* * * * *

“This evening came Capt.  B., the worst of the Plundering Crew that pluck’d Richard.  ‘Sirrah,’ says he, impudently, ’thy Brother owe’d me three thousand pounds.’  And he pulls me out a great fistfull of Billets.

“‘Sirrah,’ says I, ’my Brother owes his Wife and Orphan’d Infant three thousand times more than that.  There be Debts of Nature which precede so-called Debts of Honour.  Each billet in thy hand, thou swindling runnigate, calls for a bullet.  Begone, lest I owe thee a horse-whipping.’

“‘Anan!’ says he, ’and one of you a Thief! That for Honour, in the mouth of a Hynds!’ And snapp’d me his fingers under my Nose.

“We arrang’d a Meeting, though ’T was Foolish to Risk myself, with the Roof tottering over my Mother’s Head.  My fellow Pompey, Mr. G. Dalzell, Mr. F. Mayne, & Dr. Baltassar Bobo with me.  Two of his scoundrelly Associates with him.  His ball graz’d my arm above the Elbow & Burnt the Linen of my Shirt.  Mine Finish’d him.  ’T was too great an Honour & more than he Deserv’d, to die by the Hand of a Gentleman.”

A little later:  “This morn disappear’d my Cozen Jessamine.

“Nothing discover’d of her Whereabouts,” he records from time to time.

“This morn saw I Emily & Richard’s little Son.  ’T is a Fine child, much Resembling my Brother.  Emily turn’d her Face away, drawing down of her Widow’s Weeds, & turn’d also the Babe’s face aside.  I felt Embitter’d.”

By this time he has taken over the whole Hynds estate as heir.  He mentions his sisters’ marriages, notes that they have received their dowers, and so dismisses them.

His mother has been dead some time when he marries.  One wonders what the bride was like, whom he commends for “Housekeeping Virtues, so that the Servants instantly Obey, there is no Pilfering & Loitering, & the House moves like Clockwork.”

He must have been like clockwork, himself.  There seems less and less human emotion in him.  The birth of his only child gets this: 

“This day was born Sophronisba Harriott Hynds, nam’d for her Estimable Mother.  I am told ’Tis a fine healthy Child.”

Casually thereafter he mentions “my Daughter.”  Twice her mother “Requested me to Chastise her for Unchristian Temper,” which chastisement he seems to have administered with thoroughness and a rattan, in his office.  On the second occasion, “I whip’d her Severely & did at the same Time admonish her to Ask Pardon of God.  Whereupon she Yell’d Aloud & did Seize the Calf of my Leg & Bite me, Causing me Great Physical Pain and Mental Anguish.  How sharper than a Serpent’s Tooth is an Ungrateful Child!”

(Oh, Ungrateful Child, I do not find it in my heart to blame you overmuch.  Somehow I can’t feel sorry that you bit him, Sophronisba!)

“This day died my Wife, an Estimable Helpmeet.  I shall sadly Lack her Management of the House.”  In spite of which, he buys more land.  Life seems to run smoothly enough.  “The Lord hath bless’d me with Abundance.  They that Spoke evil of me are Astonied & made Asham’d.  The Lord hath done it.”