Note 33 — TABLE TALK; OR, ORIGINAL ESSAYS ON MEN AND MANNERS (continued 4)

A poor woman at Plymouth who did not like the formality, or could not afford the expence, of a will, thought to leave what little property she had in wearing-apparel and household moveables to her friends and relations, vivá voce, and before Death stopped her breath. She gave and willed away (of her proper authority) her chair and table to one, her bed to another, an old cloak to a third, a night-cap and petticoat to a fourth, and so on. The old crones sat weeping round, and soon after carried off all they could lay their hands upon, and left their benefactress to her fate. They were no sooner gone than she unexpectedly recovered, and sent to have her things back again; but not one of them could she get, and she was left without a rag to her back, or a friend to condole with her.