LESSON I.

A LITTLE boy, whose papa was so kind as to give him a real watch, which would go, and tell what o'clock it was, wanted to see the inside of it, and find out what it was that made it tick. So he opened it, and then he could no more tell the cause of its making that noise than he could before. He then [...] so silly as to think there was something [...] it; so he pulled out all the wheels, [...] it to pieces. But though he stopped the tick­ing noise, he could find no live creature in it. He was very sorry he had spoiled his watch and tried to mend it; but he could not do that; for little boys know not how to make watches. He then took it to his papa, and asked him to be so good as to mend it for him; but it was so much broke, that his papa could not mend it. The little boy, when he found that he had quite [Page 6]

[...]oiled his watch, began to cry; but his papa told him not to cry: for, said he, if you do, I shall be very angry, and punish you. Many people would beat you for breaking your watch, but I shall not do that: I shall only take it all away from you, and not let you have any more watches till you grow bigger, and know better how to use them. But leave off crying, and do not let me see any more tears, I beg of you.

LESSON II.

AS two little puppies were one day play­ing and frisking in the road, one of them fell into a muddy ditch, and made him­self as black as soot. When he got out again, he found that he was not hurt, and wanted [...] go to play with his brother as he had [...] doing before. But the other was so [...] afraid of his black dirty face and paw [...] he ran away from him, and would [...] but the little dirty dog ran after him [...] he could, and at last caught hold of [...] put his two fore paws round his neck, [...] do when they are at play. The [...] screamed out as if he had been hurt; but [...] people saw he was not, and only made suc [...] [...] noise because he did not like the dirt, [...] could not help laughing at him, and a boy who had a bag of soot in his hand, poured it all over the two dogs as they lay in the road, and made the clean one as black as the other. Throwing the soot upon them, put them both in a sad fright, and they left off playing, and jumped up as fast as they could, and every [Page 8]body ran away from them both then; as the clean one had from the dirty one; for they were afraid the dogs would spoil their cloaths, if they came near them, and so they did spoil [...]he gause stocks of the two Miss Neats, who [...] to school to learn to dance; for

they rubbed themselves against them, two or three times; and made their frocks look al­most as black as their own backs did: At last [Page 9]the two dogs got home, and they were obliged to be put into a tub of water and washed, to make them look clean; and then they were put on a mat, and laid before the fire to dry; and when they were dry, their master did not let them go out in the road to play any more.

LESSON III.

A CHILD who would not mind when she was spoke to, used to fill her mouth

[Page 10]so full when she eat, that it looked very ugly, and her mouth and cheeks stuck out like a babboon's. She was very often told not to do so; but she would not mind, and went on in her own way.

At last she crammed so much in at one time, that she could not bite it as she ought to have done, and was almost choaked; for she got a great bit down her throat, and coughed so much that all her friends thought she would have been killed. But though she did not die, yet it made her head ache very bad, and her throat so sore, that she did not know how to [...]t or drink any thing for a great while: and it swelled so much, that she never could swal­low more than as small a bit as a baby might have, as long as she lived. It was a sad thing not to be able to eat or drink without so much pain and trouble; but it was her own fault, for not minding what was said to her, and doing as she was bid.

LESSON IV.

SALLY STING was a child no one was fond of, for she was a cross girl, and took [Page 11]great pleasure in hurting any thing that was less than herself. She had a little kitten, and a very pretty one it was too, it had a black spot at the tip of its tail, and one on its back, and a yellow one by the side of its right ear; and close by its left eye, it had a black one, which looked like a patch when you were not quite close to it. But this nice little cat Sally used to tease very much: Sometimes she would

[Page 12]hold it tight in her hand, when the poor thing wanted to get from her, and then it cried. Mew, mew. Sally was so silly as to call it naughty for crying, and beat it for doing so. But I am sure, she was much more naughty herself, and deserved to be beat more than the cat did, for that had no other way to tell when it was hurt but by crying. But Sally had sense to know what was right, and she knew it was wrong to hurt any thing. Her mamma used often to tell her so; and one day she made her stand in the corner, with her hands tied behind her, for as she made so bad an use of them, it was not fit she should be let to have them. After she had stood in that sad way for some time, she told her mamma she would be good, and not do so any more. But she did not keep her word, for as soon as her mam­ma had untied her hands, she went [...]d beat the cat, because for its sake, she had been put in the corner; and she threw stones at some ducks that were swimming in a pond. A boy who was going by saw her, and he did not like to have the poor ducks hurt, so he took up a [Page 13]great stone, and threw [...], which hit her upon her head, and knock [...] [...] down. He then ran to her, and helped [...] [...]p. I did not mean, said he, to knock you down; but pray how do you like to be hit with stones? And

the ducks feel just as much as you do, though they cannot say so, and do not scream and cry so loud; so if you do not like to be hurt your­self, pray never hurt any thing else. Now to [Page 14]be sure the [...] not to have thrown a stone [...] that was not right; but as he [...] ducks, and said he would not do [...] his father forgave him, and did [...] [...]ing to him.

LESSON V.

IN the [...] lesson you read about a sad naugh­ty child, whom nobody could like because [...] was so cruel; and when she grew to be a woman, she did just the same; and used to beat and whip her children for nothing, as when she was young she did her cat. For those who when they are young, will be cross and naughty, seldom are good or kind when they are grown up: for this reason, all little boys and girls who wish to be happy and have their friends love them, should take great pains to be good whilst they are little, or else may be they will never be good as long as they live. Dolly Pink was wise enough to think so, and she knew the only way to make her papa and mamma, and all her friends love her, was to be good, and do as she was bid. So she always [Page 15]tried to please them, and did not cause them to speak to her more than once for the same thing. If they told her to hold up her head, she did it, and looked pleased at their being so kind as to tell her of her faults. Or if she climbed up into the windows or chairs, and

they said, Get down, Dolly, don't do so, my love; she got down as fast as she could, and did not clamber any more. She never pouted [Page 16]or looked cross when she was bid to do what she did not like: for, like a wise and good child, she thought her friends knew what was right better than she did. I am but a little girl, she would say, how should I know what is right or what is wrong, if I am not taught by my papa and mamma, and friends who are older, and so kind as to take the pains to tell me. I am sure I am much obliged to them for it, and I will try and do what they say is right, for they know much the best. In this way she used to think and talk, and so every body loved her dearly, and tried all they could to please and make her happy. And when she was a woman, she was a very wise and good one, and knew how to teach and make her own little boys and girls good; and every body that saw her loved her, and would do any thing they could to please her. What a nice thing it is to behave like Dolly Pink, and like her be loved and admired by all good people.

LESSON VI.

DOLLY PINK was not the only good child that ever was in the world, for George Franks her cousin, was as good as she was. George was the only boy his papa and mamma had; but he had three sisters, of whom he was very fond, and though he was the youngest of all, he took so much pains with himself, and minded so much all that was taught him, that he was soon as wise as any of them, (for they were not much older than he was.) He was very fond of fruit and cakes, (as most children are) but if any body ever gave him any, he would never eat one mouth­ful till he had given some to all his sisters; and if they did not chuse any when he was going to eat it, he saved some for them, till some time when they would like it better. He was very fond of dogs, and cats, and birds; horses too he liked much; but he was too little to have an horse, or ever to go into the stable, unless his papa took him in his arms. One day a man gave him a pretty little dog with long ears; and he was much pleased with it. [Page 18]As soon as he took it home, one of his sisters ( Betsy I think it was) said, O! what a sweet dog you have got, George! I wish I had such a one. Then, my dear sister, said he, I beg you will take this, for I am sure I shall be

more pleased to see you with it, if you like it, than to keep it myself. Betsy thanked him, and said, she would not rob him of it. But he said so much to her, to desire her to have [Page 19]it, that at last she took it. And George was very happy that he had been able to give her such a nice dog. All little boys would not have done so to be sure; but then they would not have been so kind as George was, nor would people have loved them so well; for every bo­dy loved George Franks dearly, and that made him happy, and merry, and chearful all day.

LESSON VII.

TWO little birds once before they were strong enough to fly, got upon the edge of the nest, and tumbled from the top of an high tree down to the ground. A little boy who was walking with his mamma saw them fall, and asked her if he might have them? Yes, my dear, said she, though I think it is cross to rob a bird of her young ones, yet as these have fallen down, and cannot get into their nest again, you may pick them up, and carry them home, and take great care of them. Little James, as soon as he had leave, ran to them and picked them both up very softly, that he might not hurt them. When he got home, he put them into a cage, and fed them [Page 20]very often with bread, and rape, and hemp feeds. But I suppose they had not been used to such food, and it made them sick; (for nobody can feed young birds so well as their own mothers) and after three days one of them died. James was sorry that it was dead, but he still took great care of the other; and af­ter he had had it two or three weeks, it began to feed itself; it was a goldfinch, and grew so tame, that it would set upon his finger and

[Page 21]sing, and hop to him when he called Dick! Dick! Dick! It eat out of his hand, and used to sit upon his shoulder and the top of his head; indeed it never seemed to be so well pleased, as when standing or sitting upon little James: and he was so kind to it, that it had great reason to be fond of him. He used of­ten to leave the cage door open, that Dick might hop about the room when he pleased; and when he had been out as long as he liked, he flew into his cage again; and then James used to shut the door to keep him safe. But one day he went to play with some boys, and forgot to shut the door, and while he was gone, the cat got into the room where the cage hung; and the bird did not know the cat would hurt him, and flew out to the ground. But puss did not let it long stay there, for she ran to it as soon as she saw it, and eat it up in a minute. When poor James came back from play, he went to give his bird some bread; and when he did not see it in the cage, he.looked all round the room for it, and called Dick! Dick! all the time. He was much surprised that [Page 22]Dick did not come to him when he called: at last under one of the chairs, he saw some of its feathers; so he stooped down to look

at them, and there he saw the cat licking her lips, and some feathers sticking round her mouth; then he guessed what was become of his dear bird, and he could not help crying. He ran up stairs and told his mamma of his loss. I am very sorry, said she, for it was a [Page 23]nice, good, and tame bird; and pleased you much, and I am always glad that you should be pleased: besides, it must have hurt the poor thing sadly to be pulled to bits, and be eat up by a cat. How could you be so careless as to leave the cage door open when you went out of the room? It is you that have been the cause of its death; for had you taken care and done as you should do, it could not have got out, nor could the cat have killed it. James said, he was very sorry for what he had done, and at his being the cause of its death; but, said he, I did not think about it. Then, said his mamma, you should have thought [...] people should always think of what is right; and if they do not, they will be sure sometime or other to suffer for it, as you now do.

LESSON VIII.

THERE was a little boy, who was so silly as to be afraid of dogs; and if he met one as he was walking, he would run away, and scream as if he had been much hurt. One day he was taking a walk with his brother; [Page 24]

who was two or three years older than himself, and met a black dog. As soon as [...] was the little one's name) saw it, he ran back, as fast as he could. The dog thinking he was at play with him, ran after him, and caught hold of the flap of his coat, and shook it about, yelping and making that growling noise dogs do when they are at play. This frightened Joe so much, that he did not know what he was [Page 25]about, or where he was going, but screaming as loud as he could shriek, he ran, not seeing where he went, into a pond. His brother Charles, all the time he ran, called after him to stop. Pray Joe, said he, stop! the dog won't hurt you! indeed he won't! he is only in play, pray stop till I can come to you! But Joe ei­ther did not hear, or would not mind, and so did not stop till he fell into the pond. When Charles saw him fall, he was as much distressed as Joe had been by the dog, and ran to him as fast as he could, to try to get him out. But when he came to the pond, he found he could give him no help; for the water did not come up to the edge of the ground he stood upon, but was down a great way, so that he was quite out of Charles's reach, and was almost sunk out of sight. Poor Charles did not know what to do. If he staid with him, he could not help him, and if he went, he feared he would be drowned before he could fetch any body to him. At last he thought he would jump into the water, and try what he could do to get him out: and just as he had pulled off his coat [Page 26]to go in, a man came by, and asked him what he was going to do? O! said he, (crying so the man could scarce make out what he said) my brother! my brother Joe has fallen into the pond, and I am going to try to help him! Pough! said the man, you cannot help him, child; you will both be drowned, you may be sure, if you go in. I will fetch him out for you, so pray stand still and let me try what I

[Page 27]can do. He then very kindly jumped in, and soon brought him out in his arms, but he had been so long in the water, that he had lost all his senses, and was almost dead. The man took him to the house which Charles shewed him; who walked home by the side of him, crying all the way. When they got there, their father thanked the man a great many times for being so kind, and gave him some money for his trouble. Joe was put into a warm bed, and a doctor sent for, who gave him something to do him good. At last he moved, and came to himself again; but it was a long while before he was quite well. So he had cause to remember running from a dog that would not have hurt him if he had been quiet; or if it had bit him, it would not have done so much harm as his fright, and fall, and lay­ing in the water did: but dogs do not bite people if they do not hurt and teaze them. Children should not teaze dogs; but it is very foolish to be afraid of them. They need not touch strange dogs they meet in the streets; but to run from them is very silly indeed.

LESSON IX.

ONCE there was a little boy who had a nice wheel-barrow, and his sister Sophy had a very pretty doll. They used to like to play in the garden, and sometimes they called the wheel-barrow a coach, and put the doll in it to ride. One day as they were running ra­ther too fast, their coach tumbled over, and

the poor doll fell down and broke her nose and [Page 29]face sadly. The little girl was so silly as to cry a great deal, and said he threw it down on purpose. Her mamma hearing the noise, went out to see what was the matter, for she thought one of the children must have been hurt very much, or she would not have heard such a screaming; but when she found what the truth was, she was quite surprised, as she did not think her little girl would have been so naughty as to cry, and be out of humour, because while playing with her brother, the doll happened to be broken, without his mean­ing to let it fall out of his wheel-barrow. "I am quite ashamed of you, said her mamma, and shall take the doll away, and not let you play with it again; and if you do not leave off cry­ing directly, shall not let you stay in the gar­den to play with your brother any longer." "No, indeed, Ma'am, replied Charles, I did not intend to spoil my sister's doll; and as she was running as fast as I was, I did not.know she did not chuse the coach should go so fast: besides, she said her child liked to gallop along, and she wished we could make more haste; but [Page 30]when the doll fell out, she said I went a great deal too fast, and that I wanted to break her play-things. I am sure I did not want to spoil any of her dolls, and am very sorry this one is broken, for it was a very pretty one, and when I am a man and have money, I will buy her another; but I wish she would come and play, and be merry again now." Little Sophy was still so silly as to cry and be cross because her

[Page 31]doll was broken, though it was as much her own fault as her brother's; so when her mam­ma found she would not be good-humoured, though her brother tried to persuade her to play, she would not let her play in the garden, but took her in doors, and put her with her face in the corner of the room, till she left off crying, grew good-humoured, and told her brother she was sorry she had been so unkind to him, and would never behave so again, if he would play with her. So they went to play again; but her mamma told her, she must not expect to be treated as if she had been good all day, and theref [...]re she should not let her read any pretty story till the next day, and not then, if she was not good; but she told the little boy, he might have the pleasure of reading, as he had been very good, and did not wish to teaze his [...]ster at all. So when Sophy found how much better it was to be good than naugh­ty, she was very sorry she had been silly, and always after played in very good humour with her brother, or whoever would be so kind as to play with her.

LESSON X.

THERE were two little girls who once lived near each other, and used often to play together. They went to the same school, and always came home at the same time. It

is rather strange they were so fond of each other, for they were not at all alike in their tempers, or way of behaviour; for Polly Per­kins was a sad little idle girl, she never minded [Page 33]her work, or book, but liked nothing but play; she was five years old, and could not read at all, she could hardly spell a word of three let­ters without a book; nay, one day when she had a book, she called T, O, P, bob, and R, O, T, she called rat, and so, many words she called wrong, because she would take no pains to do better. Her mamma bought her many pretty books, to try to make her read them; but in­stead of striving to do that, she only tore them to-pieces, and cut out the pictures, without caring what they were about. Her work too she did sadly, and made it so dirty it was not fit to be seen. She was stitching a pocket with blue silk, but she did it in so bad a manner, and so unneat, that it was quite ugly to look at; and I believe she was almost a year about it. But her friend Mary True did all her work quite in another manner; she stitched so clean and neat, that when she had done her pocket, the silk looked as bright as when it first came out of the paper, there were some pinks and roses upon it, and it was very pretty. Mary could hem and sew as well as stitch, and she was [Page 34]

but five years old, though so much better a child than Polly Perkins. Her father and mo­ther were not quite so rich as Mr. and Mrs. Perkins, so they could not afford to buy her so many books; but those she had, she read vastly well indeed, for she took pains to speak plain and slow, so that every body could hear her, and know what she said at once, without ask­ing her to repeat it over again. O! she was a charming girl! and loved by every body who [Page 35]knew her; she always did as she was bid at first, without crying or fretting, and went to-bed the moment she was called, after having made a handsome curtesy and wished every body good night. If ever she fell down, or hurt herself, she did not squall and scream as some boys and girls do. Every body took notice how good she was, and admired and loved her.

LESSON XI.

A MAN who had a large garden full of all sorts of fruit and good things to be eaten, lived by himself; so that he could not use half a quarter of them; and yet was so cross that he would not give any away; but kept them 'till they were quite spoiled; and then he used to open the gate, and let some hogs and asses go in and eat them up. Only think how cross it was! not to give what would have been of so much use to other peo­ple. His being so, made all his neighbours dislike him; and they used to call him the Cross Man, and Mr. Greedy; and the boys in the town, who had never been taught better, used to pelt him with dirt and bean-shells. It [Page 36]was not pretty for them to do so, though to be sure he deserved it. The reason he beha­ved so when a man, was because when he was a boy he liked to eat all his cake himself, and never give away any thing, or lend his play­things; but chose to keep all himself, and not help or please any of his play-mates. He ought to have been punished for doing so; but his parents did not like to hurt him; and hoped when he grew older, he would be wiser. But instead of that, he behaved the same, and so was very unhappy and wretched, for nobody loved him, or chose to be with so cross a man.