CONTENTS.

“Urbis amatorem Fufcum fal-vere jubemus,
Ruris amatores."

CHAP. I.-The Old Squires

CHAP. II.-Attachment of the People to the Old Squires

CHAP. III.-The Early Years of The Last of the Old

Page

I

9

Squires-His Education, &c.

19

CHAP. IV. The Laft of the Old Squires' Loyalty-De-

fence of the Country-The Militia, &c.

CHAP. V.-The Laft of the Old Squires amongst his

People

31

43

CHAP. VI.-The Laft of the Old Squires amongst his

Tenantry-Freedom and Respect of those Days

CHAP. VII.-The Laft of the Old Squires at Church-

His Religious Views-The Parish Church

CHAP. VIII.-The Laft of the Old Squires' Objections

to, and Dislike of, Diffent and Diffenters as a Body

CHAP. IX. Certain Anecdotes concerning Diffenting

Teachers who came under The Laft of the Old

Squires' Notice

CHAP. X.-The Respect in which the Last of the Old

Squires held the Clergyman of his Parish-How he

taught the Children in conjunction with the Minif-

ter, and his Servants at Home

CHAP. XI.-The Laft of the Old Squires' Lady-Her

Influence, and her lowly excellent Wisdom and

Charity

54

63

77

86

96

106

vii

HOR. I Epift.

X. I.

Page

CHAP. XII.-The Laft of the Old Squires at Home-

His Children-How he and his Lady taught them 117

CHAP. XIII.-The Laft of the Old Squires' Love of

Natural History

134

CHAP. XIV. The Laft of the Old Squires' Love of

Anecdote and Humour

CHAP. XV.-The Laft of the Old Squires as a Magistrate

-His ripe Wisdom and found Judgment

145

156

CHAP. XVI.-The Training onwards of The Laft of the

Old Squires-His advanced Years, and latter Days 166

CHAP. XVII.-The Laft of the Old Squires' Death and

Funeral

180

CHAP. XVIII.-The Laft of the Old Squires' Will, &c.

CHAP. XIX.-How the People made their Remarks on

him that was gone before

192

198

CHAP. XX.-The Regrets of the Poor on the Loss of

their Counsellor and Friend

CHAP. XXI.-The Change in the Times, and what the

New English Gentleman ought to be, if he would

live beloved and die regretted as did the Laft of the

Old Squires.

209

218

R

ECKON but a few fhort Years more and the Race of the OLD SQUIRES will be extinct, whether to be replaced by a more valuable Set of Men in their several Localities, or not, remains a Queftion. As far as we are enabled to fee at prefent, a good deal may be faid on both Sides.

COWPER's Talk.
The Garden.

B

For if, in the Country, we have more Refinement and more Polish, it is by no means fo clear that we have that Openness of Character, Heartiness, and perhaps, Integrity of Purpose, that we had in Days gone by. And if this should turn out to be the cafe, Urbane and Polite are Words which might willingly be furrendered to pent-up Towns and Cities, whilst Homefpun and Ruftic, in a good and not unmannerly Sense, might be retained by the Lovers of the Country with a juft Pride and a proper Dignity. The high-bred Countrygentleman would not feel hurt by any Terms or Forms of Speech, provided they detracted not from the Pofition which his Conduct, and Manner of Life, and Fortunes entitled him to. And no one comes up to the Title of Countrygentleman, in the fuller Senfe here meant, but the Man who is more alive to the Interests of the People round about him, than to his own Pleasures and Enjoyments, and the trivial Purfuits of every-day Life. For if any lives to these alone, he merely fills up a Number, or is a Cipher. The Country owes him Nothing, because he brings a Scandal and a Reproach upon the Neighbourhood! No defcendant he of those whom the Poet spoke of: