me with this scheme of
frugality; and one time he brought another paper, wherein he showed me,
much to the same purpose as the former, to what degree I should increase
my estate if I would come into his method of contracting my expenses;
and by this scheme of his, it appeared that, laying up a thousand pounds
a year, and every year adding the interest to it, I should in twelve
years' time have in bank one-and-twenty thousand and fifty-eight
pounds, after which I might lay up two thousand pounds a year.

I objected that I was a young woman, that I had been used to live
plentifully, and with a good appearance, and that I knew not how to be a
miser.

He told me that if I thought I had enough it was well, but that if I
desired to have more, this was the way; that in another twelve years I
should be too rich, so that I should not know what to do with it.

"Ay, sir," says I, "you are contriving how to make me a rich old woman,
but that won't answer my end; I had rather have L20,000 now than L60,000
when I am fifty years old."

"Then, madam," says he, "I suppose your honour has no children?"

"None, Sir Robert," said I, "but what are provided for." So I left him
in the dark as much as I found him. However, I considered his scheme
very well, though I said no more to him at that time, and I resolved,
though I would make a very good figure, I say I resolved to abate a
little of my expense, and draw in, live closer, and save something, if
not so much as he proposed to me. It was near the end of the year that
Sir Robert made this proposal to me, and when the year was up I went to
his house in the City, and there I told him I came to thank him for his
scheme of frugality; that I had been studying much upon it, and though I
had not been able to mortify myself so much as to lay up a thousand
pounds a year, yet, as I had not come to him for my interest
half-yearly, as was usual, I was now come to let him know that I had
resolved to lay up that seven hundred pounds a year, and never use a
penny of it, desiring him to help me to put it out to advantage.

Sir Robert, a man thoroughly versed in arts of improving money, but
thoroughly honest, said to me, "Madam, I am glad you approve of the
method that I proposed to you; but you have begun wrong; you should have
come for your interest at the half-year, and then you had had the money
to put out. Now you have lost half a year's interest of L350, which is
L9; for I had but 5 per cent, o