Yes, I am glad that your sentiments so well accord with mine. We do the poor an essential service when we put them in a way to earn their own subsistence; for then we support the body without injuring the mind. Idleness in every station leads to vice. Do you go and speak to Harry, and ask him how much will be requisite for this purpose, and then we will give him it as a reward for his fidelity, and to comfort him under his misfortune. CHARLES. Dear parents, I thank you; I will run immediately and tell him the good news. It will rejoice his heart, for when he was sick and delirious, he raved about his mother, and repented, sorely repented that he had not followed her advice and worked at his own trade. He will be so glad to maintain his mother, for the poor old woman, after bringing up a family, finds it hard to stand at the wash-tub.—He was going— EMILIA. Stop a moment, I must go with you, for I love to see people happy. O, my dear mother, how delightful it is to have it in our power to be bountiful. The poor man cried for joy, when Charles informed him what his parents designed to do for him. Thus God provides for those who behave well to their parents. He saved to assist an old mother, and now he is lame his master takes care of him. In this way, said Sir Charles, we ought to lighten the afflictions we are liable to, and must humbly endure. Two months more and I shall again be with you. WILLIAM. LETTER LIII. WILLIAM _to his_ MOTHER. Edward is come again this afternoon, and looks very well. He informed us of a disagreeable accident which happened lately, and shows very clearly how imprudent it is to talk idly, and merely for the sake of having something to say, to canvass the faults or even the vices of others. But I will give you the particulars of a conversation we had in consequence of this information. EDWARD. You knew Colonel Brown, Charles. Last week Captain Fiery shot him. CHARLES. And for what reason? EDWARD. Because his son, in a large company, spoke very disrespectfully of the Captain, and said he was a man whose word could not be depended on. CHARLES. Suppose it was so, it was not proper to speak of it, especially in a large company; these kind of conversations proceed oftener from folly than from a detestation of vice, or a nice sense of honour, which makes a person feel indignation, when any of his fellow-creatures act meanly. WILLIAM. How could the Colonel be answerable for what his son said? EDWARD.