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The Vicar of Wakefield.
15

­tory letter to his uncle, a man whose character for every virtue was universal, yet just. I was received by his servants with the most hospitable smiles; for the looks of the domestics ever transmit their mas­ter's benevolence. Being shewn into a grand apartment, where Sir William soon came to me, I delivered my mes­sage and letter, which he read, and after pausing some minutes, Pray, Sir, cried he, inform me what you have done for my kinsman, to deserve this warm re­commendation? But I suppose, Sir, I guess at your merits, you have fought for him; and so you would expect a reward from me, for being the instrument of his vices. I wish, sincerely wish, that my present refusal may be some punishment for your guilt; but still more, that it may be some inducement to your repen­tance.—The severity of this rebuke I bore patiently, because I knew it was just. My whole expectations now, there­fore, lay in my letter to the great man."As