And now I have only to put on the best covers on the drawing-room chairs, and to unpaper the fire-fcreens, and to fix the candles on the fconces, and to prepare my daughter's things; fo that I fhall foon be ready; meanwhile you may chat with Biddy-it will do your heart good to hear her talk.' Mr. Mapple feemed to be of a different opinion; and declining to enter into any controverfy with an adversary whose prowess was fo highly vaunted, he immediately took his leave. CHAP. VI. Distrustful Senfe, with modeft caution fpeaks, S As the principal families in the parish continued the fame attentions to the widow of their late rector, which they had paid her as his wife, it will be concluded, to a certainty, by thofe who know any thing of the world, that the was left in poffeffion of affluence.. It was not, however, to the extent of her fortune, fo much as to the exertion of her talents, that Mrs. Botherim stood indebted for the civilities of her richer neighbours. Whatever idea the reader may have formed of the negative ftrength of her intellects, tellects, the had fufficient fagacity to dif cover, that when she could no longer give dinner for dinner, and fupper for fupper, a complete termination would, in the minds of many of her dear friends in the neighbourhood, be given to her exiftence. Effectually to keep herself alive in their remembrance, was a point which The might literally be faid to labour. It required the inceffant exertion of all the economy, and all the notability, of which fhe was mistress: nor would these alone have been fufficient, if they had not been affifted by the perfect knowledge of a fcience, which produced effects more delightful to many of her guests than all Philofophy e'er taught.” Though the fcience of cookery was the only one with which Mrs. Botherim was acquainted, it may be doubted whether it did not sometimes produce attractions as powerful as the metaphyfical knowledge of her daughter. Even Mr. Myope himself has been fufpected of this preference; and has been actually known to leave his freewill opponent in poffeffion of the last word, from the neceffity he felt himself under of devouring the good things fet before him on Mrs. Botherim's table. Never fhall I forget the eulogium I once heard him make on one of the good lady's currant tarts: a tart which, as he judici oufly obferved, could never have been fo nicely fweetened, if Alexander the Great bad not fet fire to the palace of Persepolis.* To praise her cookery, or to praise her daughter, was at all times the most direct road to Mrs. Botherim's heart. When the tribute of flattery was on either of these subjects withheld, fhe quickly difcerned the motive, and confoled herself by obferving, " that it was better to be envied than pitied," See Godwin's Pol, Juf. vol. i. p. 161. That That she and her daughter were the objects of envy to many of her neighbours, fhe could not doubt. The rector's family, in particular, had given her many ftrong proofs of being poffeffed of this hateful paffion: even the reverend gentleman himself had oftener than once dropt fome hints about the needless expense of formal entertainments among friends and neighbours; and it was certain, that neither he, nor his fifter, nor his daughters, appeared to enjoy half fo much fatisfaction at one of her feasts, as at the fimple fare which was fet before them when on a chance vifit. The fame envious difpofition it was, which, in Mrs. Botherim's opinion, made them not only avoid the fubject of metaphyfics, on which her daughter could fo far outshine them, but feem in pain when it was mentioned, Of the vifitors expected at the conclufion of the laft chapter, the ladies of the family we have just mentioned, accom |