—­“I can tell you,” said he, “the ’squire will not receive any thing from you, Goodman Andrews.  Why, man, he has no occasion for it:  he’s worth a power of money, besides a noble and clear estate in land.  Ad’s-heartlikens, you must not affront him, I can tell you that:  he’s as generous as a prince, where he takes; but he is hasty, and will have his own way.”—­“Why, for that reason, Mr. Longman,” said I, “I was thinking to make you my friend!”—­“Make me your friend!  You have not a better in the world, to my power, I can tell you that, nor your dame neither; for I love such honest hearts:  I wish my own brother would let me love him as well; but let that pass.  What I can do for you, I will, and here’s my hand upon it.”

“Well, then,” said I, “it is this:  let me account to you at the rent Farmer Dickens offered, and let me know what the stock cost, and what the crops are valued at; and pay the one as I can, and the other quarterly; and not let the ’squire know it till you can’t choose; and I shall be as happy as a prince; for I doubt not, by God’s blessing, to make a comfortable livelihood of it besides.”—­“Why, dost believe, Goodman Andrews,” said he, “that I would do such a thing?  Would not his honour think if I hid one thing from him, I might hide another?  Go to, honest heart, I love thee dearly; but can Mr. B. do too much for his lady, think’st thou?  Come, come” (and he jeered me so, I knew not what to say), “I wish at bottom there is not some pride in this.  What, I warrant, you would not be too much beholden to his honour, would you?”—­“No,” said I, “it is not that, I’m sure.  If I have any pride, it is only in my dear child—­to whom, under God, all this is owing.  But some how or other it shall be so.”

And so, my dear daughter, I resolve it shall; and it will be, over and above, one of the greatest pleasures to me, to do the good ’squire service, as well as to be so much benefited and obliged by him.

Our eldest grandson Thomas desires to come and live with us:  the boy is honest, and, I hear, industrious.  And cousin Borroughs wants me to employ his son Roger, who understands the business of a farm very well.  It is no wonder, that all one’s relations should wish to partake of our happy lot; and if they can and will do their business as well as others, I see not why relationship should be an objection:  but, yet, I think, one should not beleaguer, as one may say, your honoured husband with one’s relations.  You, my best child, will give me always your advice, as to my carriage in this my new lot; for I would not for the world be thought an encroacher.  And you have so followed than yours.

Our blessing (I am sure you have blessed us!) attend you, my dearest child; and may you be as happy as you have made us (I cannot wish you to be happier, because I have no notion how it can be in this life).  Conclude us, your ever-loving father and mother,