WILLIAM _to young_ MR. VAN LANDBERGEN.
I promised to inform you of our safe arrival; well, here we are in
London, happy as our hearts could wish. We were received in the most
cordial manner by all this dear worthy family, and Sir Charles and Lady
Grandison embraced their son with fresh warmth, when they saw the little
cur we brought with us: and he seemed delighted with this fresh
testimony of their affection.
Our passage was very pleasant, and I cannot forbear communicating to you
an instance of Charles’s considerate benevolence. It is the business of
a generous soul to find every where opportunities of doing good.
Perhaps, yes, it appears very probable, that the Supreme Being makes
choice of those who endeavour to please him, to distribute his blessings
through their hands. On the contrary, in what a fearful state are those
who, by their vices, are separated from God. I was struck with a remark
which Dr. Bartlett once made in my presence, “Woe to those who by their
evil deeds, and the misery they bring on others, seem to be His
instruments of punishment—how are they separated from God and
happiness!”
When we went on board the packet Charles particularly observed a man who
was obliged to be lifted on board, sickness had so wasted his strength.
The poor man was very much emaciated, and had a violent cough, which
seemed to shake his whole frame; yet he had scarcely sufficient covering
to shield him from the cold, though it was piercing weather, and his
weak lungs evidently could ill bear to be so roughly assaulted.
Charles did not delay a moment to enquire who he was and what ailed him.
He found that the poor man came to Holland about business, and had been
detained by a fever much longer than he expected; but that being a
little better, and finding himself just able to travel, he was hastening
back to his wife and children.
Charles soon contrived to get into conversation with him, and observed
that he must suffer very severely from the cold, for the poor wretch was
afraid to go down into the cabin, his breath was so very short. I do
suffer, replied the invalid, but heaven will strengthen me; I have
already, during the course of my life, been enabled to bear more than I
imagined I could ever have endured.—Charles interrupted him, and pulling
off his great coat, said, see now what heaven sends you. I am young and
in good health, and can bear cold much better than you. The sick man
viewed him with astonishment. Edward, who was at a little distance, ran
up and whispered Charles, what are you going to fight? Yes, answered
Charles, a little disconcerted, I am going to fight against the cold, to
preserve this poor man from it, who might, perhaps, catch his death. He
then helped him to put it on, and hastily left him, not only to avoid
his thanks, but to prevent any one else from observing what he termed a
common act of humanity. Edward still went on, extolling his benevolence;
he stopped him, saying—What have I done? Is it such a great act of
benevolence for one who is in good health and strong, to give his great
coat to a poor sick man benumbed with cold? One of the emperors of
China, when in the field of battle, gave his own fur cloak to one of his
officers, saying, when his nobles seemed to wonder at it, that he wished
he was able to give a cloak to every one of his soldiers. Should I,
then, regard myself more than a monarch who looks upon himself as the
ruler of the whole earth, said he, laughing; and then began to talk
about something else.
Charles and Edward are gone out a riding, and I staid at home to write
to you.
They are come home, I hear Charles singing as he walks along the
passage—he has charming spirits.
IN CONTINUATION.
Charles entered my room;—You are writing to Mr. Landbergen, I suppose,
said he, will you give me leave to add a few words; but fold up your
letter, for I do not want to see what you have written; letters are
sacred even as our thoughts, and a friend should not take advantage of
the confidence reposed in him. Dr. Bartlett has often cautioned me
always to keep up a little ceremony with a friend, and repeated the old
proverb, that too much familiarity breeds contempt. I have scarcely left
him room to write a line. Adieu,
WILLIAM.
P. S. I have only just room to tell you that we are all well and happy.
I will soon write you a long letter, in the mean time present my
respects to your father, and believe me to be your affectionate friend
CHARLES.
LETTER XXXVII.
LANDBERGEN _to_ CHARLES.
Permit me, dear Sir, to beg your advice respecting a plan which
gratitude and duty have suggested to me. I earnestly long to make some
amends for my past behaviour, and convince my father that I have now a
just sense of his goodness. I contracted many debts, the discharge of
which involved him in difficulties; I have now determined to save a part
of my income, and have reason to think I shall soon be advanced on
account of my diligence. You know that for some years he has been
obliged, as the only means to support himself, to attend some young
gentlemen as a private tutor. Indeed he made himself a slave to it in
order to support me in my extravagance, and, instead of banishing me
from his house and heart, as I deserved, he received me with open arms,
when I returned, and said, Blessed be heaven, I have again found my son!
As his health begins to break, I wish to persuade him to give up his
long troublesome walks; and I am sure that in a short time I shall be
able to maintain both him and myself very genteely.
I have now to mention another circumstance to you since you led me to
see the charms of virtue, and experience its heart-felt pleasures. I
have been attached to a very amiable young woman, who has a small
fortune, and I should not hesitate a moment about marrying her, only I
am afraid to entangle myself with a family before I have provided for my
father. Added to this, one of my relations has proposed to me to marry
an old widow who is very rich, and he assures me I should not be
rejected, if I offered her my hand. After what I have told you, you may
suppose I feel no great affection for her. Yet, I sometimes think, I
ought this way to provide for a parent I have so grossly injured. I know
not what to determine on; pray write to me soon, and give me your
opinion without any reserve, by so doing you will add to the obligation
already conferred on your sincere friend
G. LANDBERGEN.
LETTER XXXVIII.
CHARLES _to_ LANDBERGEN.
With what pleasure did I read over your letter! how happy am I to find
that you have such a just sense of your duty! I agree with you that an
old man, whose health has been injured by cares and sorrows, ought not
to work for his bread, when he has young and healthy children. Allow him
as much of your salary as you can spare; it is the first debt you ought
to pay. You may, by this means, be obliged to deny yourself some
superfluities, and even what the world calls necessaries, but how richly
will you be repaid for this self-denial! However since you have confided
in me, let me take the liberty to suggest to you, that you must never
recede from an engagement deliberately entered into with a father. Weigh
this matter well in your mind, and consider that no marriage contract
will release you from this prior one; and if, after mature deliberation,
you find that you have sufficient resolution to fulfil what you intend
to promise, give way to that laudable ardour, which your love and
gratitude for your father inspires. If not, permit him, as long as
heaven grants him strength, to follow his present employment, and allow
him as much as you can spare to lighten his cares, without making any
formal promise.
As to your marrying one woman while you love another, it appears to me
the most shocking breach of duty; and we are not to fulfil one duty by
sacrificing another. I must own I do not think you can have any great
chance for happiness (supposing your affections were not engaged) with a
woman old enough to be your mother. No, do not marry the widow! Have a
little patience, and in a year or two you may be able to offer your hand
to the girl your heart has chosen, and your father may be happy in the
bosom of your family. Do you think that he could be happy if your peace
was sacrificed to procure him a few of the conveniences of life? You
know little of him, if you think so; he would be doubly distressed if he
saw you unhappy. Believe me, a father like yours can only find his
happiness in the happiness of his child; open your heart to him, and
never think of marrying without his approbation. For my part, I hope
never to enter into the marriage state without having my choice
confirmed by the consent of my parents, who, I am sure, will never
persuade me to marry merely from pecuniary motives. I have heard my
father say, that a child should always choose the person he is to be
united to; but a parent who has acted like a friend by giving his
children a good education, ought always to have a negative voice. I
shall make no apology for having complied with your request: try what
has flowed from the sincerity of my heart by the test of a wiser
judgment, and believe me to be sincerely your friend,
CHARLES.
LETTER XXXIX.
WILLIAM _to_ LANDBERGEN.
Next week we are to leave this house, and the very thought of it makes
me sad; but our future residence is so near that I can have a daily
intercourse with my valuable friends. Charles and I shall exercise
ourselves together in the arts and sciences, and I shall receive the
benefit of all his masters: it will then be my own fault if I do not
acquire knowledge. I shall write to you often, my dear Landbergen, and
you, I hope, will answer my letters. But let me now tell you, that Sir
Charles is so pleased with your filial piety, that he is determined to
use all his interest to obtain your father a sinecure place in Holland,
that you may be enabled to marry sooner than you expected. I am certain
he will do something for you; you will then have various other duties to
fulfil. What a pleasure it will be to us to see you happy and
respectable, when we again visit my dear native country! But I have
something to tell you of the amiable Emilia. A young gentlewoman in
distress was lately in her service, whose mother has been long afflicted
with a lingering disorder. Emilia, the noble Emilia, has prevailed on
her mother to let her wait on herself, and give the poor widow, by way
of an annuity, the wages she must have given her daughter, had she
remained with her as a servant.
Farewell, my dear Sir, present my respects to your worthy father, and
assure all my Dutch friends that the distance which separates me from
them and my country, will never make me forget them. Sir Charles has
sent Harry’s brother to the farm at Grandison Hall. He has behaved so
well since his arrival in England, that we have some reason to look upon
him as a sincere penitent.
WILLIAM.
SUPPLEMENT.
Charles Grandison still continues to improve his understanding, and
practises those virtues which so eminently distinguished him and his
father; and in the course of time he had the pleasure of calling his
friend William brother.
May these examples excite an emulation in the minds of my young readers.
May they read with attention the precepts these volumes contain, always
remembering that our temporal as well as eternal welfare is only to be
secured by a constant attention to our duty; and that he who loves God
will also love his brother.
THE END.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
_Speedily will be published_,
1. A COMPENDIUM of the HISTORY of the WORLD, from the Creation to the
present Time, for the USE of SCHOOLS. Translated from the German of M.
SCHROECK.
2. An ELEMENTARY BOOK of MORALITY. For the USE of CHILDREN. Translated
from the German of the Rev. C. G. SALZMANN.
3. ELEMENTS of KNOWLEDGE. For the USE of TUTORS, or PARENTS, and YOUNG
PEOPLE. Illustrated with a great Number of PLATES. Translated from the
German of M. BASEDOW.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
TRANSCRIBER’S NOTES
1. P. 59, changed “intreats me to come him” to “intreats me to come to
him”.
2. Silently corrected obvious typographical errors and variations in
spelling.
3. Retained archaic, non-standard, and uncertain spellings as printed.
4. Enclosed italics font in _underscores_.