The Vicar of Wakefield | Page 6

my duty
without reward. I also set a resolution of keeping no curate, and of
being acquainted with every man in the parish, exhorting the married
men to temperance and the bachelors to matrimony; so that in a few
years it was a common saying, that there were three strange wants at
Wakefield, a parson wanting pride, young men wanting wives, and
ale-houses wanting customers. Matrimony was always one of my
favourite topics, and I wrote several sermons to prove its happiness: but
there was a peculiar tenet which I made a point of supporting; for I

maintained with Whiston, that it was unlawful for a priest of the church
of England, after the death of his first wife, to take a second, or to
express it in one word, I valued myself upon being a strict monogamist.
I was early innitiated into this important dispute, on which so many
laborious volumes have been written. I published some tracts upon the
subject myself, which, as they never sold, I have the consolation of
thinking are read only by the happy Few. Some of my friends called
this my weak side; but alas! they had not like me made it the subject of
long contemplation. The more I reflected upon it, the more important it
appeared. I even went a step beyond Whiston in displaying my
principles: as he had engraven upon his wife's tomb that she was the
only wife of William Whiston; so I wrote a similar epitaph for my wife,
though still living, in which I extolled her prudence, oeconomy, and
obedience till death; and having got it copied fair, with an elegant
frame, it was placed over the chimney-piece, where it answered several
very useful purposes. It admonished my wife of her duty to me, and my
fidelity to her; it inspired her with a passion for fame, and constantly
put her in mind of her end.
It was thus, perhaps, from hearing marriage so often recommended, that
my eldest son, just upon leaving college, fixed his affections upon the
daughter of a neighbouring clergyman, who was a dignitary in the
church, and in circumstances to give her a large fortune: but fortune
was her smallest accomplishment. Miss Arabella Wilmot was allowed
by all, except my two daughters, to be completely pretty. Her youth,
health, and innocence, were still heightened by a complexion so
transparent, and such an happy sensibility of look, as even age could
not gaze on with indifference. As Mr Wilmot knew that I could make a
very handsome settlement on my son, he was not averse to the match;
so both families lived together in all that harmony which generally
precedes an expected alliance. Being convinced by experience that the
days of courtship are the most happy of our lives, I was willing enough
to lengthen the period; and the various amusements which the young
couple every day shared in each other's company, seemed to encrease
their passion. We were generally awaked in the morning by music, and
on fine days rode a hunting. The hours between breakfast and dinner
the ladies devoted to dress and study: they usually read a page, and then

gazed at themselves in the glass, which even philosophers might own
often presented the page of greatest beauty. At dinner my wife took the
lead; for as she always insisted upon carving every thing herself, it
being her mother's way, she gave us upon these occasions the history of
every dish. When we had dined, to prevent the ladies leaving us, I
generally ordered the table to be removed; and sometimes, with the
music master's assistance, the girls would give us a very agreeable
concert. Walking out, drinking tea, country dances, and forfeits,
shortened the rest of the day, without the assistance of cards, as I hated
all manner of gaming, except backgammon, at which my old friend and
I sometimes took a two-penny hit. Nor can I here pass over an ominous
circumstance that happened the last time we played together: I only
wanted to fling a quatre, and yet I threw deuce ace five times running.
Some months were elapsed in this manner, till at last it was thought
convenient to fix a day for the nuptials of the young couple, who
seemed earnestly to desire it. During the preparations for the wedding, I
need not describe the busy importance of my wife, nor the sly looks of
my daughters: in fact, my attention was fixed on another object, the
completing a tract which I intended shortly to publish in defence of my
favourite principle. As I looked upon this as a master-piece both for
argument and style, I could not in the pride of my heart avoid shewing
it to my old friend Mr Wilmot, as I made