rag of Liberty, and
boast of our Laws: but the Blessings of the one, and the Protection of
the other, seldom fall to the Lot of the Poor; and especially when a
rich Man is their Adversary. How, in the Name of Goodness, can a poor
Wretch obtain Redress, when thirty Pounds are insufficient to try his
Cause? Where is he to find Money to see Council, or how can he plead
his Cause himself (even if he was permitted) when our Laws are so
obscure, and so multiplied, that an Abridgment of them cannot be
contained in fifty Volumes in Folio?

As soon as Mr. _Meanwell_ had called together his Creditors, Sir
_Timothy_ seized for a Year's Rent, and turned the Farmer, his
Wife, little _Margery_, and her Brother out of Doors, without any
of the Necessaries of Life to support them.

[Illustration]

This elated the Heart of Mr. _Graspall_, this crowned his Hopes,
and filled the Measure of his Iniquity; for besides gratifying his
Revenge, this Man's Overthrow gave him the sole Dominion of the Poor,
whom he depressed and abused in a Manner too horrible to mention.

_Margery's_ Father flew into another Parish for Succour, and all
those who were able to move left their Dwellings and sought Employment
elsewhere, as they found it would be impossible to live under the
Tyranny of two such People. The very old, the very lame and the blind
were obliged to stay behind, and whether they were starved, or what
became of them, History does not say; but the Character of the great
Sir _Timothy_, and his avaricious Tenant, were so infamous, that
nobody would work for them by the Day, and Servants were afraid to
engage themselves by the Year, lest any unforeseen Accident should
leave them Parishioners in a Place, where they knew they must perish
miserably; so that great Part of the Land lay untilled for some Years,
which was deemed a just Reward for such diabolical Proceedings.

But what, says the Reader, can occasion all this? Do you intend this
for Children, Mr. NEWBERY? Why, do you suppose this is written by Mr.
NEWBERY, Sir? This may come from another Hand. This is not the Book,
Sir, mentioned in the Title, but the Introduction to that Book; and it
is intended, Sir, not for those Sort of Children, but for Children of
six Feet high, of which, as my Friend has justly observed, there are
many Millions in the Kingdom; and these Reflections, Sir, have been
rendered necessary, by the unaccountable and diabolical Scheme which
many Gentlemen now give int