SUSAN GRAY. G5

but for nothing else: for I want to see you with
something smarter on your head than that old-
fashioned straw hat.”

* Ah! why,” said I, ‘ should you tempt
me to these vanities? If, for God’s sake, you
do not forbear trying to draw me aside, yet,
for your own, you should rejoice that I am not
fond of the fine things of this world, rather
than endeavour to fill my mind with the love
of them.

‘Now, suppose, my dear mistress,” added I,
coming nearer to her, and smiling, to shew that
all I said was in the greatest good humour, “I
were all at once to become vain, and to prefer
fine clothes, and to be admired by men, rather
than to be loved by God; immediately, for the
sake of getting these things which were become
so dear to me, I should pilfer you in a thou-
sand little ways; nothing that you have in the
house would be safe; but I should be changing
your bread for a ribbon, your cheese for a bit
of lace, a candle for a fine pin, a piece of soap
for a pair of buckles, and so on; and then, as
it would be no use to shew my fine clothes to
the owls and the bats, the horses and the cows,
whenever you were safe out of the way, instead
of doing your work well, { should hurry it over
in a slovenly manner, and fly off to town, to
shew myself at the fairs and markets. So I
will not, if you please, buy the hat; lest,
when I have got one fine thing, I should wish
for another to wear with it, and so never be
content.”

My mistress made no answer, for at that mo-

F 3