week. Our finances were but just fufficient to pay the expences of the day, for the next morning in fearching our pockets (which we did not do in a careless manner) we discovered that we had but one halfpenny to begin the world with. It is true we had laid in eatables fufficient for a day or two, in which time we knew we could by our work procure more, which we very cheerfully fet about, finging together the following strains of Dr. Cotton: "Our portion is not large indeed, "For Nature's calls are few; "In this the art of living lies, "To want no more than may fuffice, "And make that little do." The above, and the following ode by Mr. Fitzgerald, did we fcores of times repeat, even with raptures ! "No glory I covet, no riches I want, "The one thing I beg of kind heaven to grant Is, a mind independent and free. "By paffion unruffled, untainted by pride, By Reafon my life let me square; "The wants of my nature are cheaply supplied, Thofe bleffings which providence kindly has lent "While fweet meditation and cheerful content, "In the pleafures the great man's poffeffions difplay, Unenvy'd I'll challenge my part; "For every fair object my eyes can survey, "Contributes to gladden my heart. "How vainly through infinite trouble and ftrife, "Is what all, if they will, may enjoy," But After having worked on ftuff-work in the country, I could not bear the idea of returning to the leather branch; fo that I attempted and obtained a feat of Stuff in Bristol. better work being required there than in Kingsbridge, &c. I was obliged to take fo much care to pleafe my mafter, that at first I could not get more than nine fhillings a wife could get but very little, week, and my as as fhe was learning to bind ftuff-fhoes, and had never been much ufed to her needle; fo that what with the expence of ready-furnished lodging, fire, candles, &c. we had but little left for purchafing provifions. To increase our straits, my old friend being fomewhat difpleafed at our leaving him and his relations, took an early opportunity to tell me that I was indebted to him near forty hillings, of two years ftanding. I was not convinced of the juftice of the claim, but to avoid difpute, I paid him in about two months, during nearly the whole of which time it was extremely fevere weather, and yet we made four fhillings and fixpence per week pay for the whole of what we confumed in eating and drinking. Strong beer we had none, nor any other liquor (the pure element excepted) and inftead of tea, or rather coffee, we toafted a piece of bread; at other times we fried fome wheat, which when boiled in water made a tolerable fubftitute for coffee; and as to animal food, we made L 3 made ufe of but little, and that little we boiled and made broth of. During the whole of this time we never once wished for any thing that we had not got, but were quite contented, and with a good grace, in reality made a virtue of neceflity. We LETTER XVIII. "This fame Monfieur Poverty is a bitter enemy." JOHN DORY. "In adverfe hours an equal mind maintain." FRANCIS'S Horace. DEAR FRIEND, IN a Na few days after we had paid the last five fhillings of the debt claimed by my friend Mr. Jones, we were both together taken fo ill as to be confined to our bed, but the good woman of the house, our landlady, came to our room and did a few trifles for us. She feemed very much alarmed at our fituation, or rather for her own, I fuppofe, as thinking we might in fome meafure become burthenfome to her. We had in cafh two fhillings and nine-pence, halt crown of which we had carefully locked up in a box, to be faved for a refource on any extraordinary emergence. This money fup |