m, in the care of his own affairs
and relations of life, and therefore dreaded (though he had great
talents) {64} to go into employments of state, where he must be exposed
to the snares of ambition. Innocence of life and great ability were
the distinguishing parts of his character; the latter, he had often
observed, had led to the destruction of the former, and used frequently
to lament that great and good had not the same signification. He was
an excellent husbandman, but had resolved not to exceed such a degree
of wealth; all above it he bestowed in secret bounties many years after
the sum he aimed at for his own use was attained. Yet he did not
slacken his industry, but to a decent old age spent the life and
fortune which was superfluous to himself, in the service of his friends
and neighbours."

Here we were called to dinner, and Sir Roger ended the discourse of
this gentleman, by telling me, as we followed the servant, that this
his ancestor was a brave man, and narrowly escaped being killed in the
Civil Wars. "For," said he, "he was sent out of the field upon a
private message the day before the Battle of Worcester." The whim of
narrowly escaping, by having been within a day of danger, with other
matters above mentioned, mixed with good sense, left me at a loss
whether I was more delighted with my friend's wisdom or simplicity.

(_The Spectator_, No. 109.)

{65}

HENRY FIELDING 1707-1754

PARTRIDGE AT THE PLAY

In the first row, then, of the first gallery did Mr Jones, Mrs Miller,
her youngest daughter, and Partridge, take their places. Partridge
immediately declared it was the finest place he had ever been in. When
the first music was played, he said, "It was a wonder how so many
fiddlers could play at one time, without putting one another out."
While the fellow was lighting the upper candles, he cried out to Mrs
Miller, "Look, look, madam, the very picture of the man in the end of
the Common-Prayer Book before the gunpowder-treason service." Nor
could he help observing, with a sigh, when all the candles were
lighted, "That here were candles enough burnt in one night, to keep an
honest poor family for a whole twelve-month."

As soon as the play, which was Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, began,
Partridge was all attention, nor did he break silence till the entrance
of the ghost; upon which he asked Jones, "What man was that in the
strange dress; something," said he, "like what I have seen in a
p