The gardener then obferved to him, that it was his own fault that his garden was not as productive as his brother's. "Never for the future, faid Rufus, defpife the inftruction and affiftance of any one, fince you will find by experience, that two heads are better than one."

What felf-fufficiency and falfe content Benumb the fenfes of the indolent! Dead to all purposes of good or ill, Alive alone in an unactive will. His only vice in no good action lies, And his fole virtue is his want of vice. Bufinefs he deems too hard, trifles too easy, And doing nothing finds himself too bufy. Wealth is procur'd with toil, and kept with fear, Knowledge by labour purchas'd cofts too dear; Honor a bubble, fubject to a breath,

And all engagements vain fince null'd by death;
Thus all the wife efteem, he can defpife,

And caring not 'tis he alone is wife:
Yet all his wifh poffeffing, finds no reft,

And only lives to know, he never can be blest.

MADAM D'Allone was the governess of four

young ladies, Emilia, Harriot, Lucy and Sophia, whom the loved with the tendernefs of a mother. Her principal wifh was, that her pupils might be virtuous and happy, and that they might enjoy all the comforts of life with tranquillity. They each experienced an equal fhare of her indulgence, and each received the fame treatment, either as to pardon for errors, or rewards, or punishments.

Her endeavours were crowned with the happieft fuccefs and her four little girls became the fweetest

children upon earth. They told each other of their faults, and as readily forgave offences; they fhared in each other's joys, nor were they ever happy when feparated.

An unforeseen event, however difturbed this happy tranquillity, just at the very moment they began to taste its charms, which ferved to convince them, how neceffary it was to be guided by their prudent governess.

Madam D'Allone was obliged to leave her pupils for a little time, a family affair having made it neceffary for her to vifit France. She left them with much reluctance, even facrificed her intereft in fome measure, to the defire of speedily fettling her affairs, and, in the courfe of a month, returned in fafety to her little flock, who received her with the warmeft expreffions of joy; but the alteration fhe perceived in her children very much furprifed and alarmed her.

She faw it frequently happen, that if one afked the flighteft favour of another, it was ill-naturedly refused, and from thence arose tumults and quarrels. That gaiety and cheerfulness, which had ufed to accompany all their sports and pastimes, were now changed to a gloomy perverfenefs; and, inftead of thofe tender expreffions of love and

friendship, which had conftantly dwelt in all their converfations, nothing was now heard but perpetual jarrings and wranglings. If one propofed a walk in the garden, another would give fome reafon why fhe wished to remain in ber chamber; and, in fhort, their only ftudy feemed to be to thwart each other.

It happened one day, that not contented with fhewing each other how much they delighted in perverfenefs, they mutually diftreffed themselves with reciprocal reproaches.

Madam D'Allone beheld this fcene with the greatest uneafinefs, and could not help fhedding tears on the occafion. She did not think it prudent to fay any thing to them, but retired to her chamber, in order there to think of the propereft means of restoring peace and harmony among her unhappy pupils.

While fhe was turning thefe afflicting thoughts in her mind, all the four young ladies entered her apartment, with a peevish and uneafy look, each complaining of the ill temper of the reft. There was not one but what charged the other three with being the cause of it, and altogether begged their governefs would, if poffible, reflore to them that happiness they once poffeffed.

Their governess put on a very ferious counte nance, and faid, "I have obferved, my pupils, that you endeavour to thwart each other, and thereby deftroy your pleafures. In order, therefore, that no fuch thing may happen again, let each take up her corner in this room, if she choose it, and divert herself in what manner fhe pleafes, provided fhe does not interfere with either of her fifters. You may immediately have recourfe to this mode of recreation, as you have leave to play till night; but remember that neither of you ftir from the corner in which I fhall place you.

The little maidens, who were no way difpleafed with this proposal, haftened to their different quarters, and began to amuse themselves each in her own way. Sophia commenced a converfation with her doll, or rather told her many pretty little ftories ; but her doll had not the gift of fpeech, and confequently was no companion. She could not expect any entertainment from her fifters, as they were playing each afunder, in their respective

corners.

Lucy took her battledore and fhuttlecock, but there were none to admire her dexterity; befides, fhe was not allowed to ftrike it acrofs the room, as that would have been an invafion on one of her fifter's territories. She could not expect, that either of them would quit their amufements to oblige her.