Julia. I am sorry you are not very rich, mamma!
Mrs. V. Why, Julia?
Julia. It would be so pleasant to have money enough for every thing.
Mrs. V. My dear little girl, if we do not learn to be contented with what we have, we shall never be happy. Even Sir Henry and Lady Beauchamp, whom at present you consider the richest people in the world, would not be happy if they encouraged a discontented disposition. No one, my dear Julia, has every wish gratified; but each person has reason to be grateful to God for many blessings. Jones and his family, though poor and miserable, have great reason to be thankful that their rich neighbours are so kind and attentive to them. Reflect, my dear child, how many blessings you enjoy. You have all that is necessary, and even much more—you have many pleasures that thousands of others cannot obtain.
Julia. Yes, mamma; yet, do not you think I should be a little happier if I had flowers all the year round? I am sure the flowers this morning, have made me very happy.
Mrs. V. These flowers are a novelty to you; that is the reason you admire them so extremely. Hot-house flowers do not afford Miss Beauchamp, who is accustomed to them, more pleasure than common roses give you, in the midst of summer: and, last summer, how often you passed a rose-tree without bestowing a thought on it. To-morrow night it will be the same—you will be delighted with many things which she disregards. But is all the happiness you feel on the present occasion, produced by the beauty of the nosegay? Try and discover, if you can, some other source of delight.
Julia. I believe one reason that I am so gay and merry, is, because I expect Mary will be pleased and surprised.
Mrs. V. Yes, my dear, I am sure the thought of giving Mary pleasure makes you happy. But reflect again. Perhaps the cause of Lady Beauchamp’s kindness has some share in your happiness.
Julia. Oh, mamma! I guess what you mean—about the lamb.
Mrs. V. True, Julia. The consciousness of having done a humane action, is always pleasing. If you had lost your bow-pot entirely, you would still have had the comfort of reflecting that you had acted properly. Recollect, we settled last night, that you were happier without the flowers than you would have been with them.