a clasped book in an unknown tongue. This new world was as much, and even more, the grand, gracious teacher to Benjamin Harris, that it must have been to the single hearts among the company of yeomen, soldiers, merchants, preachers, and brave women who first trod its rock-bound shores; for he was not driven back upon himself and his fellows by its awful loneliness, or distracted by physical hardships and perils. This unweighed power must have helped effectually to combat the counter depths of bigotry and covetousness which the Harrises sounded.
“I know not why it is, Benjamin, but the sons
do always in some respect belong most to the mother — the daughters to the father.” “Because the daughters be the pictures of the good wife, and the sons be the marrows of the good man.”
Yes, Patience, who had grown grave with her - young husband (what he had not bargained for), was wise and happy in adopting his new humour as indefatigably. In truth, the wife and mother - promoted to her just dignity regained her lost health and cheer, and was as contented and bright,
At first the Harrises attracted considerable as she was laborious and untiring, attention from the magnates of the place; but The news salted by months on shipboard, had they were soon suffered to drop into obscurity, long ago reached the Puritans, that another king save among a few extravagant dreamers, or humble- reigned in England in the room of the vain and minded fools, when it was on record that, in spite forbidding sons of the “Man Charles,” that tole- of all their trials they were so weak, or had been so ration was proclaimed, and the fetters on men’s corrupted, as to prove shy in their experiences and consciences and liberties for ever broken. In the loose in their discipline. Then Benjamin Harris end the Harrises resolved to return to the old was left to re-print his forbidden English books, business, if possible to the old house in Grace- his Baxter, Howe, and beloved Milton, with the church Street, to bear no malice, to restore to the many charters and missives already in request, to mother country their children, to be received by cultivate his garden, and bring in wild plants and the unblushing, untroubled Chiswells as honoured wild birds, to ponder and hold converse with his . kindred, fit to be called to court, or to receive a dear wife Patience, the children born to them, and pension — and to bestow on Mrs. Lucy Soule, to the few congenial spirits who adhered to him — and! cure her moping, and arrest her flights, and bring grew well-to-do, and bland too, and jocose in his her back to the soft, cordial self under her whims, works and his amusements before a rival rose to their lads and lasses for the dear, bodily presence supersede him, by the charm involved in the pre- of her aged mother in the dust, servation of fierce denunciations. These indomitable, buoyant people did it all.
“Good wife,” owned Harris, one day, after he They came again in joy where they went out had been listening long to the chattering and weeping; flourished, Phoenix-like, out of their warbling of some feathered favourites. “I must ashes, because these were the ashes of the righteous; think that God has also ordained singing men and dwelt in London under Anne, when Newton occu- singing women to express mere human sympathies, pied an ordinary house in Leicester Square, and and instinctive gladness in addition to deliberate Swift and De Foe were the nameless scribblers; thanksgiving, which part no man disputes. I will ( walked with their children in the Mercers’ Gardens, not assail the class again, though, alas! many wax and were not frightened or ashamed to show them miserably wanton; just as I have had objections where the pillory was reared in Chepe; and, to summing up the arguments against the smoker’s depend upon it, Benjamin Harris found space and weed here, after I once saw how it cooled down time for his curious plumed pets, his seeds, his Governor Hawley’s intemperate heat which might sapling trees in pots, his creepers for porches, have been the destruction of the whole state.” balconies, and terraces, besides his collection of “Why it Beeraeth to me, that you have been battered black-letter volumes, and his ragged MSS; always merciful, Benjamin, save to yourself and , while Patience had her china closet containing, the boys when froward,” alleged Patience. among its valuables, some barbarous quill-work,
“I would be a craven to spare myself and my and a few tufted heads of gorgeous feathers, own flesh and blood; but the lads understand me, Benjamin Harris and his wife were not people think you not, Patience?” of quality, nor did they let loose their principles
“I fear they regard you before the minister; more than righteousness warranted, so that they even Sam who, you say, is upright, but tempted to doggedness.”
were not likely to frequent auctions and masquerades; but Benjamin humoured his young
“And they regard you, Patience, the most of daughters once by tucking them tightly under each the three.” I arm, and standing in a door way near Burlington
Patience plaited the curtain of her matronly House, somewhat sheltered from the crowd of hood round a face fuller and fairer than in her sedans, link-boys, and general spectators, to watch youth, though she had been always, in what she the company pour into one of those fashionable would have called her graceless days, a woman of and perilous diversions. As he kept his ground, a sweet, good favour, and she smiled sunnily. with his grave, manly face, and his modest but
“I do not say so, and yet you may give me our eager pair, a country gentleman by the cut of his sons, Benjamin, our tall, active sons, for you know! square coat, and the full hose tied at the knee,
I you have the chief share in the hearts of our which had gone out as far back as King Charles, foolish daughters.” eyed Harris carefully, and as if satisfied with the
“Tush, not foolish, Patience, woman; free from investigation, taking off his three-cornered hat, care, and, perchance slow of thought yet awhile,! begged mildly to be allowed to occupy a place
though swift of feeling; but modest, and maidenly, near him and his party. The stranger was attended and docile, and children of many prayers.” by a young daughter, and he wished that rustic