The Child of the Miller's Daughter, and Relation of her Misfortune--
A frugal Couple; their Kind of Frugality--Plea of the Mother of a
natural Child; her Churching--Large Family of Gerard Ablett: his
apprehensions: Comparison between his state and that of the wealthy
Farmer his Master: his Consolation--An Old Man's Anxiety for an
Heir: the Jealousy of another on having many--Characters of the
Grocer Dawkins and his Friend; their different Kinds of
Disappointment--Three Infants named--An Orphan Girl and Village
School-mistress--Gardener's Child: Pedantry and Conceit of the
Father: his botanical Discourse: Method of fixing the Embryo-fruit
of Cucumbers--Absurd Effects of Rustic Vanity: observed in the
names of their Children--Relation of the Vestry Debate on a
Foundling: Sir Richard Monday--Children of various Inhabitants--The
poor Farmer--Children of a Profligate: his Character and Fate--
Conclusion.

The year revolves, and I again explore
The simple Annals of my Parish poor;
What Infant-members in my flock appear,
What Pairs I bless'd in the departed year;
And who, of Old or Young, or Nymphs or Swains,
Are lost to Life, its pleasures and its pains.
No Muse I ask, before my view to bring
The humble actions of the swains I sing. -
How pass'd the youthful, how the old their days;
Who sank in sloth, and who aspired to praise;
Their tempers, manners, morals, customs, arts,
What parts they had, and how they 'mploy'd their parts;
By what elated, soothed, seduced, depress'd,
Full well I know-these Records give the rest.