“Now, my dear children, reflect upon this history, and how many times Joseph appeared to have cause to complain of the hardness of his lot; and yet it all led to honour and promotion; and this should teach you to do the best you can, in whatsoever situation you may be placed, and to depend on God, who is the great object of your admiration, for the rest.
“The next deserving objects of our admiration are the effects of virtue, and particularly of Industry.—Virtue never fails to give blessings to mankind; thus it is, that the good are always the most happy. Industry has the same blessing attending it, and the recompence is of the most delightful nature, as it gives the means of acquiring many comforts, and the power of doing a great deal of good. Your mamma can tell you a very pleasant story of the good effects of industry, over indolence, or despair.” At this intimation, all the young party directed their eyes to Mrs. Willock, and“Pray, mamma, do oblige us,” was repeated by two or three of them at the same time.
Mrs. Willock, who was not only a very elegant and well-educated woman, but extremely good-natured, smiled at the eagerness of her young friends, and began
The Story of the Two Gardeners.
“There were two market gardeners, who were also neighbours, and lived somewhere near the village of Hammersmith. It happened, that the early crops of peas, raised by these two poor men, were in one morning killed by a severe frost.—One of the gardeners, a very short time afterwards, having occasion to pass by the gate of his friend, called in to condole with him on their mutual misfortune. ‘Ah,’ cried he to the other, ‘how unfortunate have we been, neighbour! do you know that I have done nothing but fret ever since my disaster: but, bless me, what is here? you have a fine healthy crop of peas saved from the frost.’—‘Not so,’ cried the other.—‘What are they then?’ said he. ‘Why,’ returned the other gardener, ‘these are what I sowed immediately after my loss.’—‘What, coming up already?’ cried the fretter.—‘Yes.’—‘Bless me, how is that?’—‘Why, while you was fretting, I was working, that’s all.’—‘What, and don’t you fret when you have a loss?’—‘To be sure I do.’—‘Well, how then?’—‘Why, though I do fret, I always put it off until after I have repaired the mischief.’—‘Lord, why then you have no occasion to fret at all.’— ‘True,’ replied the industrious gardener, ‘and that is the very reason, the less one frets, the better.’
“I am sure, my dears, that I need not tell you the moral of this little fable, because I am sure that you have all of you good sense enough to find it out: but as you may like to hear it from me, I will tell it you—That the pleasantest reflection you can have of a misfortune is, that you have been able, by your industry, to repair it. And it is really astonishing, my dear children,” continued she, “how many mischiefs might be repaired by a little trouble and industry.”
“Admiration of worth, courage, genius, talent, and of the works of art, is the next of which,” continued Mr. Willock,“we have to speak. Admiration of worth is, among good minds, very grateful, for they are always pleased to find excellence; and in this country you may indulge the passion at any time, by reading the works of great authors, such as Locke, Addison, Sir Richard Steel, Doctor Johnson, and others, wherein you will have to admire an excellent moral, and a pure and elegant language.
“Admiration of courage is another pleasant sensation, though attended with a portion of pain. It was this kind of Admiration which was felt by Philip king of Macedon, when his son Alexander seized hold of the bridle of Bucephalus, who was so wild and unmanageable, that no one had been able to mount him, and softly letting fall his cloak, threw himself upon his back in one leap, and animating him with his voice, put him in full speed, to the astonishment of every one present. Philip, with tears of joy and Admiration in his eyes, exclaimed—‘My son, seek a kingdom more worthy of thee, for Macedon is below thy merit.’
“Admiration of genius and talent may be often indulged. The many curious pieces of mechanism that may be seen daily, are objects worthy of admiration; but perhaps the most extraordinary of any to a young mind is a ship, when it is considered, that within its space several hundreds of persons traverse immense oceans, and sail to places many thousand leagues distant.”
“I should like very much to go on board a ship,” said Henry, while his father had paused a moment to take a pinch of snuff.