Mary and Caroline, though the children of wealthy parents were, in their infancy, left entirely to the management of servants, or people equally ignorant. Their mother died suddenly, and their father, who found them very troublesome at home, placed them under the tuition of a woman of tenderness and discernment, a near relation, who was induced to take on herself the important charge through motives of compassion.
They were shamefully ignorant, considering that Mary had been fourteen, and Caroline twelve years in the world. If they had been merely ignorant, the task would not have appeared so arduous; but they had caught every prejudice that the vulgar casually instill. In order to eradicate these prejudices, and substitute good habits instead of those they had carelessly contracted, Mrs. Mason never suffered them to be out of her sight. They were allowed to ask questions on all occasions, a method she would not have adopted, had she educated them from the first, according to the suggestions of her own reason, to which experience had given its sanction.
They had tolerable capacities; but Mary had a turn for ridicule, and Caroline was vain of her person. She was, indeed, very handsome, and the inconsiderate encomiums that had, in her presence, been lavished on her beauty made her, even at that early age, affected.
CONTENTS
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CHAPTER I | |
The Treatment of Animals.—The Ant.—TheBee.—Goodness.—The Lark’s Nest.—TheAsses | |
CHAPTER II | |
The Treatment of Animals.—The Difference betweenthem and Man.—The Parental Affection of aDog.—Brutality punished | |
CHAPTER III | |
The Treatment of Animals.—The Story of crazyRobin.—The Man confined in the Bastille | |
CHAPTER IV | |
Anger.—History of Jane Fretful | |
CHAPTER V | |
Lying.—Honour.—Truth.—SmallDuties.—History of Lady Sly and Mrs. Trueman | |
CHAPTER VI | |
Anger.—Folly produces Self-contempt, andthe Neglect of others | |
CHAPTER VII | |
Virtue the Soul of Beauty.—The Tulip and theRose.—The Nightingale.—ExternalOrnaments.—Characters | |
Summer Evening’s Amusement.—The Arrival ofa Family of Haymakers.—Ridicule of personal Defectscensured.—A Storm.—The Fear of Death.—TheCottage of Honest Jack, the shipwrecked Sailor.—TheHistory of Jack, and his faithful Dog Pompey | |
CHAPTER IX | |
The Inconveniences of immoderate Indulgence | |
CHAPTER X | |
The Danger of Delay.—Description of aMansion-house in Ruins.—History of Charles Townley | |
CHAPTER XI | |
Dress.—A Character.—Remarks on Mrs.Trueman’s Manner of Dressing.—Trifling Omissionsundermine Affection | |
CHAPTER XII | |
Behaviour to Servants.—True Dignity ofCharacter | |
CHAPTER XIII | |
Employment.—Idleness produces Misery.—TheCultivation of the Fancy raises us above the Vulgar,extends our Happiness, and leads to Virtue | |
CHAPTER XIV | |
Innocent Amusements.—Description of a WelchCastle.—History of a Welch Harper.—A tyrannicalLandlord.—Family Pride | |
Prayer.—A Moon-lightScene.—Resignation | |
CHAPTER XVI | |
The Benefits arising from Devotion.—The Historyof the Village School-mistress.—Fatal Effects ofInattention to Expense, in the History of Mr.Lofty | |
CHAPTER XVII | |
The Benefits arising from Devotion.—The Historyof the Village School-mistress concluded | |
CHAPTER XVIII | |
A Visit to the School-mistress.—True and FalsePride | |
CHAPTER XIX | |
Charity.—The History of Peggy and herFamily.—The Sailor’s Widow | |
CHAPTER XX | |
Visit to Mrs. Trueman.—The Use ofAccomplishments.—Virtue the Soul of all | |
CHAPTER XXI | |
The Benefit of bodily Pain.—Fortitude the Basisof Virtue.—The Folly of Irresolution | |
CHAPTER XXII | |
Journey to London | |
Charity.—Shopping.—The distressedStationer.—Mischievous Consequences of delayingPayment | |
CHAPTER XXIV | |
Visit to a Poor Family in London.—Idleness theParent of Vice.—Prodigality and Generosityincompatible.—The Pleasures of Benevolence.—True andfalse Motives for Saving | |
CHAPTER XXV | |
Mrs. Mason’s farewell Advice to herPupils.—Observations on Letter-writing | |
MORAL CONVERSATIONS AND STORIES
CHAPTER I
The treatment of animals.—The ant.—The bee.—Goodness.—The lark’s nest.—The asses.
One fine morning in spring, some time after Mary and Caroline were settled in their new abode, Mrs. Mason proposed a walk before breakfast, a custom she wished to teach imperceptibly, by rendering it amusing.
The sun had scarcely dispelled the dew that hung on every blade of grass, and filled the half-shut flowers; every prospect smiled, and the freshness of the air conveyed the most pleasing sensations to Mrs. Mason’s mind; but the children were regardless of the surrounding beauties, and ran eagerly after some insects to destroy them. Mrs. Mason silently observed their cruel sports, without appearing to do it; but stepping suddenly out of the foot-path into the long grass, her buckle was caught in it, and striving to disentangle herself, she wet her feet; which the children knew she wished to avoid, as she had been lately sick. This circumstance roused their attention; and they forgot their amusement to enquire why she had left the path; and Mary could hardly restrain a laugh, when she was informed that it was to avoid treading on some snails that were creeping across the narrow footway. Surely, said Mary, you do not think there is any harm in killing a snail, or any of those nasty creatures that crawl on the ground? I hate them, and should scream if one was to find its way from my clothes to my neck! With great gravity, Mrs. Mason asked how she dared to kill any thing, unless it were to prevent its hurting her? Then, resuming a smiling face, she said, Your education has been neglected, my child; as we walk along attend to what I say, and make the best answers you can; and do you, Caroline, join in the conversation.