2 Bro. Why, sister, have you no manner of inclination to live religiously, and like a Christian, or to listen to what your father may say to you?

Sist. I think I am religious enough in all my conscience; and I don't intend to disturb my thoughts with any more. religion than needs must.

2 Bro. You talk wildly now; I hope you will be a good Christian.

Sist. A Christian! Why, what do you take me for a Mahometan? I think I am a very good Christian.

2 Bro. Why, suppose that too; yet, if it were no more than that my father desires it, and says, he resolves to have it so, you will hardly persuade yourself not to submit to him. You know, besides, that he is our father, and we ought in duty to obey him; and not only that, but he has been the kindest, tenderest, obligingest father in the world to us; and it would be very ungrateful to show yourself rude to such a father, as it would be wicked to disobey him. I am sure you would not be a Christian if you should.

Sist. Don't tell me: I think myself as good a Christian as any of you; but I won't be made a fool of, for all that. I had rather you think me no Christian, than you should think me a fool. Sure I am past my horn-book.

2 Bro. And what, because you are past your horn-book, do you think you are past teaching? Have you nothing to learn but your A B C?

:

Sist. No, no, I'll learn any thing too: but I won't be taught to be a hermit. If they have a mind to breed me up for an abbess, let them send me to a monastery. I'd rather be in a real cloister, than be cloistered up at home. Use none of your new cant with me. I tell you, brother, my mother may ruffle me as much as she will, I'll have my own way still.

2 Bro. Sister! sister! you may talk, and huff, and flounce about as much as you will, but you will have the worst of it at last; for if both father and mother set upon it, as I find they are both of a mind, they will conquer you at

last: and perhaps it may mortify you more than you think of.

Sist. I am not so soon conquered as my father may think, If they will not let me be quiet at home, I'll take another method, I am not so much to seek.

2 Bro. Pray, sister, don't be angry with me for my good will. I am not threatening you, nor my father by

me.

Sist. No, no, I won't be threatened neither. Sure I'm too old for correction.

2 Bro. But not for advice, I hope, sister, nor for instruction; and if my father should think you deserve correction, do you think there is no way for him to show his resentment, but laying his fingers on you?

Sist. You may all do your worst. I won't trouble myself about it. 'Tis vain to threaten me.

2 Bro. Nay, sister, I think you are not so above my father's threatening you. Would you be willing my father should hear you?

Sist. You may tell him, if you please.

2 Bro. Though it is very disobliging, sister, yet I love you too well to go on that errand, or to obey a command that would be so much to your prejudice.

Sist. I care not a farthing if you did.

2 Bro.. It is a satisfaction to me that I know you will be of another mind hereafter.

Sist. Not I, I defy you all. I'll go as far as my legs can carry me, before I'll be confined, or made a fool of.

2 Bro. Wherever you go, I would have you take this hint along with you, that you leave your reputation behind you, and especially the Christian will be left behind

you.

Sist. Don't you trouble your head about that, I shall take care of my own reputation.

2 Bro. While it is in your own keeping, I hope you will, sister; but you talk foolishly enough of going away from your father. If you once go out of your father's

doors, take my word for it, your character is at every body's mercy.

Sist. For what, pray?

2 Bro. Why should you ask for what? Pray what will you say, or what would you have said to any that should ask you, or ask us, why you are gone away from your father? You won't venture to say, that you came away because your father was about to reform his family! That you came away because you would not submit to be instructed by your father! That you came away because your father and mother would have you more religious than you were before! And if you will not say that, pray what can you say, or what can any body say for you?

Sist. I warrant you I shall have enough to say; and as for what you or others shall say, you may say your worst of me, I don't care.

2 Bro. Truly, the greatest misfortune will be, that when we say the worst, we shall say the truth; and that when we say the truth, we must say the worst of you that can be spoken; and, upon that account, I hope you will consider what you do, when you think of going from your father's house, though it were to the best friend you have.

Sist. Indeed, if they put hard upon me, I shall make no scruple of it.

2 Bro. I cannot tell what you will say then to bring yourself off. Pray what do you call putting hard upon you? Will you call my father's desire to reform your life a putting hard upon you? I hope you will first prove, that he designs to press you to some wicked thing, some forbidden unlawful course; but to call my father's desire to regulate your conduct, and reform your life, I say, to call this putting hard upon you, every body that bears it will reflect upon you.

Sist. No matter for that, I won't be confin'd, not I. 2 Bro. Not from the worst wickedness. Do you mean you will not be confined so?

Sist. I desire no wickedness; 1 don't know what you

nean. I have never exposed myself yet, to be charged with any wickedness.

2 Bro. But you will do it now, it seems, because your father requires you to be sober.

Sist. Pr'ythee what do you inean by sober? I think I am sober enough, and want no more reforming than any of you. What would you have?

2 Bro. I am no way taxing your sobriety, but should be very glad you should increase the stock, and improve it; and I believe my father means no other.

Sist. Can't I be sober as well with all my books my mother has taken away, as without them? What can you tax me with that is not sober, that there is such a rout about? 2 Bro. Dear sister! I do not find that my father or mother is inclined to tax you in particular any more than all of us, but all of us together; nay, even our father and mother themselves have been negligent, godless, and graceless; and if they now resolve to repent, and turn, and to carry it after another manner, and to have us do the same, pray what taxing can you call this? confesses he has been negligent, and has not done his duty as well as all of us? And what is all he desires of us, but only that as he begs pardon of Almighty God for himself, so we should ask the same for ourselves; that as he resolves to reform his practice, so we should do also ;--that so at last we may be a sober family, a reformed family, and may serve God for the future after another manner than we have done. Pray where's the hardship in all this?

Does not my father say, he

Sist. Well, you may go on with your reformation, and confessions, and all that, if you have a mind: for my part, I'll have nothi to do with it, I'll let you all go your own way.

1

2 Bro. Well, sister, I am sorry for you. If you hold in this mind, we are like to have a foul house with you, quickly, for I know my father will go thorough stitch with what he has begun.

Sist. My father may go on with what he will, I shan't

hinder him. He may let me alone, and reform the rest of you, can't he? I need no reformation that I know

of.

2 Bro. I am not so sorry for the difficulty my father will meet with, as for the hazard you will run for yourself, and the breach you will make in your own happiness. But here comes my sister Betty, I see by her looks she has some thing to say upon the same subject.

2 Sist. How long have you two been together?

2 Bro. A great while.

2 Sist. I suppose I know something of your discourse; at least, I guess at it by your looking so grave. Pray how long have you been here?

2 Bro. I told you a great while. But since you would be answered particularly, I believe we have been here just as long as you have been with my mother; for I know she has been talking to you.

2 Sist. That's true, my mother and I have been talking. 1 Sist. Talking! do you say? or fighting?

2 Sist. Fighting! What do you mean, sister? Do you think I fight with my mother?

1 Sist. No, but it may be your mother may fight with you. Why not with you, as well as with your eldest

sister?

2 Sist. My mother never struck me in her life, and I never gave her any cause that I know of.

1 Sist. That's more than I can say, yet I think I never gave her any more cause than you did.

2 Sist. If my mother has struck you, certainly you must have given her more cause than I have done; for every body knows she loves you to a distinction above every child she has.

1 Sist. I don't believe a word of it, nor do I desire such love.

2 Bro. Well, sister, but you may tell us a little how you like things, and what discourse my mother has had with you, for we all know the subject already.