The Vicar of Wakefield | Page 5

much happiness, not but that
we sometimes had those little rubs which Providence sends to enhance
the value of its favours. My orchard was often robbed by school-boys,
and my wife's custards plundered by the cats or the children. The
'Squire would sometimes fall asleep in the most pathetic parts of my
sermon, or his lady return my wife's civilities at church with a
mutilated curtesy. But we soon got over the uneasiness caused by such
accidents, and usually in three or four days began to wonder how they
vext us.

My children, the offspring of temperance, as they were educated
without softness, so they were at once well formed and healthy; my
sons hardy and active, my daughters beautiful and blooming. When I
stood in the midst of the little circle, which promised to be the supports
of my declining age, I could not avoid repeating the famous story of
Count Abensberg, who, in Henry II's progress through Germany, while
other courtiers came with their treasures, brought his thirty-two
children, and presented them to his sovereign as the most valuable
offering he had to bestow. In this manner, though I had but six, I
considered them as a very valuable present made to my country, and
consequently looked upon it as my debtor. Our eldest son was named
George, after his uncle, who left us ten thousand pounds. Our second
child, a girl, I intended to call after her aunt Grissel; but my wife, who
during her pregnancy had been reading romances, insisted upon her
being called Olivia. In less than another year we had another daughter,
and now I was determined that Grissel should be her name; but a rich
relation taking a fancy to stand godmother, the girl was, by her
directions, called Sophia; so that we had two romantic names in the
family; but I solemnly protest I had no hand in it. Moses was our next,
and after an interval of twelve years, we had two sons more.
It would be fruitless to deny my exultation when I saw my little ones
about me; but the vanity and the satisfaction of my wife were even
greater than mine. When our visitors would say, 'Well, upon my word,
Mrs Primrose, you have the finest children in the whole country.'--'Ay,
neighbour,' she would answer, 'they are as heaven made them,
handsome enough, if they be good enough; for handsome is that
handsome does.' And then she would bid the girls hold up their heads;
who, to conceal nothing, were certainly very handsome. Mere outside is
so very trifling a circumstance with me, that I should scarce have
remembered to mention it, had it not been a general topic of
conversation in the country. Olivia, now about eighteen, had that
luxuriancy of beauty with which painters generally draw Hebe; open,
sprightly, and commanding. Sophia's features were not so striking at
first; but often did more certain execution; for they were soft, modest,
and alluring. The one vanquished by a single blow, the other by efforts
successfully repeated.

The temper of a woman is generally formed from the turn of her
features, at least it was so with my daughters. Olivia wished for many
lovers, Sophia to secure one. Olivia was often affected from too great a
desire to please. Sophia even represt excellence from her fears to
offend. The one entertained me with her vivacity when I was gay, the
other with her sense when I was serious. But these qualities were never
carried to excess in either, and I have often seen them exchange
characters for a whole day together. A suit of mourning has
transformed my coquet into a prude, and a new set of ribbands has
given her younger sister more than natural vivacity. My eldest son
George was bred at Oxford, as I intended him for one of the learned
professions. My second boy Moses, whom I designed for business,
received a sort of a miscellaneous education at home. But it is needless
to attempt describing the particular characters of young people that had
seen but very little of the world. In short, a family likeness prevailed
through all, and properly speaking, they had but one character, that of
being all equally generous, credulous, simple, and inoffensive.
CHAPTER 2
Family misfortunes. The loss of fortune only serves to encrease the
pride of the worthy
The temporal concerns of our family were chiefly committed to my
wife's management, as to the spiritual I took them entirely under my
own direction. The profits of my living, which amounted to but
thirty-five pounds a year, I made over to the orphans and widows of the
clergy of our diocese; for having a sufficient fortune of my own, I was
careless of temporalities, and felt a secret pleasure in doing