FRIDAY.

The two ladies resolving, as they said, to inspect all my proceedings,

insisted upon it, that I would take them with me in my _benevolent

round_ (as they, after we returned, would call it), which I generally

take once a week, among my poor and sick neighbours; and finding I

could not get off, I set out with them, my lady countess proposing

Mrs. Worden to fill up the fourth place in the coach. We talked all

the way of charity, and the excellence of that duty; and my Lady

Davers took notice of the text, that it would hide a _multitude of

faults_.

The countess said she had once a much better opinion of herself,

than she found she had reason for, within these _few_ days past: "And

indeed, Mrs. B.," said she, "when I get home, I shall make a good many

people the better for your example." And so said Lady Davers; which

gave me no small inward pleasure; and I acknowledged, in suitable

terms, the honour they both did me. The coach set us down by the side

of a large common, about five miles distant from our house; and we

alighted, and walked a little way, choosing not to have the coach come

nearer, that we might be taken as little notice of as possible; and

they entered with me into two mean cots with great condescension and

goodness; one belonging to a poor widow and five children, who had

been all down in agues and fevers; the other to a man and his wife

bed-rid with age and infirmities, and two honest daughters, one a

widow with two children, the other married to an husbandman, who had

also been ill, but now, by comfortable cordials, and good physic, were

pretty well to what they had been.

The two ladies were well pleased with my demeanour to the good folks:

to whom I said, that as I should go so soon to London, I was willing

to see them before I went, to wish them better and better, and to tell

them, that I should leave orders with Mrs. Jervis concerning them, to

whom they must make known their wants: and that Mr. Barrow would take

care of them, I was sure; and do all that was in the power of physic

for the restoration of their healths.

Now you must know, Miss, that I am not so good as the old ladies of

former days, who used to distil cordial waters, and prepare medicines,

and dispense them themselves. I knew, if I were so inclined, my dear

Mr. B. would not have been pleased with it, because in the approbation

he has kindly given to my present method, he has twice or thrice

praised me, that I don't carry my charity to extremes, and make his

house a dispensatory. I would not, therefore, by aiming at doing too

much, lose the opportunity of doing any good at all in these respects;

and besides, as the vulgar saying is, One must creep before one goes.

But this is my method:

I am upon an agreement with this Mr. Barrow, who is deemed a very

skilful and honest apothecary, and one Mr. Simmonds, a surgeon of

like character, to attend to all such cases and persons as I shall

recommend; Mr. Barrow, to administer physic and cordials, as he shall

judge proper, and even, in necessary cases, to call in a physician.

And now and then, by looking in upon them one's self, or sending a

servant to ask questions, all is kept right.

My Lady Davers observed a Bible, a Common Prayer-book, and a Whole

Duty of Man, in each cot, in leathern outside cases, to keep them

clean, and a Church Catechism or two for the children; and was pleased

to say, it was right; and her ladyship asked one of the children,

a pretty girl, who learnt her her catechism? And she curtsey'd and

looked at me; for I do ask the children questions, when I come, to

know how they improve; "'Tis as I thought," said my lady; "my sister

provides for both parts. God bless you, my dear!" said she, and tapped

my neck.

My ladies left tokens of their bounty behind them to both families,

and all the good folks blessed and prayed for us at parting: and as

we went out, my Lady Davers, with a serious air, was pleased to say to

me, "Take care of your health, my dear sister; and God give you, when

it comes, a happy hour: for how many real mourners would you have, if

you were to be called early to reap the fruits of your piety!"

"God's will must be done, my lady," said I. "The same Providence that

has so wonderfully put it in my power to do a little good, will raise

up new friends to the honest hearts that rely upon him."

This I said, because some of the good people heard my lady, and seemed

troubled, and began to redouble their prayers, for my safety and

preservation.

We walked thence to our coach, and stretched a little farther, to

visit two farmers' families, about a mile distant from each other.

One had the mother of the family, with two sons, just recovering, the

former from a fever, the latter from tertian agues; and I asked, when

they saw Mr. Barrow? They told me, with great commendations of him,

that he had but just left them. So, having congratulated their hopeful

way, and wished them to take care of themselves, and not go too early

to business, I said I should desire Mr. Barrow to watch over them, for

fear of a relapse, and should hardly see 'em again for some time; and

so I slid, in a manner not to be observed, a couple of guineas into

the good woman's hand; for I had a hint given me by Mrs. Jervis, that

their illness had made it low with them.

We proceeded then to the other farm, where the case was a married

daughter, who had a very dangerous lying-in, and a wicked husband who

had abused her, and run away from her; but she was mending apace, by

good comfortable things, which from time to time I had caused to be

sent her. Her old father had been a little unkind to her, before I

took notice of her; for she married against his consent; and indeed

the world went hard with the poor man, and he could not do much; and

besides, he had a younger daughter, who had lost all her limbs, and

was forced to be tied in a wicker chair, to keep her up in it; which

(having expended much to relieve her) was a great _pull-back_, as the

good old woman called it. And having been a year in arrear to a harsh

landlord, who, finding a good stock upon the ground, threatened to

distress the poor family, and turn them out of all, I advanced the

money upon the stock; and the poor man has already paid me half of it

(for, Miss, I must keep within compass too), which was fifty pounds at

first, and is in a fair way to pay me the other half, and make as much

more for himself.

Here I found Mr. Barrow, and he gave me an account of the success

of two other cases I had recommended to him; and told me, that John

Smith, a poor man, who, in thatching a barn, had tumbled down, and

broken his leg, and bruised himself all over, was in a fair way of

recovery. This poor creature had like to have perished by the cruelty

of the parish officers, who would have passed him away to Essex,

where his settlement was, though in a burning fever, occasioned by his

misfortune; but hearing of the case, I directed Mr. Simmonds to attend

him, and to provide for him at my expense, and gave my word, if he

died, to bury him.

I was glad to hear he was in so good a way, and told Mr. Barrow, I

hoped to see him and Mr. Simmonds together at Mr. B.'s, before I

set out for London, that we might advise about the cases under their

direction, and that I might acquit myself of some of my obligations to

them.

"You are a good man, Mr. Barrow," added I: "God will bless you for

your care and kindness to these poor destitute creatures. They all

praise you, and do nothing but talk of your humanity to them."

"O my good lady," said he, "who can forbear following such an example

as you set? Mr. Simmonds can testify as well as I (for now and then

a case requires us to visit together) that we can hardly hear any

complaints from our poor patients, let 'em be ever so ill, for the

praises and blessings they bestow upon you."

"It is good Mr. B. that enables and encourages me to do what I do.

Tell them, they must bless God, and bless him, and pray for me, and

thank you and Mr. Simmonds: we all join together, you know, for their

good."

The countess and Lady Davers asked the poor lying-in woman many

questions, and left with her, and for her poor sister, a miserable

object indeed!--(God be praised that I am not such an one!) marks of

their bounty in gold, and looking upon one another, and then upon me,

and lifting up their hands, could not say a word till we were in the

coach: and so we were carried home, after we had just looked in upon

a country school, where I pay for the learning of eight children. And

here (I hope I recite not this with pride, though I do with pleasure)

is a cursory account of my _benevolent weekly round_, as my ladies

will call it. I know you will not be displeased with it; but it will

highly delight my worthy parents, who, in their way, do a great deal

of discreet good in their neighbourhood: for indeed, Miss, a little

matter, _prudently_ bestowed, and on true objects of compassion (whose

cases are soon at a crisis, as are those of most labouring people),

will go a great way, and especially if laid out properly for 'em,

according to the exigencies of their respective cases.--For such

poor people, who live generally low, want very seldom any thing

but reviving cordials at first, and good wholesome kitchen physic

afterwards: and then the wheels of nature, being unclogged, new oiled,

as it were, and set right, they will go round again with pleasantness

and ease for a good while together, by virtue of that exercise which

their labour gives them; while the rich and voluptuous are forced to

undergo great fatigues to keep theirs clean and in order.