This put my friend to a fresh strait. He had sought for a new
teacher to instruct his children in the Latin tongue, as the old had
done in the English, but had not yet found one. Wherefore one
evening, as we sat together by the fire in his bed-chamber (which
for want of health he kept), he asked me, his wife being by, if I
would be so kind to him as to stay a while with him till he could
hear of such a man as he aimed at, and in the meantime enter his
children in the rudiments of the Latin tongue.
This question was not more unexpected than surprising to me, and the
more because it seemed directly to thwart my former purpose and
undertaking, of endeavouring to improve myself by following my
studies with my Master Milton, which this would give at least a
present diversion from, and for how long I could not foresee.
But the sense I had of the manifold obligations I lay under to these
worthy friends of mine shut out all reasonings, and disposed my mind
to an absolute resignation of their desire that I might testify my
gratitude by a willingness to do them any friendly service that I
could be capable of.
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