been a falling off in the light-hearted daffing, while the
hobleshows in the change-houses have been awfully augmented. It was
on this occasion that Punch's opera was first seen in our country
side, and surely never was there such a funny curiosity; for
although Mr Punch himself was but a timber idol, he was as droll as
a true living thing, and napped with his head so comical; but oh! he
was a sorrowful contumacious captain, and it was just a sport to see
how he rampaged, and triumphed, and sang. For months after, the
laddie weans did nothing but squeak and sing like Punch. In short,
a blithe spirit was among us throughout this year, and the briefness
of the chronicle bears witness to the innocency of the time.



CHAPTER XII YEAR 1771



It was in this year that my troubles with Lady Macadam's affair
began. She was a woman, as I have by hint here and there intimated,
of a prelatic disposition, seeking all things her own way, and not
overly scrupulous about the means, which I take to be the true
humour of prelacy. She was come of a high episcopal race in the
east country, where sound doctrine had been long but little heard,
and she considered the comely humility of a presbyter as the
wickedness of hypocrisy; so that, saving in the way of neighbourly
visitation, there was no sincere communion between us.
Nevertheless, with all her vagaries, she had the element of a kindly
spirit, that would sometimes kythe in actions of charity, that
showed symptoms of a true Christian grace, had it been properly