The HISTORY, &c.

HESTER WILMOT was born in the pariſh of Weſton, of parents who maintained them⯑ſelves by their labour, they were both of them un⯑godly, it is no wonder therefore they were un⯑happy. They lived badly together, and how could they do otherwiſe, for their tempers were very different, and they had no religion to ſmooth down this difference, or to teach them that they ought to bear with each others faults. Rebecca Wilmot was a proof that people may have ſome right qualities, and yet be but bad characters. She was clean, notable, and induſtrious. Now I know ſome folks fancy that the poor who have theſe qualities need have no other, but this is a ſad miſtake, as I am ſure every page in the Bible would ſhew; and it is a pity people do not conſult it oftener. Rebecca was of a violent ungovernable temper; and that very neat⯑neſs which is in itſelf ſo pleaſing, in her became a ſin, for her affection to her huſband and children was quite loſt in an over-anxious deſire to have her houſe reckoned the niceſt in the pariſh. Rebecca was alſo a proof that a poor woman may be as vain as a rich one, for it was not ſo much the comfort of neatneſs, as the praiſe of neatneſs which ſhe co⯑veted. A ſpot on her hearth, or a bit of ruſt on a [3]braſs candleſtick would throw her into a violent paſſion. Now it is very right to keep the hearth clean and the candleſtick bright, but it is very wrong ſo, to ſet one's affections on a hearth or a candleſtick as to make oneſelf unhappy if any tri⯑fling accident happens to them: and if Rebecca had been as careful to keep her heart without ſpot, or her life without blemiſh, as ſhe was to keep her fire-irons free from either, ſhe would have been held up in this hiſtory, not as a warning, but a pattern, and in that caſe her nicety would have come in for a part of the praiſe. It was no fault in Rebecca but a merit, that her oak table was ſo bright you could almoſt ſee to put your cap on in it; but it was no merit but a fault, that when John her huſband laid down his cup of beer upon it ſo as to leave a mark, ſhe would fly out into ſo terrible a paſſion that all the children were forced to run to corners; now poor John having no corner to run to, ran to the alehouſe, till that which was at firſt a refuge, too ſoon became a plea⯑ſure.

Rebecca never wiſhed her children to learn to read, becauſe ſhe ſaid it would only ſerve to make them lazy, and ſhe herſelf had done very well without it. She would keep poor Heſter from church to ſtone the ſpace under the chairs in fine patterns and whim-whams. I don't pretend to ſay there was any harm in this little decoration, it looks pretty enough, and it is better to let the children do that than do nothing. But ſtill theſe are not things to ſet one's heart upon, and beſides, Rebecca only did it as a trap for praiſe; for ſhe was ſulky and diſappointed if any ladies happened [4]to call in and did not ſeem delighted with the flowers which ſhe uſed to draw with a burnt ſtick on the white-waſh of the chimney corners. Be⯑ſides all this finery was often done on a Sunday, and there is a great deal of harm in doing right things at a wrong time, or in waſting much time on things which are of no real uſe, or in doing any thing at all out of vanity. Now I beg that no lazy ſlattern of a wife will go and take any com⯑fort in her dirt from what is here ſaid againſt Re⯑becca's nicety; for I believe that for one who makes her huſband unhappy through neatneſs, twenty do ſo by dirt and lazineſs. All exceſſes are wrong, but the exceſs of a good quality is not ſo common as the exceſs of a bad one.

John Wilmot was not an ill-natured man, but he had no fixed principle. Inſtead of ſetting him⯑ſelf to cure his wife's faults by mild reproof and a good example, he was driven by them into ſtill greater faults himſelf. It is a common caſe with people who have no religion when any croſs acci⯑dent befals them, inſtead of trying to make the beſt of a bad matter, inſtead of conſidering their trouble as a trial ſent from God to purify them, or inſtead of conſidering the faults of others as a puniſhment for their own ſins, what do they do but either ſink down at once into deſpair, or elſe run for comfort into evil courſes. Drinking is the common remedy for ſorrow, if that can be called a remedy, the end of which is to deſtroy ſoul and body. John now began to ſpend all his leiſure hours at the Bell. He uſed to be fond of his chil⯑dren, but when he found he could not come home in quiet and play with the little ones, while his wife dreſſed him a bit of hot ſupper, he grew in time not [5]to come home at all. He who has once taken to drink can ſeldom be ſaid to be guilty of one ſin only; John's heart became hardened. His affec⯑tion for his family was loſt in ſelf-indulgence. Pa⯑tience and ſubmiſſion on the part of his wife might have won much upon a man of John's temper, but inſtead of trying to reclaim him, his wife ſeemed rather to delight in putting him as much in the wrong as ſhe could, that ſhe might be juſtified in her conſtant abuſe of him. I doubt whether ſhe would have been as much pleaſed with his refor⯑mation as ſhe was with always talking of his faults, though I know it was the opinion of the neigh⯑bours, that if ſhe had taken as much pains to re⯑form her huſband by reforming her own temper, as ſhe did to abuſe him and expoſe him, her endea⯑vours might have been bleſſed with ſucceſs. Good people, who are trying to ſubdue their own faults, can hardly believe that the ungodly have a ſort of ſavage ſatisfaction in trying, by the indulgence of their own evil tempers, to leſſen the happineſs of thoſe with whom they have to do. Need we look any farther for a proof of our own corrupt nature, when we ſee mankind delight in ſins which have neither the temptation of profit or pleaſure, ſuch as plaguing, vexing, or abuſing each other.

Heſter was the eldeſt of their five children, ſhe was a ſharp ſenſible girl, but at fourteen years old ſhe could not tell a letter, nor had ſhe ever been taught to bow her knee to him who made her, for John's, or rather Rebecca's houſe, had ſeldom the name of God pronounced in it, except to be blaſ⯑phemed.

It was juſt about this time, if I miſtake not, that Mrs. Jones ſet up her Sunday School, of which Mrs. [6]Betty Crew, was appointed miſtreſs as was related laſt month. Mrs. Jones finding that none of the Wil⯑mots were ſent to ſchool, took a walk to Rebecca's houſe, and civilly told her ſhe called to let her know that a ſchool was opened to which ſhe de⯑ſired her to ſend her children on the Sunday fol⯑lowing, eſpecially her eldeſt daughter Heſter. "Well," ſaid Rebecca, "and what will you give her if I do?" "Give her!" replied Mrs. Jones, "that is rather a rude queſtion, and aſked in a rude manner: however, as 'a ſoft anſwer turneth away wrath,' I aſſure you that I will give her the beſt of learning▪ I will teach her to fear God and keep his commandments." "I would rather you would teach her to fear me, and to keep my houſe clean," ſaid this wicked woman. "She ſhan't come, however, unleſs you will pay her for it." "Pay her for it!" ſaid the lady, "will it not be reward enough that ſhe will be taught to read the word of God without any expence to you? For though many gifts both of books and cloathing will be given the children, yet you are not to conſider theſe gifts ſo much in the light of payment as an expreſſion of good-will in your benefactors." "I ſay," interrupted Rebecca, "that Heſter ſhan't go to ſchool. Religion is of no uſe that I know of, but to make people hate their own fleſh and blood; and I ſee no good in learning but to make folks proud, and lazy, and dirty. I cannot tell a letter myſelf, and, though I ſay it, that ſhould not ſay it, there is not a notabler woman in the pariſh." "Pray," ſaid Mrs. Jones mildly, "do you think that young people will diſobey their parents the more for being taught to fear God?" "I don't think any thing about it," ſaid Rebecca, "I ſhan't [7]let her come, and there's the long and ſhort of the matter. Heſter has other fiſh to fry; but you may have ſome of theſe little ones if you will?" "No," ſaid Mrs. Jones, "I will not; I have not ſet up a nurſery but a ſchool. I am not at all this expence to take crying babes out of the mother's way, but to inſtruct reaſonable beings. And it ought to be a rule in all ſchools not to take the troubleſome young children unleſs the mother will try to ſpare the elder ones, who are capable of learning." "But," ſaid Rebecca, "I have a young child which Heſter muſt nurſe while I dreſs dinner. And ſhe muſt iron the rags, and ſcour the irons, and dig the po⯑tatoes, and fetch the water to boil them." "As to nurſing the child, that is indeed a neceſſary duty, and Heſter ought to ſtay at home part of the day to enable you to go to church; and families ſhould relieve each other in this way, but as to all the reſt they are no reaſons at all, for the irons need not be ſcoured ſo often, and the rags ſhould be ironed, and the potatoes dug, and the water fetched on the Saturday, and I can tell you that neither your mi⯑niſter here, nor your judge hereafter, will accept of any ſuch excuſes."

All this while Heſter ſtaid behind, pale and trembling, leſt her unkind mother ſhould carry her point. She looked up at Mrs. Jones with ſo much love and gratitude as to win her affection, and this good lady went on trying to ſoften this harſh mo⯑ther. At laſt Rebecca condeſcended to ſay, "well, I don't know but I may let her come now and then when I can ſpare her, provided I ſind you make it worth her while." All this time ſhe had never aſked Mrs. Jones to ſit down, nor had once bid her young children be quiet, though they were [8]crying and ſqualling the whole time. Rebecca fancied this rudeneſs was the only way ſhe had of ſhewing ſhe thought herſelf as good as her gueſt, but Mrs. Jones never loſt her temper. The mo⯑ment ſhe went out of the houſe, Rebecca called out loud enough for her to hear, and ordered Heſter to get the ſtone and a bit of ſand to ſcrub out the prints of that dirty woman's ſhoes. Heſter in high ſpirits cheerfully obeyed, and rubbed out the ſtains ſo neatly, that her mother could not help lamenting that ſo handy a girl was going to be ſpoiled by being taught godlineſs, and learning, and ſuch nonſenſe.

Mrs. Jones, who knew the world, told her agent, Mrs. Crew, that her grand difficulty would ariſe not ſo much from the children as the parents. "Theſe," ſaid ſhe, "are apt to fall into that ſad miſtake, that becauſe their children are poor and have little of this world's goods, the mothers muſt make it up to them in falſe indulgence. The children of the gentry are much more reproved and cor⯑rected for their faults, and bred up in far ſtricter diſcipline. He was a KING who ſaid, chaſten thy ſon, and let not thy rod ſpare for his crying. But the more vicious the children are, you muſt re⯑member the more they ſtand in need of your in⯑ſtruction. When they are bad, comfort yourſelf with thinking, how much worſe they would have been but for you; and what a burthen they would become to ſociety if theſe evil tempers were to re⯑ceive no check." The great thing which enabled Mrs. Crew to teach well, was, the deep inſight ſhe had got into the corruption of human nature. And I doubt if any one can make a thoroughly good teacher of religion and morals who wants this [9]maſter-key to the heart. Others indeed, may teach knowledge, decency, and good manners. Mrs. Crew who knew that out of the heart proceed lying, theft, and all that train of evils which begin to break out even in young children, applied her labours to correct this root of evil. But though a diligent, ſhe was an humble teacher, well knowing that un⯑leſs the grace of God bleſſed her labours, ſhe ſhould but labour in vain.

Heſter Wilmot never failed to attend the ſchool, whenever her perverſe mother would give her leave, and her delight in learning was ſo great, that ſhe would work early and late to gain a little time for her book. As ſhe had a quick capacity, ſhe learned ſoon to ſpell and read, and Mrs. Crew obſerving her diligence, uſed to lend her a book to carry home, that ſhe might pick up a little at odd times. It would be well if teachers would make this diſtinction. To give or lend books to thoſe who take no delight in them is an uſeleſs ex⯑pence; while it is kind and right to aſſiſt well-diſ⯑poſed young people with every help of this ſort. Thoſe who love books ſeldom hurt them, while the ſlothful, who hate learning, will wear out a book more in a week than the diligent will do in a year. Heſter's way was to read over one queſ⯑tion in her catechiſm, or one verſe in her Hymn⯑book, by fire-light before ſhe went to bed; this ſhe thought over in the night, and when ſhe was dreſſing herſelf in the morning ſhe was glad to find ſhe always knew a little more than ſhe had done the morning before. It is not to be believed how much thoſe people will be found to have gained at the end of a year, who are accuſtomed to work up all the little odd ends and remnants [10]of time; who are convinced that minutes are no more to be waſted than pence. Nay, he who finds he has waſted a ſhilling may by diligence hope to fetch it up again; but no repentance or induſtry can ever bring back one waſted hour. My good young reader, if ever you are tempted to waſte an hour, go and aſk a dying man what he would give for that hour which you are throwing away, and according as he anſwers, ſo do you act.

As her mother hated the ſight of a book, Heſter was forced to learn out of ſight: it was no diſobe⯑dience to do this, as long as ſhe waſted no part of that time which it was her duty to ſpend in uſeful labour. She would have thought it a ſin to have left her work for her book; but ſhe did not think it wrong to ſteal time from her ſleep, and to be learning an hour before the reſt of the family were awake. Heſter would not neglect the waſhing-tub, or the ſpinning-wheel, even to get on with her catechiſm; but ſhe thought it fair to think over her queſtions, while ſhe was waſhing and ſpinning. In a few months ſhe was able to read fluently in St. John's goſpel, which is the eaſieſt. But Mrs. Crew did not think it enough that her children could read a chapter, ſhe would make them underſtand it alſo. It is in a good degree owing to the want of religious knowlege in teachers that there is ſo little religion in the world. Unleſs the Bible is laid open to the underſtanding, children may read from Geneſis to the Revelation, without any other improvement than barely learning how to pro⯑nounce the words. Mrs. Crew found there was but one way to compel their attention; this was by obliging them to return back again to her the ſenſe of what ſhe had read to them, and this they might [11]do in their own words, if they could not remember the words of Scripture. Thoſe who had weak capacities would, to be ſure, do this but very im⯑perfectly; but even the weakeſt if they were wil⯑ling would retain ſomething. She ſo managed that ſaying the Catechiſm was not merely an act of the memory, but of the underſtanding; for ſhe had obſerved formerly, that thoſe who had learned the Catechiſm in the common formal way, when they were children, had never underſtood it when they became men and women, and it remained in the memory without having made any impreſſion on the mind. Thus this fine ſummary of the Chriſtian re⯑ligion is conſidered as little more than a form of words, the being able to repeat which, is a quali⯑fication for being confirmed by the Biſhop, inſtead of being conſidered as really containing thoſe grounds of Chriſtian faith and practice, by which they are to be confirmed Chriiſtans.

Mrs. Crew uſed to ſay to Mrs. Jones, "Thoſe who teach the poor muſt indeed give line upon line, precept upon precept, here a little and there a little, as they can receive it. So that teaching muſt be a great grievance to thoſe who do not really make it a labour of love. I ſee ſo much levity, obſtinacy, and ignorance, that it keeps my own forbearance in continual exerciſe, ſo that I truſt I am getting good myſelf while I am do⯑ing good to others. No one, Madam, can know till they try, that after they have aſked a poor un⯑taught child the ſame queſtion nineteen times, they muſt not loſe their temper, but go on and aſk it the twentieth. Now and then, when I am tempted to be impatient, I correct myſelf, by thinking over that active proof which our bleſſed Saviour requires [12]of our love to him when he ſays, "feed my lambs."

Heſter Wilmot had never been bred to go to church, for her father and mother had never thought of going themſelves, unleſs at a chriſtening in their own family, or at a funeral of their neighbours, both of which they conſidered merely as opportunities for good eating and drinking, and not as offices of religion.

As poor Heſter had no comfort at home, it was the leſs wonder ſhe delighted in her ſchool, her Bible and church, for ſo great is God's goodneſs, that he is pleaſed to make religion a peculiar comfort to thoſe who have no other comfort. The God whoſe name ſhe had ſeldom heard but when it was taken in vain, was now revealed to her as a God of infinite power, juſtice and holi⯑neſs. What ſhe read in her Bible, and what ſhe felt in her own heart, convinced her ſhe was a ſinner; and her catechiſm ſaid the ſame. She was much diſtreſſed one day on thinking over this pro⯑miſe which ſhe had juſt made (in anſwer to the queſtion which fell to her lot) "To renounce the devil and all his works, the pomps and vanities of this wicked world, and all the ſinful luſts of the fleſh." I ſay ſhe was diſtreſſed on finding that theſe were not merely certain words which ſhe was bound to repeat; but certain conditions which ſhe was bound to perform. She was ſadly puzzled to know how this was to be done, till ſhe met with theſe words in her Bible. My grace is ſufficient for thee. But ſtill ſhe was at a loſs to know how this grace was to be obtained. Happily Mr. Simpſon preached on the next Sunday from this text, Aſk and ye ſhall have, &c. In this ſermon was ex⯑plained to her the nature, the duty, and the efficacy [13]of prayer. After this ſhe opened her heart to Mrs. Crew, who taught her the great doctrines of Scrip⯑ture, in a ſerious, but plain way. Heſter's own heart led her to aſſent to that humbling doctrine of the catechiſm, that We are by nature born in ſin; and truly glad was ſhe to be relieved by hearing of that ſpiritual grace by which we have a new birth unto righteouſneſs. Thus her mind was no ſooner humbled by one part, than it gained comfort from another. On the other hand, while ſhe was re⯑joicing in a lively hope God's mercy through Chriſt, her miſtreſs put her in mind that that was the only true repentance, by which we forſake ſin. Thus the catechiſm explained by a pious teacher was found to contain All the articles of the Chriſtian faith.

Mrs. Jones greatly diſapproved the practice of turning away the ſcholars, becauſe they were grown up. "Young people," ſaid ſhe, "want to be warned at ſixteen more than they did at ſix, and they are commonly turned adrift at the very age when they want moſt inſtruction; when dangers and tempta⯑tions moſt beſet them. They are expoſed to more evil by the leiſure of a Sunday evening than by the buſineſs of the whole week: but then religion muſt be made pleaſant, and inſtruction muſt be car⯑ried in a kind, and agreeable, and familiar way. If they once diſlike the teacher they will ſoon get to diſlike what is taught, ſo that a maſter or miſ⯑treſs is in ſome meaſure anſwerable for the future piety of young perſons, inaſmuch as that piety de⯑pends on their manner of making religion pleaſant as well as profitable." To attend Mrs, Jones's even⯑ing inſtructions was ſoon thought not a taſk but a holiday. In a few months it was reckoned a diſad⯑vantage to the character of any young perſon in the [14]pariſh to know they did not attend the evening ſchool. At firſt, indeed, many of them came only with a view to learn to ſing pſalms; but, by the bleſſing of God, they grew fond of inſtruction, and ſome of them be⯑came truly pious. Mrs. Jones ſpoke to them one Sun⯑day evening as follows: "My dear young women, I rejoice at your improvement; but I rejoice with trembling. I have known young people ſet out well, who afterwards fell off. The heart is de⯑ceitful. Many like religious knowledge, who do not like the ſtrictneſs of a religious life. I muſt therefore watch whether thoſe who are diligent at church and ſchool are diligent in their daily walk. Whether thoſe who ſay they believe in God, re⯑ally obey him. Whether they who profeſs to love Chriſt keep his commandments. Thoſe who hear themſelves commended for early piety, may learn to reſt ſatisfied with the praiſe of man. People may get a knack at religious phraſes without being re⯑ligious; they may even get to frequent places of worſhip as an amuſement, in order to meet their friends, and may learn to delight in a ſort of ſpiritual goſſip, while religion has no power in their hearts. But I hope better things of you, though I thus ſpeak."

What became of Heſter Wilmot, with ſome ac⯑count of Mrs. Jones's May-day feaſt for her ſchool, my readers ſhall be told next month.

Z.