Now I have named this brother-in-law of mine; what do you think?—­Why, that good couple have had their house on fire three times already.  Once it was put out by Mr. Murray’s mother, who lives near them; and twice Sir Simon has been forced to carry water to extinguish it; for, truly, Mrs. Murray would go home again to her papa; she would not live with such a surly wretch:  and it was with all his heart; a fair riddance! for there was no bearing the house with such an ill-natured wife:—­her sister Polly was worth a thousand of her!—­I am heartily sorry for their unhappiness.  But could she think every body must bear with her, and her fretful ways?—­They’ll jangle on, I reckon, till they are better used to one another; and when he sees she can’t help it, why he’ll bear with her, as husbands generally do with ill-tempered wives; he’ll try to make himself happy abroad, and leave her to quarrel with her maids, instead of him; for she must have somebody to vent her spleen upon—­poor Nancy!—­I am glad to hear of Mr. Williams’s good fortune.

As Mr. Adams knows not Polly’s fault, and it was prevented in time, they may be happy enough.  She is a sly girl.  I always thought her so:  something so innocent, and yet so artful in her very looks:  she is an odd compound.  But these worthy and piously turned young gentlemen, who have but just quitted the college, are mere novices, as to the world:  indeed they are above it, while in it; they therefore give themselves little trouble to study it, and so, depending on the goodness of their own hearts, are more liable to be imposed upon than people of half their understanding.

I think, since he seems to love her, you do right not to hinder the girl’s fortune.  But I wish she may take your advice, in her behaviour to him, at least:  for as to her carriage to her neighbours, I doubt she’ll be one of the heads of the parish, presently, in her own estimation.

’Tis pity, methinks, any worthy man of the cloth should have a wife, who, by her bad example, should pull down, as fast as he, by a good one, can build up.  This is not the case of Mrs. Peters, however; whose example I wish was more generally followed by gentlewomen, who are made so by marrying good clergymen, if they were not so before.

Don’t be surprised, if you should hear that poor Jewkes is given over!—­She made a very exemplary—­Full of blessings—­And more easy and resigned, than I apprehended she would be.  I know you’ll shed a tear for the poor woman:—­I can’t help it myself.  But you will be pleased that she had so much time given her, and made so good use of it.

Mr. Peters has been every thing that one would wish one of his function to be, in his attendance and advice to the poor woman.  Mr. Longman will take proper care of every thing.  So, I will only add, that I am, with the sincerest respect, in hopes to see you soon (for I have a multitude of things to talk to you about), dear Mrs. B., your ever faithful and affectionate POLLY DARNFORD.