CONTENTS.
| CHAP. I. | |
| The Treatment of Animals.—The Ant.—The Bee.—Goodness.—The Lark’s Nest.—The Asses. | Page [1] |
| CHAP. II. | |
| The Treatment of Animals.—The Difference between them and Man.—The Parental Affection of a Dog.—Brutality punished. | [10] |
| CHAP. III. | |
| The Treatment of Animals.—The Story of crazy Robin.—The Man confined in the Bastille. | [17] |
| CHAP. IV. | |
| Anger.—History of Jane Fretful. | [25] |
| CHAP. V. | |
| Lying.—Honour.—Truth.—Small Duties.—History of Lady Sly and Mrs. Trueman. | [32] |
| CHAP. VI. | |
| Anger.—Folly produces Self-contempt, and the Neglect of others. | [44] |
| CHAP. VII. | |
| Virtue the Soul of Beauty.—The Tulip and the Rose.—The Nightingale.—External Ornaments.—Characters. | [47] |
| CHAP. VIII. | |
| Summer Evening’s Amusement.—The Arrival of a Family of Haymakers.—Ridicule of personal Defects censured.—A Storm.—The Fear of Death.—The Cottage of Honest Jack the shipwrecked Sailor.—The History of Jack, and his faithful Dog Pompey. | [55] |
| CHAP. IX. | |
| The Inconveniences of immoderate Indulgence. | [66] |
| CHAP. X. | |
| The Danger of Delay.—Description of a Mansion-House in Ruins.—History of Charles Townley. | [72] |
| CHAP. XI. | |
| Dress.—A Character.—Remarks on Mrs. Trueman’s Manner of Dressing.—Trifling Omissions undermine Affection. | [83] |
| CHAP. XII. | |
| Behaviour to Servants.—True Dignity of Character. | [89] |
| CHAP. XIII. | |
| Employment.—Idleness produces Misery.—The Cultivation of the Fancy raises us above the Vulgar, extends our Happiness, and leads to Virtue. | [93] |
| CHAP. XIV. | |
| Innocent Amusements.—Description of a Welch Castle.—History of a Welch Harper.—A tyrannical Landlord.—Family Pride. | [98] |
| CHAP. XV. | |
| Prayer.—A Moon-light Scene.—Resignation. | [106] |
| CHAP. XVI. | |
| The Benefits arising from Devotion.—The History of the Village School-mistress.—Fatal Effects of Inattention to Expences, in the History of Mr. Lofty. | [112] |
| CHAP. XVII. | |
| The Benefits arising from Devotion.—The History of the Village School-mistress concluded. | [119] |
| CHAP. XVIII. | |
| A Visit to the School-mistress.—True and False Pride. | [122] |
| CHAP. XIX. | |
| Charity.—The History of Peggy and her Family.—The Sailor’s Widow. | [126] |
| CHAP. XX. | |
| Visit to Mrs. Trueman.—The Use of Accomplishments.—Virtue the Soul of All. | [131] |
| CHAP. XXI. | |
| The Benefit of bodily Pain.—Fortitude the Basis of Virtue.—The Folly of Irresolution. | [136] |
| CHAP. XXII. | |
| Journey to London. | [141] |
| CHAP. XXIII. | |
| Charity.—Shopping.—The distressed stationer.—Mischievous Consequences of delaying Payment. | [143] |
| CHAP. XXIV. | |
| Visit to a Poor Family in London.—Idleness the Parent of Vice.—Prodigality and Generosity incompatible.—The Pleasures of Benevolence.—True and false Motives for Saving. | [148] |
| CHAP. XXV. | |
| Mrs. Mason’s farewell Advice to her Pupils.—Observations on Letter-writing. | [153] |
MORAL CONVERSATIONS
AND
STORIES.
CHAP. 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.
You have already heard that God created the world, and every inhabitant of it. He is then called the Father of all creatures; and all are made to be happy, whom a good and wise God has created. He made those snails you despise, and caterpillars, and spiders; and when he made them, did not leave them to perish, but placed them where the food that is most proper to nourish them is easily found. They do not live long, but He who is their Father, as well as your’s, directs them to deposit their eggs on the plants that are fit to support their young, when they are not able to get food for themselves.—And when such a great and wise Being has taken care to provide every thing necessary for the meanest creature, would you dare to kill it, merely because it appears to you ugly? Mary began to be attentive, and quickly followed Mrs. Mason’s example, who allowed a caterpillar and a spider to creep on her hand. You find them, she rejoined, very harmless; but a great number would destroy our vegetables and fruit; so birds are permitted to eat them, as we feed on animals; and in spring there are always more than at any other season of the year, to furnish food for the young broods.—Half-convinced, Mary said, But worms are of little consequence in the world. Yet, replied Mrs. Mason, God cares for them, and gives them every thing that is necessary to render their existence comfortable. You are often troublesome—I am stronger than you—yet I do not kill you.
Observe those ants; they have a little habitation in yonder hillock; they carry food to it for their young, and sleep very snug in it during the cold weather. The bees also have comfortable towns, and lay up a store of honey to support them when the flowers die, and snow covers the ground: and this forecast is as much the gift of God, as any quality you possess.