ich may keep them from misery, and raise them
all in the world, and the want of it, on the other hand, sinks and
suppresses them. For example:--

A tradesman has begun the world about six or seven years; he has, by his
industry and good understanding in business, just got into a flourishing
trade, by which he clears five or six hundred pounds a-year; and if it
should please God to spare his life for twenty years or more, he would
certainly be a rich man, and get a good estate; but on a sudden, and in
the middle of all his prosperity, he is snatched away by a sudden fit
of sickness, and his widow is left in a desolate despairing condition,
having five children, and big with another; but the eldest of these is
not above six years old, and, though he is a boy, yet he is utterly
incapable to be concerned in the business; so the trade which (had his
father lived to bring him up in his shop or warehouse) would have been
an estate to him, is like to be lost, and perhaps go all away to the
eldest apprentice, who, however, wants two years of his time. Now, what
is to be done for this unhappy family?

'Done!' says the widow; 'why, I will never let the trade fall so, that
should be the making of my son, and in the meantime be the maintenance
of all my children.'

'Why, what can you do, child?' says her father, or other friends; 'you
know nothing of it. Mr ---- did not acquaint you with his business.'

'That is true,' says the widow; 'he did not, because I was a fool, and
did not care to look much into it, and that was my fault. Mr ---- did not
press me to it, because he was afraid I might think he intended to put
me upon it; but he often used to say, that if he should drop off before
his boys were fit to come into the shop, it would be a sad loss to
them--that the trade would make gentlemen of a couple of them, and it
would be great pity it should go away from them.'

'But what does that signify now, child?' adds the father; 'you see it is
so; and how can it be helped?'

'Why,' says the widow, 'I used to ask him if he thought I could carry it
on for them, if such a thing should happen?'

'And what answer did he make?' says the father.

'He shook his head,' replied the widow, 'and answered, "Yes, I might, if
I had good servants, and if I would look a little into it beforehand."'

'Why,' says the father, 'he talked as if he had foreseen his end.'

'I think he did foresee it,' says she, 'for he was often talking thus.'

'