 many bitter Execrations
against the Brother; and concluded with wishing something could be done for the
unfortunate Family. »Suppose, Madam,« said he, »you should recommend them to Mr.
Allworthy? Or what think you of a Collection? I will give them a Guinea with all
my Heart.«
    Mrs. Miller made no Answer; and Nancy, to whom her Mother had whispered the
Generosity of Jones, turned pale upon the Occasion; though if either of them was
angry with Nightingale, it was surely without Reason. For the Liberality of
Jones, if he had known it, was not an Example which he had any Obligation to
follow; and there are Thousands who would not have contributed a single
Halfpenny, as indeed he did not in Effect, for he made no Tender of any thing;
and therefore as the others thought proper to make no Demand, he kept his Money
in his Pocket.
    I have in Truth observed, and shall never have a better Opportunity than at
present to communicate my Observation, that the World are in general divided
into two Opinions concerning Charity, which are the very reverse of each other.
One Party seems to hold, that all Acts of this Kind are to be esteemed as
voluntary Gifts, and however little you give (if indeed no more than your good
Wishes) you acquire a great Degree of Merit in so doing. - Others, on the
contrary, appear to be as firmly persuaded, that Beneficence is a positive Duty,
and that whenever the Rich fall greatly short of their Ability in relieving the
Distresses of the Poor, their pitiful Largesses are so far from being
meritorious, that they have only performed their Duty by Halves, and are in some
Sense more contemptible than those who have entirely neglected it.
    To reconcile these different Opinions is not in my Power. I shall only add,
that the Givers are generally of the former Sentiment, and the Receivers are
almost universally inclined to the latter.
 

                                   Chapter IX

  Which treats of Matters of a very different Kind from those in the preceding
                                    Chapter.
 
In the Evening Jones met his Lady again, and a long Conversation again ensued
between them; but as it consisted only of the same ordinary Occurrences as
before, we shall avoid mentioning Particulars, which we despair of rendring
agreeable to the Reader; unless he is one whose Devotion to the Fair Sex, like
that of the Papists to their Saints, wants to be raised by the Help of Pictures.
But I am so far from desiring to exhibit such Pictures to the Public, that I
would wish to draw a Curtain over those that have been
