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CHAP. X.

Mrs. Placid's history concluded. The sympathetic feelings of her hearers described. The Scholar insists upon Mrs. Placid's defining the word Misery. The 'Squire is made impatient by the dulness of the Scholar, and decides the argument. Miss Finakin's carefulness for her nephew, the Captain. He is admitted for the second time as an inside passenger, on condition of good behaviour.

"THE feelings of my relations and friends on the melancholy intelligence I had to communicate to them, may be conceived better than described. I will not dwell on this painful subject. I cannot possibly fathom the design of Providence in this most trying dispensation, but I think myself authorized to apply to my own case the words which our Lord addressed to his disciple Peter"What thou knowest not now, thou shalt know hereafter." "What when you get to heaven, I suppose you mean," said the 'squire. "Yes," replied Mrs. Placid, "when we reach that happy place, all mysteries will be unravelled, faith will be turned into sight, and God himself will wipe away every tear.

THE DEJECTED TRADESMAN.

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"Soon after my return home, I discovered a gloom seated constantly on the face of my partner, at which I was much surprised, for he was generally of a pleasant cheerful disposition; at first I concluded it was occasioned by the death of my son, for whom I knew he had a tender regard. But seeing that a few weeks made no alteration in his deportment, I noticed it to him.

John Tradewell," said 1, "thou art very dejected of late, I fear thou art sorrowing after the dear departed youth we have lost, like one without hope; consider, he is only removed; and that if it be not our own faults, we shall soon follow him. We have good reason to imagine that he was a partaker of the grace of the gospel, and if so, he is certainly a partaker with all those who through "faith and patience inherit the promises." He made no reply, I believe he was not able, and instantly quitted the room. A few days more elapsed, and I expected the words I had spoken would take effect, but still his dejection seemed rather to increase than abate. I spoke to him again. "There is something mysterious," said I, "in thy conduct; hast thou any thing disastrous to communicate to me? any thing amiss in our business? If so, don't, I intreat thee, be averse to mention it; I am not afraid of evil tidings, seeing that my heart is fixed, trusting in the Lord." "Thou hast not, I believe," replied he, " examined our books very lately." This was

short sentence; but the manner in which it was spoken, and the look which accompanied it, was equivalent to a long explanation. "I understand thee, John Tradewell," said I, behindhand, I suppose: what,

દેવ

we are going

are there bad

debts?" "Several,” rejoined he, "but the worst of all is the failure of our banker, which happened when thou wast in Ireland. I expected thou wouldest have heard of it, by the newspapers, or some other channel, before this!" " Truly," said I," thou hast acted indiscreetly in keeping this secret from me a single day, but thou didst mean well, no doubt.” "How could I bear to add to thy distresses?" said he. "It has happened very providentially," continued he, " that we had no considerable sum in the banker's hands, for I had occasion to draw upon him a few days before his failure. Yet there was enough to injure us greatly, and, added to the bad debts, we are much embarrassed, and what can be done in the matter I really cannot devise." "Thou art in general not backward in good contrivances, John Tradewell," said I, "and I am surprised thou shouldest be at a loss in so plain a case... What can be done so proper as to call our creditors together, make known to them the state of our affairs, and take their advice on what will be the best part to act?" "But our credit, our credit!" repeated he, "no one at present has an idea of our situation." "I don't know

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what thou dost mean," replied I, "by the word credit as thou dost apply it. The credit of a tradesman is on all occasions to act with openness and candour, and if he has reason to fear he shall not be able to pay his creditors, it is but fair to give them timely notice, and consult upon a plan which may enable him to do that in time, which he cannot do immediately." By such reasonings as these, I soon prevailed on my partner to coincide with me in opinion, for he was an honest man, though he had got some undefined notions about credit and character floating in his head, which were near misleading his judgment. As soon as it could be conveniently managed, we called our creditors together, and when affairs were fully stated, it appeared that, if they chose to make us bankrupts, we should pay about fifteen shillings in the pound. Every creditor we had objected to that measure, and expressed their wishes for our proceeding on the usual plan, not doubting but time would retrieve our losses: They behaved towards us with the utmost lenity, and even kindness, and I am convinced if others in our situation would act the same, we should not hear of such frequent bankruptcies and imprisonments. My partner was soon assured that he had lost no credit, in the proper sense of the word, by this procedure, for we were treated even with respect by all our creditors."

"I wish my son had done so,” said Mr. Bustle,

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HONOURABLE, RETIREMENT.

"I might then have seen him a flourishing linendraper at this moment, instead of a half-starved lawyer, for he's too honest ever to be a well fed one. But, bless his heart, he had no more notion he was going behindhand than I had, who was a hundred miles off." "Do not vex thyself about it," rejoined Mrs. Placid, "thou mayest live to see thy son a useful pleader for justice, and we should permit our children to follow the bent of their genius, so far at least as that is lawful and expedient. I can allow for thy vexation indeed respecting his debts, as they might occasion distress to many."

No, no,” replied the 'squire, " I had plenty of money then, more than I have now, thanks to the law, which I have plagued myself with of late years and I took care that no son of mine should pay less than twenty shillings in the pound."

"

"Well done, friend," said Mrs. Placid, who proceeded. My partner's mind was now made easy, and our trade went on prosperously; he married a young woman with a very small fortune, to whom he had been long attached, and in consequence a separation took place between us, in respect of residence. I took the small house ye saw at Kensington, and there removed myself and daughters. Their society now became the chief delight of my life; and to inform their minds in useful branches of learning, was my