can; for she wants you sadly, and is wondering "what in the world she shall do if you don't come home presently."

And now, although the young lady we are about to introduce is well dressed, well behaved, and very respectable in her connexions; we must (adhering to the definition that has been given of the term) announce her as a person of no consequence. It will be proper however to remark, that nothing could have surprised this young person much more than to have heard herself so described: because it was the earliest, and is still the uppermost idea in her mind, that she is somebody of consequence. So that her astonishment at such a designation could only be exceeded by that of little Betsey Bond if she had overheard our introduction of her. It was a fundamental fault in the education of this little lady, that the first feelings of self-importance, instead of being checked, were cherished by the ill-directed fondness of her parents. Therefore we ought to pity her mistake. And now, they themselves suffer most severely from the effects of it. There is nothing that we can discover in the person, manners, or education of this girl, to distinguish her, particularly, from thousands and tens of thousands of her age and class in society. In all these respects she may pass very well; but how is it, that with nothing more to boast than is common to others, she feels of so much consequence?

But we have yet to substantiate our charge: although indeed, in the view of the more discerning reader: this is already done. To say that a person is consequential is much the same thing as saying they are not of much consequence. But, more particularly, we have called this young lady of no consequence, because all she ever appears to aim at is to serve and to please herself. She has been tolerably attentive to the various branches of her education: she has some activity and cleverness in common things: she has a good taste in dress, and in other similar affairs: you may see her for hours at her instrument, or at her drawing book, or at her needle, and might think her very industrious: but alas, alas! all this is to please herself. Her station in life does not indeed require that she should do such things exactly as Betsey Bond does: yet there are many little services she might render to her father and mother, to her brothers, and friends, and neighbors, which would not only endear her to them, but would render her a person of consequence amongst them: for activity and good-nature are of great consequence in every house: but she never thinks of any thing of that kind. Her thoughts, her time, her cleverness, her industry, all, all, are made to serve one person only, and that person is, herself. If you see her ever so busily at work, you may be sure that she is making something that she thinks will look well on herself. If you meet her running up stairs, or

down stairs, or going on an errand, you may depend upon it it is to get something for herself. And as she thinks so much of herself, all this is no wonder, because any one of so much importance must needs require as much waiting on. But surely people may be pronounced to be of no consequence when no other human being is the better for them. If little Betsey Bond were to die, her poor mother would almost break her heart: her brothers and sisters would miss her every day of their lives: there is not a neighbor all round but would lament her: indeed there is not one person in twenty but could be better spared. But as for this young lady, although if she were to die, her parents, from the force of natural affection, would doubtless feel afflicted, yet even they would never be reminded of her by any little affectionate attentions which they would then miss. Her brothers and her young friends might be sorry for her; but they would lose nothing and miss nothing themselves. And alas! there are no poor neighbors of hers who would be any the worse off if this young lady were never to be heard of more. Now then, we again appeal to our readers (begging them to be guided by their good sense, and not to be biassed by external appearances, or common modes of judging) and inquire, which of these girls is the person of consequence?

Self-importance is a feeling very common to

young people; ridiculous as it is in every body, and especially so in them. Even where it has not been fostered by the weak partiality of parents, and by the flattery of foolish friends, it is but too apt to insinuate itself into the heart of a child; in which, as Solomon says, "folly is bound up." There are, indeed, many circumstances connected with youth which tend to cherish it. The pains that are bestowed upon their education—the kind attentions which benevolent people frequently pay to the young-the notice they attract merely because they are young, may be easily misinterpreted by juvenile vanity, as though there was something particular in them, in distinction from other young people, to excite all this, and to render so much pains and cost desirable. Now although this proceeds chiefly from ignorance and inexperience, yet it is always a disgusting fault; and those young persons who are possessed of natural good sense, will soon detect and discard it. They, on the contrary, who are weak and vain, and who have not the advantage of a judicious education, will most probably be so unfortunate as to remain in their mistake all their lives. Some such individuals are to be found in every neighborhood: self-important, consequential, officious persons; who are smiled at by the wise, and laughed at by the witty.

This is no uncommon fault in these busy times.

But the officiousness of such persons generally gives more trouble than their services compensate. It is those who act quietly, who make little noise and no pretence, who do most good-perhaps all the real good that is done in the world. Now, as it is a far pleasanter thing to correct this fault for ourselves than to wait till other people do it for us, it would be well for every one who may be conscious of such an infirmity, to recollect, as before hinted, that it is a feeling which persons of real consequence never indulge.

Let young persons, then, put some such questions as these to themselves. Do I think myself a person of consequence? if so, on what grounds?—who is the better for me? if I were away, who would miss my services? would my parents lose many dutiful and affectionate attentions? would my brothers and sisters lose a kind, and accommodating, and self-denying companion? would my friends or poor neighbors be any the worse off for my removal? would one and another have to say, "Ah! if she were but here,

she would have done this or that for us?" But if conscience assures us that in no such ways as these we should be missed or regretted, then, whatever our station, whatever our external advantages, whatever our opinion of ourselves may hitherto have been, we may be assured that we have not, at present, any just grounds of selfcomplacency: and if we are discontented with