He was no sooner eased of his attendance at court by this means, than he retired to his country seat, in which he now thought he found more satisfaction, than the town, with all its hurrying pleasures could afford; there he intended to pass the greatest part of the remainder of his days, with some woman of prudence and good nature, which were the two chief requisites he now wished to find in a wife.—­There were several well-jointured widows in the county where he resided, and also young ladies of family and fortune, but he never made the least overtures to any of them, and behaved with that indifference to the sex, that it was the opinion of all who conversed with him, that he never designed to marry again, when at the same time, he thought of nothing more than to find a partner in that state, such as promised to prove what he desired.

To this end he watched attentively the behaviour of all those he came in company with, and as he was master of a good deal of penetration, and also no small experience in the sex, and besides was not suspected to have any views that way, it is certain he had a good chance not to be deceived.

It was not among the fine ladies, the celebrated beauties, nor the great fortunes, he sought himself a wife; but among those of a middling rank; he only wished to have one who might bring him children, and be addicted to no vice, or caprice, that should either scandalize him abroad, or render him uneasy at home, and in all his inspection, he found none who seemed so likely to answer his desires in every respect as a young maid called Laetitia; she was the daughter of a neighbouring yeoman, not disagreeable in her person, or behaviour, yet possessed of no accomplishments, but those which nature had bestowed:  her father was an honest plain man, he had four sons and two daughters, who had been married some time, and had several children; Laetitia was his youngest, and promised to be no less fruitful than her sisters; and this last was the chief inducement which made Natura fix his choice upon her.

Having resolved to seek no farther, he frequently went to the old man’s house, pretending he took delight in country affairs, would walk with him about his grounds, and into his barns, and see the men who were at work in them.  One day he took an opportunity of going when he knew he was abroad, designing to break his mind to the young Laetitia, who, being her father’s housekeeper, he did not doubt finding at home:  accordingly she was so; and, after some previous discourse, a little boy of one of her sisters, being playing about the room, ’This it a fine child,’ said he; ’when do you design to marry, pretty Mrs. Laetitia?’—­’Should you not like to be a mother of such diverting little pratlers?’—­’It is time enough, sir,’ replied she modestly, ‘for me to think of any such thing.’—­’If you get a good husband,’ resumed he, ‘it cannot be too soon’:—­’Nor, if a bad one, too late,’ cried she, ‘as there are great odds on that side.’—­’That