Year's Gift_, and who kept a College for instructing little Gentlemen
and Ladies in the Science of A, B, C, was at this Time very old and
infirm, and wanted to decline that important Trust. This being told to
Sir _William Dove_, who lived in the Parish, he sent for Mrs.
_Williams_, and desired she would examine Little _Two-Shoes_, and see
whether she was qualified for the Office.----This was done, and Mrs.
_Williams_ made the following Report in her Favour, namely, _that
Little_ Margery _was the best Scholar, and had the best Head, and the
best Heart of any one she had examined_. All the Country had a great
Opinion of Mrs. _Williams_, and this Character gave them also a great
Opinion of Mrs. _Margery_; for so we must now call her.
This Mrs. _Margery_ thought the happiest Period of her Life; but
more Happiness was in Store for her. GOD Almighty heaps up Blessings
for all those who love him, and though for a Time he may suffer them
to be poor and distressed, and hide his good Purposes from human
Sight, yet in the End they are generally crowned with Happiness
here, and no one can doubt of their being so hereafter.
On this Occasion the following Hymn, or rather a Translation of the
twenty-third Psalm, is said to have been written, and was soon after
published in the _Spectator_.
I.
The Lord my Pasture shall prepare,
And feed me with a Shepherd's Care:
His Presence shall my Wants supply,
And guard me with a watchful Eye;
My Noon-day Walks he shall attend,
And all my Midnight Hours defend.
II.
When in the sultry Glebe I faint,
Or on the thirsty Mountain pant;
To fertile Vales and dewy Meads,
My weary wand'ring Steps he leads;
Where peaceful Rivers, soft and slow,
Amid the verdant Landskip flow.
III.
Tho' in the Paths of Death I tread,
With gloomy Horrors overspread,
My stedfast Heart shall fear no ill,
For thou, O Lord, art with me still;
Thy friendly Crook shall give me Aid,
And guide me thro' the dreadful Shade.
IV.
Tho' in a bare and rugged Way,
Thro' devious lonely Wilds I stray,
Thy Bounty shall my Pains beguile:
The barren Wilderness shall smile,
With sudden Greens & herbage crown'd,
And Streams shall murmur all around.
Here ends the History of Little _Two Shoes_. Those who would know
how she behaved after she came to be Mrs. _Margery Two-Shoes_
must read the Second Part of this Work, in which an Account of the
Remainder of her Life, her Marriage, and Death are set forth at large,
according to Act of Parliament.
====================
The Renowned
HISTORY
OF
Mrs. MARGERY TWO-SHOES.
--------------------
PART II.
--------------------
INTRODUCTION.
In the first Part of this Work, the young Student has read, and I hope
with Pleasure and Improvement, the History of this Lady, while she was
known and distinguished by the Name of _Little Two-Shoes_; we are
now come to a Period of her Life when that Name was discarded, and a
more eminent one bestowed upon her, I mean I mean that of Mrs.
_Margery Two-Shoes_: For as she was now President of the A, B, C
College, it became necessary to exalt her in Title as well as in
Place.
No sooner was she settled in this Office, but she laid every possible
Scheme to promote the Welfare and Happiness of all her Neighbours, and
especially of the Little Ones, in whom she took great Delight, and all
those whose Parents could not afford to pay for their Education, she
taught for nothing, but the Pleasure she had in their Company, for you
are to observe, that they were very good, or were soon made so by her
good Management.
CHAP. I.
_Of her School, her Ushers, or Assistants,
and her Manner of Teaching._
We have already informed the Reader, that the School where she taught,
was that which was before kept by Mrs. _Williams_, whose
Character you may find in my _New Year's Gift_. The Room was
large, and as she knew, that Nature intended Children should be always
in Action, she placed her different Letters, or Alphabets, all round
the School, so that every one was obliged to get up to fetch a Letter,
or to spell a Word, when it came to their Turn; which not only kept
them in Health, but fixed the Letters and Points firmly in their
Minds.
She had the following Assistants or Ushers to help her, and I will
tell you how she came by them. Mrs. _Margery_, you must know, was
very humane and compassionate; and her Tenderness extended not only to
all Mankind, but even to all Animals that were not noxious; as your's
ought to do, if you would be happy here, and go to Heaven hereafter.
These are GOD Almighty's Creatures as well as we. He made both them
and us; and for wise Purposes, best known to himself, placed them in
this World to live among us; so that they are our fellow Tenants of
the Globe. How then can People dare to torture and wantonly destroy
GOD Almighty's Creatures? They as well as you are capable of feeling
Pain, and of receiving Pleasure, and how can you, who want to be made
happy yourself, delight in making your fellow Creatures miserable? Do
you think the poor Birds, whose Nest and young ones that wicked Boy
_Dick Wilson_ ran away with Yesterday, do not feel as much Pain,
as your Father and Mother would have felt, had any one pulled down
their House and ran away with you? To be sure they do. Mrs.
_Two-Shoes_ used to speak of those Things, and of naughty Boys
throwing at Cocks, torturing Flies, and whipping Horses and Dogs, with
Tears in her Eyes, and would never suffer any one to come to her
School who did so.
One Day, as she was going through the next Village, she met with some
wicked Boys who had got a young Raven, which they were going to throw
at, she wanted to get the poor Creature out of their cruel Hands, and
therefore gave them a Penny for him, and brought him home. She called
his Name _Ralph_, and a fine Bird he is. Do look at him and remember
what _Solomon_ says, _The Eye that despiseth his Father, and regardeth
not the Distress of his Mother, the Ravens of the Valley shall peck it
out, and the young Eagles eat it._ Now this Bird she taught to speak,
to spell and to read; and as he was particularly fond of playing with
the large Letters, the Children used to call this _Ralph_'a Alphabet.
A B C D E F G H I J K L M
N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z.
He always sat at her Elbow, as you see in the first Picture, and when
any of the Children were wrong, she used to call out, _Put them
right Ralph_, and a fine bird he is. Do look at him.
[Illustration]
Some Days after she had met with the Raven, as she was walking in the
Fields, she saw some naughty Boys, who had taken a Pidgeon, and tied a
String to its Leg, in order to let it fly, and draw it back again when
they pleased; and by this Means they tortured the poor Animal with the
Hopes of Liberty and repeated Disappointment. This Pidgeon she also
bought, and taught him how to spell and read, though not to talk, and
he performed all those extraordinary Things which are recorded of the
famous Bird, that was some Time since advertised in the
_Haymarket_, and visited by most of the great People in the
Kingdom. This Pidgeon was a very pretty Fellow, and she called him
_Tom_. See here he is.
[Illustration]
And as the Raven _Ralph_ was fond of the large Letters,
_Tom_ the Pidgeon took Care of the small ones, of which he
composed this Alphabet.
a b c d e f g h i j k l m
n o p q r s t u v w x y z.
The Neighbours knowing that Mrs. _Two Shoes_ was very good, as to
be sure nobody was better, made her a Present of a little Sky-lark,
and a fine Bird he is.
[Illustration]
Now as many People, even at that Time had learned to lie in Bed long
in the Morning, she thought the Lark might be of Use to her and her
Pupils, and tell them when to get up.
_For he that is fond of his Bed, and lays 'till Noon, lives but half
his Days, the rest being lost in Sleep, which is a Kind of Death_.
Some Time after this a poor Lamb had lost its Dam, and the Farmer
being about to kill it, she bought it of him, and brought it home with
her to play with the Children, and teach them when to go to Bed; for
it was a Rule with the wise Men of that Age (and a very good one, let
me tell you) to
_Rise with the Lark, and lie down with the Lamb._
This Lamb she called _Will_, and a pretty Fellow he is; do, look
at him.
[Illustration]
No sooner was _Tippy_ the Lark and _Will_ the Ba-lamb
brought into the School, but that sensible Rogue _Ralph_, the
Raven, composed the following Verse, which every little good Boy and
Girl should get by Heart.
_Early to Bed, and early to rise;
Is the Way to be healthy, and wealthy, and wise_.
A sly Rogue; but it is true enough; for those who do not go to Bed
early cannot rise early; and those who do not rise early cannot do
much Business. Pray, let this be told at the Court, and to People who
have Routs and Rackets.
Soon after this, a Present was made to Mrs. _Margery_ of little
Dog _Jumper_, and a pretty Dog he is. Pray, look at him.
[Illustration]
_Jumper, Jumper, Jumper!_ He is always in a good Humour, and
playing and jumping about, and therefore he was called _Jumper_.
The Place assigned for _Jumper_ was that of keeping the Door, so
that he may be called the Porter of the College, for he would let
nobody go out, or any one come in, without the Leave of his Mistress.
See how he sits, a saucy Rogue.
_Billy_ the Ba-lamb was a chearful Fellow, and all the Children
were fond of him, wherefore Mrs. _Two-Shoes_ made it a Rule, that
those who behaved best should have _Will_ home with them at Night
to carry their Satchel or Basket at his Back, and bring it in the
Morning. See what a fine Fellow he is, and how he trudges along.
CHAP. II.
_A Scene of Distress; in the School_.
It happened one Day, when Mrs. _Two-Shoes_ was diverting the
Children after Dinner, as she usually did with some innocent Games, or
entertaining and instructive Stories, that a Man arrived with the
melancholy News of _Sally Jones's_ Father being thrown from his
Horse, and thought past all Recovery; nay, the Messenger said, that he
was seemingly dying, when he came away. Poor _Sally_ was greatly
distressed, as indeed were all the School, for she dearly loved her
Father, and Mrs. _Two-Shoes_, and all the Children dearly loved
her. It is generally said, that we never know the real Value of our
Parents or Friends till we have lost them; but poor _Sally_ felt
this by Affection, and her Mistress knew it by Experience. All the
School were in Tears, and the Messenger was obliged to return; but
before he went, Mrs. _Two-Shoes_, unknown to the Children,
ordered _Tom_ Pidgeon to go home with the Man, and bring a Letter
to inform her how Mr. _Jones_ did. They set out together, and the
Pidgeon rode on the Man's Head, (as you see here) for the Man was able
to carry the Pidgeon, though the Pidgeon was not able to carry the
Man, if he had, they would have been there much sooner, for _Tom_
Pidgeon was _very good_, and never staid on an Errand.
[Illustration]
Soon after the Man was gone the Pidgeon was lost, and the Concern the
Children were under for Mr. _Jones_ and little _Sally_ was
in some Measure diverted, and Part of their Attention turned after
_Tom_, who was a great Favourite, and consequently much bewailed.
Mrs. _Margery_, who knew the great Use and Necessity of teaching
Children to submit chearfully to the Will of Providence, bid them wipe
away their Tears, and then kissing _Sally_, you must be a good
Girl, says she, and depend upon GOD Almighty for his Blessing and
Protection; for _he is a Father to the Fatherless, and defendeth all
those who put their Trust in him_. She then told them a Story,
which I shall relate in as few Words as possible.
_The History of Mr._ Lovewell, _Father
to Lady_ Lucy.
Mr. _Lovewell_ was born at _Bath_, and apprenticed to a
laborious Trade in _London_, which being too hard for him, he
parted with his Master by Consent, and hired himself as a common
Servant to a Merchant in the City. Here he spent his leisure Hours not
as Servants too frequently do, in Drinking and Schemes of Pleasure,
but in improving his Mind; and among other Acquirements, he made
himself a complete Master of Accompts. His Sobriety, Honesty, and the
Regard he paid to his Master's Interest, greatly recommended him in
the whole Family, and he had several Offices of Trust committed to his
Charge, in which he acquitted himself so well, that the Merchant
removed him from the Stable into the Counting-house.
Here he soon made himself Master of the Business, and became so useful
to the Merchant, that in regard to his faithful Services, and the
Affection he had for him, he married him to his own Niece, a prudent
agreeable young Lady; and gave him a Share in the Business. See what
Honesty and Industry will do for us. Half the great Men in
_London_, I am told, have made themselves by this Means, and who
would but be honest and industrious, when it is so much our Interest
and our Duty.
After some Years the Merchant died, and left Mr. _Lovewell_
possessed of many fine Ships at Sea, and much Money, and he was happy
in a Wife, who had brought him a Son and two Daughters, all dutiful
and obedient. The Treasures and good Things, however, of this Life are
so uncertain, that a Man can never be happy, unless he lays the
Foundation for it in his own Mind. So true is that Copy in our Writing
Books, which tells us, that _a contented Mind is a continual
Feast_.
After some Years successful Trade, he thought his Circumstances
sufficient to insure his own Ships, or, in other Words, to send his
Ships and Goods to Sea without being insured by others, as is
customary among Merchants; when, unfortunately for him, four of them
richly laden were lost at Sea. This he supported with becoming
Resolution; but the next Mail brought him Advice, that nine others
were taken by the _French_, with whom we were then at War; and
this, together with the Failure of three foreign Merchants whom he had
trusted, compleated his Ruin. He was then obliged to call his
Creditors together, who took his Effects, and being angry with him for
the imprudent Step of not insuring his Ships, left him destitute of
all Subsistence. Nor did the Flatterers of his Fortune, those who had
lived by his Bounty when in his Prosperity, pay the least Regard
either to him or his Family. So true is another Copy, that you will
find in your Writing Book, which says, _Misfortune tries our
Friends_. All these Slights of his pretended Friends, and the ill
Usage of his Creditors, both he and his Family bore with Christian
Fortitude; but other Calamities fell upon him, which he felt more
sensibly.
In his Distress, one of his Relations, who lived at _Florence_,
offered to take his Son; and another, who lived at _Barbadoes_,
sent for one of his Daughters. The Ship which his Son sailed in was
cast away, and all the Crew supposed to be lost; and the Ship, in
which his Daughter went a Passenger, was taken by Pirates, and one
Post brought the miserable Father an Account of the Loss of his two
Children. This was the severest Stroke of all: It made him compleatly
wretched, and he knew it must have a dreadful Effect on his Wife and
Daughter; he therefore endeavoured to conceal it from them. But the
perpetual Anxiety he was in, together with the Loss of his Appetite
and Want of Rest, soon alarmed his Wife. She found something was
labouring in his Breast, which was concealed from her; and one Night
being disturbed in a Dream, with what was ever in his Thoughts, and
calling out upon his dear Children; she awoke him, and insisted upon
knowing the Cause of his Inquietude. _Nothing, my Dear, nothing,_
says he, _The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away, blessed be
the Name of the Lord._ This was sufficient to alarm the poor Woman;
she lay till his Spirits were composed, and as she thought asleep,
then stealing out of Bed, got the Keys and opened his Bureau, where
she found the fatal Account. In the Height of her Distractions, she
flew to her Daughter's Room, and waking her with her Shrieks, put the
Letters into her Hands. The young Lady, unable to support this Load of
Misery, fell into a Fit, from which it was thought she never could
have been recovered. However, at last she revived; but the Shock was
so great, that it entirely deprived her of her Speech.
Thus loaded with Misery, and unable to bear the Slights and Disdain of
those who had formerly professed themselves Friends, this unhappy Family
retired into a Country, where they were unknown, in order to hide
themselves from the World; when, to support their Independency, the
Father laboured as well as he could at Husbandry, and the Mother and
Daughter sometimes got spinning and knitting Work, to help to furnish
the Means of Subsistence; which however was so precarious and uncertain,
that they often, for many Weeks together, lived on nothing but Cabbage
and Bread boiled in Water. But God never forsaketh the Righteous, nor
suffereth those to perish who put their Trust in him. At this Time a
Lady, who was just come to England, sent to take a pleasant Seat ready
furnished in that Neighbourhood, and the Person who was employed for the
Purpose, was ordered to deliver a Bank Note of an hundred Pounds to Mr.
_Lovewell_, another hundred to his Wife, and fifty to the Daughter,
desiring them to take Possession of the House, and get it well aired
against she came down, which would be in two or three Days at most.
This, to People who were almost starving, was a sweet and seasonable
Relief, and they were all sollicitous to know their Benefactress, but of
that the Messenger himself was too ignorant to inform them. However, she
came down sooner than was expected, and with Tears embraced them again
and again: After which she told the Father and Mother she had heard from
their Daughter, who was her Acquaintance, and that she was well and on
her Return to England. This was the agreeable Subject of their
Conversation till after Dinner, when drinking their Healths, she again
with Tears saluted them, and falling upon her Knees asked their
Blessings.
[Illustration]
'Tis impossible to express the mutual Joy which this occasioned. Their
Conversation was made up of the most endearing Expressions,
intermingled with Tears and Caresses. Their Torrent of Joy, however,
was for a Moment interrupted, by a Chariot which stopped at the Gate,
and which brought as they thought a very unseasonable Visitor, and
therefore she sent to be excused from seeing Company.
[Illustration]
But this had no Effect, for a Gentleman richly dressed jumped out of
the Chariot, and pursuing the Servant into the Parlour saluted them
round, who were all astonished at his Behaviour. But when the Tears
trickled from his Cheeks, the Daughter, who had been some Years dumb,
immediately cried out, _my Brother! my Brother! my Brother!_ and
from that Instant recovered her Speech. The mutual Joy which this
occasioned, is better felt than expressed. Those who have proper
Sentiments of Humanity, Gratitude, and filial Piety will rejoice at
the Event, and those who have a proper Idea of the Goodness of God,
and his gracious Providence, will from this, as well as other
Instances of his Goodness and Mercy, glorify his holy Name, and
magnify his Wisdom and Power, who is a Shield to the Righteous, and
defendeth all those who put their Trust in him.
As you, my dear Children, may be sollicitous to know how this happy
Event was brought about, I must inform you, that Mr. _Lovewell_'s Son,
when the Ship foundered, had with some others got into the long Boat,
and was taken up by a Ship at Sea, and carried to the East Indies,
where in a little Time he made a large Fortune; and the Pirates who
took his Daughter, attempted to rob her of her Chastity; but finding
her Inflexible, and determined to die rather than to submit, some of
them behaved to her in a very cruel Manner; but others, who had more
Honour and Generosity, became her Defenders; upon which a Quarrel
arose between them, and the Captain, who was the worst of the Gang,
being killed, the rest of the Crew carried the Ship into a Port of the
_Manilla_ Islands, belonging to the _Spaniards_; where, when her Story
was known, she was treated with great Respect, and courted by a young
Gentleman, who was taken ill of a Fever, and died before the Marriage
was agreed on, but left her his whole Fortune.
You see, my dear _Sally_, how wonderfully these People were
preserved, and made happy after such extreme Distress; we are
therefore never to despair, even under the greatest Misfortunes, for
GOD Almighty is All-powerful and can deliver us at any Time. Remember
_Job_, but I think you have not read so far, take the Bible,
_Billy Jones_, and read the History of that good and patient Man.
At this Instant something was heard to slap at the Window, _Wow,
wow, wow_, says Jumper, and attempted to leap up and open the Door,
at which the Children were surprized; but Mrs. _Margery_ knowing
what it was, opened the Casement, as _Noah_ did the Window of the
Ark, and drew in _Tom_ Pidgeon with a Letter, and see here he is.
[Illustration]
As soon as he was placed on the Table, he walked up to little
_Sally_, and dropping the Letter, cried, _Co, Co, Coo_, as
much as to say, _there read it_. Now this poor Pidgeon had
travelled fifty Miles in about an Hour, to bring _Sally_ this
Letter, and who would destroy such pretty Creatures.--But let us read
the Letter.
_My dear_ Sally,
GOD Almighty has been very merciful, and restored your Pappa to us
again, who is now so well as to be able to sit up. I hear you are a
good Girl, my Dear, and I hope you will never forget to praise the
Lord for this his great Goodness and Mercy to us--What a sad Thing it
would have been if your Father had died, and left both you and me, and
little _Tommy_ in Distress, and without a Friend: Your Father
sends his Blessing with mine--Be good, my dear Child, and God Almighty
will also bless you, whose Blessing is above all Things.
_I am, my Dear Sally_,
_Your ever affectionate Mother,_
MARTHA JONES.
CHAP. III.
_Of the amazing Sagacity and Instincts
of a little Dog_.
Soon after this, a dreadful Accident happened in the School. It was on
a _Thursday_ Morning, I very well remember, when the Children
having learned their Lessons soon, she had given them Leave to play,
and they were all running about the School, and diverting themselves
with the Birds and the Lamb; at this Time the Dog, all of a sudden,
laid hold of his Mistress's Apron, and endeavoured to pull her out of
the School. She was at first surprized, however, she followed him to
see what he intended. No sooner had he led her into the Garden, but he
ran back, and pulled out one of the Children in the same manner; upon
which she ordered them all to leave the School immediately, and they
had not been out five Minutes, before the Top of the House fell in.
What a miraculous Deliverance was here! How gracious! How good was God
Almighty, to save all these Children from Destruction, and to make Use
of such an Instrument, as a little sagacious Animal to accomplish his
Divine Will. I should have observed, that as soon as they were all in
the Garden, the Dog came leaping round them to express his Joy, and
when the House was fallen, laid himself down quietly by his Mistress.
Some of the Neighbours, who saw the School fall, and who were in great
Pain for _Margery_ and the little ones, soon spread the News
through the Village, and all the Parents, terrified for their
Children, came crowding in Abundance; they had, however, the
Satisfaction to find them all safe, and upon their Knees, with their
Mistress, giving God thanks for their happy Deliverance.
ADVICE _from the_ MAN _in the_ MOON.
_Jumper, Jumper, Jumper_, what a pretty Dog he is, and how
sensible? Had Mankind half the Sagacity of _Jumper_, they would
guard against Accidents of this Sort, by having a public Survey,
occasionally made of all the Houses in every Parish (especially of
those, which are old and decayed) and not suffer them to remain in a
crazy State, 'till they fall down on the Heads of the poor
Inhabitants, and crush them to Death. Why, it was but Yesterday, that
a whole House fell down in _Grace-church-street_, and another in
_Queen's-street_, and an hundred more are to tumble, before this
Time twelve Months; so Friends, take Care of yourselves, and tell the
Legislature, they ought to take Care for you. How can you be so
careless? Most of your Evils arise from Carelesness and Extravagance,
and yet you excuse yourselves, and lay the Fault upon Fortune. Fortune
is a Fool, and you are a Blockhead, if you put it in her Power to play
Tricks with you.
_Yours_,
_The_ MAN _in the_ MOON.
You are not to wonder, my dear Reader, that this little Dog should
have more Sense than you, or your Father, or your Grandfather.