Unknown

“ She was always unstudied and unaffected, and in her person and appearance were combined ease and elegance, with the irresistible charm of the most engaging feminine softness. Her understanding was excellent, and well cultivated, her manners correct, and her heart the seat of virtue and purity. Perfectly free from any meanness of temper, she felt no envy at the beauty of Amaranthé, but was, on the contrary, an unfeigned admirer of it, and eagerly sought her friendship. ”

“ Even Claribel shared in the general misery. Not that the gift of the fairy had lost its influence upon her; the lily was fresh as ever. She was contented in her own person, and formed no wishes for herself; but she could not behold the wretched condition of her friends unmoved. Though not subject to strong emotions, her heart was tender and affectionate. Her cousins were her sole objects of attachment, and it was still unabated towards them. Ursula could do nothing but bewail their sad destiny; she was weak and helpless. Gabriel was the only rational person of the party. ”

“ I am of a race of beings of whom I know you have heard, though probably never expected to be acquainted with. I am the Fairy Felicia; I would have been the friend of your father, but his own conduct prevented it. My elder sister, Benigna, who is more powerful than I am, had long been the friend and protector of your mother: she is all excellence, but more strict, and imposes greater restraint upon those she takes under her care than I do. ”

“ Thus the innocent Amaranthé, who was unacquainted with the name of coquetry, soon grew expert in the practice. On her first entrance into society she had formed an intimate [48] acquaintance with Ethelinde, the daughter of a family distinguished for goodness and benevolence, and who lived in a handsome, though not profuse style. Ethelinde had nothing of the dazzling beauty of Amaranthé to boast of, her features were not so perfect, nor her complexion so brilliant, but her countenance was enlightened by intelligence, and her smiles were the smiles of modesty, and sweetness of temper. ”

“ This indeed was a trial to poor mortal vanity. She soon grew so accustomed to the distinction paid to her charms, that instead of oppresive it became necessary to her. The brother and sister who fondly loved each other, who from their infancy had shared all their little joys, and little griefs together, were mutually delighted at the praises the other received. Amaranthé loved to hear of the excellent qualities of the heart, and liberal temper and vivacity of her brother, and Adrian’s heart bounded with joy and swelled with pride at the homage paid to the beauty of his sister. ”

“ Remember, destitute orphans as we are, we have nothing left in this world but each other, and if we are not united, what is to become of us?”
Adrian was touched; looking tenderly on his sister, “Claribel is right,” said he. “We are, indeed, bereaved of every thing else, and shall we forsake each other? Ah, Amaranthé!” he continued, his eyes swimming in tears, “time was when all our joys and all our wishes centred in each other. ”

“ You will be the prey of designers, and repent when too late of the inconsiderate choice you have made. But now, Amaranthé, for your decision.” Amaranthé felt a little awkward in declaring her choice, after what the fairy had said; but at length, in some confusion, replied, “I have always longed to be handsome. My governess has told me such pretty stories of beautiful ladies, and of their being so followed and admired, and every body being desirous to serve and please them, that I am sure they must be the happiest of all creatures.” ”

“ Adrian and his sister, bounding with joy, threw themselves at the fairy’s feet, while the former exclaimed, “O, Madam, how can we sufficiently thank you for thus taking pity on our forlorn state. We are, indeed, miserable orphans, without a friend in the world; and how rejoiced must we be to place ourselves under so powerful a protector!” Claribel too, though not given to raptures, endeavoured to express her satisfaction, but in a voice so low that it was scarcely audible by the side of her vociferous cousins. ”

“ Admiration will follow their footsteps, and the homage of crowds be paid to their charms. But even you, my children, uninformed as you are, must know that beauty at best is but a fading flower, and the adoration it excites equally transitory. If in those who derive it from this gift, it be accompanied with modesty and humility, it will insure to them all the happiness and gratification that a consciousness of the power to please must naturally confer. ”

“ As long as they make a right use of their wealth, they will find no end to it; but if spent in licentious profusion, that gratifies only luxury and pride, or churlishly grasped solely for their own advantage, without a wish to relieve the necessitous, or benefit their fellow creatures by it, then will the rose begin to wither, and the riches, and its bloom disappear at the same time.
“This,” said she, producing a hyacinth, “has the power to endow the person of its possessor with the brightest and most captivating beauty. ”

“ The castle rang with the screams of Amaranthé, and Claribel fell senseless into the arms of a maid servant who stood near her.
Miserable, indeed, was the situation of these unfortunate orphans. Left without fortune, without protection, in this joyless abode, life presented a gloomy prospect before them; yet, how were they to enter a world in which they would feel themselves total strangers, and of the ways of which they were wholly ignorant? Adrian had gathered just knowledge enough from the discontented murmurings of his father, to believe that riches would secure the best reception in it ”

“ Amaranthé and Claribel had long satisfied all the pride of Ursula’s heart, by the perfection they had attained in the important branches of embroidery that she had taken such pains to instruct them in, but to themselves they failed to afford any source of enjoyment. They felt that they had nothing to work for, and could take little pride in performances which they had nobody to commend. ”

“ Inexperienced as you are in the world, wealth may prove but a treacherous snare; and as the fairy wisely says, you will probably fall a prey to wicked designers.” “A truce, I beseech you,” cried the impatient Adrian, “with these dismal forebodings. Neither you nor the fairy can make me believe, that being happy myself, and having the power to make others so, can prove my destruction. ”

“ But, gracious fairy, do not, I beseech you, think me capable of making an ill use of the wealth you will bestow upon me. Believe me, the greatest pleasure I feel in the thoughts of possessing it, is the power it will give me of assisting others, and making all around me [27] happy.” “Rash boy,” answered Felicia, “how can you pretend to judge of what your feelings and conduct will be in a situation so wholly new to you? The obscurity in which you have lived, has ill fitted you to encounter the snares and temptations of an interested world. ”

“ Since the fairy first appeared to us, I never felt less disposed to envy her favours to you than at this moment, and what can there be spiteful in thinking you do not look so well as you used to do?”
Ursula, who was present, assented to the opinion of Claribel. “Indeed, my sweet young lady,” said she, “your cousin is right. I have lately observed, with pain and apprehension, your altered looks. I believe the racketing life you have led so long disagrees with you, and am seriously fearful that you will injure your health if you continue it.” ”

“ I love you better than ever. Oh, do but be kind to me, and I will cease to deplore the loss of my beauty.” After embracing her affectionately, Adrian, looking mournfully round, observed—“This was the scene of our childish sports. How joyously we bounded like fawns over this lawn! When turning our hoops or tossing our balls, how little cared I for riches or you for beauty! And there,” pointing with his hand, “is the shrubbery where we used to play at hide and seek, and laugh at poor Claribel for not being able to find us. ”

“ In Claribel the effects of the fairy’s power were the least visible. Her nature had always been so placid, that it could admit of no great increase of contentment, but she was perfectly at peace with herself and others, and free from any portion of envy at the riches of one cousin, or the beauty of the other. ”

“ Gabriel shook his head with a look of distrust. “And what, my sweet young lady,” addressing Amaranthé, “can beauty do for you? I remember your dear mother the fairest of the fair, and yet her lot in life was far from a happy one.” “O dear Gabriel,” interrupted she, “you are ten times more disagreeable than the fairy. Here is the very thing offered to me that I have all my life been wishing for, and then [32] I am told I must not accept of it. What evil can attend being handsome? I shall like to look at myself in the glass; I shall like to see other people looking at me ”

“ And yields to vanity’s unwelcome doom.
So, Amaranthé, may this flower decay
And blighted beauty seek the shelt’ring tomb.
They then proceeded together to the apartment of Claribel, whom they found in a sweet slumber, from which their exclamations soon aroused her. “Look at this stupid girl,” cried Amaranthé, “if she be not sleeping as soundly and unconcernedly as if she had never heard of the wonderful events this morning was to produce.” “And yet,” said Adrian, “I dare to say the fairy has not forgotten her,” and casting his eyes round soon espied the lily. ”

“ When she drew nearer, and they ventured to look at her again, they discovered that the figure was [72] taller and more dignified than that of Felicia. Her face was not so fair, and its expression was more solemn, but her countenance was more commanding, and her aspect altogether inspired awe and veneration. “Perhaps,” whispered Claribel, “it is the fairy Benigna.” The minds of her cousins assented to this suggestion, but it by no means diminished their apprehensions. If they had so much cause to dread the censure of Felicia, what had they to hope from the severe Benigna? ”

“ Adrian had the benefit of rather more education than his sister and cousin, as his father would sometimes devote himself to his instruction, but listless from disappointment, and out of humour with a world in which he despaired of his son ever appearing with the distinctions of rank and fortune, his lessons were never regularly given, or enforced in a manner likely to make any profitable impression on the mind of a playful thoughtless boy. ”

“ Here, while resting on a bench, they were joined by Adrian. The brother and sister now found words to relieve the weight of woe that oppressed them, but it was by heaping invectives on the deceitful Felicia. From accusing the fairy they began to upbraid each other. “You, Amaranthé,” said Adrian, “have no right to complain: you might at least have been spared the misfortune of poverty. Had it not been for your abominable vanity and coquetry, [69] you might have been happily and nobly settled.” ”

“ There Adrian learned that “in Godliness is great riches,” and Amaranthé found in “the beauty of holiness”—that pure gratification and unabated happiness, that beauty of person, had no chance of bestowing. Claribel, by “faith and good works,” experienced content, accompanied by real enjoyment, instead of the negative satisfaction derived from her lily. She became as animated and active as she had before been indolent and helpless. ”

“ Now, let me try if this wand cannot confer more lasting happiness than the roses and hyacinths of my sister.” So saying, she waved it gently over their heads. In a moment, they all felt like new-created beings. They seemed to awaken to a different sense of existence. They became painfully sensible of their own deficiencies, and of the deplorable want of education, yet the pain was alleviated by the cheering influence of the light let in upon them, and the earnest desire they felt for improvement.
“You are now,” said Benigna, “all conscious of the folly and uselessness of your past lives ”