withal, that the pig might be fent to him the following Sunday, to his country houfe at Highgate. Accordingly his worship, having previously invited the parfon of the parish to dine with him, confidering the intended prefent as a fnug dinė ner juft for themselves; about eleven o'clock in the morning, a fmartlooking lad left fomething packed up in a hand-basket, with a neat flip of paper tied to it, directed to the right worshipful Mr. Justice Gilpin, which having carefully given to the maid fervant, with orders for her delivering it immediately to his wor fhip, fhip, he went back the fame way he came, but with much more baste! The justice, who had kept a pretty harp eye on the door, no fooner faw the meffenger at it, than he con luded that the pig was brought, and coming to the top of the ftairs, moft luftily ordered Betty to bring it up, afking her, at the fame time, if there was a good fire, and every thing ready for bafting the pig; but no fooner was the basket opened, than the pig turned out to be a fine chopping boy,, with a card from Gilpin's father, begging his acceptance of the fame. It is impoffible to fay, whether the justice or the maid was moft aftonished and furprised, the former at the impudence of the fellow, and the latter from her feriously thinking that the child was laid at the right doors what vexed, however, the old juftice moft was, the parfon's believing it to be a premeditated affront, upon being told of the disappointment his worship had met with, and turning upon his heels, with an intimation, that if he had known it, he should have had no occafion to have hurried away his congregation. The juftice, however, who had no no child of his own, and excepting a few peculiarities, was not without a confiderable share of good-nature, got, at length, the better of his paffion, forgave the rogue of a father, and adopted the child, which he called after his own name. CHAPTER II. HOW HE WAS SENT TO SCHOOL FOR EDUCATION, AND NEVER LEARNT ANY THING AT ALL. HE juftice, the next day, fent THE for a nurse, to whofe care he committed the child, and the week after fent for it home, where he had it chriftened by the name of John Gilpin Nothing very particular respecting it happened during the time it was at nurse, except that no one could be |