The House built by Sir William, had a Statue erected over the Door of a Boy sliding on the Ice, and under it were these Lines, written by Mrs. Two-Shoes, and engraved at her Expence.

[Illustration]

  On SIN.  A SIMILE.

    As a poor Urchin on the Ice,
  When he has tumbl’d once or twice,
  With cautious Step, and trembling goes,
  The drop-stile Pendant on his Nose,
  And trudges on to seek the Shore,
  Resolv’d to trust the Ice no more: 
  But meeting with a daring Mate,
  Who often us’d to slide and scate,
  Again is into Danger led,
  And falls again, and breaks his head. 
    So Youth when first they’re drawn to sin,
  And see the Danger they are in,
  Would gladly quit the thorney Way,
  And think it is unsafe to stay;
  But meeting with their wicked Train,
  Return with them to sin again: 
  With them the Paths of Vice explore;
  With them are ruin’d ever more.

CHAP.  IV.

What happened at Farmer Grove’s;
and how she gratified him for the Use
of his Room.

While at Mr. Grove’s, which was in the Heart of the Village, she not only taught the Children in the Day Time, but the Farmer’s Servants, and all the Neighbours, to read and write in the Evening; and it was a constant Practice before they went away, to make them all go to Prayers, and sing Psalms.  By this Means, the People grew extremely regular, his Servants were always at Home, instead of being at the Ale-house, and he had more Work done than ever.  This gave not only Mr. Grove, but all the Neighbours, an high Opinion of her good Sense and prudent Behaviour:  And she was so much esteemed, that most of the Differences in the Parish were left to her Decision; and if a Man and Wife quarrelled (which sometimes happened in that Part of the Kingdom) both Parties certainly came to her for Advice.  Every Body knows, that Martha Wilson was a passionate scolding Jade, and that John her husband, was a surly ill-tempered Fellow.  These were one Day brought by the Neighbours for Margery to talk to them, when they fairly quarrelled before her, and were going to Blows; but she stepping between them, thus addressed the Husband; John, says she, you are a Man, and ought to have more Sense than to fly in a Passion, at every Word that is said amiss by your Wife; and Martha, says she, you ought to know your Duty better, than to say any Thing to aggravate your Husband’s Resentment.  These frequent Quarrels, arise from the Indulgence of your violent Passions; for I know, you both love one another, notwithstanding what has passed between you.  Now, pray tell me John, and tell me Martha, when you have had a Quarrel the over Night, are you not both sorry for it the next Day?  They both declared that they were:  Why then, says she, I’ll tell you how to prevent this for the future, if you will both promise to take my Advice.  They