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 N° 2.

THE GUARDIAN.

13

ing, the chiefpoint of which was, that his only child Marmaduke was from that hour under my

care, and I was engaged to turn all my thoughts ,

to the ſervice of thechild in particular, and all the concerns of the familyin general. My moſt excellent friend was ſo well ſatisfied with my be

haviour, that he made me his executor , and guar

dian to his ſon. My own conduct during that time, and my manner of educating his ſon Mar maduke to manhood, and the intereſt I had in

him to the time of his death alſo, with my pre ſent conduct towards the numerous deſcendents of my

old friend, will make, poſſibly, a ſeries of

hiſtory of common life, as uſeful as the relations of

the more pompous paffages inthe lives of princes and ſtateſmen. The widow of fir Ambrofe, and

the no leſs worthy reliet of fir Marmaduke, are both living at this time. I am to let the reader know, that his chief

entertainment will ariſe from what paſſes at the

tea -table of my lady Lizard. That lady is now

in the forty -ſixth year of her age, was married in the beginning of her ſixteenth,is bleſſed with a numerous offspring of each ſex, no leſs than four. fons and five daughters. She was the

mother of this large family before ſhe arrived at her thirtieth year : about which time ſhe loſt her huſband fir Marmaduke Lizard, a gentleman

of great virtue and generoſity. He left behind

him an improved paternal eſtate of fix thouſand pounds a year to his eldeſt ſon, and one year's revenue in ready money ,as a portion to each

younger child. My lady's chriftian name is Aſpaſia ; and as it may give a certain dignity to