Fowle's New Hampshire Gazette And General Advertiser

From a London Magazine.

CONTENTMENT
Derived from Necessaries not from Superfluities.

I was always inclined to believe that the happiest men in the world were they who knew the fewest wants: but a little adventure which I met with a few weeks ago, has convinced me of my error.

Being overtaken by a violent thunder-storm, while I was travelling one day in Denbighshire, I hastened to a cottage, which appeared just within sight, to my no small satisfaction, and met with a very friendly reception from the venerable inhabitant of it; an old woman, neat in her person from head to foot, with an honest, cheerful countenance, the picture of simplicity: there was also a pleasing neatness in every part of her humble cot, which convinced me that decency and poverty were not incompatible.

Observing a pot upon the fire while I stood before it to dry my cloaths, I was doubly prompted by curiosity and hunger (two powerful passions) to ask the good old woman what it contained: "Some beans, Sir," said she, smiling, and dropping a courtesy; which though it would have been laughed at in a drawing-room, did not render her ridiculous in my eyes.

At the mention of the word beans, I felt myself very well contented with her intelligence, being as fond of that salutary vegetable, as a Creolian epicure is of turtle: and told her I would feast on them with her bacon.

"Bacon, Sir," replied she, staring at me, "Lord bless you, we can't afford bacon here: bacon is only for gentlefolks, we poor people must not think of it."

"Well well," answered I, though I love bacon dearly to-be-sure, I can make a good dinner with the beans, if they are well buttered.

"Buttered! alack-a-day, Sir; we never see a bit of butter all the year round, not we! butter is for the rich."

What, have you never any bacon or butter!" cried I, not a little surprized, imagining indeed, that she might only be just at that time without them.

"No, never Sir," said Mrs. Clayton, again smiling at me, and looking contentment in every feature; "and since the additional tax upon salt, we go without that too, and think beans every thing."

She spoke these words in a manner which filled me with wonder, and almost excited envy in me. In short, finding hunger to be literally the best sauce, I dined very heartily upon the aforesaid vegetables, without the usual accompaniments; and when I left the cottage of felicity, for so I think it may be properly called, could not help ruminating, during the remainder of the day, on the peculiar happiness of those who can eat beans without either butter or bacon; in other words, who can be satisfied with the necessaries, without pining after the Superfluities of life.

FREDERIC.