expectation in the birth of a fine boy, whom her sister in a few
months brought into the world.

I shall omit the description of the rejoicings, which were infinite
on this important occasion, and only observe that Mrs. Pickle's
mother and aunt stood godmothers, and the commodore assisted at
the ceremony as godfather to the child, who was christened by the
name of Peregrine, in compliment to the memory of a deceased uncle.
While the mother confined to her bed, and incapable of maintaining
her own authority, Mrs. Grizzle took charge of the infant baby double
claim, and superintended, with surprising vigilance, the nurse and
midwife in all the particulars of their respective offices, which
were performed by her express direction. But no sooner was Mrs.
Pickle in a condition to reassume the management of her own affairs,
when she thought proper to alter certain regulations concerning the
child, which had obtained in consequence of her sister's orders,
directing, among other innovations, that the bandages with which
the infant had been so neatly rolled up, like an Egyptian mummy,
should be loosened and laid aside, in order to rid nature of all
restraint, and give the blood free scope to circulate; and, with
her own hands she plunged him headlong every morning into a tub
full of cold water. This operation seemed so barbarous to the
tender-hearted Mrs. Grizzle, that she not only opposed it with
all her eloquence, shedding abundance of tears over the sacrifice
when it was made; and took horse immediately, and departed for the
habitation of an eminent country physician, whom she consulted in
these words: "Pray, doctor, is it not both dangerous and cruel to
be the means of letting a poor tender infant perish by sousing it
in water as cold as ice?"--"Yes," replied the doctor, "downright
murder, I affirm."--"I see you are a person of great learning and