of recovering it. Accidents may increase those hopes, and encourage dangerous attempts. A breach between us and France would infallibly bring the English again upon our backs: and yet we have fome wild beafts among our countrymen, who are endeavouring to weaken that connection.

Let us preferve our reputation, by performing our engagements; our credit, by fulfilling our contracts; and our friends, by gratitude and kindness for we know not how foon we may have occafion for all of them.

THE WHISTLE:

A TRUE STORY.

WRITTEN TO HIS NEPHEW.

WHEN I was a child, at feven years old, my friends, on a holiday, filled my pocket with coppers. I went directly to a fhop where they fold toys for children; and being charmed with the found of a whistle, that I met by the way in the hands of another boy, I voluntarily offered him all my money for one. I then came home,

and went whiftling all over the house, much pleased with my whistle, but difturbing all the family. My brothers, and fifters, and cousins, understanding the bargain I had made, told me I had given four times as much for it as it was worth. This put me in mind what good things I might have bought with the reft of the money; and they laughed at me fo much for my folly, that I cried with vexation; and the reflection gave me more chagrin than the whistle gave me pleasure.

This however was afterwards of ufe to me, the impreffion continuing on my mind; so that often, when I was tempted to buy fome unneceffary thing, I said to myself Don't give too much for the whiftle; and fo I faved my money.

As I grew up, came into the world, and obferved the actions of men, I thought I met with many, very many, who gave too much for the whistle.

When I faw any one too ambitious of court favours, facrificing his time in attendance on

levees, his repofe, his liberty, his virtue, and perhaps his friends, to attain it, I have faid to myself, This man gives too much for his whistle.

When I faw another fond of popularity, conftantly employing himself in political buftles, neglecting his own affairs, and ruining them by that neglect: He pays, indeed fays I, too much for his whistle.

If I knew a mifer, who gave up every kind of comfortable living, all the pleasure of doing good to others, all the efteem of his fellow-citizens, and the joys of benevolent friendship, for the fake of accumulating wealth; Poor man, fays I, you do indeed pay too much for your whistle.

When I meet a man of pleasure, facrificing every laudable improvement of the mind, or of his fortune, to mere corporeal fenfations; Miftaken man, fays I, you are providing pain for yourself, instead of pleasure: you give too much for your whistle.

If I fee one fond of fine clothes, fine furniture, fine equipages, all above his fortune, for which he contracts debts, and ends his career in prifon; Alas, fays I, he has paid dear, very dear, for his whistle.

When I fee a beautiful, fweet-tempered girl married to an ill-natured brute of a husband: What a pity it is, fays I, that she has paid fo much for a whistle!

In fhort, I conceived that great part of the miferies of mankind were brought upon them by the falfe estimates they had made of the value of things, and by their giving too much for their zubiftles.

A PETI

A PETITION

TO THOSE WHO HAVE THE SUPERINTENDENCY OF EDUCATION.

I ADDRESS myfelf to all the friends of youth, and conjure them to direct their compaffionate regard to my unhappy fate, in order to remove the prejudices of which I am the victim. There are twin fifters of us: and the two eyes of man do not more resemble, nor are capable of being upon better terms with each other, than my fifter and myself, were it not for the partiality of our parents, who make the most injurious diftinctions between us. From my infancy, I have been led to confider my fifter as a being of a more elevated rank. I was fuffered to grow up without the least inftruction, while nothing was fpared in her education. She had mafters to teach her writing, drawing, mufic, and other accomplishments; but if by chance I touched a pencil, a pen, or a needle, I was bitterly rebuked: and more than once I have been beaten for being aukward, and wanting a graceful manner. is true, my fifter affociated me with her upon fome occafions; but the always made a point of taking the lead, calling upon me only from neceffity, or to figure by her fide.

It

But conceive not, Sirs, that my complaints are inftigated merely by vanity- No; my uneafinefs is occafioned by an object much more ferious. It is the practice in our family, that the whole business of providing for its fubfiftence falls upon my fifter and myfelf. It

any

any indifpofition fhould attack my fifter-and I mention it in confidence, upon this occafion, that fhe is fubject to the gout, the rheumatifm, and cramp, without making mention of other accidents-what would be the fate of our poor family? Muft not the regret of our parents be exceffive, at having placed fo great a difference between fifters who are fo perfectly equal? Alas! we must perish from diftress: for it would not be in my power to fcrawl a fuppliant petition for relief, having been obliged to employ the hand of another in tranfcribing the request which I have now the honour to prefer to you.

Condefcend, Sirs, to make my parents fenfible of the injuftice of an exclufive tenderness, and of the neceflity of diftributing their care and affection among all their children equally.

I am, with a profound refpect,

SIRS,

Your obedient fervant,

THE LEFT HAND.

THE