saw my little ones
about me; but the vanity and the satisfaction of my wife were even
greater than mine. When our visitors would say, 'Well, upon my word,
Mrs Primrose, you have the finest children in the whole country.'--'Ay,
neighbour,' she would answer, 'they are as heaven made them, handsome
enough, if they be good enough; for handsome is that handsome does.'
And then she would bid the girls hold up their heads; who, to conceal
nothing, were certainly very handsome. Mere outside is so very trifling
a circumstance with me, that I should scarce have remembered to mention
it, had it not been a general topic of conversation in the country.
Olivia, now about eighteen, had that luxuriancy of beauty with which
painters generally draw Hebe; open, sprightly, and commanding. Sophia's
features were not so striking at first; but often did more certain
execution; for they were soft, modest, and alluring. The one vanquished
by a single blow, the other by efforts successfully repeated.

The temper of a woman is generally formed from the turn of her features,
at least it was so with my daughters. Olivia wished for many lovers,
Sophia to secure one. Olivia was often affected from too great a desire
to please. Sophia even represt excellence from her fears to offend. The
one entertained me with her vivacity when I was gay, the other with
her sense when I was serious. But these qualities were never carried to
excess in either, and I have often seen them exchange characters for a
whole day together. A suit of mourning has transformed my coquet into a
prude, and a new set of ribbands has given her younger sister more than
natural vivacity. My eldest son George was bred at Oxford, as I intended
him for one of the learned professions. My second boy Moses, whom I
designed for business, received a sort of a miscellaneous education at
home. But it is needless to attempt describing the particular characters
of young people that had seen but very little of the world. In short, a
family likeness prevailed through all, and properly speaking, they
had but one character, that of being all equally generous, credulous,
simple, and inoffensive.

CHAPTER 2

Family misfortunes. The loss of fortune only serves to encrease the
pride of the worthy

The temporal concerns of our family were chiefly committed to my wife's
management, as to the spiritual I took them entirely under my own
direction. The profits of my living, which amounted to but thi