of our relations was found to be a person of very
bad character, a troublesome guest, or one we desired to get rid of,
upon his leaving my house, I ever took care to lend him a riding coat,
or a pair of boots, or sometimes an horse of small value, and I always
had the satisfaction of finding he never came back to return them. By
this the house was cleared of such as we did not like; but never was the
family of Wakefield known to turn the traveller or the poor dependent
out of doors.

Thus we lived several years in a state of much happiness, not but that
we sometimes had those little rubs which Providence sends to enhance the
value of its favours. My orchard was often robbed by school-boys, and my
wife's custards plundered by the cats or the children. The 'Squire would
sometimes fall asleep in the most pathetic parts of my sermon, or his
lady return my wife's civilities at church with a mutilated curtesy. But
we soon got over the uneasiness caused by such accidents, and usually in
three or four days began to wonder how they vext us.

My children, the offspring of temperance, as they were educated without
softness, so they were at once well formed and healthy; my sons hardy
and active, my daughters beautiful and blooming. When I stood in the
midst of the little circle, which promised to be the supports of my
declining age, I could not avoid repeating the famous story of Count
Abensberg, who, in Henry II's progress through Germany, while other
courtiers came with their treasures, brought his thirty-two children,
and presented them to his sovereign as the most valuable offering he had
to bestow. In this manner, though I had but six, I considered them as a
very valuable present made to my country, and consequently looked upon
it as my debtor. Our eldest son was named George, after his uncle, who
left us ten thousand pounds. Our second child, a girl, I intended to
call after her aunt Grissel; but my wife, who during her pregnancy had
been reading romances, insisted upon her being called Olivia. In less
than another year we had another daughter, and now I was determined that
Grissel should be her name; but a rich relation taking a fancy to stand
godmother, the girl was, by her directions, called Sophia; so that we
had two romantic names in the family; but I solemnly protest I had no
hand in it. Moses was our next, and after an interval of twelve years,
we had two sons more.

It would be fruitless to deny my exultation when I