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My mother had spent the previous week in preparation— keeping the whole house in confusion, washing, scouring, cleaning, adjusting the best chamber, where the ladies were to take off their bonnets, mending the carpet, and polishing the shovel and tongs; and, I must confess, considering her means, she put things in tolerable order.

12. An old, half-blind negro woman, by the name of Joice, who had formerly waited on parties, but was now nearly superannuated, was to come and assist us; and it was stipulated that she should have the fragments of the feast, for her pay. The evening came; the company assembled; our old barn-lantern, with one broken and three cracked glasses, was hung up in the entry for an introductory light; our turkey, our chickens, our jellies, and our cards, were prepared.

13. Joice was busy, my mother was directing, and all were happy. But let no man hereafter pronounce an evening blessed, before the hour of supper has closed. Joice had complained already, that she wanted things to do with; and on the narrow table in the kitchen, she had overturned a lamp, and oiled the bottom of the great dish, on which the turkey was to be presented on the supper table.

14. It became slippery, her fingers were slippery, and she was half blind; as she came waddling into the supper room, with the treasures of her cookery, she stumbled, struck the poor spliced legs of our dining-table; my patchwork gave way; down went the table, dishes and sauces, on the ladies' gowns; down went poor Joice in the midst of them; my fish-line was revealed, the torn place in the table-cloth was seen, torn still more disastrously; my father looked aghast, my meth was in tears, and the whole company were in confusion.

15. My father, however, tried to jump out of his conditio like a cat out of a corner. "So much for Mr. Hardwood, our cabinet-maker; I had just ordered a new table, but he never sends home his work in time." In saying this, I can hear witness, that my honored father did not tell a lie; he juse told half the truth. He had ordered a new table; and Mr. Hardwood had not sent it to us in time; but then he d tinctly told my father the reason; and that was, he shopli not send it, until he settled off the old score.

16. "O poverty, poverty," says Cervantes, " a man must have a great share of grace, who can bring himself to be contented with thee. Why dost thou choose to pinch gens

tlemen?" Yes, I must allow, poverty is bad enough; but not so terrible when it comes alone. It may then bring peace and resignation by its side, and even lead contentment and virtue in its train. In such cases, it is probation, instruction, wisdom, improvement, religion. The great and good, in all ages, have submitted to it; and suffering heroes have sometimes made it their boast and glory. But avert from me the mingled horrors of pride and poverty, when they come upon us together!

LESSON CXVI.

Every Man his own Fortune-Teller.

1. THERE is a strong propensity in the human mind to look forward to distant years, and to penetrate the secrets of futurity. This desire in the minds of the vulgar and ignorant, has given rise to the foolish and wicked practice of consulting pretended fortune-tellers.

2. In these enlightened days, I have little fear that any of my readers should wish to have recourse to such absurd and sinful means of information; and yet, as it is very likely they may sometimes feel curiosity respecting their future destiny, they will, I hope, listen to the plan I have to propose; which, without incurring either guilt or disgrace, will enable them, each for himself, to foretell, with considerable accuracy, what they may have to expect in future life.

3. To prevent disappointment, I here candidly confess, that I do not pretend to enable them to divine the amount of their fortunes,-what connections they may form,-in what parts they may reside,- -nor at what period they will die; nor do I regret this; nor need they; since these are circumstances which it is better for us not to know beforehand but, with regard to things of still greater importance than these, such as the degree of success and of happiness they may reasonably expect in their undertakings and situations in the world, they will find the proposed method may be depended on.

4. I shall, then, suppose myself to be consulted by a number of young persons, wishing to be initiated in my secret; but they will not find me commencing my instructions with any mystical ceremony, nor pronouncing any unintelligible

charm. I do not even wish to examine the palms of their hands; although I may perhaps take the liberty to notice the expression of their faces: all I require is, some insight into their present characters and past conduct.

5. Suppose one of them, for instance, should appear to be a lad of an indolent, inactive disposition; to whom learning and exertion, whether of body or mind, was always irksome and burdensome, performed as a task, and by compulsion; he is looking forward anxiously to the time when coercion will cease, and when he shall be free from the necessity of exertion.

6. In this case, I do not hesitate to shake my knowing head, and, in the technical language of my profession, to pronounce bad luck to him. I need not ask, nor can I guess, what may be his line of business, nor what the extent of his capital; but I can foretell, with great confidence, that he will be neither successful, respectable, nor happy; that when restraints are removed, and he is thrown upon himself, life will be burdensome to him; and that it will, very probably, end in poverty and disgrace.

7. I shall suppose my next applicant to be a gay young lady, desirous of knowing how soon she shall be her own mistress, and how large her fortune will be; as she is in want of a thousand things that she is not allowed to purchase: she is very partial to jewels and laces, and to all that is showy and expensive; and wishes extremely to be able to gratify her desires. Here, again, I could augur no good; so many husbands and fathers have been ruined by expensive wives and daughters-for, as poor Richard says, silks and satins put out the kitchen fire," that what could I see in her destiny but bills and bailiffs, a husband in prison, children in want, and herself in indigence?

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8. Another approaches with his pockets stuffed with gingerbread, and his hands full of macaroons; he professes himself to be so fond of good things that he spends the greater part of his pocket money at the pastry-cook's; his parents allow him to partake of every dish that comes on the table, and to stuff as long as he pleases; and he owns that he considers dinner-time the best part of the day.

9. I need not feel this young gentleman's pulse in order to predict to him an impaired constitution, and an early decay of his mental powers. Complicated disease, and premature old age, are the invariable rewards of indulgence,

These habits will increase with his years; a listless, burdensome life, and early death, is his probable destiny.

10. The next applicant appears with a frowning brow, and a discontented, clouded aspect; his temper is sullen and obstinate, or fretful and irritable: he wishes to know if any thing agreeable will ever befall him, for at present he has known only unhappiness. Alas! nothing but unhappiness can I predict to him. He may grow rich and prosper in the world, but he will ever "dwell in Meshech;" his family will dread, and his neighbors dislike him; and his gold, if he has it, will never purchase that ease and content which is the reward of good nature only.

11. Another inquirer I shall suppose to be an undutiful son, who has ever rewarded his parents' care and kindness with neglect, disrespect, and disobedience. Now, on this case, I can pronounce with a greater degree of certainty than on any of the preceding. Some faults never appear to meet their proper punishment in this world; but it is a common remark, founded on long observation, that unkindness to parents, above all other crimes, reaps its reward even here. This youth, then, if he becomes a parent, will be taught, by refractory, rebellious children, the anguish he has inflicted on his own parents. A rebellious son, an ungrateful daughter, must expect in due time to become an unhappy father, or despised mother.

12. Another informs me that he has had a religious education, and that he is in a great degree aware of the importance of religion, and of the value of his soul; moreover, he intends before long to give it the attention it demands; but hitherto he has delayed to do so, from time to time, hoping it would be less difficult at some future period than it appears now; so that, at present, he is as far from being truly religious, as he was when first he began to think upon the subject. Now, it requires little sagacity to foresee the probable consequences of his temper. I solemnly warn him that the same indisposition that has hitherto prevailed, will, unless strongly counteracted, continue and increase; while he is intending and purposing, his heart will grow harder and harder, until it will finally be said of him, "Cut it down; why cumbereth it the ground?"

13. I fear I shall be regarded as a gloomy prognosticator; but I dare not depart from the rules of my art, which are founded on universal experience, and on the established

laws of cause and effect. However, lest I be thought too discouraging, I am happy to proclaim, that these destinies are by no means, at present, to be considered as unchangeable.

14. On the contrary, if the indolent should be roused, by a dread of the consequences awaiting his disposition, to become active and industrious,-the extravagant, moderate and frugal,—the indulgent, self-denying and abstemious,the ill-tempered, mild and amiable,-the undutiful, affectionate and tractable,-and if the procrastinator resolve at once, that he will serve the Lord,-then it is obvious, that all my dark predictions will be immediately reversed.

15. For instance; let us suppose an inquirer of a different description to any of the foregoing. A modest, ingenuous youth now approaches, wishing to know what encouragement he may expect in his exertions. He confesses that he is not gifted with superior talents, and therefore does not hope to arrive at any distinguished eminence.

16. It appears, however, that he early acquired habits of attention and industry; that he has courage and perseverance to press forward in his undertakings, in spite of difficulties, till he has conquered them; that, although his real wants are amply supplied, he has been trained in frugality and self-denial; therefore his wishes are few and moderate, so that he has always his mite to spare for the poor and the destitute.

17. He cannot boast of rich or powerful patrons; but his temper is sweet, and his manners obliging, by which he obtains the good will of his neighbors; moreover, he is a good son and a kind brother; and having been taught that "the beginning of wisdom is the fear of the Lord," he has already found "his ways to be pleasantness, and his paths peace."

18. Now, without presuming to guess whether this will be a rich man, I hesitate not to pronounce him a happy one: he may encounter difficulties, and pass through trials, but "his bread will be given him, and his water will be sure;" especially "that bread which he casts upon the waters will return to him, when it is wanted, though "after many days." It is, besides this, more than probable, that he will eventually be successful even in his temporal affairs; that he will be "blessed in his basket and his store; 99 rear an affectionate family; be beloved by his friends, and respected by

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