al to you.

You do me great honour, madam, replied I. Such a good lady's approbation
must make me too sensible of my happiness. My dear master handed me into
the chariot, and stood talking with Sir Thomas Atkyns, at the door
of it, (who was making him abundance of compliments, and is a very
ceremonious gentleman, a little too extreme in that way,) and, I
believe, to familiarize me to the gazers, which concerned me a little;
for I was dashed to hear the praises of the countrypeople, and to
see how they crowded about the chariot. Several poor people begged
my charity, and I beckoned John with my fan, and said, Divide in
the further church-porch, that money to the poor, and let them come
to-morrow morning to me, and I will give them something more, if they
don't importune me now. So I gave him all the silver I had, which
happened to be between twenty and thirty shillings; and this drew away
from me their clamorous prayers for charity.

Mr. Martin came up to me on the other side of the chariot, and leaned on
the very door, while my master was talking to Sir Thomas, from whom he
could not get away; and said, By all that's good, you have charmed the
whole congregation! Not a soul but is full of your praises! My neighbour
knew, better than any body could tell him, how to choose for himself.
Why, said he, the dean himself looked more upon you than his book.

O sir, said I, you are very encouraging to a weak mind! I vow, said
he, I say no more than is truth: I'd marry to-morrow, if I was sure
of meeting with a person of but one-half the merit you have. You are,
continued he, and 'tis not my way to praise too much, an ornament to
your sex, an honour to your spouse, and a credit to religion.--Every
body is saying so, added he; for you have, by your piety, edified the
whole church.

As he had done speaking, the dean himself complimented me, that
the behaviour of so worthy a lady, would be very edifying to his
congregation, and encouraging to himself. Sir, said I, you are very
kind: I hope I shall not behave unworthy of the good instructions I
shall have the pleasure to receive from so worthy a divine. He bowed,
and went on.

Sir Thomas then applied to me, my master stepping into the chariot, and
said, I beg pardon, madam, for detaining your good spouse from you: but
I have been saying, he is the happiest man in the world. I bowed to him,
but I could have wished him further, to make me sit so in the notice of
every one; which,