im by the hand more
cordially than usual, and made him promise to return his visit in a
short time.

What befell Mr. Bragwell and his family on his going home may,
perhaps, make the subject of a future part of this history.

PART III.

THE VISIT RETURNED.

Mr. Bragwell, when he returned home from his visit to Mr. Worthy, as
recorded in the second part of this history, found that he was not
quite so happy as he had formerly been. The discourses of Mr. Worthy
had broken in not a little on his comfort. And he began to suspect
that he was not so completely in the right as his vanity had led him
to believe. He seemed also to feel less satisfaction in the idle
gentility of his own daughters, since he had been witness to the
simplicity, modesty, and usefulness of those of Mr. Worthy. And he
could not help seeing that the vulgar violence of his wife did not
produce so much family happiness at home, as the humble piety and
quiet diligence of Mrs. Worthy produced in the house of his friend.

Happy would it have been for Mr. Bragwell, if he had followed up
those new convictions of his own mind, which would have led him to
struggle against the power of evil principles in himself, and to
have controlled the force of evil habits in his family. But his
convictions were just strong enough to make him uneasy under his
errors, without driving him to reform them. The slight impression
soon wore off, and he fell back into his old practices. Still his
esteem for Mr. Worthy was not at all abated by the plain-dealing of
that honest friend. It is true, he dreaded his piercing eye: he felt
that his example held out a constant reproof to himself. Yet such is
the force of early affection and rooted reverence, that he longed to
see him at his house. This desire, indeed, as is commonly the case,
was made up of mixed motives. He wished for the pleasure of his
friend's company; he longed for that favorite triumph of a vulgar
mind, an opportunity of showing him his riches; and he thought it
would raise his credit in the world to have a man of Mr. Worthy's
character at his house.

Mr. Bragwell, it is true, still went on with the same eagerness in
gaining money, and the same ostentation in spending it. But though
he was as covetous as ever, he was not quite so sure that it was
right to be so. While he was actually engaged abroad indeed, in
transactions with his dealers, he was not very scrupulous about the
means by which he _got_ his money; a