ne; piecing
it out by Help of his Picture on the Wall; but coulde get no cleare
Apprehension of my Mother, she dying soe untimelie. Askt him, Was she
beautifulle? He sayth, Oh yes, and clouded over o' the suddain; then
went over her Height, Size, and Colour, etc.; dwelt on the Generalls of
personal Beauty, how it shadowed forthe the Mind, was desirable or
dangerous, etc.

On dispersing for the Night, he noted, somewhat hurt, _Anne's_ abrupt
Departure without kissing his Hand, and sayd, "Is she sulky or unwell?"

In our Chamber, found her alreadie half undrest, a reading of her Bible;
sayd, "Father tooke your briefe Good-nighte amisse." She made Answer
shortlie, "Well, what neede to marvell; he cannot put his Arm about me
without being reminded how mis-shapen I am."

Poor _Nan_! we had been speaking of faire Proportions, and had
thoughtlessly cut her to the Quick; yet Father _knoweth_, though he
cannot _see_, that her Face is that of an Angel.

About One o' the Clock, was rouzed (though _Anne_ continued sleeping
soundly) by hearing Father give his three Signal-taps agaynst the Wall.
Half drest, and with bare Feet thrust into Slippers, I hastily ran in to
him; he cried, "_Deb_, for the Love of Heaven get Pen and Paper to sett
Something down." I replied, "Sure, Father, you gave me quite a Turn; I
thought you were ill," and sett to my Task, marvellous ill-conditioned,
expecting some Crotchet had taken him concerning his Will.

'Stead of which, out comes a Volley of Poetry he had lain a brewing till
his Brain was like to burst; and soe I, in my thin Night Cotes, must
needs jot it all down, for Feare it should ooze away before Morning.
Sure, I thought he never woulde get to the End, and really feared at
firste he was crazing a little, but indeede all Poets doe when the Vein
is on 'em. At length, with a Sigh of Relief, he says, "That will
doe--Good-night, little Maid." I coulde not help saying, "'Twas a lucky
Thing for you, Father, that Step-mother was from Home;" he laught, drew
me to him, kissed me, and sayd, "Why, your Face is quite cold--are your
Feet unslippered?"

"Unstockinged," I replyed.

"I am quite concerned I knew it not sooner," he rejoyned, in an Accent of
such Kindnesse, that all my Vexation melted away, and I e'en protested I
did not mind it a Bit.

"Since it is soe," quoth he, "I shall the less mind having Recourse to
you agayn; onlie I must insist on your taking Care to wrap yourself up
more w