“But they went on disputing about this for half an hour; and Godfrey and I were so ashamed, and so sorry, that we could not have any pleasure in listening to the music or looking at the prospect. You were at the other end of the boat, mamma, and you did not see and hear all this. Then we came to the island, and then I thought we should be happy; but one of the boys said, ‘Come this way, or you will see nothing.’ The other boy roared out, ‘No, they must come my way;’ and Miss Blisset insisted on our going her way.
“All the time we were walking, they went on disputing about which of their ways was the best. Then they looked so discontented and so angry with one another. I am sure they were not happy ten minutes together, all day long; and I said to myself, ‘Is this a party of pleasure? how much happier Godfrey and I are every day, even without going to this pretty island, and without hearing this music, or seeing these fine prospects—much happier, because we do not quarrel with one another about every trifle.’”
“My dear,” said her mother, “I am glad you have had an opportunity of seeing all this.”
“Mamma, instead of its being a party of pleasure, it was a party of pain. Oh, mamma, I never wish to go on another party of pleasure. I have done with parties of pleasure for ever,” concluded Rosamond.
“You know, my dear, I warned you not to raise your expectations too high, lest you should be disappointed. You have found that unless people are good-tempered, and obliging, and ready to please each other, they make pain even of pleasure; therefore avoid quarrelsome people as much as you can, and never imitate them; but do not declare against all parties of pleasure, and decide against them for ever because one happened not to be so delightful as you had expected it to be.”
A FOX’S TALE OF HIS ADVENTURES.
TRANSLATED FROM THE GERMAN OF RUDOLPHI.
I was born in a retired spot, along with four brothers and sisters. Our mother had made a nice soft bed of moss, in a hole which she had scooped in the side of a steep bank; and a comfortable dwelling it was. As soon as we were weaned, our parents supplied us with good food,—sometimes young hares, partridges, and such dainty provisions. Occasionally we had mice, which we did not relish quite so much; but our mother used to say, that we must accustom ourselves to every thing, for the time might perhaps come when we should be glad of even a mouse to make a meal of. We grew apace, and as the den soon became too small for us, we tried to escape out of our dwelling. But our parents strictly forbade this; saying, that nothing but dangers awaited us; but that, as soon as we were old enough, they would take us to a place of greater security.