diligence for the whole day; nor could a
family be well managed by any one who omitted this necessary duty. Mrs
Morgan's desire that her servants should enjoy the comforts of plenty,
and when sick, receive the indulgence which that condition requires,
brought her continual admonitions against extravagance, wherein Mr
Morgan readily joined; for his avarice was so great that he repined at
the most necessary expenses.

His temper was a mixture of passion and peevishness, two things that
seldom go together; but he would fret himself into a passion, and then
through weariness of spirits cool into fretfulness, till he was
sufficiently recovered to rise again into rage. This was the common
course of his temper, which afforded variety, but no relief.

Sensible that his wife married him without affection, he seemed to think
it impossible ever to gain her love, and therefore spared himself all
fruitless endeavours. He was indeed fond of her person; he admired her
beauty, but despised her understanding, which in truth was unavoidable;
for his ideas and conversation were so low and sordid that he was not
qualified to distinguish the charms of her elegant mind. Those who know
Mrs Morgan best are convinced that she suffered less uneasiness from his
ill-humour, brutal as it was, than from his nauseous fondness. But the
account I give of him, I have received from others; Mrs Morgan never
mentions his name, if it can possibly be avoided; and when she does, it
is always with respect. In this situation, a victim to the ill-humour
both of her husband and his sister, we will leave Mrs Morgan, and return
to that friend whose letters were her only consolation.

Miss Mancel's person was so uncommonly fine, that she could not be long
settled in the country without attracting general notice. Though the
lower rank of people may be less refined in their ideas, yet her beauty
was so very striking, that it did not escape their admiration, and the
handsome lady, as they called her, became the general subject of
discourse. As church was the only place where she exposed to public
view, she had from the first endeavoured to elude observation, by
mingling in the crowd, and sitting in the most obscure seat; but when
fame had awakened the curiosity of those of higher rank, she was easily
distinguished, and in a short time many inhabitants of the neighbouring
parishes came to that church to see her. She more than answered every
expectation; for such perfe