and pleasant young divine, though educated at Oxford for the
Episcopalian persuasion.

One day, soon after, as I was sitting in my closet conning a sermon
for the next Sunday, I was surprised by a visit from the dean, as
the dignitary was called. He had come, he said, to wait on me as
rector of the parish--for so, it seems, they call a pastor in
England--and to say, that, if it was agreeable, he would take a
family dinner with us before he left the castle. I could make no
objection to this kindness; but said I hoped my lord would come with
him, and that we would do our best to entertain them with all
suitable hospitality. About an hour or so after he had returned to
the castle, one of the flunkeys brought a letter from his lordship,
to say, that not only he would come with the dean, but that they
would bring his other guests with them; and that, as they could only
drink London wine, the butler would send me a hamper in the morning,
assured, as he was pleased to say, that Mrs Balwhidder would
otherwise provide good cheer.

This notification, however, was a great trouble to my wife, who was
only used to manufacture the produce of our glebe and yard to a
profitable purpose, and not used to the treatment of deans and
lords, and other persons of quality. However, she was determined to
stretch a point on this occasion; and we had, as all present
declared, a charming dinner; for fortunately one of the sows had a
litter of pigs a few days before, and in addition to a goose, that
is but a boss bird, we had a roasted pig with an apple in its mouth,
which was just a curiosity to see; and my lord called it a tithe
pig; but I told him it was one of Mrs Balwhidder's own clecking,
which saying of mine made no little sport when expounded to the