23. You know not, my little readers, how pleasing are those tender parental feelings, which rise from the prospect of seeing their children beloved and respected. His parents thought themselves the happiest of people, and tears of joy filled their eyes when they beheld him.

24. In the characters of Anthony and Augustus, we see the fatal consequences of giving way to folly and vice, and what the happy effect of the contrary conduct. Anthony fell a victim to the misguided indulgence of his parents, while Augustus lived to be happy by the prudent management he received in his infancy. BERQUIN.

SECTION XIII.

The absurdity of Young People's wishes exposed. 1. THE present moment of enjoyment is, sometimes, all young people think of. So long as little Robert partook of the pleasure of sliding on the ice, and making up snow in various shapes, he wished it always to be winter, totally regardless of either spring, summer, or autumn.

His fa

ther hearing him one day make that wish, desired him to write it down in the first leaf of his pocket-book, which Robert accordingly did, though his hand shivered with cold.

2. The winter glided away imperceptibly, and the spring followed in due time. Robert now walked in the garden with his father, and with admiration beheld the risin beauty of the various spring flowers. Their p forded him the highest delight, and their brillia ance attracted all his attention. "O, said litt that it were always spring!" His father desi write that wish also in his pocket-book.

3. The trees, which lately were only budding, grown into full leaf, the sure sign that spring wa ing, and summer hastening on apace. Robert. accompanied by his parents and two or three of acquaintance, went on a visit to a neighbouring

4. Their walk was delightful, affording them sometimes of corn yet green, waving smoothly unruffled by the breeze, and sometimes of meado elled with a profusion of various flowers. The lambs skipped and danced about, and the colts a pranced about their dams.

5. But what was still more pleasing, this se

duced for Robert and his companions a delicious feast of cherries, strawberries, and a variety of other fruits. So pleasant a day afforded them great delight, and their little hearts danced in their bosoms with joy.

6. "Do you not think, Robert, said his father to him, that summer has its delights as well as winter and spring?" Robert replied, he wished it might be summer all the year, when his father desired him to enter that wish in his pocket-book also.

7. The autumn at length arrived and all the family went into the country to view the harvest. It happened to be one of those days that are free from clouds, and yet a gentle westerly wind kept the air cool and refreshing.

8. The garden and orchards were loaded with fruits; and fine plums, pears and apples, which hung on the trees almost to the ground, furnished the little visiters with no small amusement and delight. There were also plenty of grapes, apricots and peaches, which tasted the sweeter as they had the pleasure of gathering them.

9. "This season of rich abundance, Robert, said his father to him, will soon pass away, and stern and cold winter will succeed it." Robert again wished, that the present happy season would always continue, and that winter would not be too hasty in its approaches, but leave him in possession of autumn.

10. Robert's father desired him to write this in his book also, and ordering him to read what he had written, soon convinced him how contradictory his wishes had been. In the winter, he wished it to be always winter; in the spring he wished for a continuance of that season; in the summer he wished it never to depart; and when autumn came, it afforded him too many delicious fruits to permit him to have a single wish for the approach of winter.

11. "

My dear Robert, said his father to him, I am not displeased with you for enjoying the present moment, and thinking it the best that can happen to you; but you see how necessary it is, that our wishes should not always be complied with. God knows how to govern this world much better than any human being can possibly do.

12. "Had you last winter been indulged in your wish, we should have had neither spring, summer, nor autumn; the earth would have been perpetually covered with snow. The beasts of the field, and the fowls of the air would either have been starved or frozen to death; and even the

pleasure of sliding, or making images of snow, would soon have become tiresome to you.

13. "It is a happiness that we have it not in our power to regulate the course of nature; the wise and unerring designs of Providence, in favour of mankind, would then most probably be perverted to their inevitable ruin.” BERQUIN.

SECTION XIV.

Mr. Denham and his worthy Tenant; or, the contrast between Politeness and Rudeness.

1. ONE morning, Mr. Denham having shut himself up in his study on some particular business, his servant came to inform him, that one of his tenants, Mr. Harris, desired to speak with him. Mr. Denham told him to show the farmer into the drawing-room, and to beg him to stay one moment, until he had finished writing a letter.

2. Mr. Denham had three children, Robert, Arthur, and Almarinda, who were in the drawing-room when the farmer was introduced. As soon as he entered he saluted them very respectfully, though not very gracefully, nor were his compliments very elegantly turned. The two sons looked at each other with a smile of contempt and disrespect. Indeed they behaved in such a manner, that the poor farmer blushed, and was quite out of countenance. 3. Robert was so shamefully impertinent as to walk round him, holding his nose, and asked his brother if he did not perceive something of the smell of a dung-heap? then he lighted some paper at the fire and carried it round the room, in order to disperse, as he said, the unpleasant smell. Arthur all the while stood laughing most heartily.

4. Almarinda, however, acted in a very different manner: for instead of imitating the rudeness of her brothers, she checked them for their behaviour, made apologies for them to the farmer, and approaching him with the most complaisant looks, offered him some wine to refresh him, made him sit down, and took from him his hat and stick to put by.

5. In a little time, Mr. Denham came out of his study, and approaching the farmer in a friendly manner, took him by the hand, inquired after the health of his family, and asked him what had brought him to town. The farmer replied, that he was come to pay him half a year's rent, and

that he hoped he would not be displeased at his not coming sooner, the roads having been so bad that he could not till then carry his corn to market.

6. Mr. Denham told him he was not displeased at his not coming sooner because he knew him to be an honest man, who had no occasion to be put in mind of his debts. The farmer then put down the money, and drew out of his great coat pocket a jar of candied fruits.

7. I have brought something here, said he, for the young folks. Would you be so kind, Mr. Denham, as to let them come out one of these days, and take a mouthful of the country air with us? I would try, as well as I could, to entertain and amuse them. I have two good stout nags, and would come for them myself, and take them down in my four wheeled chaise, which will carry them very safely I will engage.

8. Mr. Denham said, that he would certainly take an opportunity to pay him a visit, and invited him to stay to dinner; but the farmer excused himself, saying, he had a good deal of business to do in town, and wished to get home before night. Mr. Denham filled his pockets with cakes for his children, thanked him for the present he had made his own, and then took leave of him.

9. No sooner was the farmer gone, than Almarinda, in the presence of her brothers, acquainted her papa with the very rude reception they had given to the farmer. Mr. Denham was exceedingly displeased at their conduct, and much applauded Almarinda for her different behaviour.

10. Mr. Denham being seated at breakfast with his children, opened the farmer's jar of fruit, and he and his daughter ate some of it, which they thought very nice; but Robert and Arthur were not invited to a single taste. Their longing eyes were fixed upon it; but their father, instead of taking any notice of them, continued conversing with Almarinda, whom he advised never to despise a person merely for the plainness of his dress; "for, said he, were we to behave politely to those only who are finely clothed, we should appear to direct our attention more to the dress than to the wearer.

11. "The most worthy people are frequently found under the plainest dress, and of this we have an example in Mr. Harris. It is this man who helps to clothe you, and also to procure you a proper education; for the money which

he and my other tenants bring me, enables me to do these things."

12. Breakfast being finished, the remainder of the fruit was ordered to be locked up; but Robert and his brother, whose longing eyes followed the jar, clearly saw they were to have none of it. In this they were confirmed by their father, who told them not to expect to taste any of those fruits, either on that or any future day.

13. Robert endeavoured to excuse himself, by saying that it was not his fault if the farmer did not smell well; and he thought there was no harm in telling him of it. If people will go among manure, they must expect to smell of it. "And yet, said Mr. Denham, if this man were not to manure his land, his crops would fail him, he would be unable to pay me his rent, and you yourself would perhaps be obliged to follow a dung-cart." The two boys saw displeasure in their papa's countenance, and therefore did not presume to say any thing more.

14. Early on a morning shortly after, the good farmer came to Mr. Denham's door, and sent up his compliments, kindly inviting him to make a little excursion to his farm. Mr. Denham could not resist his friendly invitation, as a refusal might perhaps have made the farmer uneasy.

15. Robert and Arthur begged very hard to go along with them, promising to behave more civilly in future, and Almarinda begging for them likewise, Mr. Denham at last consented. They then mounted the four-wheeled chaise with joyful countenances, and as the farmer had a pair of good horses, they were there in a short time.

16. On their arrival, Mrs. Harris, the farmer's wife, came to the door to receive them, helped the young people out of the chaise, and kissed them. All their little family, dressed in their best clothes, came out to compliment their visiters. Mr. Denham would have stopped a moment to talk with the little ones, and caress them: but Mrs. Harris pressed him to go in, lest the coffee should grow cold, it being already poured out; it was placed on a table, covered with a napkin as white as snow.

17. Indeed the coffeepot was not silver, nor the cups china, yet every thing was in the neatest order. Robert and Arthur, however, looked slily at each other, and would have burst out into a laugh, had not their father been present. Mrs. Harris, who was a sensible woman, guessed. by their looks what they thought, and therefore made an