Anger.—History of Jane Fretful.
A few days after these walks and conversations, Mrs. Mason heard a great
noise in the play-room. She ran hastily to enquire the cause, and found
the children crying, and near them, one of the young birds lying on the
floor dead. With great eagerness each of them tried, the moment she
entered, to exculpate herself, and prove that the other had killed the
bird. Mrs. Mason commanded them to be silent; and, at the same time,
called an orphan whom she had educated, and desired her to take care of
the nest.
The cause of the dispute was easily gathered from what they both let
fall. They had contested which had the best right to feed the birds.
Mary insisted that she had a right, because she was the eldest; and
Caroline, because she took the nest. Snatching it from one side of the
room to the other, the bird fell, and was trodden on before they were
aware.
When they were a little composed, Mrs. Mason calmly thus addressed
them:—I perceive that you are ashamed of your behaviour, and sorry for
the consequence; I will not therefore severely reprove you, nor add
bitterness to the self-reproach you must both feel,—because I pity you.
You are now inferiour to the animals that graze on the common; reason
only serves to render your folly more conspicuous and inexcusable.
Anger, is a little despicable vice: its selfish emotions banish
compassion, and undermine every virtue. It is easy to conquer another;
but noble to subdue oneself. Had you, Mary, given way to your sister’s
humour, you would have proved that you were not only older, but wiser
than her. And you, Caroline, would have saved your charge, if you had,
for the time, waved your right.
It is always a proof of superiour sense to bear with slight
inconveniences, and even trifling injuries, without complaining or
contesting about them. The soul reserves its firmness for great
occasions, and then it acts a decided part. It is just the contrary mode
of thinking, and the conduct produced by it, which occasions all those
trivial disputes that slowly corrode domestic peace, and insensibly
destroy what great misfortunes could not sweep away.
I will tell you a story, that will take stronger hold on your memory than
mere remarks.
Jane Fretful was an only child. Her fond weak mother would not allow her
to be contradicted on any occasion. The child had some tenderness of
heart; but so accustomed was she to see every thing give way to her
humour, that she imagined the world was only made for her. If any of her
playfellows had toys, that struck her capricious sickly fancy, she would
cry for them; and substitutes were in vain offered to quiet her, she must
have the identical ones, or fly into the most violent passion. When she
was an infant, if she fell down, her nurse made her beat the floor. She
continued the practice afterwards, and when she was angry would kick the
chairs and tables, or any senseless piece of furniture, if they came in
her way. I have seen her throw her cap into the fire, because some of
her acquaintance had a prettier.
Continual passions weakened her constitution; beside, she would not eat
the common wholesome food that children, who are subject to the small-pox
and worms, ought to eat, and which is necessary when they grow so fast,
to make them strong and handsome. Instead of being a comfort to her
tender, though mistaken, mother, she was her greatest torment. The
servants all disliked her; she loved no one but herself; and the
consequence was, she never inspired love; even the pity good-natured
people felt, was nearly allied to contempt.
A lady, who visited her mother, brought with her one day a pretty little
dog. Jane was delighted with it; and the lady, with great reluctance,
parted with it to oblige her friend. For some time she fondled, and
really felt something like an affection for it: but, one day, it happened
to snatch a cake she was going to eat, and though there were twenty
within reach, she flew into a violent passion, and threw a stool at the
poor creature, who was big with pup. It fell down; I can scarcely tell
the rest; it received so severe a blow, that all the young were killed,
and the poor wretch languished two days, suffering the most excruciating
torture.
Jane Fretful, who was now angry with herself, sat all the time holding
it, and every look the miserable animal gave her, stung her to the heart.
After its death she was very unhappy; but did not try to conquer her
temper. All the blessings of life were thrown away on her; and, without
any real misfortune, she was continually miserable.
If she had planned a party of pleasure, and the weather proved
unfavourable, the whole day was spent in fruitless repining, or venting
her ill-humour on those who depended on her. If no disappointment of
that kind occurred, she could not enjoy the promised pleasure; something
always disconcerted her; the horses went too fast, or, too slow; the
dinner was ill-dressed, or, some of the company contradicted her.
She was, when a child, very beautiful; but anger soon distorted her
regular features, and gave a forbidding fierceness to her eyes. But if
for a moment she looked pleased, she still resembled a heap of
combustible matter, to which an accidental spark might set fire; of
course quiet people were afraid to converse with her. And if she ever
did a good, or a humane action, her ridiculous anger soon rendered it an
intolerable burden, if it did not entirely cancel it.
At last she broke her mother’s heart, or hastened her death, by her want
of duty, and her many other faults: all proceeding from violent,
unrestrained anger.
The death of her mother, which affected her very much, left her without a
friend. She would sometimes say, Ah! my poor mother, if you were now
alive, I would not teaze you—I would give the world to let you know that
I am sorry for what I have done: you died, thinking me ungrateful; and
lamenting that I did not die when you gave me suck. I shall never—oh!
never see you more.
This thought, and her peevish temper, preyed on her impaired
constitution. She had not, by doing good, prepared her soul for another
state, or cherished any hopes that could disarm death of its terrors, or
render that last sleep sweet—its approach was dreadful!—and she hastened
her end, scolding the physician for not curing her. Her lifeless
countenance displayed the marks of convulsive anger; and she left an
ample fortune behind her to those who did not regret her loss. They
followed her to the grave, on which no one shed a tear. She was soon
forgotten; and I only remember her, to warn you to shun her errors.