Encouragement; and sometimes
accompanies it with a Flitch of Bacon to his Mother. Sir Roger has
likewise added five Pounds a Year to the Clerk's Place; and that he
may encourage the young Fellows to make themselves perfect in the
Church-Service, has promised upon the Death of the present Incumbent,
who is very old, to bestow it according to Merit.

The fair Understanding between Sir Roger and his Chaplain, and their
mutual Concurrence in doing Good, is the more remarkable, because the
very next Village is famous for the Differences and Contentions that
rise between the Parson and the 'Squire, who live in a perpetual State
of War. The Parson is always preaching at the 'Squire, and the 'Squire
to be revenged on the Parson never comes to Church. The 'Squire has
made all his Tenants Atheists and Tithe-Stealers; while the Parson
instructs them every _Sunday_ in the Dignity of his Order, and
insinuates to them in almost every Sermon, that he is a better Man
than his Patron. In short, Matters are come to such an Extremity, that
the 'Squire has not said his Prayers either in publick or private this
half Year; and that the Parson threatens him, if he does not mend his
Manners, to pray for him in the Face of the whole Congregation.

Feuds of this Nature, though too frequent in the Country, are very
fatal to the ordinary People; who are so used to be dazled with
Riches, that they pay as much Deference to the Understanding of a Man
of an Estate, as of a Man of Learning; and are very hardly brought to
regard any Truth, how important soever it may be, that is preached to
them, when they know there are several Men of five hundred a Year who
do not believe it.

_Addison._

SIR ROGER ON THE WIDOW

In my first Description of the Company in which I pass most of my
Time, it may be remembered that I mentioned a great Affliction which
my Friend Sir ROGER had met with in his Youth, which was no less than
a Disappointment in Love. It happened this Evening, that we fell into
a very pleasing Walk at a Distance from his House: As soon as we came
into it, "It is," quoth the good old Man, looking round him with a
Smile, "very hard, that any Part of my Land should be settled upon one
who has used me so ill as the perverse Widow did; and yet I am sure I
could not see a Sprig of any Bough of this whole Walk of Trees, but I
should reflect upon her and her Severity. She has certainly the finest
Hand of any Woman in the World. You are