e certain youth of the upper kinds, to be by
me instructed in the learned tongues, and such other branches as I had
proficiency in; and, in addition thereto, he said, that peradventure he
might obtain a similar charge for my excellent wife in superintending
the perfectionment of certain young ladies of his acquaintance in
samplers, and millinery, and cookery, and such other of the fine and
useful arts as she was known to excel in; and he subjoined thereto, that
the charges for each pupil would be so large, being only those of
consideration which he recommended unto me, that a few years would be
sufficient wherein to consolidate portions for all my children. Such,
with some misgivings touching my own interpretation, did I make out to
be the substance of my excellent wife's letter; and I rejoiced greatly
that such an opening was made for me, by the which I might attain to
such eminence of estate that I might place my Charles in the first ranks
of the law, yea, might live to see him raised to the fulness of temporal
grandeur, and sitting, as Lord High Keeper, among the peers and princes
of the land, with a crown of pure gold upon his head. But there was no
crown but a heavenly one, that fadeth not nor groweth dim, that could
have added a fresh beauty to the fair head of my Charles. But the
sweetest part of her missive was contained in the _post scriptum_.
Therein she said, and in this I could not be wrong, that Mr Snowton had
undertaken to forward her in his light wheeled cart, by reason of the
conveniency it would be of to her in the transportation of herself and
luggage, and also of Miss Alice Snowton, of Mr Snowton's kindred, a
young lady which he had adopted, (being the only child of his only
brother, Mr Richard Snowton, deceased,) and advised my wife to accept
the care of her as a beginning, and for the charges of the same he would
be answerable for fifty golden Caroluses at Ladyday and Michaelmas. A
hundred Caroluses each year! My heart bounded with joy. Great were my
preparations for the reception of my new inmate, and busy were we all
from my busy Waller down to Charles. He with much riotousness did
superintend all, and rejoiced greatly at the noise caused by the
hammering, and taking down and putting up of bed-hangings, and did in no
slight measure add thereto by strange outbreaks of riotous mirth, such
as whooping and screaming; causing confusion, at the same time, by
various demonstrations of his enjoyments, such