The description of a domestic government founded upon
rules directly contrary to those of Aristotle.
My reader may please to remember he hath been informed
that Jenny Jones had lived some years with a certain
schoolmaster, who had, at her earnest desire, instructed
her in Latin, in which, to do justice to her genius,
she had so improved herself, that she was become a
better scholar than her master.
Indeed, though this poor man had undertaken a profession
to which learning must be allowed necessary, this
was the least of his commendations. He was one
of the best-natured fellows in the world, and was,
at the same time, master of so much pleasantry and
humour, that he was reputed the wit of the country;
and all the neighbouring gentlemen were so desirous
of his company, that as denying was not his talent,
he spent much time at their houses, which he might,
with more emolument, have spent in his school.
It may be imagined that a gentleman so qualified and
so disposed, was in no danger of becoming formidable
to the learned seminaries of Eton or Westminster.
To speak plainly, his scholars were divided into two
classes: in the upper of which was a young gentleman,
the son of a neighbouring squire, who, at the age
of seventeen, was just entered into his Syntaxis;
and in the lower was a second son of the same gentleman,
who, together with seven parish-boys, was learning
to read and write.
The stipend arising hence would hardly have indulged
the schoolmaster in the luxuries of life, had he not
added to this office those of clerk and barber, and
had not Mr Allworthy added to the whole an annuity
of ten pounds, which the poor man received every Christmas,
and with which he was enabled to cheer his heart during
that sacred festival.
Among his other treasures, the pedagogue had a wife,
whom he had married out of Mr Allworthy’s kitchen
for her fortune, viz., twenty pounds, which she
had there amassed.
This woman was not very amiable in her person.
Whether she sat to my friend Hogarth, or no, I will
not determine; but she exactly resembled the young
woman who is pouring out her mistress’s tea in
the third picture of the Harlot’s Progress.
She was, besides, a profest follower of that noble
sect founded by Xantippe of old; by means of which
she became more formidable in the school than her
husband; for, to confess the truth, he was never master
there, or anywhere else, in her presence.
Though her countenance did not denote much natural
sweetness of temper, yet this was, perhaps, somewhat
soured by a circumstance which generally poisons matrimonial
felicity; for children are rightly called the pledges
of love; and her husband, though they had been married
nine years, had given her no such pledges; a default
for which he had no excuse, either from age or health,
being not yet thirty years old, and what they call
a jolly brisk young man.
