It was wonderful to see how much good was in that gold, how large a fund of blessing was hidden in that crock: Reuben Scott gained health, the family were fed, clad, taught; Susan grew in happiness at least as truly as in girth; and Hagglesfield beheld the goodness of that store, whose curse had startled all Hurstley-cum-Piggesworth. But also at Hurstley now are found its consequential blessings. We must take another peep at Roger and sweet Grace; they, and Ben too, and Jonathan, and Jonathan's master, may all have cause to thank an overruling Providence, for blessing on the score of Bridget's crock. Only before I come to that, I wish to be dull a little hereabouts, and moralize: the reader may skip it, if he will--but I do not recommend him so to do. For, evermore in the government of God, good groweth out of evil: and, whether man note the fact or not, Providence, with secret care, doth vindicate itself. There is justice done continually, even on this stage of trial, though many pine and murmur: substantial retribution, even in this poor dislocated world of wrong, not seldom overtakes the sinner, not seldom encourages the saint. Encourages? yea, and punishes: blessing him with kind severity; teaching him to know himself a mere bad root, if he be not grafted on his God; proving that the laws which govern life are just, and wise, and kind; showing him that a man's own heart's desire, if fulfilled, would probably tend to nothing short of sin, sorrow, and calamity; that many seeming goods are withheld, because they are evils in disguise; and many seeming ills allowed, because they are masqueraded blessings; and demonstrating, as in this strange tale, that the unrighteous Mammon is a cruel master, a foul tempter, a pestilent destroyer of all peace, and a teeming source of both world's misery. Listen to the sayings of the Wisest King of men: "As the whirlwind passeth, so is the wicked no more: but the righteous is an everlasting foundation." "The righteous is delivered out of trouble, and the wicked cometh in his stead." "He that trusteth in his riches shall fall: but the righteous shall flourish as a branch." "Better is a little with righteousness, than great revenues without right." "The wicked shall be a ransom for the righteous, and the transgressor for the upright." "A good man leaveth an inheritance to his children's children: and the wealth of the sinner is laid up for the just." CHAPTER LI. POPULARITY. THE storm is lulled: the billows of temptation have ebbed away from shore, and the clouds of adversity have flown to other skies. "The winter is past; the rain is over and gone; the flowers appear upon the earth; the time of the singing of birds is come, and the voice of the turtle is heard in our land: the fig-tree putteth forth his green figs, and the blossoms of the vine smell sweetly. Arise, and come away."