o, of laying a Number of Farms into one,
and very often of a whole Parish into one Farm; which in the End must
reduce the common People to a State of Vassalage, worse than that
under the Barons of old, or of the Clans in _Scotland_; and will
in Time depopulate the Kingdom. But as you are tired of the Subject, I
shall take myself away, and you may visit _Little Margery_. So,
Sir, your Servant,

The EDITOR.

CHAP. I.

_How and about Little_ Margery _and her_ Brother.

Care and Discontent shortened the Days of Little _Margery's_
Father.--He was forced from his Family, and seized with a violent
Fever in a Place where Dr. _James's_ Powder was not to be had,
and where he died miserably. _Margery's_ poor Mother survived the
Loss of her Husband but a few Days, and died of a broken Heart,
leaving _Margery_ and her little Brother to the wide World; but,
poor Woman, it would have melted your Heart to have seen how
frequently she heaved up her Head, while she lay speechless, to survey
with languishing Looks her little Orphans, as much as to say, _Do
Tommy, do Margery, come with me_. They cried, poor Things, and she
sighed away her Soul; and I hope is happy.

[Illustration]

It would both have excited your Pity, and have done your Heart good,
to have seen how fond these two little ones were of each other, and
how, Hand in Hand, they trotted about. Pray see them.

[Illustration]

They were both very ragged, and _Tommy_ had two Shoes, but
_Margery_ had but one. They had nothing, poor Things, to support
them (not being in their own Parish) but what they picked from the
Hedges, or got from the poor People, and they lay every Night in a
Barn. Their Relations took no Notice of them; no, they were rich, and
ashamed to own such a poor little ragged Girl as _Margery_, and
such a dirty little curl-pated Boy as _Tommy_. Our Relations and
Friends seldom take Notice of us when we are poor; but as we grow rich
they grow fond. And this will always be the Case, while People love
Money better than Virtue, or better than they do GOD Almighty. But
such wicked Folks, who love nothing but Money, and are proud and
despise the Poor, never come to any good in the End, as we shall see
by and by.

CHAP. II.

_How and about Mr._ Smith.

Mr. _Smith_ was a very worthy Clergyman, who lived in the Parish
where Little _Margery_ and _Tommy_ were born