Unknown

“ I am sure you never had half so much enjoyment of a new hat for yourself or a fine doll.
Lydia.
Because the little boy and girl look so happy; and there is so much pleasure in seeing people happy.
Mamma.
Blessed indeed are those whose countenances, like a mirror, reflect the brightness which shines in the face of their neighbour: or, to speak more plainly, my little dear, blessed both of God and man are those who are cheerful and happy, because they see another person glad; “Who rejoice with them that do rejoice.” ”

“ Every body must love him dearly, said his Mamma. I wish, said Lydia, I knew how to make him some return. I wish I could do any thing to please him.—Your wish is natural and amiable; but be satisfied, that Gilbert finds [81] in the performance of such acts of good-nature and kindness, a higher reward than any we could give him; believe me there is a delight in being kind, and affectionate, and generous, that is beyond any pleasure that relates merely to a person’s own self ”

“ Look up, my love; I shall relate your fault; but the story of your voluntary confession will reflect more honour upon you, than if no fault had been committed: and every thing may be hoped of a young person with so noble a disposition.—Come, let us go down.
A few days after this amiable behaviour of Miss Lydia’s, her Mamma received a letter to appoint a day for the arrival of some company, who were to stay a fortnight, and whom Miss Lydia had never seen. ”

“ Lydia observed to her Mamma, that although Sally was a poor girl, and had never gone into company, yet she always behaved in a very pretty manner, and spoke gently and civilly, and made charming courtesies.
My dear, said her mamma, when people [51] have a modest opinion of themselves, and wish to behave with respect and civility, they seldom do any thing that is improper.
A fear of offending will make them gentle and reserved in their behaviour; and a person who tries to speak in an obliging manner is not often at a loss for language. It is conceit and forwardness which make people disgusting ”

“ Indeed, brother, said Lydia, I beg you will not think of it; for if there are such bad men about they may rob you too.
Gilbert, I believe, said Mamma, does not read Horace yet, or he might tell you that,
“Blythe sings the traveller with empty purse,
And in the robber’s sight pursues his course.” But though it is certain that, if he has nothing he cannot be robbed, he may be uncivilly used, and, therefore, I would advise him not to go; we can, I dare say, procure fish without giving him any further trouble; but I thought you had a shilling this morning, Gilbert ”

“ Lydia.
I am delighted even with seeing my little lamb happy, when I feed and caress him. I think it is a great pleasure to have the power of making any thing happy.
Mamma.
Cherish, my dearest child, this disposition, and these feelings; and if you [82] should ever meet with unkindness from others, do not let that incline you to be less kind and good. Bear always in your mind the text I once taught you, “Be not overcome of evil; but overcome evil with good.” ”

“ Lydia.
How can the earth nourish them, Mamma?
[42]
Mamma.
My dear, as the food you take nourishes you, so the plant draws the moisture out of the earth, and that moisture runs through all the parts of it, and supports it; and according to the different channels it runs through, takes all kinds of beautiful colours, or sometimes only a fine green; and in some flowers takes no colour at all, but leaves the plant a pure white. The earth is called the parent of plants and vegetables ”

“ The young woman called at the time mentioned for the letter; and after many expressions of gratitude for the kindness shown to her cousin and herself, returned to London, carried it to her late mistress, and in a few days, Miss Lydia had the pleasure of knowing, that her Mamma had received a letter from the lady, to thank her for restoring so valuable a servant to her, and to inform her, that as her own maid was going to be married, she meant to take her to wait upon herself; and should ever esteem a person capable of such noble conduct, rather as a friend than a servant. ”

“ Lydia arose as soon as the maid came into her room, and went to receive a kiss from her Mamma; she then walked down stairs, and the first thing she saw at the hall door was her little lamb, with a new blue ribbon round his neck, and shaking some little round bells that were fastened to it. Away she flew first to her Mamma, then to her sisters, to ask who had made her lamb so fine? but they could not give her any information; every body in the house was asked to no purpose. After a little while, I think, said Mamma—I guess! I guess too, cried out little Lydia, it must be Gilbert ”

“ Lydia.
But sometimes things happen to tease me, and make me fret.
Mamma.
Then is the time to try to get the better of yourself; things may not always go as you like; but nothing can make you fret unless you will: for example, if little Edwin come in and catch up your book, or your doll, we suppose you had rather he let them alone, but you need not make a great noise, and whine, and call him a naughty boy, and run and snatch them roughly from him; you may speak in a good-humoured tone of voice, and say, Pray, Edwin, give me my book, or any thing else he has ”

“ There will come a day when all the men that ever were in the world, and all the angels that are in heaven, will be assembled together: and all those who have been wicked will have their sins proclaimed before this assembled multitude, and be disgraced before them all. Beware then, my child, of real offences, and watch now so continually over your behaviour, that, by correcting, while you are so young, all your little faults, you may be happily preserved from falling into such serious ones as will cover you with shame and confusion at that awful day. ”

“ And if you see persons by their ill-temper offend God, and vex every body they are connected with, instead of making their bad behaviour an excuse for your own, think what a sad thing it would be if you, seeing the disagreeableness of their behaviour, were to become like them; and on the contrary, think what an honour it will be to you, if, by your example, by seeing you always patient, and kind, and disinterested, others leave off disputes and selfishness, and grow good. ”

“ Teachwell would give us some little system of plants, with their nature and uses, fit for such young folk as you; for I again say, you cannot be too well acquainted with the works of God, who made you, and made the little insects, and the slender flower which your eye almost overlooks. ”

“ Miss Stark happening to come in when she was at work, expressed great surprise at her employment, and said, she wondered her Mamma should let her wear the skin off her pretty little fingers with such coarse, nasty work, which was much fitter for the maid than for her; and that she thought it much below her to be making checked aprons for a poor girl.
When Miss Stark was gone, Lydia told her Mamma what she had said to her. I [35] must not, said her Mamma, suffer Miss Stark to visit you, if she puts such notions into your head. Can it possibly be below you to be useful to any person living? ”

“ When she met her papa and mamma, and brothers and sisters in the parlour, after she had bidden them all good morning, she sat herself down very quietly at the bottom of the table, and did not ask for any thing, nor reach across the table to pull the bread and butter about, but sat still and looked very good-humoured, till her Mamma gave her a piece of bread with some very nice honey upon it, and a cup of tea, and then she ate her breakfast very genteely. ”

“ The meeting at breakfast, you may suppose, was not a very pleasant one to Miss Lydia. Her Mamma, however, after reading the account of her fault, added, that she had acknowledged herself truly sorry and ashamed of it, and had learned her lesson very diligently; and then embracing her, said, she dared say she should never be obliged to put her to the blush again. ”

“ I very affectionately recommend this practice to any young persons who desire in earnest to be good: and if the little anecdotes I have written shall persuade any one little boy or girl to correct their faults, and become more happy in themselves, and a greater comfort to their parents, I shall be abundantly recompensed for my trouble. ”

“ Be assured you can never escape trouble and sorrow by being wicked; you have already done one fault, and you feel how unhappy it has made you; but, if you were to tell a lie, you would become a great deal more naughty, and consequently be a great deal more unhappy. ”

“ Three times she attempted to settle the affairs of Europe, and as often Master Edwin deranged them. The little girl then, with great good-humour, put the pieces into the box, and said to her Mamma, Edwin is in such a wild humour, that I think I had better put the box away till he is gone. No, my dear, said her Mamma, he shall not tease you any more. I had a mind to give you an opportunity of showing how good you could be; and now he shall not interfere with you again: so calling the little boy, his Mamma told him, if he did not let his sister’s things alone, he must be sent out of the room ”

“ We will look, my dear, said her Mamma: and taking out of her pocket the Rational Dame, she found the little creature under the title of Dragon Fly; and little Lydia read the description of it, and had afterwards a full opportunity of admiring it, as it rested upon a leaf.
I am sure, said Lydia, I am much obliged to Mrs. Teachwell for writing so useful a book; it has taught me a great many things. And me likewise, said her Mamma; we will never walk out without it; for the best use we can make of our walks, is to acquaint ourselves with the [72] works of God ”

“ I am sure, said Lydia, I think myself so. You always appear to think so, my dear, said her Mamma; our friends [52] are very kind to you, and will continue so while you behave as properly as you do; but whenever children begin to argue with grown people, speak pertly to them, like Miss Smart, or pretend to know better than they do, what is right and proper, they become very ridiculous and very disagreeable. ”

“ Lydia.
Miss Stark’s Mamma gives her a great deal of money, and I believe she often gives some of it away.
Mamma.
I do not know that she wants good nature; but she puts herself to no inconvenience by giving away money, when she can go and get more of her Mamma the first time she wants a toy; and she would show much more real charity, if she wore less finery, or spent a little less time in diversion, for the sake of being serviceable to the poor sometimes. Charity, my dear, [37] means love to our neighbour ”

“ The morning business being finished, Miss Lydia and her Mamma set out, accompanied by little Edwin. They found the good woman in an exceedingly neat, comfortable room, surrounded by a number of little forms, on which sat about twenty very orderly children, among whom were her own little boy and girl. ”

“ Nothing can make children agreeable, but being humble and tractable, and behaving in an obliging, respectful manner to every body; for as children, whoever their parents be, can know very little, and are unable to say any thing worth hearing, they should, therefore, think every body of more consequence than themselves, and be very much obliged to any body who takes notice of them. ”

“ It is a present for you, Miss, said Sally, if you will please to accept of it: to day is May Day, and my mother and I got up at four o’clock this morning to make the garland. My mother had several good friends who gave her leave to gather flowers in their gardens, and some ladies gave her bits of ribbon; we have taken a great deal of pains to make it, and I hope you will like it.
The delight of Lydia is not to be expressed; she thanked the little girl in a very civil pretty manner, and then ran, half wild with pleasure, into her Mamma’s [40] room, to show her prize. ”

“ Lydia received her Mamma’s tenderest caresses, and commendations, for her sentiment and generosity; you judge with great propriety and delicacy, my dear, as to not taking the work-bag; and Mrs. [60] Grant, who must know the history of poor Fanny’s, will easily guess your reason for leaving yours at home, and will honour you for it; and Fanny, when she knows how kind and considerate you are, must love you dearly. The coach was soon after at the door, and Miss Lydia, her Mamma, one of her sisters, and Fanny got in. ”

“ Nobody can express the delight of Miss Lydia, upon finding herself mistress of the lamb. Her joy, however, did not make her forget to thank Sally with great good-nature and civility for the gift; nor did it prevent her recollecting that her mother had thought it proper to offer her a present for the May garland, she, therefore, begged her to stay till she showed the lamb to her Mamma ”

“ If you please, I will give her the garden shawl I have just left off; and I think those red shoes, which are too little for Edwin, will fit the little boy. Then you shall have the pleasure of giving those [34] things to them, said her Mamma; you may ask Mary for them, and I have a bit of check by me, which I will cut into an apron, and you shall make it for the little girl; Mary says she is about your height.—Lydia did not forget the permission she had. The shawl and shoes were laid carefully by, and with them a paper of almonds and raisins, which she had bought with her own money. ”

“ So saying, she was hastening out of the garden; when Miss Lydia’s Mamma catching hold of her, said, I was unwilling to interrupt so generous a dispute, and I waited a little to see what would be the end of it: but as to the rent, my daughter and I came on purpose to discharge it. Receive from my daughter (Mrs. Brush) four guineas, which we were going to spend otherwise; but upon nothing that would have given us half the pleasure which we feel in putting you in possession of your house again. As to you, young woman, your conduct is above all reward from man ”

“ The joy of the garland had still prevented any inquiry about their name or place of abode; but Miss Lydia’s Mamma was so pleased with this instance of delicate civility in their mother, that she took pains to learn who she was, and found that her name was Brush; that she was a very [41] worthy and industrious woman, who kept a little school, and took in needle-work. Miss Lydia, after showing her garland with great delight in the parlour, hung it up in the nursery ”