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*
SUMMED RAMB
OR
CONVERSATIONS,
INSTRUCTIVE 3 ENTERTAINING,
FOR, THE USE OF
CHILDREN,
DEDICATED (BY PERMISSION)
TO
HER ROYAL HIGHNESS
THC
PRINCESS CHAPvLOTTE OF WALES.
VOL. I.
By a LADY.
LONDON:
PRINTED FOR E. LLOYD,
HARLEY- STREET, CAVENDISH-SQUARE.
1801.
!er Kopai tyi
TH
Princess Charlotte of Wales,
TIHS BOOK
15
(WITH PERMISSION)
MOST HUMBLY INSCRIBED,
Y
HER ROYAL HIGHXESS'S
Most obedient
And devoted Servant,
THE AUTHOR,
CONVERSATION I.
MAMMA.
(PJOME Harry, get yoiy
hat, where is your
fifter, is fhe almoft ready ?
I promifed you, when you
went to bed laft night,
that if you would be up
arly, and not make me
A 2 wait.
2
wait, I would take a walk
with you upon the com-
mon before breakfast: we
will go down this green
lane, and through the gate
by the fide of the quarry
do not run fo fast, I
cannot keep pace with
you.
ANNA.
Mamma! Mamma! pray
look at what is going a-
long the road,acrofs the
common; a little girl upon
an
an afs, and a woman with
a ftick in her hand; fee,
it flops ; it will not ftir a
ftep, and fhe is beating it
to make it move on.
Where are they going,
Mamma, and what are all
thofe green things in the
bafkets upon the fides of
the afs? the little girl looks
as if fhe was fitting in -a
garden where can they
be going!
MAMMA.
MAMMA.
My love, I dare fay they
are going to the town,
which you fee a great way
off, to fell their eggs and
butter, and their vege-
tables.
ANNA.
Vegetables! I do not
know what they are ; will
you tell me?
MAMMA.
Yes, with a great deal
of pleafure: peafe, beans,
potatoes,
potatoes, carrots, turnips,
and cabbages, are vege-
tables.
HARRY.
But why do they carry
them to the town to fell
them? I think it is very
foolifh ; do they not want
them them at home, to
eat for their dinner and
fupper ?
MAMMA.
They want fome of them
at home, but they, every
year,
year, plant and fbw a great
deal more than they ;an
make ufe of.
HARRY.
Why do they take fo
much trouble? I think dig-
ging the ground is very
hard work : I could not
turn up the leaft bit when
I tried with Robin's fpade,
though I put my foot upon
it, and stamped as hard as
ever I could. If I was in
the place of that woman
I
I would only plant and
fow as much as I thought
I fliould want for myfelf
and my little girl, and fome
cabbage leaves for my poor
afs.
MAMMA.
Then you would do very
wrong, and you would be
forry, when too late, that
you had been fo idle ; for
you want a great many
things befides your dinner,
and even for that, you
VOL. i. B would
would foon be tired of
always eating vegetables,
without a bit of meat, and
never to have a pudding!
how fliould you like that.
Matter Harry? you who
are fo fond of pudding
and how wretched your
garden would look! all
laying wafte, except the
little nook you had planted
for yourfelf: befides you
would be without clothes.
HARRY.
HARRY.
Why, Mamma, clothes
would not grow in the
garden.
MAMMA.
I know that very well,
but ftill. the garden would
o
provide you with them,
and every other neceflary,
if you would take the trou-
ble to work in it, That
woman's hufband is a gar-
dener, and I dare fay that
every little corner of his
garden
10
garden has fomething grow-
ing in it: in the fpring of
the year he turns up the
ground, and plants and
fows; and when the things
begin to grow the little girl
and her mother help him
to pull up all the weeds,
and do every thing they
can to aflift him: then they
have their poultry, and
their cows to take care of,
fo that they have a great
many eggs, and a great
deal
11
deal of butter, as well as
peas and beans, and cab-
bages, more than they want
for themfelves; and every
week they fill their baikets,
and put them upon the afs,
and away they go to the
town to fell them; the lit-
tle girl is pleafed to have
fuch a ride, and the mo-
ther fells her things, and
with the money fhe gets
for them buys {hoes and
ftockings, and warm pet-
ticoats.
12
ticoats, for herfelf, and her
children, and comfortable
flannel waiftcoats for her
hufband againft the winter.
Now Harry, if you had
no money but what you
could earn (if you could
fuppofe yourfelf in the
place of that woman's huf-
band, and that you deter-
mined to plant no more
of your garden than you
thought you fhould want
for yourfelfj what would
you
13
you do to procure all thofe
neceffaries I have been
{peaking of? you perceive,
that though they do not
grow in the garden in the
fhape of fhoes and ftock-
ings, the things that do
grow there may be ex-
changed for money, and
money may be exchanged
for {hoes and ftockings, but
lazinefs and indolence will
produce nothing but want
and wretchednefs,
HARRY.
14
HARRY.
I did not think of all
that, but I fee now that it
is a very bad thing to be
idle : pray Mamma, what
can I do that I may not
be idle; I cannot dig, you
know I am not ftrong
enough.
MAMMA.
Nor is it needful you
fhould: your papa has
money enough to pay
people to work for him,
and
15
and a great many poor
labourers live by what
they get from him.
HARRY.
Then / may be as idle
as I pleafe.
MAMMA.
Indeed you may not;
there are many other ways
of employing your time
befides digging or plant-
ing. You are too young,
at prefent 3 to be of fervice
to any body; all you can
VOL. i. c now
16
now do is to attend to the
inftru6tions of your papa,
and your mafters, and
learn, againft you are old-
er, how you may be able
to be moft ufeful to your
fellow- creatures, and how
to conduft yourfelf, in or-
der to gain the love and
efteem of your friends and
neighbours.
CON-
Putl^kacL ** the A
COM
CONVERSATION II.
HARRY.
ERE comes a girl out
of papa's corn-fields,
with her apron full of corn;
how did fhe get it Mam-
ma ! did the reapers give
it to her ?
MAMMA.
18
MAMMA.
The reapers always leave
a few ears, fcattered about,
for the poor people to pick
up, and your papa orders
them to leave a good many
that they may return to
their homes happy and
contented. Obferve that
little girl, how pleafed fhe
looks, and how faft fhe
walks; fhe feems impatient
to fhew her mother how
much corn fhe has glean-
ed;
19
ed; {he is telling her little
dog to make hafte, do you
fee how he looks at her?
he wonders what is the
matter, he does not know-
that her mother will get
the corn ground at the
mill, and make a nice loaf
for her children, but the
little girl knows it, and
that is the reafon flie makes
fo much hafte.
ANNA.
But have they no other
bread ?
20
bread ? no corn but what
fhe picks up in the fields ?
MAMMA.
.Yes; the father works,
and the mother fpins, and
with the money they earn
they buy bread, and what
other things they ftand in
need of: perhaps that girl
has gained a trifle by help-
ing to pull out the weeds
from the corn, when it
was beginning to grow, in
the very fields where fhe
has now been gleaning.
21
HARRY.
I wifh we could go inta
the field, I fliould like to
fee what all the people are
doing.
MAMMA.
Well, come here, and I
will help you over the
ftile; come Anna, let us
go into the field the
reapers are at dinner under
the hedge ; how merry
they are ! how they are
talking and laughing !
ANNA.
22
ANNA.
Oh ! Mamma ! look at
that poor old woman; flie
is gleaning, but fhe can
hardly floop to pick up
the ears of corn ; may I
help her?
MAMMA.
Good girl! yes, go help
the poor creature.
HARRY.
Mamma, I will pull a
handful out of this fheaf
for her; 1 am fure papa
will
23
will not be angry, look
what a deal he has got;
why we fhould not eat all
this in ten years, even if
we were to have hot cakes
and puddings every day.
MAMMA.
Your papa does not mean
that we fhould eat it all:
I hope you have not for-
got what 1 told you about
the woman, and the little
girl, who were going to
market with their vegeta-
VOL. i. D bles;
24
bles; your papa will order
his corn to be fold, and
we fhall have the money
to buy what we want.
HARRY.
I hope he will keep fome
of the corn to make us
bread*
MAMMA.
Certainly he will, and
fome of the money to pay
the labourers; they muft
be paid before any thing is
bought, for they have no
other
25
other means of providing
for their families.
Well, Anna, have you
been affifting the poor old
woman ?
ANNA.
Yes Mamma; do look
what I have got for her;
but Ihe cannot cany it
home, her hands tremble
fo much ; fo I thought I
might tie it round with my
fafh, and Harry and I
could carry it home for
her ;
6
her ; {he does not live far
off; ihe {hewed me her
cottage ; it is there clofe
by the lane, almoft in our
way,
HARRY.
Do tie it up, fifter, and
put it upon my back; I
{hould like very much to
carry it home for her: and
now. Mamma, I {hall be
ufeful to one of my fellow>
creatures, though 1 am but
a little boy; and I will
try,
27
try, every year, to do
more and more to help
them, that every body may
love me, as you faid they
would if I was kind to
them.
ANNA.
There was a very naugh-.
ty boy near the old woman,
I wilh you had feen him,
fome ears of corn lay at
her feet, and when I was
going to take them up, he
J will pick them up
for
28
for her, mifs, but inftead
of doing fo, he ran away
with them, and laughed,
and though I called him he
would not flop: there he
is. Mamma, (landing by a
another boy in a blue
jacket.
MAMMA.
It was a fad naughty
trick indeed, and he fhall
not have any more. Har-
ry, go and tell George to
turn him out of the field.
I
29
I fhould like to give that
old woman a {hilling, Ihe
looks very poor indeed;
but I have not got my
purfe; what can I do for
a fhilling!
ANNA.
Oh Mamma ! how fony
I am! what can be done!
I am fure fhe would be
glad enough to have it, for
fhe told me fhe was very
weak, and wifhed fhe had
a little broth. I do not
know
30
know what to do, I have
no money but my new
fliilling, and how can I part
Xvith that?
MAMMA.
It certainly is a very
pretty {hilling, fo bright,
and fo nice ! if you keep it
you may have the pleafure
of admiring it till your next
birth-day, and it will ferve
alfo to make you recolleft
the poor miferable old wo-
man, who appears to be
almoft
31
almoft fainting for want of
a little comfortable nou-
rifhment. Anna, my love,
where are you running, I
cannot poflibly overtake
you ? Look Harry, your
fifter is giving her new
{hilling to the poor wo-
man.
ANNA.
My dear Mamma, I could
not think of keeping the
fhilling after what you
faid, I fhould have hated
VOL. i. E to
32
to fee it, and now I fhall
be happy whenever I think
of it.
CON-
CONVERSATION III.
MAMMA.
do you leave us,
Anna? you will get
in amongft the trees, and
not be able to find the way
out again; and I do not
think any body would hear
you if you were to call.
ANNA.
34
ANNA.
Mamma! I believe there
is a houfe very near, fome-
where behind the trees, for
there is a pretty little girl
fitting on the ground, read^
ing, and I do not think fhe
is old enough to go far
from home by herfelf.
You cannot think what a
nice little girl fhe is; fhe
has got her book laying
open upon her knee, and
I am fure ; though you are
fome-
35
fometimes angry with me
for not minding what I am
about, you could not be
fo with her, for fhe never
once looked up; I wonder
fhe did not hear me, for i
fhook the boughs of the
trees, and kicked the gra-
vel and ftones about, but
fhe kept on reading juft as
if fhe had been deaf.
MAMMA,
Becaufe, my dear, fhe was
attentive, and not thinking
of
36
of any thing but her lef-
fon, which, I dare fay, fhe
went into that quiet place
to learn, and did not ex-
pe6l a little noify, trouble-
fome girl would come there
to difturb her.
ANNA.
But I did not difturb her,
for flie did not hear me.
MAMMA.
So much the better, you
' /
fhould never attempt to in-
terrupt any body you fee
em-
37
employed, let them be
doing what they will, and
I beg you will remember
never to teafe me with
queftions when I am fpeak-
ing to another perfon, as
you did yefterday, when I
was talking to Mr. Smith,
for it is very rude, and
very tirefome : kifs me,
my love, I am not an-
gry ; 1 tell you of it be-
caufe perhaps you did not
know it was rude, and be-
caufe
38
caufe I fhould be forry
my little girl fhould make
herfelf difliked without
knowing herfelf to blame;
but now I have told you
of it, I expet you never
do fuch a thing again, for
I fhall be very much dif-
pleafed if I have the trou-
ble of repeating it
ANNA.
Thank you. Mamma, for
telling me of it, I will re-
member what you fay, and
will
39
will nex'er do it again.
Then you will not go and
look at the pretty little
girl !
MAMMA.
No, certainly I fhall
not; I fuppofe fhe has a
leffon given her to learn,
and fhe knows that the
only way to do it is to be
alone; and how much bet-
ter is it to get it done at
once, and then be able to
go and amufe herfelf as Ihe
VOL. i. F likes
40
likes beft, than to be loung*
ing about all day with the
book in her hand, fome-
times in one room, fome*
times in another, and fret-
ting and teafing every body
with her leffon, I am fure
Ihe is a fenfible child, and
it would be cruel to dif-
turb her.
ANNA.
Brother Harry, when \ve
have our leflbns given us
to-morrow, we will go to
the
41
the fummer-houfe in the
garden, and there we (hall
have nobody to difturb
us.
MAMMA.
No, but you will dif-
turb each other; Anna will
call Harry to look at a but-
terfly, and Harry will a(k
his fifter, fifty times in half
an hour, how far Ihe has
learned; then a pigeon will
fly by the window, then a
horfe trot down the lane,
and
42-
and you will talk of the
colour of the pigeon, and
afk each other who it can
be riding down the lane;
fo at length you will per-
ceive that your leffon is
ftill to begin, and that you
have only been amuling
each other, and chattering
like two little magpyes.
If you wifh to get your
leffons off your hands, that
your time may be your
own afterwards, Harry muft
feat
43
feat himfelf in the corner
of the back parlour, and
Anna go to her room, or
into my clofet, but never
near the window.
HARRY.
But my coufm Mary did
worfe than lounge about,
for fhe would not try to
learn any leflbn when fhe
was here.
ANNA.
Your coufm Mary is a
very naughty child, and
has
44
has been fuffered to have
her own way a great deal
too much; if ihe never
learns any thing, ihe will
make a fine figure when
fhe grows a great girl; eve-
ry body will laugh at her,
and fhe will be very un^-
happy, and never know
how to pafs her time, for
when ihe is older ihe will
not find amufement in dolls
and baby houfes; and ihe
will be fo ignorant that
nobody
45
nobody will like to con-
verfe with her.
ANNA.
What do great girls do,
when they leave off playing
with dolls?
MAMMA.
They read and work,
and fome are fond of draw-
ing, others of mufic: they
have many agreeable ways
of fpending their time; but
if you do not learn when
you have an opportunity,
and
46
and when your papa and
mamma are fo good as to
give you mailers to in-
firuft you, you will grow
up to be the ridicule of all
your acquaintance, and e-
ven little children, who
have been more attentive
to their leffons, will pro-
bably know more than you
do, and will mock and
laugh at you.
HARRY.
But why cannot great
boys
47
boys and girls learn other
things when they are tired
of their play-things ?
MAMMA.
Pray Harry, tell me if it
would not be a fine fight
to fee young Mafter and
Mifs Freeman learning their
a b c ? would not you laugh
to hear Mifs Freeman fpel-
ling oa-t cat, d-o-g dog?
and to fee her brother
learning to write?
HARRY.
VOL. I. G
48
HARRY.
Oh dear Mamma! how
very ftrange that would
be, 1 am fure I fhould
laugh indeed, and I will
learn every thing as faft as
I can, while I am little,
for 1 fhould be afhamed to
be obliged to have a maf-
ter to teach me to read
and write when I am a
great big boy, and have
boots and fpurs, like M af-
ter Freeman.
ANNA.
49
ANNA.
And fo will I, Harry,
learn every thing Mamma
is fo kind as to teach me;
for I fhould. look like a
fool if I was defired to
read fomething, and not
be able to do it; and I
fhould be very unhappy
when you go to fchool,
and to Oxford, as papa
faid you fhould, if I could
not write to you, and read
your letters.
COAT*
CONVERSATION IF.
ANNA.
~OW I do like to run
upon this common !
I have been fo blown a-
bout! for I loft my hat,
and I have had a fine race
after it. Oh! there is El-
len with her baby juft come
out
5L
out of the lane; and there
is her father fitting near the
gate; (he ftops to talk with
him; it is very fine wea-
ther, and I hope the fun-
fhine will do him good.
MAMMA.
I hope it will make him
quite well ; he is a great
deal better fmce he came
to live with his daughter;
he was very lonely after {he
was married, and gone to
her own houfe, and he
grew
S2
grew ill and weak, and
could not go to his work,
or mind his bufmefs at all,
and he would have be-
come very poor and mi-
ferable if he had not had
a dutiful good child.
HARRY.
What did fhe do, Mam-
ana?
MAMMA.
She went to his cottage,
and told him that he had
been very good to her
when
53
when fhe was a little girl,
and had given her meat
and drink, and cloaths,
and a good fire to keep
her warm in the winter,,
and had never let her
want for any thing, but had
taken care of her when fhe
could not take care of her-
felf, and that now fhe was
a woman, and he was
growing old and infirm,
fhe would not fuffer him
to have any more trouble
about
54
about any thing, but de-
fired he would bring his
bed, and his great eafy
chair, and all his things
to her houfe, and live with
her and her hufband; fo
poor old Williams was
very happy at the thought
of being with his daughter,
and every thing was foon
removed : his bed was
placed in a pleafant little
room, of. which the cafe-
ment opened into the gar-
den;
55
den; the eafy chair was
put into the warmeft cor-
ner of the kitchen, clofe
by the fire-fide, and his
cow was put with Ellen's
in the field behind the
houfe.
The good old man was no
longer lonely, his daugh-
ter made nice comfortable
broth for him, and he
grew better and better e-
very day, and is now al-
moft well; fometimes he
VOL. i. H amufes
56
amufes himfelf in their
garden, and when he re-
turns to his great chair he
plays with his little grand-
child, of whom he is very
fond, and will be more fo
when it begins to talk to
him.
Ellen never fuffers him
to do any thing to fatigue
himfelf, and he is as hap-
py as he can be; and {he
and her hufband are hap-
py alfo, for they know
that
57
that they are doing their
duty, and may hope that
when they grow old and
infirm, their children will
be as kind to them as they
now are to her father : e-
very thing profpers with
them; Ihe makes the niceft
butter in all the village,
and nobody can boaft of
fuch fine fat poultry. She
deferves to be happy for
fhe was always good. I
knew her when fhe was a
very
58
very little girl, and loved
her becaufe fhe was fo obe-
dient and dutiful to her
parents, and fo kind and
obliging to her neighbours;
never quarreling with her
play-fellows, but willing to
lend them what toys {he
had, without defiring to
have any thing of theirs
unlefs they liked it.
So you fee young gen-
tlemen and ladies are very
often not half fo good as
the
59
the children of poor peo-
ple, though they ought to
know right from wrong a
great deal better; for their
papas and mammas general-
ly take a great deal more
trouble to teach them, and
are much better able to
inftrul them, befides that
they have more time to ob-
ferve their aftions ; for
poor people are obliged to
mind their work in the
fields, and have no leifure
to
60
to fit down and talk with
their children; fo that they
are left to themfelves, and
are much more excufeable,
when they do wrong, than
young gentlemen and la-
dies are when they do fo;
there can be no excufe for
them, for they have always
ibme kind friend to tell
them what is good, and
what is naughty, and if
they will not attend to
what is faid to them, fo
much
61
much the worfe for them,
they will never be happy,
for thofe who at impro-
perly never are.
HARRY.
Pray Mamma, let us go
to old Williams; I fhould
like to a(k him if he is
better.
ANNA.
And I fhould be glad to
fee the little baby. When
I have faved up a little
more of my pocket money,
may I buy her a frock?
MAMMA.
I fhould have no objec-
tion to your making a pre-
fent of a frock to Ellen's
child, if you had money
to make prefents often, but
as you have not, would it
not be better, Anna, to
fpend the little you have
in fomething more ufeful ;
Ellen can afford to buy
frocks for her child, and
every thing elfe which is
needful for her; but Jane
Prim-
63
Primrofe's poor little girl
has fcarlely a petticoat to
wear, and her Ihoes are fo
bad that fhe cannot keep
them upon her feet : do
you not think there will
be more charity in giving
your money to her, or to
the poor old woman you
law in the corn field? Ihe
is fo weak as not to be able
to get any ? ^and has nobo-
dy to help her or to give
her any thing, unlefs Ihe is
VOL. i. i fo
64
fo happy as to meet with
kind - hearted charitable
people, who can afford to
fpare a trifle to her, and
who inftead of giving their
little away to the firft they
meet with, or to pleafe
their own fancy, (as you
would do by giving a frock
to Ellen's child) have re-
ferved their favings for
fuch objefts as fhe, and
the poor little half-naked
child 1 recommend to your
notice.
65
notice, and to which I
hope you will attend.
ANNA.
Yes indeed. Mamma, and
I hope I fhall foon have
enough to buy little Jane
a petticoat; and do pray
fhew me how to make it,
and then her mother will
not be obliged to pay for
it, nor to fpend her own
time about it, and leave
her fpinning.
MAMMA.
66
MAMMA.
That is very well thought
of, my love ; poor peo-
ple's time is as precious to
them as money, for it is
only by employing that
properly they can hope to
procure the comforts and
neceflaries of life.
COX-
CONVERSATION V.
MAMMA.
Harry, do you fee that
little boy leaning on the
fide of the brook? he is
very naughty indeed, and
if I was his mamma I
fhould be very angry with
him, and would fend him
to
6s
to bed witout his fupper,
and I would not fpeak to
him for a whole week.
HARRY.
And would you take
away his whip and his
dog?
MAMMA.
Yes, and his pi6iures>
and his tame rabbit.
HARRY.
But why would you do
fo, Mamma ? what has
the little boy done to
make
69
make you fo angry with
him ?
MAMMA.
Becaufe he has been
told, both by his papa and
his mamma, a great many
times, never to go nigh the
water, for if he was to fall
in (which it is very likely
he may) he will fink down
to the bottom, and be
drowned, and then he wilt
never fee his papa or his
mamma, or his brothers,
or
70
or his fifters any more ;
and nobody will be forry
for him, becaufe he is a
very difobedient child.
HARRY.
Why do men go near
the water? when I walk-
ed out with papa, I faw
fome men by the fide of
the river; they were fifh-
ing; and there was one in
a boat; fuppofe they had
fallen in, would they have
been drowned ?
MAMMA.
71
MAMMA.
Very likely they might,
fuch accidents too often
happen, but men are never
in fo much danger as little
boys are, becaufe they are
better able to take care of
themfelves ; and if, by
chance, a man was to fall
into the river, perhaps he
might be able to get out
again, but a little boy
would not have ftrength
to ftruggle ; he could not
VOL. i. K keep
72
keep up his head, and the
water would get into his
mouth and ears, and he
would lofe his fenfes, and
fink down to the bottom.
HARRY.
Oh dear Mamma! what
a fad thing it would be !
I am quite frightened only
by hearing what you fay.
MAMMA.
Befides, the water that
would drown a child
might not be half deep
enough
73
enough to drown a man.
I knew a little boy who
had been ordered, by his
mamma, never to go near
the pond in the garden,
but he was fo naughty that
he did not mind what fhe
faid, but, like a difobedi-
ent child as he was, got a
little boat with a firing to
it, and one day, when his
mamma was gone to vifit
a lady in the neighbour-
hood, away he went to
make
74
make it fwim in the pond;
but he had not amufed
himfelf long before the
firing flipped out of his
fingers, and in trying to
get it again, he fell head-
long into the water, and
would certainly have been
drowned in a few minutes,
if the gardener had not
happened, very fortunate-
ly, to be in the way, and
got to him time enough
to pull him out, and fave
his
75
his life; but he was fo
much frightened that it
was a long time before he
could fpeak or open his
eyes, and was fo wet and
cold that he was obliged
to go to bed, and there he
lay fick and ill; and had
fo much difagreeable bit-
ter fluff to fwallow, and it
was fo long before he
could go to walk with his
fifters, or to work in his
little garden, or do any
thing
76
thing that he liked to do,
that 1 think he will never
be fo naughty again, but
will remember that his
mamma knows much bet-
ter what is proper for him
to do than he does him-
felf, and that whenever he
difobeys her orders he w r ill
get into mifchief ; and I
hope, my dear Harry, you
will alfo remember that
difobedient children are
always punifhed, that they
are
77
are very wicked, and that
God never loves them.
HARRY.
Mamma, I will always
be as good as ever I can,
and I will do every thing
you tell me to do, and I
never will go near water
without holding you or
papa, or fomebody by the
hand but fuppofe the
gardener had fallen into
the pond when he was
trying to get the little boy
out!
78
MAMMA.
if he had, he would
only have got his cloaths
wet, and might perhaps
have caught a cold, but
he would not have been
drowned, for the water
was not deep enough,
therefore, as I told you
before, children are more
expofed to danger than
men ; befides they have
neither fenfe or judgment
enough to know when
there
79
there is danger, and when
there is not; and they muft
fubmit to be guided by
thofe who do know, and
not be headftrong and ob-
ftinate, and wifli to do as
they like without aiking
whether it is proper for
them to do it or not.
Do you remember how
your coufm Mary hurt
herfelf when fhe overfet
the fire-fcreen? you know
I told her what would
VOL. i. L hap-
80
happen, but flie was obfti-
nate, and would not be-
lieve me, but continued
kicking and puftiing it, fo
down it came, and gave
her a great blow upon the
head.
HARRY.
Yes, I remember it very
well; and how fhe cried
and fqualled, and how you
kept on playing upon your
piano, and took no notice
of her noife, but the more
fhe
81
fhe fcreamed the louder
you played.
MAMMA.
Very true, Harry, 1 did
fo; I was determined to
let her cry till fhe was
tired, for fhe had nobody
to blame but herfelf for
what had happened; I had
told her a dozen times to
let the fcreen alone, and
if fhe did not chufe to
mind me, but to amufe
herfelf with kicking it a-
bout,
82
bout, if flic was hurt it was
her own fault but you
know fhe is fo often naugh-
ty that fhe tires every body.
HARRY.
So {he is indeed. Mam-
ma; I wifh fhe would be
good, that people might
love her. The fervants do
not like to do any thing
for her, for when {he wants
any thing fhe fpeaks fo
crofs to them, and fcratches
and pinches fo, that Biddy
told
83
told her, the other day,
fhe might drefs herfelf if
fhe would, and wafh her-
felf, or go dirty if fhe liked
it; fhe would not be her
maid any longer.
CON-
CONVERSATION VI.
ANNA.
TV/jTY dear Mamma, I am
glad you are come
home ; I was fo afraid you
would not come before our
bed time. How does my
aunt do? and how do all
my coufms?
MAMMA.
85
MAMMA.
They are all very well:
Mary is at her grandmam-
ma's, fo I did not fee her,
and I was not forry for it;
I am always vexed when
I am in her company, fhe
is fo crofs.
I got out of the chaife
at the end of the town, and
walked up to the houfe
through the garden; the
parlour window was open,
and I faw them before they
faw
86
faw me : your aunt was fit-
ting with her little boy
upon her lap, and Fanny
was Handing by her, beg-
ging {he might alfo be
taken up. The moment
I entered the parlour, Ihe
alked if Harry had fent
her fome ftrawberries: fhe
does not know that they
are out of feafon. I gave
her a pear and a plum,
and fhe was very well fa-
tisfied.
Your
ar
Your Aunt wants a lit-
tle of our country air, and
has promifed to fpend a
week or fortnight with us :
fhe will bring Fanny and
William with her, and
leave Mary with grand-
mamma.
ANNA*
I am very glad of that,
for whenever (he comes
here fKe walks over my
poor little garden, and
treads down all my flow*
VOL. i. M ers,
88
ers, tears my doll's cloaths
to bits, and breaks and
fpoils every thing that fhe
can get at. I love my
other coufins dearly.
MAMMA.
She is indeed a fad lit-
tle girl but we muft hope
{he will mend, when fhe
is older, and has more fenfe:
if fhe had been in your
place when I came home,
fhe would have afked me,
fifty times, what I had
brought
89
brought her here comes
John with the parcels, and
now you fhall fee what I
have got for you. In the
firft place here are two
very pretty books, with
piftures in them, for you,
Anna, and two others for
you, Harry, and a fine
large kite for you to fly
in the garden, or in the
field; and here is a ball
of twine.
My dear Anna, tell rne
how
90
how you like this little
box, open it, there is the
key look how pretty it
is; there you are to lay
your work, and here are
winders to put your thread
upon; here is a place for
your thimble ; and at that
end, under the cover, you
will find a pretty pair of
fciffars and a bodkin; in
this paper is fomething to
make a petticoat for poor
jittle Jane, and now you
may
may go to work as foon
as you pleafe, for here is
every thing neceflary,
ANNA.
Thank you. Mamma,
twenty times. What a
beautiful box it is ! how
pretty the infide is !
HARRY.
But look at my kite,
that is the pretty thing;
how high it will go with
all this cord!
MAMMA.
92
MAMMA.
Here children, are fome
bifcuits for you ; I bought
a great many more, but
they are gone: I hope you
will like them.
HARRY.
Are they fweet?
MAMMA.
Indeed I do not know,
for 1 have not tailed them.
HARRY.
Where are they gone
jthen ? I thought you had
been
93
been eating fome in the
chaife, as you came home.
MAMMA.
No, I gave them to a
poor child who was in its
mother's arms in the fhop
crying for cake, which,
poor woman, fhe had no
money, to buy for it ; and
the fhop woman heard it
cry, and faw its poor little
finger pointed at the bif-
cuits, without taking any
notice of it.
ANNA.
94
ANNA.
How could Ihe be fo hard-
hearted as not to give it
fome in its pincloth, when
fhe had fo many !
MAMMA.
It was not neceffary to
give away fuch a quantity,
fhe lives by felling them^
and if fhe gave away her
things in that manner, fhe
would foon be as poor as
the mother of the child,
but as you fay, fhe muft be
very
95
very hard-hearted not to
have given the poor thing
one, when the woman told
her fhe had juft paid her
every halfpenny fhe had
in the world, for a loaf to
take home with her.
HARRY.
So Mamma, you bought
fome bifcuits, and gave her
half of them. I wifh fhe
had all my fhare!
ANNA.
And I wifh fhe had
VOL. i, N mine.
96
mine, and if I could fend
them to her I would.
MAMMA.
1 know where to find
her, if you would really
rather fend them to her,
than eat them yourfelves.
ANNA.
Yes indeed Mamma ; we
do not want them, fo tie
up the paper, and let the
poor little thing have them
as foon as you can.
HARItY.
97
HARRY.
And here is my piece,
put it in with the reft, I
wiflr I had not eat any
of it.
MAMMA.
You are very good chil-
dren, and I love you more
and more every day; you
fhall not go to bed with-
out being rewarded for
your kindnefs. Comejohn,
let me have the large par-
cel, which I told you to
keep
98
keep till I afked for it
here it comes your fcif-
fars, Anna, to cut the
packthread now open the
paper peep Harry well
what do you fee?
HARRY.
Oh! what have we got
here, a great feed cake !
why this is twenty times
better than bifcuits ; pray
dear Mamma let us fend a
flice of it to the poor
child.
MAMMA.
99
MAMMA.
So we will, and you
{hall, each of you, have
a piece before you go to
bed.
The poor woman will
be here to-morrow; {he is
travelling on foot, with
her child in her arms, all
the way to L where
her father lives. She was
married to a fea-faring
man, who is lately dead,
and {he is returning to her
friends
100
friends to work, and en-
deavour to maintain her
child, and herfelf, in the
town in which fhe was
born, rather than live a-
mong ftrangers ; but fhe
has a long way to go,
and is without money ;
fhe will dine here to-mor-
row, and we muft fee what
can be done for her.
END OF VOL. I.
EXTON, PRINTER, GREAT PORTLAND -STREET.
S U M M E R R A MBLE S,
OR
CONVERSATIONS,
INSTRUCTIVE tf ENTERTAINING,
FOR THE USE OF
CHILDREN.
D E D I C A T E D (B Y PERMISSION)
TO
HER ROYAL HIGHNESS
THE
PRINCESS CHARLOTTE OF WALES*
VOL. II.
By A LADY.
LONDON :
HAlLEY-^sTREET, CAVKND1SH
130 1.
Just Published by the same Author 9
Short Stories,
IN
WORDS OF ONE SYLLABLE,
FOR THE USE OF
CHILDREN,
CONVERSATION VII.
MAMMA.
TT is very early, the milk
maids are but now re-
turning from the fields,
with their pails on their
heads brim full of milk ;
and there is old dame Ben-
VOL. ii. B net
2
net feeding her poultry. I
like to rife foon, and enjoy
the frefh air of the morn-
ing. But I fee a lady with
her children who have been
earlier than we are : how
comfortably fhe fits there
under dame Bennet's old
oak! the little boy has got
a bafon of milk, and his
filter is going to receive a
bunch of currants from her
mamma; look Anna, how
fhe holds them out towards
her;
her; {he has a bafket full
by her fide I dare fay
they are very good chil-
dren, or {he would not
have given them fuch a
treat.
ANNA.
Have / been good all
the week, Mamma?
MAMMA.
Yes ; you have beeri
good a long time.
ANNA.
Then pray, dear Mam-
ma,
4
ina, let us go to dame
Bennet's, and get fome cur-
rants and milk for break-
faft; I fhould like it much!
MAMMA.
I dare fay you would,
my love, but do you think
that poor Harry, who is
unwell, and obliged to flay
at home, would be fo well
pleafed? how do you think
he would like to hear, that
while he is looking through
the window, and \vifhing
to
to fee us come up the lawrt,
and is probably waiting
breakfaft for us, we were
enjoying ourfelves under a
fhady tree, with milk and
fruit, and not thinking a-
bout him ! I do dot mean
to fuppofe he would be
forry that we were amufed
without him, but it Would
look fo very unkind, when
the poor little boy is ill,
that I arn fure my dear An*
na would not have alked
fiich
fuch a thing of me if fhe
had recollefted herfelf one
moment : we fhould ne-
ver do any thing to pleafe
ourfelves, when it is likely
to give pain to another.
ANNA.
Dear Mamma, I had
quite forgot that poor Har-
ry will be waiting for us ;
pray let us go home di-
reftly ! here are fome
pretty flowers in the hedge,
I will carry him a nofegay :
but
but. Mamma, how {hall I
always, know when what I
am going to do to pleafe
myfelf, will not give pain
to another ?
MAMMA.
By afking yourfelf how
you would like it, if the
other perfon was in your
place, and you in his: fup-
pofe you had an inclina-
tion to go and work in
Harry's garden, and he not
being at home, you could
not
not be fare whether it
would pleafe him or not,
you would afk yourfelf
how you fhould like for
Harry to go and dig up
your garden, and very likely
you would fay, " not at all,
* for perhaps he would
" fpoil my flowers, and
" alter my little beds, and
" I fhould be forry." And
if that fhould be the cafe,
might you not conclude
that he would rather ma-
nage
nage his garden himfelf, for
the very fame reafons?
ANNA.
I will remember what
you fay, Mamma, for I am
always very forry when I
have done any thing to vex
my brother, or any other
perfon; I did not know
I was doing wrong, when
I carried fome barley to
the white hen when fhe
was fitting; I was afraid
the poor thing would be
VOL. n. c ftarved,
10
ftarved, for though I was
always watching and peep-
ing, I never faw her come
out of the woodhoufe.
; MAMMA.
And it was your watch-
ing and peeping, and throw-
ing down the barley, that
at length frightened her a-
way, and made her forfake
/ *
her neft, and the eggs were
all fpoiled, inftead of pro-
ducing ten or twelve pretty
little chicken and your papa
was difpleafed,
11
ANNA.
He was not very angry,
For he faid, " you did not
" mean to do mifchief,
" Anna, but you might
Ci have recollected that the
" woodhoufe door was o-
" pen, and there was no-
" thing to have prevented
" the hen from going out,
" if (he had been hungry/'
MAMMA.
No, he was not very an-
gry, becaufe he faw that you
intended
12
intended a kindnefs, though
you miftook the manner of
doing it let us walk a
little fafter.
ANNA.
I fee Harry at the win-
dow; he is clapping his
hands; I believe he is glad
to fee us coming home; I
am very happy that we did
not flay but what is he
holding up to {hew me! it
is a pi&ure, Oh Mamma!
I fee fomebody behind him.
MAMMA.
13
MAMMA.
So do I; it is your friend
Mr. Wilfon, with his cakes
and his gingerbread; if you
had ftayed at dame Ben-
net's you would have loft
your fhare of them ; fo
you fee you are already
going to be rewarded, for
the readinefs you Chewed
to return to your brother
the moment I mentioned
it.
ANNA,
14
ANNA.
Indeed Mamma, 1 would
much rather obey you than
have either cakes or gin-
gerbread. Mr. Wilfon is
very kind to us ; but pray
do teil me why he was
always fo crofs to my coxi-
fin Mary, when {he was
with us : he made me turn
his pockets infide out, and
played fuch funny tricks
with me, but he would
not fpeak to Mary, nor
give
15
give her any thing, not
even a little tiny bit of
barley-lugar, though I beg*
ged him fo much not to
vex her; and Mrs. Baker
faid, Oh Mr. Wilfon do
" not make the fweet little
" beautiful angel cry :" he
faid, ' I care not a pin for
c her beauty, fhe is a crofs
< ill-natured girl, and I will
have nothing to fay to
< her/
MAMMA.
16
MAMMA.
Mr. Wilfon never flat-
ters any body; he knows
that the prettieft child in
the world will make her-
felf difliked, unlefs Ihe is
good humoured and kind,
and obliging to her friends;
if fhe difobeys her papa
and mamma, quarrels with
her brothers and fitters,
and fpeaks rudely and un-
kindly to the fervants, fhe
will be hated and defpifed
let
I?
let her be ever fo pretty,
and nobody will care for
her beauty more than Mr,
Wilton does for your cou-
fin Mary's-
VOL. II. D CON-
CONVERSATION VIII.
MAMMA.
RE have you been,
Harry ? I thought I
had loft you, your lifter is
gone to look down the
lane for you : have you
been hiding yourfelf on
purpofe to make her feek
for you ?
JTov, r ' /tOl ty Lloyd -ft H<tr(ey J
19
HARRY.
No Mamma, I have not,
I was only on the other
fide of the hedge, talking
to Matter Charles Freeman's
little brother ; I faw him
coming out of that cottage,
and I went to him, becaufe
I wanted to fpeak to him
about fomething.
MAMMA.
You wanted to fpeak to
him! pray tell me (if it is
not a great fecret) what you
wanted of him.
20
IIABRY.
I will tell you, but pray
do not tell Anna, for it is
a very great fee ret indeed.,
and fhe muft not know any
thing of it till next week,
MAMMA.
Blefs me! well Harry,
I will promife not to fay a
word, and now I hope you
will not hide any thing
from your mamma, becaufe
you may perhaps be going
to do fomething improper,
and
21
and not know it is fo, and
I ihall be able to judge for
you.
HARRY.
I am fore you will not
think it is improper to do
fomething to pleafe my
fitter, without her knowing
it, and then hide in a cor-
ner to fee how glad fhe will
be 3 and how fhe will won-
der where it all came from,
MAMMA.
No, certainly, my dear
boy ;
22
boy; and I am very happy
to fee you have fo much
pleafure in the thought of
obliging your' fifter but I
long to know what it is
you are going to do, and
what Mafter Freeman can
have to do with it.
HARRY.
Well, Mamma ! now
you fhall hear it all.
When we dined, laft week,
at Mr. Freeman's, Anna
fo much pleafed with
fome
23
fome pinks and larkfpurs,
and fome other flowers, (I
do not remember their
names) that I afked Mafter
Freeman if he could not
get me fome t6 put in her
little garden ; and his papa
has made him a prefent of*
fome on purpofe for her;
of the fame kind of flow- 5 '
ers, only they are in pots,
and fo much the better, for
the gardener is to bring
them over very early in
the
the morning, a long time
before {he will be awake,
and I am to be called up,
and the pots are to be funk
down in the mould, that
her little garden may be
quite full of flowers, and
it will be fo pretty, and (b
gay, that I am fure ihe will
be quite happy.
But this is not all; he
has given me a tame white
:on, which will eat
barley out of his hand, and
follows
follows him about like a
little dog ; and I fliall give
it to Anna: only think,
how flie will be pleafed !
fhould not you Mamma ?
MAMMA.
Undoubtedly I fhould;
who would not be pleafed
by fuch kind attention?
and it is a very great com-
fort to me to fee my chil-
dren fo good, and fo oblig-
ing to each other. I dare
fay you will have much
VOL. n. E more
26
more pleafure in feeing
your lifter jump and clap
her hands, as (he does
when Ihe is glad, than if
any body had given you
three times as many flow-
ers, to be put into your
own garden.
HARRY.
That I fhall; and I love
Matter Freeman for being
fo kind as to get them for
me. Mamma, if you will
give me leave, I Ihould
like
IP
like to give him my kite ;
he faid it was a very nice
one, and he wifhed he had
juft fuch another. He is a
very good boy, 1 am fure,
for he was ready to cry
when he came out of the
cottage ; he told me he had
been there, to carry fome
money from his Mamma,
to a poor woman whofe
children are all very ill
with the fmall pox ; and
he faid they looked fo
fadlv
23
fadly, and fo ragged, that
he could not bear to fee
them ; their father has
hurt his leg, and cannot
work; and the poor wo-
man, he faid, had enough
to do, to nurfe them all ;
and they had no money,
till his Mamma fent them
fome, nor any thing to eat.
MAMMA.
Then, my dear Harry,
we will call your fifter, (I
fee her among the bulhes
picking
29
picking blackberries,) and
we will make hafte home,
and have fomething com-*
fortable got for them, im-
mediately ; and I ihall fee
what money I can fpare,
and what your Papa will
give us, and
HARRY.
Oh Mamma ! I have got
fix-pence, you know !
MAMMA.
Very well ; we will go
and fee thofe poor crea-
tures,
30
tures, and take care that
they have fomething every
day, till they all get well
again j and then they will-
return to their labour, as
they did before, but when
poor people are fick, who
have nothing but their
hands to depend upon, they
are much to be pitied, and
that i$ the time to affift and
relieve them: and I am
fure none but wicked peo-
ple will refufe to do it.
HARRY.
31
HARRY.
Does any body refufe to
do it when they have {hil-
lings and fixpences in their
purfes ?
MAMMA.
Oh yes, Harry ! I am
forry to fay there are a
great many who have plen-
ty of money to fpare ; yet
deny poor creatures who
have nothing to eat, and
are not able to work to
procure bread,
HARRY,
32
HARRY.
That is very cruel.
MAMMA.
It is very often want of
thought more than cruelty:
there are I hope, very few
people in the world, who
would not be fhocked to
fee a fellow creature really
dying for want of food;
but they will not give
themfelves the trouble to
inquire into their fituation,
and endeavour to relieve
them
33
them in time ; they prefer
throwing away their money
in a hundred foolifh things
which can be of no real
life, and only pleafe them
for a moment ; and there
are others who cannot dine
without ten times as many
j
dilhes upon their tables as
are needful ; and they ne-
ver recolleft, how many
poor creatures there are,
who have not one.
Here comes Anna, and
VOL. ii. F now
34
now we muft make hafte to
get home.
HARRY.
Mamma ! remember
not a word of my fecret.
ANNA.
So, Matter Harry, I have
caught you at laft !
HARRY.
If you had flayed with
Mamma, you would foon
have found me, for I came
back direftly: you know
I do not like to be long
away from her.
35
ANNA.
Nor do I but why is
flie walking on fo fail ?
make hafte, or flie will be
at home before us,
HARRY.
Run, run, I will tell
you by and by why ihe is
in fuch a hurry.
CONVERSATION IX.
MAMMA.
at thofe pretty
little girls, fitting there,
clofe together ; I dare fay
they love each other very
much, and I am fure they
are good, for they look
pleafed
37
pleafed and happy;
naughty children never
look pleafed, for they know
very well that nobody
loves them, and that makes
them appear difcontented
and crofs; and you will
generally fee them quarrel-
ing, and trying to vex one
another, inftead of looking
pleafed at being together,
and amufing each other.
I like to fee thofe little
girls ; do not you, Anna?
ANNA,
38
ANNA.
Yes Mamma; and I
fhoujd like to be with
them, for I think that lit-
tle fat one is telling fome
pretty ftory, and 1 am very
fond of hearing ftories.
HARRY.
There is another girl
juft come foftly on tip-toe,
peeping at the door.
MAMMA.
Yes, yes ; I fee her, and
I know her very well; but
I
39
I can affure you that she is
not a good girl ; and fhe
is at this moment guilty of
a very naughty mean trick;
fhe is liftening, and I hope
fhe will be caught, and pu-
nifhed for it. She has a
great many other very bad
tricks, and nobody will
ever love her as long as
fhe lives, if fhe continues
fo naughty, and goes about
liftening, and telling tales
upon her play-fellows :
you
40
you know my dear chil-
dren what a very bad
thing it is, and how tell-
tales make themfelves dif*
liked and avokled*
She is always running
from one to another with
what this one faid, , and
what the other did ; and
when fhe has nothing true
to tell, fhe is fo very
wicked as to invent (lories
merely to make mifchief,
One
41
One day flie went and
tore all her filler's doll's
clothes to pieces, and then
carried them in her pin-
cloth to fliew them to her
Mamma, and faid (he had
found them upon the ftairs,
and her fitter's little dog
laying by them, with a
piece of the blue filk pet-
ticoat in it's mputh; and
that fhe was fure he had
done the mifchief, and
begged her Mamma to
have him beat.
VOL. II. G
42
HARRY.
Oh dear! I hope the
poor little fellow was not
beat! How very naughty
ihe muft be !
MAMMA.
No, he was not beat, for
{he was found out, and pu-
nifhed as fhe deferved : -
ihe was kept at home, and
never fuffered to play or
to walk out, or ever had
any thing nice, till flie had
made an entire new fet of
clothes for the doll.
ANNA.
What! did flie work'
from morning till night,
without looking up, or
rifing from her feat ? dear
me!
MAMMA.
Yes, every day for a long
time; and her brothers and
fifters ufed to go with
Mamma, to eat ftrawberries
and cream, at old Nurfe's
cottage, and fometimes to
dine with their Grandr
mamma,
mamma, who was very
fond of them, and had al-
ways a great many pretty
things to fhew them.
ANNA.
What did flie Ihew
them ?
MAMMA.
A large book full of
pretty piftures, and her gar-
den and green-houfe, full
of flowers and plants.
Once their Papa and Mam-
ma took them in a boat
upon
45
upon the river ; and they
went a great way, and faw
people fifhing with nets,
and faw the fifh taken out,
and put into bafkets; and
they dined in a little boat-
houfe, and were as happy
as they could poffibly be,
while the naughty girl was
left at home at work ; and
they always took poor little
Frifky with them, wherever
they went.
HARRY,
46
HARRY.
Oh ! I am very glad of
that, for Ihe would have
beat him, when they were
gone out of the way, and
nobody to fee her; and
poor Frifk could not have
told of it, for he cannot
fpeak.
But did not ihe grow
good after being kept at
home, and made to work
fo much ?
MAMMA,
47
MAMMA,
You fee fne is not
grown good, for {he is
doing a very naughty mean
thing at this moment ; and
I am afraid it will be a
long time before flie will
mend, if et-er Ihe does ?
for fhe feems to have much
more pleafure in doing
mifchief, and in making
herfelf hated, than other
children have in being
kind and obliging to eve*
ry
48
ry body, and in making
themfelves loved and ad-
mired.
ANNA.
Pray Mamma, tell me
xvhy Ihe wanted to have
the poor little dog beat;
what had he done to
make her angry with him?
did he ever bite her?
MAMMA.
No, never; nor was it
beeaufe fhe was angry with
him, but that the wanted
to
49
to vex her filter, who was
very fond of him; however
Ihe treated all animals fo
cruelly, whether dogs or
cats, that her Papa and
Mamma would not let her
have either ; and that made
her ftill more angry with
her fifter, and I fuppofe
fhe thought Friiky would
be beat, and given away;
but, as I told you, fhe was
difcovered and punifhed,
and fo, I hope, all fuch
VOL. ii. ii naughty
naughty girls will be ferv-
ed but it is time to go
into the parlour, I fee Nel-
ly with two nice bafons of
milk for the little boy and
girl ; and I think it is al-
moft bed time, I dare fay
you are both tired, for you
have had a very long walk,
and Harry has wheeled off
fo much rubbilh in his lit-
tle wheel-barrow, to help
Robin, that I dare fay his
arms ache; never mind
it
51
it, you will fleep the bet-
ter for it, and to-morrow I
will tell you more of that
naughty girl's tricks, that
you may fee how odious it
makes her appear, and that
you may, both of you,
avoid doing any thing like
her; I would not have my
children half fo naughty as
fhe is for the whole world ;
but indeed my loves we
have talked quite enough,
and it is growing late
which
which will be up firft, and
meet me in the green-houfe ?
not lazy little Anna, I am
fure ; fo Harry will have
the nofegay*
CON-
CONVERSATION"
CONVERSATION X.
MAMMA.
AS I was coming from
your Aunt's laft week,
about half way between this
and the town, I faw a little
SirL who made me think
o 7
of you, Anna.
ANNA.
54
ANNA.
How Mamma! what did
fhe do that could make you
think of me ?
MAMMA
You have not forgot
how much afraid you ufed
to be of your Uncle's dog;
though he is certainly the
beft natured creature in the
world.
ANNA.
Yes, I know he is, but
he would always jump up
at
55
at me, and I did not like
it: I am not afraid of him
now.
MAMMA.
The little girl I was
going to tell you of, was
by the fide of the road,
with a very pretty dog;
who did not appear to have
any inclination to hurt her,
though fhe looked as much
frightened as if it had been
going to devour her, but
when fhe held her hands
up
56
up, he thought fne wanted
to play with him; and
jumped up with his paws
upon her frock, and then
fhe began to fcream, as if
he had been biting off her
fingers.
It is very foolifh for
children to be fo eafily
frightened: fome are afraid
of fpiders, forne of dogs,
and others, of, they know
not what themfelves; and
cannot bear to be a moment
in the dark.
57
ANNA.
I do not much like to
be in the dark.
MAMMA.
I know it, but I wifh
you could tell me why you
diflike it, for that I cannot
guefs.
ANNA.
Indeed Mamma I do
not rightly know myfelf:
only it is- ^becaufe it is
dark, and I cannot fee who
is near me.
VOL. II. I
58
MAMMA.
A very good reafon in-
deed! and now pray tell
me who you expeft to pay
you a vifit when you are
in the dark, who would
not come when you have
a light; here we are all
fitting very comfortably
round the table, and I beg
you will tell me whether
you think any body will
come here this evening, to
hurt or frighten us.
ANNA.
m
ANNA.
No, Mamma ; who
fliould come here?
MAMMA.
Suppofe then I order
the candles to be taken
away, and we fit here till
bed time, quite in the
dark, without being able
to fee each other, or any
per fon who might come
in ; do you imagine we
fhould be in any more
danger of being hurt, than
while
60
while we have two can-
dles upon the table ?
ANNA,
No indeed; and I think
I have been a very foolifh
little girl all this time, and
I never will be afraid any
more. I will go this mo-
ment, without a light, up
to your room, and bring
down your pincufhion-
for I fee you want fome
pins to pin your work.
MAMMA,
01
MAMMA.
No, my dear, I do not
want you to go up and
down flairs in the dark,
but you may go into the
back parlour, and bring me
my work bafket : put out
your hands before you,
that you may not knock
your head againft any thing,
and find out your way to
the window ; there, on the
little table, ftands my baf-
ket ; and in that I fhall
find
62
find as many pins as I
want,
ANNA.
I am going ; look at me,
do I look afraid? Mam-
ma! I am in the hall
now 1 am at the door I
have opened it, and am
going into the parlour : I
fliall foon find the balket,
HARRY.
Hearken, Mamma! what
iioife is that ? Here comes
my fitter running !
MAMMA.
63
MAMMA.
Well, where is my baf-
ket ? Why Anna, what
ails you?
ANNA.
Oh Mamma! I am fo
frightened! and I have
hurt myfelf very much;
look at my forehead.
MAMMA.
My dear child, what a
blow you have given your-
felf! but what is the
matter ?
ANNA,
64
ANNA.
There is fomething alive
in the back parlour win-
dow ; I am fure of it. I
thought I had got the baf-
ket in my hand, but inftead
of that, I felt fomething
warm, and it moved; I
fnatched away my hand,
and down it came upon the
floor, and it made fuch a
ilrange noife, it was juft like
a heavy fhower of rain.
MAMMA,
65
MAMMA.
Pray let us go and fee
what this wonderful thing
can be; come Harry; I
cannot poffibly venture with-
out my little man to take
care of me.
ANNA.
Oh! now I fee I am
going to be laughed at!
Mamma pretends to be a-
fraid, only to fhew what a
foolifh girl I am*
Irxn
VOL. iu K
60
MAIMA:
"So, in the firit -place, here
is puts/ who I recollect to
have feen laying on the table
after tea; ---you are warm
indeed pufty ! and alive
alfo- but the noife! here
lies 5 Oh ctear!" how fright-
ful! "the : bafket of -barley
which I told Robin to put
here, ready for me to feed
jny poultry in the morning.
Now I am quite afhamed
/indeed,
a
indeed, and I never will
be fuch a fool again, fo
pray do not laugh at me
.Harry. I will always try
.to think on what Mamma
told me to do, when I fee
or hear any thing which
frightens me< , ' I will find
out what it is r and I wifli
. I had done fo now, inftead
of running away, and knock-
ing my head againft the
door; I fhould r foon have
found out poor puis, and
I
63
I fhould not have thrown
down the barley.
MAMMA.
I hope you will remem-
ber it, for it is very ridi-
culous to be afraid when
there is no danger. But
if it is foolifh to be fearful,
it is alfo extremely wrong
to endeavour to frighten
others : and I have known
it occailon very bad fits of
illnefs. I had a little bro-
ther who was ill a long
time.
3
time, by being frightened
by his two coufins.
ANNA.
And I have knocked my
head, by frightening my-
felf.
MAMMA.
I knew 'a little boy who
made himfelf very ill, by
miftaking flumps of trees,
in a moonlight night, for
bears and wolves. Stupid
boy ! he ought to have
known that there are no
fuch
70
fuch tilings in England,
except the bears which are
led about the country, and
are taught to dance v and
they are tied Fait, and at
any rate would not have
come into his father's wood,
- ANNA
I once law a tree, from
the window, by moon-light
'which looked like a giant.
^MAMMA.
How do you know ? did
you ever fee a giant.
ANNA,
71
ANNA.'
No ; but nurfe told me
there were great tall men,
very ugly " and frightful,
called giants.
MAMMA.
Nurfe did not know what
fhe was faying ; fhe muft
have read of them in forrie
foolifh book; but I hope
you will believe me, when
I affure you there are "no
fuch things as giants or
fairies, flying dragons^ or
enchanted caitles.
CONVERSATION XL
HARRY.
Hope you have not
waited for me. Mamma;
I have been looking at
Mafter Freeman.
MAMMA.
Where did you fee him;
has
73
lias he been here ? I wifli
/ had feen him, I would
have kept him to dine with
us.
HARRY.
I thought he was coming
here ; but he is gone away,
down the lane, with black
Nancy: I have been look-
ing at them this half hour :
poor Nancy! what a piece
of work fhe has been mak-
ing ! it was well her young
mafter came m the way.
VOL. II. L
74
MAMMA.
Why ? what was the mat-
ter?
HARRY.
I will tell you all about
it Mamma: w^hen I went
up flairs to fetch my hat,
I thought I heard you and
Anna talking, fo I looked
out of the back window of
the iiurierv, aad there I
law black Nancy, with a
balket upon her head, go-
ing towards the lane, but
in
75
in a moment her foot flip-
ped, and fhe was very near
falling; but fhe did not
fall. Mamma.
MAMMA.
So much the better
but what happened after-
wards ?
HARRY.
Why the bafket fell off
her headland all the things
tumbled about: potatoes
and apples, and greens,
and I do not know what;
but
76
I dare fay flie was going to
carry them from Mrs. Free-^
man, to the poor fick chil-
dren, for they are now gone
that way.
MAMMA.
But what was there in
all this to make black Nan-
cy fo diftrefled ? the things
you mention could not
break, or be much the
worfe for falling,
HARRY.
No Mamma, fo I thought,
and
77
and I could hardly help
laughing to fee her cry, as
if her heart would break,
about nothing at all; only
you told me I muft never
laugh at any body.
Prefently I faw Matter
Freeman run up to her;
and I heard him afk her
why flie was fo foolifh as to
cry, and why fhe did not
pick up the things, and
put them into the bafket
again, and carry them to
the
78
the poor people, as fKe had
been told to do; but (he
faid, " can't mafia, can't
mafia;" and kept on fob-
bing and crying; fo he took
them up for her, and away
they went.
MAMMA.
Poor little thing! per-
haps {he thought fhe had
done fomething very bad;
but I know fhe is very lazy
and indolent, aud if Mafler
Freman had not come to
her
79
her affiftance, fhe would
have cried there all day,
rather than have given her-
felf the trouble to ftoop
and pick them up.
ANNA
Then I am fure fhe muft
be a very foolifh girl; I
ihould foon be tired of flay-
ing there by myfelf.
MAMMA.
Her being tired would
have been of very little con-
iequence, but you fhould
recollect
recolleft that all the time
flie Rayed there the poor
father and his fick children
were waiting with impati-
ence for the comfortable
things Mrs. Freeman had
promifed to fend them: he
. wifhing for the greens for
his wife, to put in his
broth; and -they longing
for roafted apples and po-
tatoes which their mother
had promifed to get ready
for their dinners. What-
ever
81
ever you are defired to do,
do it immediately; and
never fay to yourfelf, " I
44 will do it by and by;
" there can be no need for
" me to leave what I am
"about; it will be time
" enough when I have fi-
.." niftied this bit of my
" doll's cap:" for you can-
not know what harm your
delay may produce.
I remember once, when
I was on a vtfit to your
n. M Uncle,
82
Uncle, that he got up one
morning at fix o'clock,
and fent a little boy (the
gardener's fon) with a fmall
parcel fealed up, to a poor
woman, who lived at the
other end of the town, and
gave him particular orders
to make as much hafte as
he poffibly could. The
naughty boy however, in-
ftead of doing as he was
defired, thought there
could be no need to make
fo
83
fo much hafte, and that
the beft thing he could do
was to begin by taking care
of himfelf; fo he went
into the kitchen, and afked
for his breakfaft ; the cook
not knowing the orders he
had received did not hur-
ry herfelf, but told him
the breakfaft was never
ready fo very early, and
that he muft wait ; fo that
it was eight o'clock before
he fet out, and he had not
got
84
got above half way to the
woman's houfe before he
met. with fome boys, who
were going into the fields
to catch linnets and gold-
finches, and as they afked
him to go with them he
thought it would be very
pleafant, and that he could
not do better; he Ihould
have time enough after-
wards to go to the woman
with the parcel, and his
mailer would know nothing
of
of the matter; fo away
they went together, whitt-
ling and finging, and never
once thinking of whether
they were doing right or
wrong.
HARRY.
Oh! what a naughty
boy he muft have been, to
go away into the fields
without alking leave ; and
when he was fent another
way, Mamma ; that made
it a great deal worfe.
MAMMA.
86
MAMMA.
But pray Men the
other boys were older than
he was, and they thought
if they were to get into any
mifchief, they could very
eafily run away, and leave
him to anfwer for it 3 and
get out of it as he could;
fo paffing by an orchard
they afked him if he would
climb up into a tree, and
throw them down fome
apples, he confented very
readily,
87
readily, becaufe they told
him it would make him
look like a great boy if he
could climb up into trees,
and fteal apples : fo up he
got, and threw down a
great many very large ones,
which they .picked up, and
;put into their pockets ; but
prefently hearing a gate o-
pen, and footfteps coming
towards them, they ran a-
-way, and left him to take
care of himfelf, and in
hur-
^88
hurrying to get down from
the tree , he fell, and hurt
his leg in fuch a dreadful
manner, that he was obliged
to be carried into a houfe,
and have a furgeon fent
for, and he fuffered a great
deal, and was ill a long
.time, and his mafter was
very angry with him, and
fo was his father, who were
both fent for, as foon as
he could fpeak to tell who
he belonged to.
ANNA.
89
ANNA.
And Mamma, what be-
came of the little parcel ?
MAMMA.
That is the very worft
part of the ftory, for the
boy only fuffered what he
deferved for difobeying his
mafter, and ftealing apples ;
but the little parcel con-
tained money for a poor
miferable woman who had
five children all ill of the
fmall pox, (as our neigh-
VOL. ii. N bour's
so
hour's are) and your good
Uncle having heard the
night before of her very
great diftrefs, got up early
on purpoie to fend her fome
relief, which by this wick-
ed boy's negle&fhe did not
receive till the next day^
(for he lay many hours be-
fore he could fpeak) and
they were by that time fo
near perifhing by cold and
hunger that is was with
great difficulty their lives
were faved. CON*
tyt&tyj &3 S^r-Ujf Street.
CONVERSATION XII.
MAMMA.
J[ SHALL not take a very
long walk to clay; the
weather is growing chilly,
and the wind is quite cold
on this bleak place. Do
you obferve that little boy
with
92
with his faggot upon his
fhoulder! he is without a
hat, and has neither flioes
or ftockings upon his poor
feet.
HARRY.
May I give him ray old
hat. Mamma? I have two
hats, and only one head.
MAMMA.
That is very true, and
he has a head but no hat;
I dare fay he will be very
glad to have one of your's,
for
93
for if it fhould rain (as
I think it will very foon) he
will be wet and cold.
ANNA.
But he may go home
with his faggot, and keep
himfelf warm, inftead of
running out in the rain;
would not that be better ?
MAMMA.
Perhaps he may not be
able to avoid going out,
and that is very likely: I
know who he is, and \vhere
he
94
he lives, and I can afliire
you that he and his fitter
are two of the beft difpofed
children I ever met with in
my life: their mother is a
poor widow, who lives
down by the mill, and fhe
has another little boy and
girl much younger than
thofe I fpeak of: fhe is a
cripple, and cannot go out
of her houfe ; fhe can only
fit and fpin, and the two
.elder children do every
thing
95
thing for her, and go out
for every thing (lie want^j
the boy gathers wood fuffi-
cient fo ferve them, though
he is obliged to go many
miles to get it ; and the
farmers are very kind to
him, becaufe they know
he is fo dutiful to his mo-
ther, and fo good to bis
little brother and fifter;
and they fometimes give
him potatoes and turnips,
and a little oorn to make
96
a brown loaf; and then he
runs home fo joyful, and
fo happy, that he neither
minds the rough road or
the cold, or any thing elfe.
ANNA.
How came you to know
fo much of them, Mam-
ma ? did you go to fee them
without us? I do not re-
member ever having been
there.
MAMMA.
You were neither of you
with
97
with me when I went to
their houfe; and you will
wonder when I tell you
that it was at night, and
that I went to fee Sally fafe
home.
ANNA.
Who is Sally ? is flie the
good boy's fifter?
MAMMA.
Yes, fhe is; hut I will
tell you how it happened.
Your papa and I had dined
laft winter at Mr. Wilfon's,
U n. o and
98
and the evening was fo very
fine and pleaiant, though
very cold, that we prefer-
ed walking home over the
fields, and through the
wood, to having the chaife;
fo we wrapped ourfelves up
very comfortably, and walk-
ed on till we came to the
middle of the wood, l where
you and I have often ftop-
ped to obferve how very
thick the trees and bufhes
grow; and there your pa-
pa
99
pa firft thought he heard a
child cry, and a moment
after we heard it lamenting
very bitterly, and faying,
" what ihall I do! what
" fhall I do!" where are
you? afked your papa: u here
I am," faid the poor thing,
" pray, pray, come to me,
1 cannot find my way out
of the wood." The voice
was quite near us; but the
bufhes were fo thick, that
we had a great deal of
trouble
100
trouble to find the child ;
at length, however, we got
to the place, and there
flood a clean tidy little girl,
with a pitcher of milk, and
a fmall bafket of potatoes,
but fhe was fo frightened
that fhe could hardly tell
us how fhe came there, or
who fhe belonged to.
When fhe had a little reco-
vered herfelf, and we had
promifed to fee her fafe
home, fhe told us her name,
and
101
and that fhe lived by the
fide of the mill; that her
mother was a cripple, and
had nobody to do any thing;
for her, but her brother
and herfelf, and that there
were twa little ones to take 1
care of; that her brother
had that afternoon been
taken very ill, ad they
had nothing in the houfe
to eat; and her little bro-
ther and filler were begin-
ning to cry that they were
hungry,
102
hungry T and her mother
faid, "whatfhall.I do for
thefe poor children till to-
morrow!" fo fhe told us
fhe thought fhe would take
the pitcher, and the bafket,
and go to farmer Jackfon's,
for fome milk and fome po-
tatoes; and that if flie went
the neareft way, (that is,
through the wood,) fhe
fhould be able to get back
again before night ; fhe
could not bear, flic faid,
to
J03
to hear her little brother
and lifter cry; fo away fhe
went, and got what fhe
wanted, but coming home
fhe loft the right path, and
had rambled about in the
wood, till flie had got quite
into the thickeft part of it,
and it grew dark, and fhe
though t ihe fhould be obliged
to ftay there all night; and
file was crying becauie Ihe
thought how frightened her
mother would be at not fee-
ing
104
ing her return, and how
liungry her poor little bro-
ther and filter would be,
and could get nothing to
eat.
ANNA.
What a good girl fhe
jnuft-be! but what would
fhe have done if you and
^>apa had not heard her !
MAMMA.
Indeed 1 do not know.
We went Jiome with her,
i
;aud rejoiced her poor mo-
ther.
105
*, w}io was very uheafy*
but had nobody to fend to
feek after her; and the lit-
tle ones were crying for
Sally, and the milk ; ib that
the poor woman did not
know what to do.
We gave them a little
money, and left them very
happy; for I told Sally flie
might come every morn-
ing, and have her pitcher
filled with milk at our
houfe, without having to
VOL. ir, p go
106
go through the wood to
fetch it.
ANNA.
Then fhe had not got it
to pay for, and that was
another good thing.
MAMMA.
Certainly fhe had not,
and the money fhe ufed to
fpend in milk, has, for
many months paft, ferved
to buy other things, and I
am very thankful that God
Almighty has blefled me
with
107
with plenty, and that I
have it in my power to re-
lieve my poor neighbours,
and help to make them com-
fortable and happy.
And now, my children,
w r e muft make hafte to get
home, for I am very cold ;
we muft have a good fire,
and our books and pi&ures,
and all our other winter
amufements, for our fum-
mer rambles are at an end.
FINIS.
PRINTER, GREAT PORTLAND-STREET.
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