rom a child, to think he was too wise for any thing
but a parson, and hoped she would live to see him one. She did not
wish to see her son a minister because she loved either learning or
piety, but because she thought it would make Jack a gentleman, and
set him above his brothers.

Farmer Brown still hoped that though Jack was likely to make but an
idle and ignorant farmer, yet he might make no bad tradesman, when
he should be removed from the indulgences of a father's house, and
from a silly mother, whose fondness kept him back in every thing.
This woman was enraged when she found that so fine a scholar, as she
took Jack to be, was to be put apprentice to a shoemaker. The
farmer, however, for the first time in his life, would have his own
way, and too apt to mind only what is falsely called _the main
chance_, instead of being careful to look out for a sober, prudent,
and religious master for his son, he left all that to accident, as
if it had been a thing of little or no consequence. This is a very
common fault; and fathers who are guilty of it, are in a great
measure answerable for the future sins and errors of their children,
when they come out into the world, and set up for themselves. If a
man gives his son a good education, a good example, and a good
master, it is indeed _possible_ that the son may not turn out well,
but it does not often happen; and when it does, the father has no
blame resting on him, and it is a great point toward a man's comfort
to have his conscience quiet in that respect, however God may think
fit to overrule events.

The farmer, however, took care to desire his friends to inquire for
a shoemaker who had good business, and was a good workman; and the
mother did not forget to put in her word, and desired that it might
be one who was not _too strict_, for Jack had been brought up
tenderly, was a meek boy, and could not bear to be contradicted in
any thing. And this is the common notion of meekness among people
who do not take up their notions on rational and Christian grounds.

Mr. Williams was recommended to the farmer as being the best
shoemaker in the town in which he lived, and far from a strict
master, and, without further inquiries, to Mr. Williams he went.

James Stock, who was the son of an honest laborer in the next
village, was bound out by the parish in consideration of his father
having so numerous a family, that he was not able to put him out
himself. James was in every thing