boglander had ftumbled on the << truth.

"After an hour's further conver"fation with this innocent, uncorrupted churchman, the 'fquire, finding a good heart, in the center "of a moderate capacity, looked up"on him, as the propereft man in the

kingdom, for his parish: being con"vinced he would not only fet a good "example, by his own industry, but

give them fuch difcourfes as would "never mislead them, because they "would feldom be able to under"stand them; he, therefore, gave "him his first year's fallary of five

guineas, in advance; judging two "things might have happened: the "first was, that althovgh this reve"rend Paddy had rode poft on foot

" from

s from Chester; yet expences, even "that way of travelling, might run "high, in proportion to his finances; " and the next was, that his rector "would never think of asking him

any questions about it; but judge "it fufficient, if he paid a quarter's "wages, when it was earned. Mer

lin, the conjurer of all conjurers, "could not have divined better than "the 'fquire did, though he never "studied a single line of the black "art in his life.

"Before the honest potatoe-plant"er retreated to his apartment in the parfonage-house, the 'fquire told "him, he would fend a handsome

gown and caffock from town, for "him to wear on Sundays; to keep ་་ up the proper refpect that ought to

4.

...be

"be paid by the parishioners to their "teacher; then, defiring him not to "trouble his head about any knotty 66 points of religion, but to preach "the golden rule to his tenants, of "doing to all men as they would be "done by themselves; to love and "affift each other; mind their own "concerns on the week-days, and appear decently drefs'd at church on Sundays; to pay their de"❝votions to their Maker, and

keep the Sabbath holy; “That, I "think," says the fquire, "is the fum " of all religion." " By St. Patrick,"

fays Teague, and a very good "fum too." Whether the honeft curate, by the word good fum, meant the sum of all religion, or the fum of five guineas, which he had gotten fafe in his pocket, for the life

of

of me, I never could guefs; if you can, reader, you have the advantage of me; but I fear we fhall never know, because the 'fquire's delicacy would not let him afk the good man any questions about it, left it fhould look like putting him in mind of the fmall fum he had given him; therefore, that matter, though a matter of fuch confequence to the learned world, must remain a profound fecret; unless one of my fagacious readers happens, by the dint of his own fuperior underftanding to find it out, and fix it with as much certainty as a great churchmán has the Divine Legation.

"The 'fquire," fays Mr. Derbyshire, finding the honeft parfon bottled

up every word he faid to him, as

care

"carefully as if it had been true "Irish ufquebaugh, could not part "with him, without a word or two "more of advice."

"Doctor," says he (I call you doc"tor, because I don't defign to leave "till I have made you one; and, adds "he, I don't see any reason why an "honeft man fhould not be made a "doctor now and then) take great "care how you attempt to make any "innovations or alterations in religion. I cannot better imprint in

66

your mind, the danger of making " innovations in religion, than by tell"ing the ftory of an honeft, well"meaning parfon, in Cumberland, "whofe zeal to lead his flock a short way to heaven, had like to have "been attended with much mischief,

VOL. IV.

E

"had