faid, let her know well enow what he was about. Arrived at Chalfont, her firft Care was to make him comfortable; while Mother, Mary, and Betty were turning the House upfide down; and in this her Care, fhe fo well fucceeded, that, to her Dismay, he bade her take Pen and Ink, and commenced dictating to her as composedly as if they were in Bunhill Fields. This was somewhat inopportune, for every Thing was to feek and to fet in Order; and, indeed, Mother foon came in, all of a Heat, and fayd, "I wonder, my "Dear, you can keep Nan here, at "fuch idling, when she has her Bed 1665. "to 1665. 66 to make, and her Box to unpack." Father let her go without a Word, and fate in peacefull Cogitation all the Reft of the Evening-the only Perfon at Leifure in the House. Howbeit, the next Time he heard Mother chiding-which was after Supper-at Anne, for trying to catch a Bat, which was a Creature fhe longed to look at narrowly, he fayd, "My Dear, we should be very "cautious how we cut off another "Perfon's Pleasures. 'Tis an easy 66 66 Thing to fay to them, 'You are wrong or foolish,' and foe check "them in their Purfuit; but what "have we to give them that will compensate "compensate for it? How many "harmless Refreshments and Refuges "from fick or tired Thought may "thus be destroyed! We may de"prive the Spider of his Web, and "the Robin of his Neft, but can "never repair the Damage to them. "Let us live, and let live; leave me "to hunt my Butterfly, and Anne to "catch her Bat." Our Life here is moft pleafant. Father and I pass almost the whole of our Time in the open Air-he dictating, and I writing; while Mother and Mary find 'emfelves I know not whether more of Toyl or Paftime, I 1665. 1665. Pastime, within Doors,-washing, brewing, baking, pickling, and preserving; to fay Nought of the Dairy, which fupplies us with endless Variety of Country Meffes, fuch as Father's Soul loveth. "Tis well we have this Refource, or our Bill of Fare would be fomewhat meagre; for the Butcher kills nothing but Mutton, except at Christmass. Then, we make our own Bread, for we now keep ftrict Quarantine, the Plague having now so much spread, that there have e'en been one or two Cafes in Chalfont. The only One to feek for Employment has been poor Anne, whose great Resources at at Home have ever been church going and vifiting poor Folk. She with 1665. |