ten into another world.

Here I lived five years and should have done longer, but the
school broke up; and my father having got Wroote living, my
mother was earnest for my return. I was told what pleasant
company was at Bawtry, Doncaster, etc., and that this addition
to my father, with God's ordinary blessing, would make him a
rich man in a few years. I came home again, in an evil hour for
me. I was well clothed, and, while I wanted nothing, was easy
enough. But this winter, when my own necessaries began to decay
and my money was most of it spent, I found what a condition I
was in--every trifling want was either not supplied, or I had
more trouble to procure it than it was worth.

I know not when we have had so good a year, both at Wroote and
Epworth, as this year; but instead of saving anything to clothe
my sister or myself, we are just where we were. A noble crop
has almost all gone, beside Epworth living, to pay some part of
those infinite debts my father has run into, which are so many
(as I have lately found out) that were he to save 50 pounds a
year he would not be clear in the world this seven years.
One thing I warn you of: let not my giving you this account be
any hindrance to your affairs. If you want assistance in any
case, my father is as able to give it now as any time these last
ten years; nor shall we be ever the poorer for it. We enjoy
many comforts. We have plenty of good meat and drink, fuel,
etc.; have no duns, nor any of that tormenting care to provide
bread which we had at Epworth. In short, could I lay aside all
thoughts of the future, and be content with three things, money,
liberty, and clothes, I might live very comfortably. While my
mother lives I am inclined to stay with her; she is so very good
to me, and has so little comfort in the world beside, that I
think it barbarous to abandon her. As soon as she is in heaven,
or perhaps sooner if I am quite tired out, I have fully fixed on
a state of life; a way indeed that my parents may disapprove,
but that I do not regard. And now:

"Let Emma's hapless case be falsely told
By the rash young, or the ill-natured old."

You, that know my hard fortune, I hope will never hastily
condemn me for anything I shall be driven to do by stress of