pen; but unluckily the skirt of his coat brushed against a very valuable flower, which his father was rearing with great pains, and which he had unfortunately just removed from before the window, to screen it from the scorching heat of the sun.

3. O brother! brother!' said Amanda, taking up the flower, which was broken off from the stalk, what have you done?' The little girl was holding the flower in her hand when her father came into the room. Bless me, Amanda,' said her father, how

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could you be so thoughtless as to pluck a flower, which you

have seen me take so much care to rear, in order to have seed from it!'

4. Amanda was in such a fright, that she could only beg her father not to be angry. Her father replied that he was not angry, but reminded her, that as they were going to a garden where there was a variety of flowers, she might have waited till they arrived there to indulge her fancy. He therefore hoped she would not take it amiss if he left her at home.

5. This was a terrible situation for Amanda, who held her head down, and said nothing. Little Alexis, however, was of too generous a temper to keep silence any longer. He went up to his father, and told him that it was not his sister, but himself, who had accidentally beaten off the head of the flower with the skirt of his coat. He therefore desired that his sister might go and take a walk, and he stay at home.

6. The father was so delighted with the generosity of his children, that he instantly forgave the accident, and tenderly caressed them both, being happy to see them have such an affection for each other. He told them that he loved them equally alike, and that they should both go with him.

7. They all three then walked to the garden, where they saw plants of the most valuable kinds. Amanda pressed her clothes on each side, and Alexis kept the skirts of his coat under his arms, for fear of doing any damage in their walk among the flowers.

8. The flower which their father had lost would have given him some pain, had it happened from any other circumstance; but the pleasure he received from seeing such mutual affection and regard subsist between his two children, amply repaid him for the loss of his flower.

9. I cannot omit the opportunity that here presents itself, of reminding my young friends, not only how necessary, but how amiable and praiseworthy it is for brothers and sisters to live together in harmony and love. It is not only their most important interest to do so, but what should be a still stronger

argument with them, such are the commands of Him who made them.

The little Boy, his Sisters, and the Swallow's Nest.

1. A LITTLE boy having one day espied a swallow's nest under the eaves of the house, ran directly to inform his sisters of the important discovery, and they immediately fell into consultation concerning the manner in which they should take it. It was at last agreed, that they should wait till the young ones were fledged, that the little boy should then put a ladder up against the wall, and that his sisters should hold it fast below, while he mounted after the prize.

2. As soon as they thought these poor little creatures were properly fledged, preparations were made for the execution of their intended plan. The old birds flew backwards and forwards about the nest, and expressed as well as they were able, the sorrow and affliction they felt on being robbed of their young. The little boy and his two sisters, however, paid no regard to their pious moans; for they took the nest with three young ones in it.

3. As the little innocent prisoners were now in their possession, the next thing to be considered was, what they should do with them. The youngest sister, being of a mild and tender-hearted disposition, proposed putting them into a cage, promising to look after them herself, and to see that they wanted for nothing. She reminded her brother and sister how pretty it would be to see and hear those birds chirp when grown up.

4. The little boy, however, was of a very different opinion; for he insisted on it, that it would be better to pluck off their feathers, and then set them down in the middle of the room, as it would be very amusing to see them hop about without feathers. The elder sister was of the same way of thinking as the younger; but the little boy was determined to have the matter entirely his own way.

5. The two little girls finding they were not likely to have things as they wished, gave up the point without much hesitation; for their brother had already begun to strip the poor helpless birds. As fast as he plucked them, he put them down on the floor, and it was not long before the little birds were stripped of all their tender feathers. The poor things cried, and complained in the most piteous accents; they shook their little wings, and shuddered with the cold.

6. The little boy, however, who had not the least kind of

feeling for their sufferings, carried his persecutions still further, pushing them with his foot or hand to make them go on when they stopped, and laughing most heartily whenever they staggered or tumbled down through weakness.

7. Though his two sisters at first had pleaded against this cruel kind of sport, yet, seeing their brother so merry on the occasion, they forgot their former dictates of humanity, and joined in the cruel sport with him.

8. In the midst of this cruel kind of enjoyment, at a distance they saw their tutor approaching. This put them into a flurry, · and each pocketed a bird. They would have avoided their tutor, but he called to them, and asked their reason for wishing to shun him. They approached him very slowly, with their eyes cast down, which convinced him that something amiss was going forwards.

9. On their answering that they were only playing, their tutor observed to them, that they very well knew, he never denied them innocent amusement; but, on the contrary, was always glad to see them cheerful and happy.

10. He took notice that they each held one of their hands behind them, upon which he insisted on their showing them, and letting him see, what it was they endeavoured to conceal.

11. They were obliged to comply, much against their will, when each produced a bird that had been stripped of its feathers. The tutor was filled with pity and indignation, and gave each of them a look that was more dreadful than any words he could have spoken. After some silence, the little boy attempted to justify himself, by saying that it was a curious sight to see swallows hopping about without feathers, and he could see no harm in it.

12. Can you then,' said the tutor, 'take pleasure in seeing innocent creatures suffer, and hear their cries without pity?" The little boy said, he did not see how they could suffer from having a few feathers pulled off.' The tutor, to convince him of his errour, pulled a few hairs from his head, when he cried. out loudly, that he hurt him.

13. What would your pain be, then,' said the tutor, were I thus to pluck all the hair off your head? You are sensible of the pain you now feel, but you were insensible of the torment to which you put those innocent creatures, that never offended you. But that you, little girls, should join in such an act of cruelty, very much surprises me.'

14. The little girls stood motionless, and appeared to be very sorry for what they had done, which their tutor observing, he

said no more to them. But the little boy still persisted in his opinion that he did the birds no harm; on the contrary, he said they showed their pleasure by clapping their wings and chirping

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15. They clapped their wings,' said the tutor, from the pain you put them to; and what you call singing, were e cries and lamentations. Could those birds have expressed themselves in your speech, you would have heard them cry, Ob father and mother, save us, for we have fallen into the hands of cruel children, who have robbed us of all our feathers! We are cold and in pain. Come warm us and cure us, or we shall soon die !'

16. The little girls could no longer conceal their grief, and accused their brother of leading them into this act of cruelty. The little boy was himself become sensible of his faults, and had already felt the smart of having a few hairs plucked from his head; but the reproaches of his own heart were now visible on his countenance

17. It appeared to the tutor that there was no need of carrying the punishment any further: for the errour the little boy had committed did not arise from a natural love of cruelty, but merely from want of thought and reflection. From this moment the little boy, instead of punishing and tormenting dumb creatures, always felt for their distresses, and did what he could to relieve them.

Little Junius and the fruitful Vine.

1. In the beginning of the spring, a gentleman went to his country house, and took with him his little son Junius, in order to treat him with a walk in the garden. The primroses and violets were then all displaying their beauties, and many trees had begun to show what livery they were soon to wear.

2. After walking some time about the garden, they happened to go into the summer house, at the foot of which grew the stump of a vine, which twisted wildly, and extended its naked branches in a rude and irregular manner.

3. As soon as little Junius saw this tree, he exclaimed sadly against the ugly appearance it made, and began to exert all his strength to pull it up; but he found his efforts in vain, it being too well rooted to yield to his weak arm. He begged his father to call the gardener to dig it up, and make fire wood of it; but the gentlemen desired his son to let the tree alone, telling him that he would, in a few months, give him his reasons for pot complying with his request.

4. This did not satisfy Junius, who desired his father to look at those lively crocusses and snowdrops, saying, he could not see why that barren stump should be kept, which did not produce a single green leaf. He thought it spoiled and disfigured the garden, and therefore begged his father would permit him to fetch the gardener to pluck it up.

5. The gentleman, who could not think of granting his request, told him, that it must stand as it then was, at least for some time to come. Little Junius still persisted in his entreaties, urging how disgraceful it was to the garden; but his father diverted his attention from the vine, by turning the conversation.

6. It so happened, that the gentleman's affairs called him to a different part of the country, whence he did not return till the middle of autumn. He no sooner came home than he paid a visit to his country house, taking little Junius with him. As the day happened to be warm, they retired to enjoy the benefit of the shade, and entered the arbour, in which the vine stump had so much before offended his son Junius.

7. O father,' said the young gentleman, how charming and delightful is this green shade! I am much obliged to you for having that dry and ugly stump plucked up, which I found so much fault with when we were here last, and for putting in its place this beautiful plant; I suppose you did it in order to give me an agreeable surprise. How delightful and tempting the fruit looks! What fine grapes! Some purple, and others almost black. I see no tree in the garden that looks in so blooming a state. All have lost their fruit; but this fine one seems in the highest perfection. See how it is loaded. See those wide spreading leaves that hide the clusters. If the fruit be as good as it appears beautiful, it must be delicious.’

8. Little Junius was in raptures when he tasted one of the grapes, which his father gave him; and still more so, when he informed him, that from such fruit was made that delicious liquor, which he sometimes tasted after dinner. The little boy was quite astonished on hearing his father talk thus; but he was far more surprised when his father told him, that all those fine leaves, and delicious fruit, grew from that very crooked and misshapen stump, with which he had been so angry in the 'spring.

9. His father then asked him, if he should now order the gardener to pluck it up, and make fire wood of it. Junius was much confused; but, after a short silence, told his father, that he would rather see every other tree in the garden cut