and Servitude; but was wonderfully furprized when he heard that the State he talked of was only a Dream and Delufion; that he had not- ftirred from the Place where he then ftood, and that he had only dipped his Head into the Water, and immediately taken it out again.

The Mahometan Doctor took this Occafion of inftructing the Sultan, that nothing was impoffible with God; and that he, with whom a thousand Years are but as one Day, can, if he pleases, make a fingle Day, nay a fingle Moment, appear to any of his Creatures as a thousand Years.

I shall leave you to compare thefe Eastern Tales with your own Notions of Things; and fhall only, by Way of Application, defire you to confider how we may extend Life beyond its natural Dimenfions, by applying ourfelves diligently to the Purfuits of Knowledge. The Hours of a wife young Lady are lengthened by her Ideas, as thofe of a thoughtlefs Girl are by her Follies. The Time of the one is long, because fhe does not know what to do with it; so is that of the other, because she distinguishes every Moment of it

with useful or amufing Thoughts; or, inother Words, becaufe the one is always wishing it away, and the other always enjoying it.

OBSERVATION S.

MISS Grace having thus finished her Oration, much to the Satisfaction of all the little Females, her Governefs who attended on this Occafion, in order to direct their Ideas, fhould they be misled by infant Prejudice, thus addreffed herself to them.

"I have liftened, my dear little Ladies, with the utmost Attention to Mifs Grace's very pretty Tale. I am as much charmed with the delicate Choice of her Words, as I am with her graceful Manner of delivering them. I can speak from Experience, how difterent is the View of past Life, in the Woman, who is grown old in Knowledge and Wisdom, from that of her, who is grown old in Ignorance and Folly! The latter is like the Owner of a barren Country, that fills her Eye with the Profpect of naked Hills and Plains, which produce nothing either profitable or ornamental; the other beholds a beauB

tiful

tiful and fpacious Landscape, divided into delightful Gardens, green Meadows, fruitful Fields, and can hardly caft her Eye on a fingle Spot of her Poffeffions, that is not covered with fome beautiful Plant or Flower. But, while I am thus commending Mifs Grace, it is my Duty to find Fault with her where there is Occafion. I can by no Means com- ì mend the Manner, in which she got a Sight of the Alcoran: She took the Advantage of her Pappa's. Absence, which implies she was fenfible she was doing what he ought not. Though the Confequences have turned out to her Advantage, yet even that does not justify the Tranfaction. It might have been a Book of bad Morals and Principles, in which, it is not at all unlikely, fhe might have met with fomething new, which might have equally dwelt on her Mind, much to her Prejudice. Ideas impreffed on the Mind in your early Years, are very difficult ever to be totally removed; and hence it is evident, how much young Ladies ought to be looked after, and permitted to read thofe Books only," which may tend to rivet on their Minds the Practice of every focial Virtue,"

If

If the little Females were delighted with the Entertainment Mifs Grace had afforded them, they were much more so, when they found the former Part of their Governess's Opinion agreed fo nicely with their own; but, when the came to the Reproof, Mifs Grace hung her Head, and the beautiful Lily, which Nature had fo lively painted on her Cheeks, was for fome Time loft in the Dye of the Vermillion. Indeed, the whole Affembly were in the utmoft Confternation. Their Governefs, however, knew how to take proper Advantage of this; and ordering a Basket of Cakes and Sweetmeats to be handed round, they foon recovered their natural Chearfulness. Having appointed Mifs Dolly Goodchild to entertain them the next Saturday, they broke up in the greatest Order and Decorum,

THE SECOND NIGHT,

My dear Schoolfellows,

You

OU are very fenfible, that every one is ready to give Advice, how much foever they may ftand in Need of it themselves. I have often liftened with Pleasure to the Converfation of my Parents, when they have been difcourfing on the Follies infeparable from human Nature. I have heard them fay, "That every one pities the Weakness of his Neighbour, and that, if he was in his Place, how he would act; that, though in former Days there were faid to be only Seven wife Men in the World, this Age may be fuppofed to produce as many as there are human Be ings; for where fhall we find that Perfon, who fufpects his own Understanding?

I may undoubtedly be deferving of the fame Cenfure, were I to endeavour to fet up for a Reformer of the Conduct of little Females, and attack them on a Matter, in which I must expect no Quarter. But pray, young Ladies, look at this Picture, and tell me, if

you