CHAP. I. The Reminiscences of Miftrefs Cherry. I WONDER Whether many People, on reviewing their past Lives, feel as I do on looking back on mine; that, had they had the ordering the outward Circumftances connected with them beforehand, fuch as Time, Place, Health, Sickness, Friends, Acquaintances, and fuchlike Conditions, they could not have arranged them half fo well as they have been disposed for them. When I fall into a Muse on the Past, the Moments fly fo fwiftly B that I 1632 that I am loft in Amazement when I find how the Time has flipped by while thus pleasantly employed. And yet many of the Arrangements which were made for me by a greater Wisdom than mine, were fuch as at the Time were far from agreeable to me; nay, were fometimes fo repugnant to Flesh and Blood as to nourish rebellious Thoughts, and call forth Showers of Tears. And ftill the Procefs went on; as I now fee, all for my Good. My Father married my Mother in the Spring of the Year 1632: being then in the Prime of Life, a perfonable, charming-looking Man, though fmall of Stature, and with a Nose fomewhat awry. In his Conditions he was ever most lovely; of a sweet Temper, fhrewd Obfervance, ftout Heart, and lively Wit. Many, Many, no Doubt, had read more, by reason of their Opportunities ; but what few Books he knew, he turned to Profit, and perhaps no Man concocted his Reading into Judgment better than he; by which he became fo judicious and oracular, as that though he could not indeed prophefy, he could prefage; and fome of his Prefages came true and others not, but might have done fo, had Events taken but in a very flight Degree a different Course. He knew how to found his Cuftomers, and fuck the Marrow of their Knowledge, while keeping his own Counsel: but this was his Prudence, not Pufillanimity, for I have heard it remarked by one who knew him well, that the Trojan Horfe was not more full of Valour than he, for fo small a Man. Being a Hair-dreffer, this was not fo evident evident in him as if he had been a Soldier; but yet every Man's Life affords Occafions, as my Father's certainly did, of showing what is in him and what is not. In Drefs, his Tafte was exceffive neat, and yet gaudy; fo that on Sundays, when he appeared in what he called his Marigold-and-Poppy, with his Hair, which Men then wore very long, combed down in large fmooth Curls, his laced Collar nicely ironed, his Beaver well brushed, and his Shoes fhining like Coals... it would have been difficult to find a Grain of Fault with him, fave that, as my Coufin Mark was wont to fay, the Colours of his Suit did too much fwear at one another. For my own Part, I always had an Impreffion that he was an exceffive well-looking Man, not out of any Prejudice, but down right Prepoffeffion; and yet my dear Mother, who I am fure loved him truly, always faid to me when I alluded to the Subject, "My Dear, "the Qualities of his Perfon were always far exceeded by thofe of "his Mind." 66 Of my Coufin Mark, who was my Father's Apprentice, there could not be two Opinions. He was winfome, lightfome, debonair; of most comely Person and Aspect : we were all very proud of him, and he of himself. If he had a Fault, it was thinking too much of himself and too little of others; but this is fo common that I do not know I am justified in particularizing it. Alfo he was fomewhat of a Coward; not in refpect of perfonal, animal Courage, of which I fuppofe he had as much as the aforefaid Trojan Horse, whatever that might be; but |