ht a piece of good manners to conform to
the humor of the guests. Mr. Bragwell had this day forborne to ask
any of his usual company, well knowing that their vain and worldly
conversation would only serve to draw on him some new reprimand from
his friend.

Mrs. Bragwell and her daughters picked up, as usual, a good deal of
acquaintance at church. Many compliments passed, and much of the
news of the week was retailed before the service began. They waited
with impatience for the reading of the lessons as a licensed season
for whispering, and the subject begun during the lessons, was
finished while they were singing the psalms. The young ladies made
an appointment for the afternoon with a friend in the next pew,
while their mamma took the opportunity of inquiring aloud, the
character of a dairy maid, which she observed, with a compliment to
her own good management, would save time on a week-day.

Mr. Worthy, who found himself quite in a new world, returned home
with his friend alone. In the evening he ventured to ask Bragwell,
if he did not, on a Sunday night at least, make it a custom to read
and pray with his family. Bragwell told him he was sorry to say he
had no family at home, else he should like to do it for the sake of
example. But as his servants worked hard all the week, his wife was
of opinion that they should then have a little holiday. Mr. Worthy
pressed it home upon him, whether the utter neglect of his servants'
principles was not likely to make a heavy article in his final
account; and asked him if he did not believe that the too general
liberty of meeting together, jaunting, and diverting themselves on
Sunday evenings, was not often found to produce the worst effects on
the morals of servants and the good order of families? "I put it to
your conscience," said he, "Mr. Bragwell, whether Sunday, which was
meant as a blessing and a benefit, is not, as it is commonly kept,
turned into the most mischievous part of the week, by the selfish
kindness of masters, who, not daring to set their servants about any
public work, allot them that day to follow their own devices, that
they themselves may, with more rigor, refuse them a little
indulgence, and a reasonable holiday, in the working part of the
week, which a good servant has now and then a fair right to expect.
Those masters who will give them half, or all of the Lord's day,
will not spare them a single hour of a working day. _Their_ work
_must_ be done; God's