LETTER XXIV.WilliamtoEmilia.

May I presume to write to you, dear Miss Emilia; your brother desires me not to fear your displeasure. I have not been much accustomed to write to young ladies; you must not, then, laugh at my blunders, and I am sure my subject will interest you, for I shall tell you what your brother does and says, as I used to tell my mother.

The appearance of our country pleases him, and I endeavour to let him see as much of it as I can. Yesterday we went to Leyden, one of the most beautiful cities in Holland. We visited the university, and saw whatever else was worthy of observation. It would certainly be a matter of regret to my friendto leave Holland without seeing the public buildings and other curiosities. We had very fine weather: Robert accompanied us. Your brother chose to go in one of the Trekschuits rather than in a carriage. I cannot refrain from relating to you the following adventure, which does your brother so much honour.

Coming a little too early, as we were walking backwards and forwards, we saw two young gentlemen, genteely dressed, who came from Leyden, and were waiting as well as ourselves, for the schuit. They appeared like persons of rank not well educated, with that mistaken pride which leads a person to look down with disdain on those whom they imagine to be their inferiors. It was particularly conspicuous in one, whom we heard the other address by the title of baron. What a contrast there was between his and your brother’smanners! Soon after came a poor Jew boy, he looked sick, and had a basket on his arm with small wares in it, which he offered to us for sale. The two young gentlemen soon cast their eyes on him, and began to laugh, handing his basket backwards and forwards, pretending to look at what it contained. Great people sometimes think they may do any thing because they are rich. The jokes seemed to displease your brother not a little, and he turned away several times to avoid hearing them. But the thoughtless young men were not satisfied with a trifling joke, they pretended to buy the whole basket, and promised to pay him his full demand, which was five guilders, provided he would bring it to Leyden to the house of a Mr. Vanderk. The young Jew was exceedingly glad, and danced for joy, as perhaps he might not have sold as much in two months.

The skipper, and a man I knew, was present at this transaction. Your brother quickly observed, that there was some cheat intended in this purchase; and, after the gentlemen had stepped into the schuit, questioned the boy, who informed him that his mother was sick, and on her account he rejoiced that he had sold the whole together: he added, that he should immediately set off for Leyden, and return in the evening with the money to his mother, who was in want of it. Charles then desired the skipper to take the boy in the schuit, and paid the fare, saying, you heard those gentlemen buy the boy’s basket of wares? Yes, answered the skipper, and I too, said another man, but it is only a trick, for there is no such gentleman as Mr. Vanderk in the whole city of Leyden: they only mean to let him have his walk for his pains, and will laugh all the evening at the fine trick they have played a Jew.

The poor Jew was happy to find he was to go in the schuit, for he was scarcely able to walk on account of an ague. We then went on board, and while we were standing at a distance from the rest, we had the following conversation.

WILLIAM.

I perceive, Grandison, what your generous heart meditates; you intend to give the poor boy the five guilders, which they promised him for his wares.

CHARLES.

No, this trick, or rather vile deceit, raises my indignation; I think that they deserve to be punished, to teach them more thought and humanity in future. The haughty baron shall pay the five guilders himself, or I am much mistaken. You may recollect that I asked the skipper if he had not heard them bargain for the basket, and an honest man, you know, alsooffered to bear witness: if I was to pay the money, it would be a kind of encouragement of the cheat, and perhaps heighten the jest. It is our duty, as much as we can, to assist our fellow-creatures, and to hinder one man from injuring another.

WILLIAM.

You excite my wonder; I had not extended my thoughts so far.

CHARLES.

It is not the loss of the five guilders that will affect the baron; a person so rich, as the skipper informs us he is, cannot think much of such a small sum; but he will, at least if he has any virtue, be ashamed of his foolish conduct: it shall be made public; his own companions will blush for him, and the joke will be turned against himself.

WILLIAM.

I did not think you had been so severe, Grandison. Your humane heart has often——

CHARLES.

You are mistaken, William; indifference in this case would prove rather that I had a weak than a good heart. I may forgive a cheat practised on myself, and I would do it as far as was consistent with my honour, but I must, when I see a fellow-creature deceived, exert myself to maintain his right.

WILLIAM.

Many who are called Christians think there is no harm in cheating a Jew, but my mother has given me a very different definition of humanity.

CHARLES.

A Jew is a man as well as we are, and we ought no more to cheat a Jewor a Turk, than we would a Christian: we must not despise, much less hate, those who profess a different religion: created by the same God, we are all brethren.

WILLIAM.

But how will you contrive to get the five guilders from the baron?

The approach of the gentlemen interrupted us, and your brother stood musing a short time.

We were now to change schuit, and went into a public house, where we were to stay half an hour to get a little refreshment. Your brother called me aside, sent for Robert, and ordered him to pay the Jew five guilders. How, said I, you have changed your mind! No, said he, it shall be repaid out of the baron’s purse, if my plan succeeds according to my wish. When you, continued he to Robert, have paid themoney, bring the boy into the house, the rest will follow of course.

We then went into the coffee-room, where the two giddy young men were drinking and teazing a great dog. Robert quickly followed, with the Jew boy and his basket, for as they were in a different part of the schuit, they supposed he was gone on foot to Leyden. But I must give you, verbatim, the conversation that passed between them and Charles on that occasion.

BARON.

How came this boy in the schuit?

CHARLES.

Sir, your generosity in purchasing all this poor little merchant’s ware, by the sale of which, he assists to maintain a sick mother, had such an effect on me, that I determined to pay his fare, because I perceived that he had an ague on him, which has weakened him in such amanner that he would scarcely have been able to walk to Leyden, much less to have returned back to night. But my servant, who just now came in with him, felt so much compassion for him when he saw him so sick in the boat, that he has done a great deal more, he has given him the five guilders, and taken charge of the purchase, that the boy may return without any delay, and he will himself deliver it at the house of Mr. Vanderk.

The baron and his friend soon perceived your brother’s design, and looked very foolish, and the eyes of all the people in the room were fixed on them. They stammered, and knew not at first what to answer. Your brother, with his usual presence of mind, called the skipper, and said, you undoubtedly know Mr. Vanderk, of Leyden, to whose house those gentlemen have directed the young Jew; if you will gowith my servant, when we arrive there, I will give you something to drink. The worst of all is, said the skipper, that in all Leyden I do not know where to find a gentleman of the name of Vanderk.

CHARLES.

That gentleman, pointing to the baron, will have the goodness to inform you.

BARON.

I do not know any gentleman of that name at Leyden: we only meant to amuse ourselves a little with the young rogue.

CHARLES.

That amusement is well worth five guilders: it is to you gentlemen the wares must be brought, and that is just the same; my servant is not afraid of the payment.

Every one now began to laugh, and the baron and his friend seemed ashamed of themselves. An honest burgher, who was in the room, cried out, with a look of contempt, the prank is really well recompensed. Another pitied the poor Jew, and thought it very inhuman to have sent a child, shaking with an ague, so many miles to no purpose; for every one perceived that the poor boy would have got nothing, and after having long sought for Mr. Vanderk, he must have returned back with his wares. At last the jokers, with very serious faces, paid Robert the five guilders, and to take off part of the odium from themselves, they desired the boy to keep his basket and wares, which they could make no use of. Your brother ordered the boy a warm breakfast, and paid his fare back to the Hague.

We were then called to go on board again, and the baron and his friend werecured of their airs for that day at least. What a long letter I have written! Permit me, however, to assure you, that I am your most humble servant.

WILLIAM.

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