it makes a nook in his park wall.  You may e’en tell him he has mair than he makes good use of; he gangs up and down drinking, roaring, and quarreling, through all the country markets, making foolish bargains in his cups, which he repents when he is sober; like a thriftless wretch, spending the goods and gear that his forefathers won with the sweat of their brows; light come, light go; he cares not a farthing.  But why should I stand surety for his contracts?  The little I have is free, and I can call it my own—­hame’s hame, let it be never so hamely.  I ken well enough, he could never abide me, and when he has his ends he’ll e’en use me as he did before.  I’m sure I shall be treated like a poor drudge—­I shall be set to tend the bairns, darn the hose, and mend the linen.  Then there’s no living with that old carline, his mother; she rails at Jack, and Jack’s an honester man than any of her kin:  I shall be plagued with her spells and her Paternosters, and silly Old World ceremonies; I mun never pare my nails on a Friday, nor begin a journey on Childermas Day; and I mun stand becking and binging as I gang out and into the hall.  Tell him he may e’en gang his get; I’ll have nothing to do with him; I’ll stay like the poor country mouse, in my awn habitation.”

So Peg talked; but for all that, by the interposition of good friends, and by many a bonny thing that was sent, and many more that were promised Peg, the matter was concluded, and Peg taken into the house upon certain articles [the Act of Toleration is referred to]; one of which was that she might have the freedom of Jack’s conversation, and might take him for better or for worse if she pleased; provided always he did not come into the house at unseasonable hours and disturb the rest of the old woman, John’s mother.

OF THE RUDIMENTS OF MARTIN’S LEARNING

From ‘Memoirs of Martinus Scriblerus’

Mrs. Scriblerus considered it was now time to instruct him in the fundamentals of religion, and to that end took no small pains in teaching him his catechism.  But Cornelius looked upon this as a tedious way of instruction, and therefore employed his head to find out more pleasing methods, the better to induce him to be fond of learning.  He would frequently carry him to the puppet-show of the creation of the world, where the child, with exceeding delight, gained a notion of the history of the Bible.  His first rudiments in profane history were acquired by seeing of raree-shows, where he was brought acquainted with all the princes of Europe.  In short, the old gentleman so contrived it to make everything contribute to the improvement of his knowledge, even to his very dress.  He invented for him a geographical suit of clothes, which might give him some hints of that science, and likewise some knowledge of the commerce of different nations.  He had a French hat with an African feather, Holland shirts, Flanders lace, English clothes lined with