A Plain white frock had hitherto been the only

drefs of Caroline. Silver buckles in her red Morocco shoes; and her ebon hair, which had never felt the torturing iron, flowed upon her fhoulders in graceful ringlets, now and then disturbed by the gentle winds.

Being one day in company with fome little girls, who, though no older than herfelf, were dreffed in all the empty parade of fashion, the glare and glit

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ter of thofe fine clothes raifed in her heart a defire fhe had never before felt.

As foon as he got home, "My dear mamma, said she, I have this afternoon feen Mifs Flippant and her two fifters, whom you very well know. The eldest is not older than my felf, and yet they were all dreffed in the most elegant manner. Their parents must certainly have great pleasure in feeing them fo finely dreffed, and, as they are not richer than you, do, my dear mamma, let me have a fine filk flip, embroided fhoes like theirs, and let my hair be dreffed by Mr. Frizzle, who is faid to be a very capital man in his profeffion!"

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Her mother replied, that she should have no objection to gratify her wishes, provided it would add to her happiness; but he was rather fearful might have a contrary effect. As Mifs Caroline could not give into this mode of thinking, fhe requefted her mamma to explain her reafons for what fe had faid.

"Becaufe, faid her mother, you will be in continual fear of fpotting your filk flip, and even rumpling it whenever you wear it. A drefs like that of Mifs Flippant will require the utmost care and attention to preferve it from accidents; for a fingle fpot will spoil its beauty, and you very well know there is no wafling of filks. However ex

tenfive my fortune may be, I affure you, it is not fufficient to purchafe you filk gowns fo often as you would wish to have them."

Mifs Caroline confidered thefe arguments as very trifling, and promifed to give her mamma no uneafinefs as to her careleffnefs in wearing her fine clothes. Though her mamma confented to let her be dreffed in the manner fhe requested, yet fhe difired her to remember the hints fhe had given her of the vexations to which her vanity would expofe her.

Mifs Caroline, on whom this good advice had no effect, loft not a moment in destroying all the pleafure and enjoyment of her infancy. Her hair, which before hung down in carelefs ringlets, was now twifted up in paper, and fqueezed between a burning pair of tongs; that fine jet, which had hitherto fo happily fet off the whitenefs of her forehead, was loft under a clod of powder and po

matum.

In a few days the mantua-maker arrived with a fine flip of pea green taffata, with fine pink trimmings, and a pair of fhoes, elegantly worked to anfwer the flip. The fight of them gave infinite pleasure to Caroline; but it was eafily to be perceived, when she had them on, that her limbs were under great reftraint, and her motions, had loft their accustomed eafe and freedom. That in

nocence and candour, which ufed to adorn her lovely countenance, began to be loft amidst the profufion of flowers, filks, guazes, and ribbands.

The novelty, however, of her appearance, quite enchanted her. Her eyes, with uncommon ea gernefs, wandered over every part of her drefs, and were feldom removed, unless to take a general furvey of the whole in a pier-glafs. She prevailed on her mamma, to let her fend cards of invitation to all her acquaintances, in order to enjoy the inexpreffible pleasure of being gazed at. As foon as they were met; fhe would walk back wards and forwards before them, like a peacock, and feem to confider herself, as the emprefs of the world, and they as her vaffals.

All this triumph and confequence, however, met with many mortifying circumftances. The, children, who lived near her, were one day permitted to ramble about the fields, when Caroline accompanied them and led the way. What first attracted their attention, was a beautiful meadow, enamelled with a variety of charming flowers; and butterflies, whofe wings were of various colours, hovered over its furface. The little ladies amufed themselves with hunting thefe butterflies, which they dexterously caught without hurting them; and, as soon as they had examined their beauties let them fly again. Of the flowers that fprung

beneath their feet, they made nofegays, formed in the prettiest taste.

Though pride would not at firft permit Mifs Caroline to partake of these mean amufements, yet fhe at laft wanted to share in the diverfion; but they told her, that the ground might be damp which would infallibly stain her fhoes, and hurt her filk flip. They had difcovered her intention in thus bringing them together, which was only to flew her fine clothes, and they were therefore refolved to mortify her vanity.

Mifs Caroline was of courfe under the neceffity of being folitary and inactive, while her companions fported on the grafs without fear of incommoding themselves. The pleasure she had lately taken in viewing her fine flip and shoes was, at this moment, but a poor compenfation for the mirth and merriment fhe thereby loft.

On one fide of the meadow grew a fine grove of trees, which refounded with the various notes of innumerable birds, and which feemed to invite every one that paffed that way to retire thither, and partake of the indulgences of the shade. The little maidens entered this grove, jumping and fporting, without fearing any injury to their clothes. Mifs Caroline would have followed them, but they