Udder Revenge_ on his way to London, in which he is represented, as is customary with all who set out on a journey, kneeling before a crucifix and pronouncing a prayer. Mr. Toms, from his seat in the coach, which he had taken when the new company departed, looked over the roof at his new companions, who were now so near as to hear what he said: "Why, then, friend, what were the sins you went out for? Did you hear any cries to that purpose in your own family? Dost thou think me ignorant of the manner in which wicked children are reclaimed by their fathers? Did not I, some twenty years ago, reclaim a wicked girl of fourteen, who had run away with another man's husband, after she had murdered hers? The wretch she murdered was very near-related to me, and his wife had carried him a live new-born babe, but had miscarried in the journey, and had just made shift to crawl back, when this young girl knocked him on the head with a lump of butter and drowned him." At this dreadful relation, Tom's heart would have burst, but he concealed his feelings, and proceeded thus:-- "Yes, my dear friend, I did very like a wicked man, and had I been well versed in the business, the girl might have been saved. But, alas! sir, I have not lived so long in the world without learning to speak the truth." "Say you so, friend?" replied the stranger; "then you must know that my husband and I have resolved to bring up a son to the Church, or else turn him into the world again, and let him become a robber and horse-stealer. But tell me, my man, do you think my son will succeed in this good undertaking?" "Sir," said Tom, "the only way to be sure of this is, to call your son to sit in this box, and let him see how his brother hath run away with my master's son, which is the cause of my being here; that he may see he is to blame for it, as I am, for my being here at all. For had it not been for the fear of God, and the love we have for our children, we should all have followed the vile counsel of the devil, who, by lying teaching and such like arts, persuades people to break the Commandments and disobey their parents. For which reason I, though I hope my children will be holy and obedient, cannot so easily believe it in the rest of my neighbours." "Alas, friend," said the stranger, "you have a noble understanding; but my son hath so much of the evil spirit, that I could wish my son might sit in this box, and I the son of a shepherd in this seat. Now, would you advise me, to leave my son here?" "Surely, friend," said Tom, "you will think on this matter, for I cannot advise you to do any thing to disoblige God, or disoblige your own son. Consider what it is to sit in this box, which was appointed for a man of great piety and learning, and to be punished for your negligence and ignorance. The place is not fit for your son to live in, but to sit in in penance and humiliation. You might with much less trouble bring up your son to be a good man, and that the good God might assist him in his life and conversation; and instead of being here for ten, you will be here for ever and ever." "Ah, friend," said the stranger, "you have taught me a good lesson; but, alas! I am afraid my son hath the devil already too strong in him. Nay, he is too wicked to live. And truly I am ashamed to bring up my children like wolves, when they should be like lambs; so if thou canst direct me to a good schoolmaster, that I may put my son to him, I will bring him to school." "No, not to be schoolmaster," said Tom, "but to a wise man, to learn himself, and that is the schoolmaster that will make him wise. No, he is too young, if you put him to a schoolmaster. His studies must be to learn himself to be a wise man, before he has skill to teach others. If I were you, I would send him to school to an honest man, that will advise him how to train himself, and then he will have the means in his hand to govern and direct others. I have known boys to make a better progress, and be worth more than their father, when they took not the first place, but the second." "My neighbour there," said the gentleman, "is a very good example of what you are speaking of." "Why, sir," said Tom, "did you not know, that he was a very foolish boy till he was seven years old? He was as foolish as any boy that ever was born." "Well," said the gentleman, "I have always heard, that it is best for children not to know much at first." "My friend," said Tom, "you are ignorant of the world. Let me tell you, that a child must be born wise, or it must be born a fool. The first is more common, and the second more foolish. And let me tell you, that one of the greatest signs of a bad man is, that he takes for wise men those that are children and fools, and for true men those that are fools and children. For all men are fools till they are full grown, and I hope your son will not have the folly to think himself a man till he be six-and-thirty. And though he is my master's son, and so I have some trouble in getting him out of the way, yet, since he does me such mischief, I must endeavour to bring him to reason as soon as he is seven years old; and then if he will come to a proper schoolmaster, I will come over myself and bring him up, if he will not come without me. As for your son, you will do what is best; and I wish that the young wench may be brought up in the way of virtue, that she may know what she doth, that, for fear of God's anger, you may save yourself and your family; and let your son be brought up as I have said." "It was a merry thought," said the gentleman, "to let this good fellow sit here." "It was for that purpose," said Tom, "I asked him if he would sit in it." "Well," said the stranger, "thou shalt not repent of what thou hast done. Only be sure that thou hast a good master, if he should be found to teach the young man ill. But have you no more good advice to give us?" "Yes," said Tom, "since I have told you that my own boy was too bad till he was six-and-thirty years old, and that I would take him out of the way myself; and that when your son is found to be too bad, you may put him out of the way in like manner. As for your son, I would advise you to take him into the road with you when you go to supper to-night; and though he may be very troublesome when you carry him to the house, yet let him play with the other children, till he comes to the place where you carry him to supper. Do not make him hurt the cattle, nor do any mischief, for the children will learn to do so; and then when he comes to follow you home, he will be able to take care of his own meat, which will be better for him than eating up that which you have provided for you and your family. And do you, friend, as I have done, take him to the priest when he is six years old, and so the young man may be taught the way of virtue. And then it will be easier to persuade him, when he comes to be twenty, to learn any art or mystery." "And do you think, friend," said the stranger, "that when he comes to be thirty years old, he will be grown too old for instruction?" "Do not you see," said Tom, "that I say what is too good for a boy till he be six-and-thirty? And as I said before, it was my father that told me so, and he was so sensible of it that he used to call his son a child till he was six-and-six; and it was at six-and-six that I was made a man. And now, friends, I can only make a boy wise, and my father's son