N° 2 .
THE GUARDIAN .
13
ing, the chiefpoint of which was, that his only child Marmaduke was from that hour under my
care, and I was engaged to turn all my thoughts ,
to the ſervice of thechild in particular, and all the concerns of the familyin general. My moſt excellent friend was ſo well ſatisfied with my be
haviour , that he made me his executor , and guar
dian to his ſon . My own conduct during that time, and my manner of educating his ſon Mar maduke to manhood , and the intereſt I had in
him to the time of his death alſo, with my pre ſent conduct towards the numerous deſcendents of my
old friend, will make, poſſibly, a ſeries of
hiſtory of common life, as uſeful as the relations of
the more pompous paffages inthe lives of princes and ſtateſmen . The widow of fir Ambrofe, and
the no leſs worthy reliet of fir Marmaduke , are both living at this time. I am to let the reader know, that his chief
entertainment will ariſe from what paſſes at the
tea -table of my lady Lizard. That lady is now
in the forty -ſixth year of her age, was married in the beginning of her ſixteenth,is bleſſed with a numerous offspring of each ſex , no leſs than four. fons and five daughters . She was the
mother of this large family before ſhe arrived at her thirtieth year : about which time ſhe loſt her huſband fir Marmaduke Lizard, a gentleman
of great virtue and generoſity. He left behind
him an improved paternal eſtate of fix thouſand pounds a year to his eldeſt ſon, and one year's revenue in ready money ,as a portion to each
younger child. My lady's chriftian name is Aſpaſia ; and as it may give a certain dignity to
