the vale of Gloucester, stands a small cot inhabited by a poor widow, or rather a deserted wife, who was left with two infants, for whose provision she exerted herself in the labours of the field; and being a woman of remarkable strength and dexterity, she found constant employment with the neighbouring farmers. As soon as her youngest boy was weaned, she consigned him to the care of his brother, not yet three years of age. After having cut the brown bread, which was to supply them with food for the day, and given necessary instructions to the elder boy, who was to act as cook, housekeeper, and nurse, she left them generally about five in the morning, and seldom returned till night. At the time I first saw this little pair (which I frequently did every day for weeks together, when on a visit to a family in the neighbourhood) the eldest was the eldest was near five, and the youngest about two years of age. Each might have sat for the picture of an infant Hercules. By living almost con

stantly in the open air, they had acquired a degree of hardiness and vigour, seldom to be met with at that early age; and by experience had become so well acquainted with the objects around them, and with the nature of every danger to which they were exposed, that though often on the edge of precipices, which would make a fine lady shudder with horror, and where a fine little master would most probably have broken his neck, I never heard of their meeting with the smallest accident or disaster. When the hours of meal arrived, the elder, who never for a moment forsook his little charge, took him into the -cot, and seating him in a corner, proceeded to make a fire of sticks, which he managed with great dexterity. The brown bread was then crumbled down, boiled with water, and sweetened with a very little very coarse sugar. This plain, but from its effects evidently wholesome viand, he then placed on the floor, and sitting down be

twixt it and his brother, gave him alter

nate spoonful with himself, till all was finished.

"Take care, Dan," said a lady who once happened to step into the cottage at the beginning of this operation, "Take care, that you don't scald your brother's mouth."

"No fear o' that," returned the boy, "for Ise always takes un first to self."

From such examples as the above, we may learn what habits of caution and circumspection children acquire from experience; and though a total neglect of their personal safety would be highly culpable, it seems evident, that in our anxiety for their preservation, we often produce consequences equivalent to the neglect we deprecate. The constant attendance of domestics, however, is not only given with a view of securing their safety, but is considered as a mark of distinction due to their rank. It is then not in the affection of parents, but in their vanity, that this custom originates: and where people of fortune pique themselves upon selfishness and imbecility, it is very natural that they

should wish for their children the same species of distinction. With persons of this description it is in vain to argue. In their eyes, fortitude, magnanimity, and all the virtues that constitute a truly noble character, are of small estimation. Nor can it be expected that their children will ever value what they themselves despise. Let such as are capable of more rational and more exalted views, beware of defeating their nobler purposes, by the adoption of a mode of treatment which has a tendency to debase the future character, by associating ideas of glory with ought that is in its nature undignified and contemptible.

LETTER IX.

Examination of the Associations which produce the desire of Distinction.-The Love of Glory how perverted.-Love of Dress.-Love of Admiration.-Exemplified.

I HAVE already hinted at the tendency we have to sympathise with the possessors of wealth, in connecting with the idea of their persons the idea of all that swells their state. But it would be useful to the possession of wealth to reflect that the respect which this association produces, is not an impulse of benevolence; and that they who bow with most implicit deference to those with whom they now connect the ideas of greatness, would spurn them with contempt were that connection of ideas broken. Of this truth, many strik