The conversation was here concluded by the entrance of Mr. Wagstaff and his son; and as they stayed the rest of the day, there was no farther opportunity to resume it. While the young folk were all at play in the evening in the summer house, Ellen ran away with Sam's hat, and he pursued her for some time without overtaking her; but at last a scuffle ensued, as she held it fast, and sometimes put it under one arm, sometimes under the other; then knelt upon it; and afterwards sat down upon it. In this last attitude, as Master Wagstaff was struggling, she endeavoured to rise, but his foot being upon her frock, she tore a sad rent in it; and one of his buttons having caught in her ribbon, did as much damage to that likewise.
This accident put an end to the contest, and her good-humour at the same time. She got up immediately, tossed away the subject of contention, with the illiberal epithet of—"Take your nasty hat! I wish I had never touched it!"—And the more he endeavoured to sooth her, the more vexed she appeared; calling him a careless, mischievous monkey, and asking, how he thought the rent was to be mended?
Jemima likewise tried every method in her power to moderate her resentment; representing, that it was no fault of Master Wagstaff's, and advising her to be more composed, and to join in their play again; but all in vain, she would only fret, grumble, and interrupt their entertainment. So Sam retired to a bench in the alcove, and sitting down with the Master Placids, left her to her ill-humour, while he wrote the following verses:—
Nay, Ellen dear! now do not cry,
And wet that pretty sparkling eye;
What though, by chance, I tore your lace,
Don't make that horrible grimace!
Do put that ugly frown away,
And join again in social play!
For, after all, what can you do?
Will pouting thus the rent renew?
Why, Ellen, what a brawl you keep!
I vow the chickens cannot sleep.
Do pray observe, that cackling hen
Is coming from her roost again.
The evening flies, that swarm before us,
For you have stopp'd their buzzing chorus;
The horses, that were grazing there,
Have left their food at you to stare.
Your noise disturbs all nature's peace,
The grasshoppers their chirping cease;
And from those plants a frog's leap'd out,
To know the cause of all this rout.
Then stop, I prithee, or you'll find
A worse disaster still behind.—
A needle, with assiduous care,
May the torn frock again repair;
But petulance, and passion's strife,
Will rend the future bliss of life;
Tear the fine edge of joy away,
And leave the heart to grief a prey.
This remonstrance enraged Miss Piner more than before; and she flounced out of the garden, declaring she would no longer stay to be so insulted.
But, my dear Eliza, if I should continue a minute relation of the events which occurred, during my stay in Mr. Placid's family, the perusal would take up too much of your time, and I have already, in the incidents which I have selected, run to a much greater length than I at first designed.—The amiable Jemima is now sixteen; and for the sweetness of her manners, and the even and unruffled serenity of her temper, is justly admired by all who are so happy as to know her. If you would wish to deserve equal esteem, the means are entirely in your own power, since a determined resolution to please others, will make you happy in yourself, and render the occurrences of life more supportable. The only use of reading is, to acquire instruction; and if you seek not to resemble the good, and avoid the bad examples with which you are presented, your studies will tend to little purpose. If the characters you meet with in any degree resemble your own, and if the foibles of those characters disgust and offend you, instead of throwing the book aside with resentment, you should endeavour to improve the failings of which you are conscious, and then you will no longer meet your own portrait, in that which the Author has described. Besides that, there is another reason to incline you to this reformation, since if you so much dislike those errors in an imaginary character, think how extremely irksome such faults must be to your friends. If the representations of Miss Piner's fretfulness are displeasing to contemplate, how much more vexatious must it be, when your parents find the same disposition prevail in their own child. In this period of your life, be persuaded to form such habits as may be continued in a more advanced age; and, believe me, the habit of good-humour will conduce most essentially to your happiness. The accident which gave occasion to the account which I now transmit to you, was in no degree remedied by the captious petulance with which you bemoaned it; and the time which you wasted in unprofitable lamentations, would have nearly repaired the damage. Unavoidable disasters are beyond remedy, and are only aggravated by complaints. By submitting with a good grace to the disappointments of life, half its vexations may be escaped. I cannot, I think, better conclude the subject and my epistle, than with a few lines which were written by Miss Placid in answer to Miss Piner, who reproached her with not showing a proper degree of concern, when they were disappointed going with a party upon the water, by a violent shower of rain, which they had, for a long time, been desirous of doing.
Say, why should I fretful my fate so lament,
Since pleasure still waits on the smile of content?
Will the clouds soon disperse, if indignant I frown?
And the rain cease in torrents the village to drown?
Will the thunder's loud peal be then hush'd into peace?
And the storm, at my bidding, its violence cease?
Will the sun for my anger discover its ray,
And at once all the beauties of nature display?
Then Ellen, pray tell me, what joy should I find,
In the discord of passion, the storm of the mind?
Though the elements will not resign to my sway,
My temper, I trust, reason's voice shall obey;
Let me make to my fate my desires resign,
And the joys of contentment will ever be mine.