Johnson; indeed she couldn't get him out of her head.

"Sure he's the greatest man our age has produced!" she cried. "Did you hear him put down Sir Charles? Eh, but I like such spirit." "Twas almost rudeness," said I.

No, no," says she; "truth is never rude to people of understanding. To be sure you misses like a polished air. You'd have a bow with every smirk, a grimace with every 'how-d'ye.' Nothing but the grand style goes down among you. But give me a man of spirit-a sturdy, contemptuous, hearty understanding, that knows how to run a-muck with cant, and tilt with,

I describe Dr. Johnson.

181

I know

not bark at, every folly it encounters. your notion of wisdom: 'tis a thing dressed in a bag-wig and sword, with fine ruffles and diamond buckles,—a mincing, strutting, scented prig, eh? What you'd call among ye a love of a thing; which you could pet, and tumble, and tickle, and find diversion in its fine airs and French bows, eh?”

Miss Aston laughed, and said, "she wished she could have seen Dr. Johnson, as she did not doubt but he was the very contrary to my lady's aversion."

Madam," said I, "Dr. Johnson is a big man, with a bushy wig, large hands and feet, a face full of scars and seams, who eats like a cormorant, splashes his clothes with his food, snores when he is silent like the winding up of a Dutch-clock, yet who talks so nobly, thinks so sagaciously, expresses himself so perspicaciously, that he in an eminent degree illustrates the triumph of mind over matter, and forces you to lose the grotesque oddness of his figure and manners in the blaze of his wit and knowledge. For me he might have been the dainty fopling my lady just now described, so little did I heed his appearance when once he let loose his conversation."

"Miss Boothby speaks the truth, my dear,” said my lady graciously; "and oh, Dolly! he is a Tory and a Jacobite, and a High Churchman, and everything a man of parts should be. And his hatred of cant! I could have thrown my arms about his neck and kissed him for his views on education."

"What were they?" asked Miss Aston.

They were mine! they were mine!" she cried, triumphantly. "He said that educating the lower orders in the hope of improving them was like fattening a sheep in the hope it will become a bull. Impart the alphabet to them, said he, that they may know how to read their Bibles; but to educate them in the belief you will be improving their condition, is monstrous rubbish ; for those that have merit will rise of their own accord: as among savage nations there will be always some who will distinguish themselves above their fellows, and take the lead. If we educate the lower orders, we shall be cramming them with notions of their own importance; they will shirk menial labour, and there will come a dearth of servants. He said he was not surprised to hear that there was a set of noisy creatures