cleared and made good for something. He trumped up I know not what claim against him, and under different pretences managed to pocket all Jonathan's honest gains. In fact, the poor lad had not a shilling left for holyday occasions; and, had it not been for the filial respect he felt for the old man, he would certainly have refused to submit to such impositions.

But for all this, in a little time, Jonathan grew up to be very large of his age, and became a tall, stout, double-jointed, broad-footed cub of a fellow, awkward in his gait and simple in his appearance; but showing a lively shrewd look, and having the promise of great strength when he should get his full growth. He was rather an odd-looking chap, in truth, and had many queer ways; but every body that had seen John Bull saw a great likeness between them, and swore he was John's own boy, and a true chip of the old block. Like the old squire, he was apt to be blustering and saucy, but in the main was a peaceable sort of careless fellow, that would quarrel with nobody if you would only let him alone. He used to dress in home-spun trowsers with a huge bagging seat which seemed to have nothing in it. This made people to say he had no bottom; but whoever said so lied, as they found to their cost whenever they put Jonathan in a passion. He always wore a linseywolsey coat that did not above half cover his breech, and the sleeves of which were so short that his hand and wrist came out beyond them, looking like a shoulder of mutton, all which was in consequence of his growing so fast that he outgrew his clothes.

While Jonathan was outgrowing his strength in this way, Bull kept on picking his pockets of every penny he could scrape together; till at last one day when the squire was even more than usually pressing in his demands, which he accompanied with threats, Jonathan started up in a furious passion, and threw the tea kettle at the old man's head. The choleric Bull was hereupon exceedingly enraged, and, after calling the poor lad an undutiful, ungrateful, rebellious rascal, seized him by the collar, and forthwith a furious scuffle ensued. This lasted a long time; for the squire, though in years, was a capital boxer, and of most excellent bottom. At last, however, Jonathan got him under, and before he would let him up made him sign a paper giving up all claim to the farms, and acknowledging the fee-simple to be in Jonathan for ever.

258.-THE PROGRESS OF DISCONTENT.

[WRITTEN AT OXFORD IN 1746.]

When now mature in classic knowledge,
The joyful youth is sent to college,
His father comes, a vicar plain,
At Oxford bred-in Anna's reign,
And thus, in form of humble suitor,
Bowing accosts a reverend tutor.
"Sir, I'm 3 Glo'stershire divine,
And this my eldest son of nine;
My wife's ambition and my own

Was that this child should wear a gown;
I'll warrant that his good behaviour

Will justify your future favour;
And for his parts, to tell the truth,
My son's a very forward youth;

'T. WARTON.

Has Horace all by heart-you'd wonder-
And mouths out Homer's Greek like thunder
If you'd examine-and admit him,

A scholarship would nicely fit him:
That he succeeds 'tis ten to one;

Your vote and interest, sir !”—”Tis done
Our pupil's hopes, though twice defeated
Are with a scholarship completed:
A scholarship but half maintains,
And college rules are heavy chairs ;
In garret dark he smokes and puns,
A prey to discipline and duns;
And now intent on new designs,
Sighs for a fellowship-and fines.

When nine full tedious winters past,
That utmost wish is crown'd at last:
But the rich prize no sooner got,
Again he quarrels with his lot;
"These fellowships are pretty things,
We live indeed like petty kings;

But who can bear to waste his whole age
Amid the dulness of a college,

Debarr'd the common joys of life,

And that prime bliss- -a loving wife!
O! what's a table richly spread
Without a woman at its head?
Would some snug benefice but fall,
Ye feasts, ye dinners! farewell all !

To offices I'd bid adieu,

Of Dean, Vice Pres.-of Bursar too;
Come joys, that rural quiet yields,

Come tithes, and house, and fruitful fields!"
Too fond of freedom and of ease

A patron's vanity to please,
Long time he watches, and by stealth,
Each frail incumbent's doubtful health;
At length-and in his fortieth year,
A living drops-two hundred clear!
With breast elate beyond expression,
He hurries down to take possession,
With rapture views the sweet retreat—
What a convenient house! how neat!
For fuel here's sufficient wood:
Pray God the cellars may be good!
The garden-that must be new plann’d-—
Shall these old-fashion'd yew-trees stand?
O'er yonder vacant plot shall rise
The flow'ry shrub of thousand dyes:-
Yon wall, that feels the southern ray,
Shall blush with ruddy fruitage gay :
While thick beneath its aspect warm
O'er well-rang'd hives the bees shall swarm,

VOL. II.

From which, ere long, of golden gleam,
Metheglin's luscious juice shall stream.
Up you green slope, of hazels trim,
An avenue so cool and dim.
Shall to an arbour, at the end,
In spite of gout, entice a friend.
My predecessor loved devotion-
But of a garden had no notion.

Continuing this fantastic farce on,
He now commences country parson.
To make his character entire,
He weds-a cousin of the 'squire ;
Not over weighty in the purse,
But many doctors have done worse:
And though she boasts no charms divine,
Yet she can carve and make birch wine.

Thus fixt, content he taps his barrel,
Exhorts his neighbours not to quarrel;
Finds his churchwardens have discerning
Both in good liquor and good learning
With tithes his barns replete he sees,
And chuckles o'er his surplice fees;
Studies to find out latent dues,
And regulates the state of pews;
Rides a sleek mare with purple housing,
To share the monthly club's carousing;
Of Oxford pranks facetious tells,
And-but on Sunday-hears no bells;
Sends presents of his choicest fruit,
And prunes himself each sapless shoot;
Plants cauliflow'rs, and boasts to rear
The earliest melons of the year;
Thinks alteration charming work is,

Keeps Bantam cocks, and feeds his turkeys;
Builds in his copse a fav'rite bench,

And stores the pond with carp and tench.

But ah! too soon his thoughtless breast

By cares domestic is opprest;

And a third butcher's bill, and brewing,
Threaten inevitable ruin:

For children fresh expenses yet,
And Dicky now for school is fit.
"Why did I sell my college life
(He cries) for benefice and wife?
Return, ye days! when endless pleasure
I found in reading, or in leisure;
When calm around the common room

I puff'd my daily pipe's perfume!
Rode for a stomach, and inspected;
At annual bottlings, corks selected:
And dined untax'd, untroubled, under
The portrait of our pious founder!

When impositions were supply'd

To light my pipe-or soothe my pride. —
No cares were then for forward peas
A yearly-longing wife to please;

My thoughts no christ'ning dinners crost
No children cry'd for butter'd toast
And ev'ry night I went to bed,
Without a modus in my head!"

Oh! trifling head, and fickle heart
Chagrined at whatsoe'er thou art
A dupe to follies yet untry'd,

And sick of pleasures, scarce enjoy'd!
Each prize possess'd, thy transport ceases,
And in pursuit alone it pleases

HAVING SO solemnly devoted myself to God, according to the covenant he hath made with me, and the duty I owe to him; not only what I am, and what I do, but likewise what I have; is still to be improved for him. And this I am bound to, not only upon a federal, but even a natural account; for whatsoever I have, I received from him, and therefore, all the reason in the world, whatsoever I have should be improved for him. For I look upon myself as having no other property in what I enjoy, than a servant hath in what he is entrusted with to improve for his master's use; thus, though I should have ten thousand pounds a year, I should have no more of my own than if I had but twopence in all the world. For it is only committed to my care for a season, to be employed and improved to the best advantage, and will be called for again at the grand audit, when I must answer for the use or abuse of it; so that, whatsoever in a civil sense I may call my own, that, in a spiritual sense, I must esteem as God's. And, therefore, it nearly concerns me to manage all the talents I am entrusted with as things I must give a strict account of at the day of judgment. As God bestows his mercies upon me, through the greatness of his love and affection; so am I to restore his mercies back again to him by the holiness of my life and conversation. In a word, whatever I receive from his bounty, I must, some way or other, lay out for his glory, accounting nothing my own, any further than as I improve it for God's sake and the spiritual comfort of my own soul.

In order to this, I shall make it my endeavour, by the blessing of God, to put in practice the following resolutions:—

RESOLUTION I.

Time, health, and parts, are three precious talents, generally bestowed upon men, but seldom improved for God. To go no further than myself how much time and

health have I enjoyed by God's grace? and how little of it have I laid out for his honour? On the contrary, how oft have I offended, affronted, and provoked him even when he has been courting me with his favours, and daily pouring forth his benefits upon me? This, alas! is a sad truth, which, whensoever I seriously reflect upon, I cannot but acknowledge the continuance of my life as the greatest instance of God's mercy and goodness, as well as the greatest motive to my gratitude and obedience. In a due sense, therefore, of the vanities and follies of my younger years, I desire to take shame to myself for what is past, and do this morning humbly prostrate myself before the throne of grace, to implore God's pardon, and to make solemn promises and resolutions, for the future, to "cast off the works of darkness, and to put on the armour of light;" and not only so, but to redeem the precious minutes I have squandered away, by husbanding those that remain, to the best advantage. I will not trifle and sin away my time in the pleasures of sense, or the impertinencies of business, but shall always employ it in things that are necessary, useful, and proportion it to the weight and importance of the work or business I engage myself in; allotting such a part of it for this business, and such a part for that, so as to leave no interval for unlawful or unnecessary actions, to thrust themselves in, and pollute my life and conversation.

For, since it has pleased God to favour me with the blessing of health, and I am not certain how soon I may be deprived of it, and thrown upon a bed of sickness, which may deprive me of the use of my reason, or make me incapable of any thing else, but grappling with my distemper; it highly concerns me to make a due use of this blessing while I have it: to improve these parts and gifts that God has endowed me with, to the manifestation of his glory, the salvation of my soul, and the public good of the community whereof I am a member.

To these ends, it will be requisite for me frequently to consider with myself, which way my weak parts may be the most usefully employed, and to bend them to those studies and actions which they are naturally the most inclined to and delighted in, with the utmost vigour and application; more particularly in spiritual matters, to make use of all opportunities for the convincing others of God's love to them, and their sins against God; of their misery by nature, and happiness by Christ; and when the truth of God happens to be in any way traduced or opposed, to be as valiant in defence of it as its enemies are violent in their assaults against it. And as I thus resolve to employ my inward gifts and faculties for the glory and service of God; so,

RESOLUTION II.

This, without doubt, is a necessary resolution, but it is likewise very difficult to put in practice, without a careful observance of the following rules.

First, never to lavish out my substance, like the prodigal, in the revels of sin and vanity, but after a due provision for the necessities and conveniencies of life, to lay up the overplus for acts of love and charity towards my indigent brethren. I must consider the uses and ends for which God has entrusted me with such and such possessions; that they were not given me for the pampering my body, the feeding my lusts, or puffing me up with pride and ambition; but for advancing his glory and my own, and the public good. But why do I say given? when, as I before observed, I have no property in the riches I possess; they are only lent me