Mrs. Barbauld

“ The sea is not like the river; it is greenish. Well, here is water enough if we should be thirsty. Yes, here is water enough; but you would not like to drink it. It is salt and bitter. You could not drink it. How fast we go! Now the fields are a great way off. Now we cannot see any green fields at all, nor any houses, nor any thing but the great deep water. It is water, all round as far as ever we can see. Yes, and sky; we can see the sky too. All sky over our heads, and all water every where [Pg 24] round us! ”

“ Spaniels or water dogs will bring sticks which are thrown into the water. Some carry baskets. They do many useful and amusing things for their masters.
[Pg 50] There is a large house upon the top of a mountain, in Italy, in which a great many people live, called monks. The house is called a convent. These monks have a very fine breed of dogs, called the dogs of St. Bernard. They are a very large fine looking dog, very strong and very bold, and yet very kind. Not cross, like some of the little curs, we see every day. ”

“ Well, we must go on, on, on; and we shall see more rivers, and more fields, and towns bigger than our town a great deal—large towns, and fine churches, streets, and people—more than there is at the fair. And we shall have a great many high hills to climb. ”

“ And here is a little piece of green land, with the water running all round it. That is an island. A piece of land with water all round it, is an island. But we are not going there; we are going to the great land.
[Pg 25] Now we are at the land. Get out of the ship. Pray, what country is this? This is France. France! why France is in the map too.
And pray what is the name of that country we came from, where we live, and where papa lives? It is England. And the deep sea is between France and England? Yes, you know it is so in the map.
THE SHIP CHARLES CAME HOME IN.
O, France is a pretty place! ”

“ Now they were all very happy, as I told you, and loved the shepherd dearly that was so good to them—all except one foolish little lamb. And this [Pg 66] lamb did not like to be shut up every night in the fold; and she came to her mother, who was a wise old sheep, and said to her, I wonder why we are shut up so every night! the dogs are not shut up, and why should we be shut up? I think it is very hard, and I will get away if I can, I am resolved, for I like to run about where I please, and I think it is very pleasant in the woods by moonlight. ”

“ What is that tall thing that has four great arms which move very fast? I believe, if I was near it, they would strike me down. It is a wind-mill. Those arms are the sails. The wind turns them round. And what is a wind-mill for? It is to grind corn. You could have no bread if the corn were not ground. ”

“ Then the silly lamb wished she had been shut up in the fold; but the fold [Pg 68] was a great way off,—and the wolf saw her, and seized her, and carried her away to a dismal dark den, all covered with bones and blood; and there the wolf had two cubs, and the wolf said to them, Here, I have brought you a young fat lamb—and so the cubs took her, and growled over her a little while, and then tore her to pieces, and ate her up. ”

“ And there will be yellow flowers, and white flowers, and grass, and trees, and hedges; and the grasshoppers, will chirp, chirp, under our feet. Do not try to catch them; it will only hinder us, and we have a great way to go. ”

“ And the vines grow in the fields; they do not grow [Pg 26] against walls, as our vines do. And there are a great many people, men and women, and little boys and girls, singing, and dancing about, and so merry! nothing can be like it. ”