_Betty's_ Death, calling up Memories of old Times, hath made me somewhat cynical, I think. I cannot but call to Mind her many ill Turns. 'Twas shortly after the Rupture of _Anne's_ Match with _John Herring_. Poor _Nan_ had over-reckoned on her own Strength of Mind, when she promised Father to speak of him no more; and, after the first Fervour of Self-denial, became so captious, that Father said he heard _John Herring_ in every Tone. This set them at Variance, to commence with; and then, _Mary_ detecting _Betty_ in certain Malpractices, Mother could no longer keep her, for Decency's Sake; and _Betty_, in revenge, came up to Father before she left, and told him a tissue of Lies concerning us,--how that _Mary_ had wished him dead, and I had made away with his Books and Kitchen-stuff. I, being at _Hackney_ at the Time, on a Visitt to _Rosamond Woodcock_, was not by to refute the infamous Charge, which had Time to rankle in Father's Mind before I returned; and _Mary_ having lost his Opinion by previous Squabbles with Mother and the Maids, I came back only to find the House turned upside down. 'Twas under these misfortunate Circumstances that poor Father commenced his_ Sampson Agonistes_; and, though his Object was, primarily, to divert his Mind, it too often ran upon Things around him, and made his Poem the Shadow and Mirrour of himself. When he got to _Dalilah_, I could not forbear saying, "How hard you are upon Women, Father!" "Hard?" repeated he; "I think I am anything but that. Do you call me hard on _Eve_, and the Lady in _Comus_?" "No, indeed," I returned. "The Lady, like _Una_, makes Sunshine in a shady Place; and, in fact, how should it be otherwise? For Truth and Purity, like Diamonds, shine in the Dark." He smiled, and, passing his Hand across his Brow to re-collect himself, went on in a freer, less biting Spirit, to the Encounter with _Harapha_ of _Gath_, in which he evidently revelled, even to making me laugh, when the big, cowardly Giant excused himself from coming within the blind Man's Reach, by saying of him, that he had need of much washing to be willingly touched. He went on flowingly to "But take good Heed my Hand survey not thee; My Heels are fetter'd, but my Fist is free," and then broke into a merry Laugh himself; adding, a Line or two after, "His Giantship is gone, somewhat crest-fallen; ". . . there, Girl, that will do for To-day."