e High-way. I am glad she has such a Resource, and, as we
know she cannot have much News to put in it, we may the more safely
rely that it is a Treasury of sweet, and high, and holy, and profitable
Thoughtes."

Oh, how deeplie I blusht at this ill-deserved Prayse! How sorrie I was
that I had ever registered aught that he woulde grieve to read! I
secretly resolved that this Daye's Journalling should be the last,
untill I had attained a better Frame of Mind.

_Saturday Even_.

I have kept Silence, yea, even from good Words, but it has beene a Payn
and Griefe unto me. Good Mistress _Catherine Thompson_ called on me a
few Dayes back, and spoke so wisely and so wholesomelie concerning my
Lot, and the Way to make it happy, (she is the first that hath spoken
as it 'twere possible it mighte not be soe alreadie,) that I felt for a
Season quite heartened; but it has alle faded away. Because the Source
of Cheerfulnesse is not _in_ me, anie more than in a dull Landskip,
which the Sun lighteneth for awhile, and when he has set, its Beauty is
gone.

Oh me! how merry I was at Home!--The Source of Cheerfulnesse seemed in
me _then_, and why is it not _now_? Partly because alle that I was
there taught to think right is here thought wrong; because much that I
there thought harmlesse is here thought sinfulle; because I cannot get
at anie of the Things that employed and interested me _there_, and
because the Things within my Reach _here_ do not interest me. Then,
'tis no small Thing to be continuallie deemed ignorant and misinformed,
and to have one's Errors continuallie covered, however handsomelie,
even before Children. To say nothing of the Weight upon the Spiritts
at firste, from Change of Ayre, and Diet, and Scene, and Loss of
habituall Exercise and Companie and householde Cares. These petty
Griefs try me sorelie; and when Cousin _Ralph_ came in unexpectedlie
this Morn, tho' I never much cared for him at Home, yet the Sighte of
_Rose's_ Brother, fresh from_ Sheepscote_ and _Oxford_ and _Forest
Hill_, soe upset me that I sank into Tears. No wonder that Mr.
_Milton_, then coming in, shoulde hastilie enquire if _Ralph_ had
brought ill Tidings from Home; and, finding alle was well there,
shoulde look strangelie. He askt _Ralph_, however, to stay to Dinner;
and we had much Talk of Home; but now, I regret having omitted to ask a
thousand Questions.

_Sunday Even., Aug. 15, 1643_.

Mr. _Milton_ in his Closet and I i