zle, who, as we have already hinted,
was more interested in the preservation of the family name than in
any other consideration whatever. She therefore no sooner discovered
appearances to justify and confirm her hopes, than, postponing her own
purpose, and laying aside that pique and resentment she had conceived
from the behaviour of Mrs. Pickle, when she superseded her authority;
or perhaps, considering her in no other light than that of the vehicle
which contained, and was destined to convey, her brother's heir to
light, she determined to exert her uttermost in nursing, tending, and
cherishing her during the term of her important charge. With this
view she purchased Culpepper's Midwifery, which with that sagacious
performance dignified with Aristotle's name, she studied with
indefatigable care; and diligently perused the Complete Housewife,
together with Quincy's Dispensatory, culling every jelly, marmalade, and
conserve which these authors recommend as either salutary or toothsome,
for the benefit and comfort of her sister-in-law, during her gestation.
She restricted her from eating roots, pot-herbs, fruit, and all sorts of
vegetables; and one day, when Mrs. Pickle had plucked a peach with her
own hand, and was in the very act of putting it between her teeth, Mrs.
Grizzle perceived the rash attempt, and running up to her, fell on her
knees in the garden, entreating her, with tears in her eyes, to desist
such a pernicious appetite. Her request was no sooner complied with,
than recollecting, that if her sister's longing was balked, the child
might be affected with some disagreeable mark or deplorable disease, she
begged as earnestly that she would swallow the fruit, and in the mean
time ran for some cordial water of her own composing, which she forced
on her sister, as an antidote to the poison she had received.

This excessive zeal and tenderness did not fail to be very troublesome
to Mrs. Pickle, who, having resolved divers plans for the recovery
of her own ease, at length determined to engage Mrs. Grizzle in such
employment as would interrupt that close attendance, which she found so
teasing and disagreeable. Neither did she wait long for an opportunity
of putting her resolution in practice. The very next day a gentleman
happening to dine with Mr. Pickle, unfortunately mentioned a pine-apple,
part of which he had eaten a week before at the house of a nobleman, who
lived in another part of the country, at the distance