was obliged to attend to the latter, his thrifty wife took charge of the former, and thus they mutually aided each other.

His son, the present Mr. Homely, married a neighbour's daughter with a fortune. But her habits were different from the late Mrs. Homely's; she voted the farm, which came to them by inheritance, a great bore-a mere incumbrance. A farm near London which is neglected is a bad concern; and she had no turn for the thing; whilst her husband was so fond of money-making, that he never left the counting-house; a villa at Richmond suited his lady better than the farm, and the former was accordingly sold, and a villa was rented.

Now the second Mrs. Homely presented her spouse with three fine children in three years, which sharpened the edge of Mr. Homely's industry. He was for getting them all large fortunes, and his wife was for getting them into good com

pany. From the summer residence at Richmond, Mrs. Homely prevailed upon her husband to spend a month annually at Margate.

Now when Miss Sophia Evelina Homely came to the age of sixteen, she discovered that Margate was only fit for common tradespeople, and not for a rich merchant's daughter; so she prevailed upon Pa to change his bathing quarters to Brighton, and to allow his family to remain there three months, although he could only be spared one month from his commercial concerns. Miss likewise insisted upon having a harp-master, and found such dashing acquaintances at Brighton, that their residence there and at Richmond exhibited one continued round of company, whilst the family coach gave place to a landau and four, and Miss discovered that riding was absolutely necessary for her health; her nerves were

so unbraced by dissipation, that sea air, riding on horseback, and tonics were indispensable.

Mr. Charles Augustus Homely grew up to a sort of a spurious demi-dandy, a thing between a court mushroom and a counting-house toad-stool. Ma prevailed upon Pa to send him to the University; and, at his return, he despised Pa, quizzed the commercial partner, and turned up his nose at the warehouse. He too had made some great acquaintances at College, and got introduced to some officers of the tenth, whilst at Brighton, who occasionally did him the honor to make him drunk, and, when half so themselves, used to talk nonsense to his sister.

But what an improvement had now taken place in the Homely family! Miss Sophia Evelina, instead of making puddings and attending to a farm, was mistress of the harp, played off quality airs, and in con

junction with Ma, run up such dressmakers' bills, and gave such routes, that all the drudgery of Pa could scarcely meet these heavy demands; whilst Mr. Charles and Augustus (how different from Nathan, his Father, and old Jonathan the grandsire!) was keeping his tilbury, and entering into all fashionable vices.

This was not the worst: Brighton was a favourable situation for a trip to France; and Pa was prevailed upon to sport his homely figure for a week at Paris. It was now discovered that a spring there would give the polish, or rather the last finish to his children, and particularly to Miss Eudosia Jemima, who had not completed her education. Now there was a great contrast betwixt the sisters: the elder was a female philosopher and a freethinker, a fashionable sceptic, and above all prejudice; whilst the younger one was a die-away novel reader, and a very soul of susceptibility. The one set up for an

esprit fort; the other played the sentimentalist.

Pa, however, left Paris, swearing at the impositions of the hotel, the tradespeople, the waiters, the servants, the expenses of the voiture de remise, of the marchande de modes, of the bijoutier, and of all who came near him; and went off in the diligence, pitied by his wife and daughters, and cut by his son; laughed at by the natives, and imposed upon by all under the reproachful epithets of Jack Rosbif, the Pére Gripesol, mátin d'Anglais, gros patapouf, etc.; whereas he had arrived under the salutations of Milord, Monsieur le bien venu, un Millionaire, un Richard du premier ordre, and the like.

In his absence, Ma formed a circle of society the most expensive; and Sophia Evelina drew about her hungry authors and eccentrics of all descriptions, who, she imagined, formed a complete cóterie of bas bleus.