Sunday: in
consequence of which one eats, you know, a little more than
ordinary; and having nothing to do on that day, has more leisure to
take a cheerful glass; and all these things will make one a little
heavy, you know.

_Worthy._ And don't you take a little ride in the morning, and look
at your sheep when the weather is good; and so fill your mind just
before you go to church with thoughts of them; and when the weather
is bad, don't you settle an account? or write a few letters of
business after church.

_Bragwell._ I can't say but I do; but that is nothing to any body,
as long as I set a good example by keeping to my church.

_Worthy._ And how do you pass your Sunday evenings?

_Bragwell._ My wife and daughters go a visiting Sunday afternoons.
My daughters are glad to get out, at any rate; and as to my wife,
she says that being ready dressed, it is a pity to lose the
opportunity; besides, it saves her time on a week day; so then you
see I have it all my own way, and when I have got rid of the ladies,
who are ready to faint at the smell of tobacco, I can venture to
smoke a pipe, and drink a sober glass of punch with half a dozen
friends.

_Worthy._ Which punch, being made of smuggled brandy, and drank on
the Lord's day, and very vain, as well as profane and worldly
company, you are enabled to break both the law of God, and that of
your country at a stroke: and I suppose when you are got together,
you speak of your cattle, or of your crops, after which perhaps you
talk over a few of your neighbors' faults, and then you brag a
little of your own wealth or your own achievements.

_Bragwell._ Why, you seem to know us so well, that any one would
think you had been sitting behind the curtain; and yet you are a
little mistaken too; for I think we have hardly said a word for
several of our last Sundays on any thing but politics.

_Worthy._ And do you find that you much improve your Christian
charity by that subject?

_Bragwell._ Why to be sure we do quarrel till we are very near
fighting, that is the worst on't.

_Worthy._ And then you call names, and swear a little, I suppose.

_Bragwell._ Why when one is contradicted and put in a passion, you
know, and when people especially if they are one's inferiors, won't
adopt one's opinions, flesh and blood won't bear it.

_Worthy._ And when all your friends are gone home, what becomes of
the rest of the evening?

_Bragwell._ That is just as it happens; sometimes I