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 Annals.

��more success, if she could have diversified her conversation. Of business she had no distinct conception; and therefore her discourse was composed only of complaint, fear, and suspicion. Neither of them ever tried to calculate the profits of trade, or the expenses of living. My mother concluded that we were poor, because we lost by some of our trades ; but the truth was, that my father, having in the early part of his life contracted debts, never had trade sufficient to enable him to pay them, and maintain his family ; he got something, but not enough.

It was not till about 1768, that I thought to calculate the returns of my father's trade, and by that estimate his probable profits. This, I believe, my parents never did.

1711-12.

This year, in Lent 12, 1 was taken to London, to be touched for the evil by Queen Anne r. My mother was at Nicholson's,

��1 Life, i. 43, and post, p. 1 52.

Evelyn records on July 6, 1660 : the evil according to custom, thus : his Majesty sitting under his state [canopy] in the Banqueting- House the chirurgeons cause the sick to be brought or led, up to the throne, where they kneeling, the King strokes their faces or cheeks with both his hands at once, at which instant a chaplain in his formalities [solemn dress] says : " He put his hands upon them, and he healed them." This is said to every one in particular. When they have been all touched, they come up again in the same order, and the other chaplain kneel ing, and having angel gold 1 strung on white ribbon on his arm, de livers them one by one to his Ma jesty, who puts them about the necks of the touched as they pass, while the first chaplain repeats, " That is the true light who came into the world." Then follows an Epistle (as at first a
 * His Majesty began first to touch for

��Gospel) with the Liturgy prayers for the sick, with some alteration ; lastly the blessing ; and then the Lord Chamberlain and the Comptroller of the Household bring a basin, ewer and towel for his Majesty to wash.' Evelyn's Diary, ed. 1872, i. 357.

Pepys, who saw the ceremony nine months later, says : ' The King did it with great gravity, and it seemed to me to be an ugly office and a simple one.' Pepys's Diary, ed. 1851, i. 212.

Hearne records on Aug. 3, 1728 : ' Yesterday Mr. Gilman of St. Peter's parish in the east, Oxford (a lusty, heartick, thick, short man) told me that he is in the 85th year of his age, and that at the restoration of K. Charles ii, being much afflicted with the king's evil, he rode up to London behind his father, was touched on a Wednesday by that King, was in very good condition by that night, and by the Sunday night immediately following was perfectly recovered, and hath so continued ever since. He

��1 A piece of money impressed with an angel. It was rated at ten shillings. John son's Dictionary.

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