imagination still followed the travelling p seen stop at the inn; and she first though like to be a companion to those ladies; to walk with them, and attend them whereve "But how foolish!" thought she; "whil ing, why not wish myself one of the ladies Yes, yes, a rich heiress, very handsome, fo own disposal; a thousand a year—no, five,ten thousand a year. Should my father an alive?-perhaps they would not allow me do as I pleased, so they should have bee years, and I would have a very agreeable y for a companion. But poor papa and mamm Lucy, no no, they should not be dead the should have the fortune in my own hands, what I pleased with it. And I would be a

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and not have any brothers or sisters to teaz next proceeded to settle the number of her colour of her carriages and liveries; in w she would have her country seats, and in her town house; till the number of her wa splendour of her establishments, increased so that she began to fear her means would be and she found it expedient at once to inc come from ten to twenty thousand a year.

Just as Lucy had arrived at this conclusi ther entered the room, and put a stop to her She was beginning to converse with her da the book they had been reading together in but Lucy, finding that subject very dry in with her late brilliant speculations, soon in by relating as much as she thought proper just been passing in her mind. Her mothe had finished, endeavoured to prove that she bably not be at all happier for such a chang stances. Lucy knew not what to say to her

tions; yet she did not feel convinced, and said, "Well then, mamma, if wishing were of any use, and if you were exactly in my place, what would you wish for ?What is the happiest situation in all the world that you can think of?""

"If wishing were of any use, then," said her mother, "I might, in the first place, wish to be about that age when the dangers of infancy and the follies of childhood are past; but when the opportunities and advantages of youth are yet to come. I would not wish to be grown up, because then the character is fixed; and I should lose the unspeakable advantage of having it yet in my power to form a good one. I might also wish for a sound, vigorous constitution. With regard to personal beauty, as there are some disadvantages connected with it, and as many who do not possess it make greater proficiency in the things most important to happiness than those who do, I would not wish about it; but make up my mind to be contented with whatever external appearance I happened to have. I should certainly wish to have kind parents; not such as would indulge my follies and spoil my temper; but parents able and willing to train me up in the way I should go, to impart useful instruction, and correct my perverse dispositions. I would also wish for brothers and sisters, some of them nearly of my own age; as it would not only render my life more social and cheerful, but give me an opportunity of cultivating amiable and generous feelings, instead of growing selfish and self-important, as is sometimes the case with an only child. I might farther wish my parents to be in easy circumstances, such as would allow them to give me a good, useful education, to supply my common wants, and to afford me a few rational pleasures: but I would by no means wish them to be very rich, nor in the highest ranks of society, because it is universally allowed by men of the greatest wisdom and experience, that

persons in the middle ranks of life are the most advantageously circumstanced for the attainment of virtue and happiness. Nor would I by any means wish for a fortune in my own hands till I was well qualified to manage it for there cannot be a greater misfortune than for a person to be left to their own guidance at the early age we are supposing. I would only wish, therefore, for a moderate allowance from my parents, such as would enable me to indulge a few reasonable wishes, and that I might have a mite of my own to give to the poor, and to contribute towards some of the institutions for doing good to my fellow-creatures. In addition to all this, I might, if it were worth while, wish to live in an agreeable neighbourhood, where there were a few young people of my own age and rank, with whom I might occasionally associate. I might also desire to live in a pleasant convenient house, with a garden; perhaps I might wish my parents to allow me a little garden of my own, to cultivate at my leisure hours; and that my own room should be furnished with a suitable library, and other means of instruction and amusement; and I would have regular hours for business and recreation."

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"O how delightful!" exclaimed Lucy; "I can fancy exactly what kind of a house and garden it is, and what kind of people they are. I think you are a very good wisher indeed now that is exactly what I should like."

"Indeed!" said her mother; "and who do you think is the fortunate young person I have been thinking of all the time, with whom you would so much like to change places ?"

Lucy thought for a moment, and then exclaimed, “O mamma! you have been playing me a trick. You have been thinking of me, I do believe! Yes, for I am just the age that you said; and I have kind parents to instruct me, and they are not very rich; and I have brothers and

young

sisters of my own age to associate with, and a few friends besides; and I have an allowance to do what I please with; and I am not very handsome; and I live in a convenient house, tolerably pleasant, with a garden, and have a garden and room of my own, and books and globes dear, how foolish I was not to find it out at first! Well, but how is it then that I am not as happy as I thought I should be with all those things? Why was I so dull and uncomfortable this afternoon, that I thought every body better off than myself?"

"I'll tell you the reason, my dear," replied her mother; 66 we have still left something out. The situation I have described, and in which precisely you yourself are placed, is certainly, as far as outward things can go, one of the happiest in the world; and in such a world as this, a change for you would almost certainly be for the worse but then we must remember, that no situation, no possible combination of circumstances, can make us perfectly happy in this world, because it is a sinful world.

this

When we fancy others better off than ourselves, it is only because we know our own circumstances, but do not know theirs. Those ladies whom you imagine to be so happy only because they were travelling, and wore pretty riding dresses, have, very probably, some outward trial, or some secret uneasiness, which makes them less so than you. But besides this, there are, as I said, some things which we have forgotten to include in our list of desirables; and they possess great advantage above all the rest, that if we wish for them aright, wishing will not be vain. I would therefore in addition to all we have mentioned, wish for an amiable, obliging disposition; a cheerful, open temper; a peaceable and contented spirit. I would wish also, for industry and activity, which are the best securities against languor and discontent; and without which, no circumstances can make us happy. Above all, I would desire 4

VOL.

a good conscience, and a heart right towards God. These are things, my dear Lucy, which, if we wish for, not feebly and lazily, but seriously and earnestly, may certainly be obtained.-With these, in any circumstances, we shall be happy; and without them, we should not be contented, even with twenty thousand a year!"

men.

VII.

THE USE OF BIOGRAPHY.

THAT "what man has done man may do," is a most stimulating and encouraging truth. It is this consideration chiefly, that renders the lives of individuals who have distinguished themselves in their day and generation so interesting to their fellow-creatures: and it is a remark which should be borne in mind, whether we are studying the actions of great good men, or of clever bad In the former case, we should inquire whether we are not possessed of the same qualities, powers, and opportunities, (generally speaking) with which they were favoured; and in the latter, that we partake of the same depraved nature, and are liable to the same temptations that led them astray. It is not the history of other beings, --of those above or below us in the scale of intelligence; it is neither of angels nor brutes, but of men like ourselves that we read.

It is a common remark, that biography is one of the most useful studies to which we can apply; but we must remember, that its usefulness, to us, entirely depends upon our right application of it. It is idle indeed, to take up a book of any kind, merely with a view to entertainment: we hope our readers are all of them, by this time, above so childish a practice: but it is possible to