acquaintance called upon Charlotte and Caroline. They were attempting
to establish a society among their young friends for working for the
poor, and came to request their assistance. Caroline very cheerfully
entered into the design; but as for Charlotte, nothing could exceed
the forwardness of her zeal. She took it up so warmly that Caroline's
appeared, in comparison, only lukewarm. It was proposed that each
member of the society should have an equal proportion of the work to
do at her own house; but when the articles came to be distributed,
Charlotte, in the heat of her benevolence, desired that a double
portion might be allotted to her. Some of the younger ones admired her
industrious intentions, but the better judging advised her not to
undertake too much at once. However, she would not be satisfied till
her request was complied with. When the parcels of work arrived,
Charlotte with exultation seized the larger one, and without a
minute's delay commenced her charitable labors. The following morning
she rose at four o'clock, to resume the employment; and not a little
self-complacency did she feel, when, after nearly two hours' hard
work, she still heard Caroline breathing in a sound sleep. But, alas!
Charlotte soon found that work is work, of whatever nature, or for
whatever purpose. She now inwardly regretted that she had asked for
more than her share; and the cowardly thought that after all she was
not obliged to do it next occurred to her. For the present, therefore,
she squeezed all the things, done and undone, into what she called
her "Dorcas bag;" and to banish unpleasant thoughts, she opened the
first book that happened to lie within reach. It proved to be "An
Introduction to Botany." Of this she had not read more than a page and
a half before she determined to collect some specimens herself; and
having found a blank copy-book she hastened into the garden, where,
gathering a few common flowers, she proceeded to dissect them, not, it
is to be feared, with much scientific nicety. Perhaps as many as three
pages of this copy-book were bespread with her specimens before she
discovered that botany was a dry study.
It would be too tedious to enumerate all the subsequent ephemeral
undertakings which filled up the remainder of the six weeks. At the
expiration of that time Mrs. Dawson returned. On the next morning
after her arrival she reminded her daughters of the account she
expected of their employments during her absence, and desired them to
set out on two tables in the schoolroom everything they had done that
could be exhibited, together with the books they had been reading.
Charlotte would gladly have been excused her part of the exhibition;
but this was not permitted; and she reluctantly followed her sister to
make the preparation.
When the two tables were spread, their mother was summoned to attend.
Caroline's, which was first examined, contained, first, her various
exercises in the different branches of study, regularly executed the
same as usual. And there were papers placed in the books she was
reading in school hours, to show how far she had proceeded in them.
Besides these, she had read in her leisure time, in French, Florian's
"Numa Pompilius," and in English, Mrs. More's "Practical Piety," and
some part of Johnson's "Lives of the Poets." All the needlework which
had been left to do or not, at her option, was neatly finished; and
her parcel of linen for the poor was also completely and well done.
The only instance in which Caroline had availed herself of her
mother's license, was that she had prolonged her drawing lessons a
little every day, in order to present her mother with a pretty pair of
screens, with flowers copied from nature. These were, last of all,
placed on the table with an affectionate note, requesting her
acceptance of them.
Mrs. Dawson, having carefully examined this table, proceeded to the
other, which was quite piled up with different articles. Here, amid
the heap, were Charlotte's three pages of shorthand; several scraps of
paper containing fragments of her poetical history; the piece (not
large enough for a doll's cradle) of her patchwork counterpane; her
botanical specimens; together with the large unfinished pile out of
the Dorcas bag, many of the articles of which were begun, but not one
quite finished. There was a baby's cap with no border, a frock body
without sleeves, and the skirt only half hemmed at the bottom; and
slides, tapes, and buttonholes were all, without exception, omitted.
After these, followed a great variety of thirds, halves, and quarters
of undertakings, each perhaps good in itself, but quite useless in its
unfinished state.
The examination being at length ended, Mrs. Dawson retired, without a
single comment, to her dressing-room; where, in about an hour
afterwards, she summoned the girls to attend her. Here also were two
tables laid out, with several articles on each. Their mother then
leading Caroline to the first, told her that, as the reward of her
industry and perseverance, the contents of the table were her own.
Here, with joyful surprise, she beheld, first, a little gold watch,
which Mrs. Dawson said she thought a suitable present for one who had
made a good use of her time; a small telescope next appeared; and
lastly, Paley's "Natural Theology," neatly bound. Charlotte was then
desired to take possession of the contents of the other table, which
were considerably more numerous. The first prize she drew out was a
very beautiful French fan; but upon opening it, it stretched out in an
oblong shape, for want of the pin to confine the sticks at bottom.
Then followed a new parasol; but when unfurled there was no catch to
confine it, so that it would not remain spread. A penknife handle
without a blade, and the blade without the handle, next presented
themselves to her astonished gaze. In great confusion she then
unrolled a paper which discovered a telescope apparently like her
sister's; but on applying it to her eye, she found it did not contain
a single lens--so that it was no better than a roll of pasteboard. She
was, however, greatly encouraged to discover that the last remaining
article was a watch; for, as she heard it tick, she felt no doubt that
this at least was complete; but upon examination she discovered that
there was no hour hand, the minute hand alone pursuing its lonely and
useless track.
Charlotte, whose conscience had very soon explained to her the moral
of all this, now turned from the tantalizing table in confusion, and
burst into an agony of tears. Caroline wept also; and Mrs. Dawson,
after an interval of silence, thus addressed her daughters:
"It is quite needless for me to explain my reasons for making you such
presents, Charlotte. I assure you your papa and I have had a very
painful employment the past hour in spoiling them all for you. If I
had found on your table in the schoolroom any one thing that had been
properly finished, you would have received one complete present to
answer it; but this you know was not the case. I should be very glad
if this disappointment should teach you what I have hitherto vainly
endeavored to impress upon you--that as all those things, pretty or
useful as they are in themselves, are rendered totally useless for
want of completeness, so exertion without perseverance is no better
than busy idleness. That employment does not deserve the name of
industry which requires the stimulus of novelty to keep it going.
Those who will only work so long as they are amused will do no more
good in the world, either to themselves or others, than those who
refuse to work at all. If I had required you to pass the six weeks of
my absence in bed or in counting your fingers, you would, I suppose,
have thought it a sad waste of time; and yet I appeal to you whether
(with the exception of an hour or two of needlework) the whole mass of
articles on your table could produce anything more useful. And thus,
my dears, may life be squandered away, in a succession of busy
nothings.
"I have now a proposal to make to you. These presents, which you are
to take possession of as they are, I advise you to lay by carefully.
Whenever you can show me anything that you have begun, and voluntarily
finished, you may at the same time bring with you one of these things,
beginning with those of least value, to which I will immediately add
the part that is deficient. Thus, by degrees, you may have them all
completed; and if by this means you should acquire the wise and
virtuous habit of perseverance, it will be far more valuable to you
than the richest present you could possibly receive."
THE RENOWNED HISTORY OF LITTLE GOODY TWO-SHOES
Ascribed to OLIVER GOLDSMITH
INTRODUCTION
All the world must allow that Two-Shoes was not her real name. No; her
father's name was Meanwell; and he was for many years a considerable
farmer in the parish where Margery was born; but by the misfortunes
which he met with in business, and the wicked persecutions of Sir
Timothy Gripe, and an overgrown farmer called Graspall, he was
effectually ruined.
The case was thus: The parish of Mould well, where they lived, had for
many ages been let by the lord of the manor in twelve different farms,
in which the tenants lived comfortably, brought up large families, and
carefully supported the poor people who labored for them, until the
estate by marriage and by death came into the hands of Sir Timothy.
This, gentleman, who loved himself better than all his neighbors,
thought it was less trouble to write one receipt for his rent than
twelve; and Farmer Graspall offering to take all the farms as the
leases expired, Sir Timothy agreed with him, and in process of time he
was possessed of every farm but that occupied by little Margery's
father, which he also wanted; for as Mr. Meanwell was a charitable,
good man, he stood up for the poor at the parish meetings, and was
unwilling to have them oppressed by Sir Timothy and this avaricious
farmer. Judge, O kind, humane, and courteous reader, what a terrible
situation the poor must be in, when this covetous man was perpetual
overseer, and everything for their maintenance was drawn from his hard
heart and cruel hand. But he was not only perpetual overseer, but
perpetual churchwarden; and judge, O ye Christians, what state the
church must be in, when supported by a man without religion or
virtue. He was also perpetual surveyor of the highways, and what sort
of roads he kept up for the convenience of travelers, those best knew
who have had the misfortune to pass through that parish. Complaints
indeed were made, but to what purpose are complaints, when brought
against a man who can hunt, drink, and smoke, without the lord of the
manor, who is also the justice of peace?
The opposition which Little Margery's father made to this man's
tyranny gave offense to Sir Timothy, who endeavored to force him out
of his farm; and, to oblige him to throw up the lease, ordered both a
brick-kiln and a dog kennel to be erected in the farmer's orchard.
This was contrary to law, and a suit was commenced, in which Margery's
father got the better. The same offense was again committed three
different times, and as many actions brought, in all of which the
farmer had a verdict, and costs paid him; but notwithstanding these
advantages, the law was so expensive, that he was ruined in the
contest, and obliged to give up all he had to his creditors; which
effectually answered the purpose of Sir Timothy, who erected those
nuisances in the farmer's orchard with that intention. Ah, my dear
reader, we brag of liberty, and boast of our laws; but the blessings
of the one, and the protection of the other, seldom fall to the lot of
the poor; and especially when a rich man is their adversary. How, in
the name-of goodness, can a poor wretch obtain redress, when thirty
pounds are insufficient to try his cause? Where is he to find money to
fee counsel, or how can he plead his cause himself (even if he was
permitted) when our laws are so obscure and so multiplied that an
abridgment of them cannot be contained in fifty volumes folio?
As soon as Mr. Meanwell had called together his creditors, Sir Timothy
seized for a year's rent, and turned the farmer, his wife, Little
Margery, and her brother out of doors, without any of the necessaries
of life to support them.
This elated the heart of Mr. Graspall, this crowned his hopes, and
filled the measure of his iniquity; for, besides gratifying his
revenge, this man's overthrow gave him the sole dominion over the
poor, whom he depressed and abused in a manner too horrible to
mention.
Margery's father flew into another parish for succor, and all those
who were able to move left their dwellings and sought employment
elsewhere, as they found it would be impossible to live under the
tyranny of two such people. The very old, the very lame, and the blind
were obliged to stay behind, and whether they were starved, or what
became of them, history does not say; but the characters of the great
Sir Timothy, and the avaricious tenant, were so infamous, that nobody
would work for them by the day, and servants were afraid to engage
themselves by the year, lest any unforseen accident should leave them
parishioners in a place where they knew they must perish miserably; so
that great part of the land lay untilled for some years, which was
deemed a just reward for such diabolical proceedings.
But what, says the reader, can occasion all this? do you intend this
for children? Permit me to inform you, that this is not the book, sir,
mentioned in the title, but an introduction to that book; and it is
intended, sir, not for that sort of children, but for children of six
feet high, of which, as my friend has justly observed, there are many
millions in the kingdom; and these reflections, sir, have been
rendered necessary by the unaccountable and diabolical scheme which
many gentlemen now give in to, of laying a number of farms into one,
and very often a whole parish into one farm; which in the end must
reduce the common people to a stage of vassalage, worse than that
under the barons of old, or of the clans in Scotland, and will in time
depopulate the kingdom. But as you are tired of the subject, I shall
take myself away, and you may visit Little Margery.
I
HOW AND ABOUT LITTLE MARGERY AND HER BROTHER
Care and discontent shortened the days of Little Margery's father. He
was forced from his family, and seized with a violent fever in a place
where Dr. James's powder was not to be had, and where he died
miserably. Margery's poor mother survived the loss of her husband but
a few days, and died of a broken heart, leaving Margery and her little
brother to the wide world; but, poor woman, it would have melted your
heart to have seen how frequently she heaved her head, while she lay
speechless, to survey with languishing looks her little orphans, as
much as to say, "Do, Tommy, do, Margery, come with me." They cried,
poor things, and she sighed away her soul; and I hope is happy.
It would both have excited your pity, and have done your heart good,
to have seen how these two little ones were so fond of each other, and
how hand in hand they trotted about.
They were both very ragged, and Tommy had no shoes, and Margery had
but one. They had nothing, poor things, to support them (not being in
their own parish) but what they picked from the hedges, or got from
the poor people, and they lay every night in a barn. Their relations
took no notice of them; no, they were rich, and ashamed to own such a
poor little ragged girl as Margery, and such a dirty little
curly-pated boy as Tommy. Our relations and friends seldom take notice
of us when we are poor; but as we grow rich they grow fond. And this
will always be the case, while people love money better than they do
God Almighty. But such wicked folks who love nothing but money, and
are proud and despise the poor, never come to any good in the end, as
we shall see by and by.
II
HOW AND ABOUT MR. SMITH
Mr. Smith was a very worthy clergyman, who lived in the parish where
Little Margery and Tommy were born; and having a relation come to see
him, who was a charitable, good man, he sent for these children to
come to him. The gentleman ordered Little Margery a new pair of shoes,
gave Mr. Smith some money to buy her clothes, and said he would take
Tommy and make him a little sailor.
After some days the gentleman intended to go to London, and take
little Tommy with him, of whom you will know more by and by, for we
shall at a proper time present you with his history, his travels, and
adventures.
The parting between these little children was very affecting. Tommy
cried, and they kissed each other an hundred times: at last Tommy thus
wiped off her tears with the end of his jacket, and bid her cry no
more, for that he would come to her again when he returned from sea.
III
HOW LITTLE MARGERY OBTAINED THE NAME OF GOODY TWO-SHOES, AND WHAT
HAPPENED IN THE PARISH
As soon as Little Margery got up in the morning, which was very early,
she ran all round the village, crying for her brother; and after some
time returned greatly distressed.
However, at this instant, the shoemaker very opportunely came in with
the new shoes, for which she had been measured by the gentleman's
order.
Nothing could have supported Little Margery under the affliction she
was in for the loss of her brother, but the pleasure she took in her
two shoes. She ran out to Mrs. Smith as soon as they were put on, and
stroking down her ragged apron thus cried out, "Two shoes, ma'am, see
two shoes." And so she behaved to all the people she met, and by that
means obtained the name of Goody Two-Shoes.
Little Margery was very happy in being with Mr. and Mrs. Smith, who
were very charitable and good to her, and had agreed to bring her up
with their family: but as soon as that tyrant of the parish, that
Graspall, heard of her being there, he applied first to Mr. Smith, and
threatened to reduce his tithes if he kept her; and after that he
spoke to Sir Timothy, who sent Mr. Smith a peremptory message by his
servant, that he should send back Meanwell's girl to be kept by her
relations, and not harbor her in the parish. This so distressed Mr.
Smith, that he shed tears, and cried, "Lord, have mercy on the poor!"
The prayers of the righteous fly upwards, and reach unto the throne of
heaven, as will be seen by the sequel.
Mrs. Smith was also greatly concerned at being thus obliged to
discard poor Little Margery. She kissed her, and cried, as did also
Mr. Smith; but they were obliged to send her away, for the people who
had ruined her father could at any time have ruined them.
IV
HOW LITTLE MARGERY LEARNED TO READ, AND BY DEGREES TAUGHT OTHERS
Little Margery saw how good and how wise Mr. Smith was, and concluded
that this was owing to his great learning, therefore she wanted of all
things to learn to read. For this purpose she used to meet the little
boys as they came from school, borrow their books, and sit down and
read till they returned. By this means she got more learning than any
of her playmates, and laid the following scheme for instructing those
who were more ignorant than herself. She found that only the following
letters were required to spell all the words; but as some of these
letters are large, and some small, she with her knife cut out of
several pieces of wood ten sets of each of these:
a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z.
And having got an old spelling book, she made her companions set up
all the words they wanted to spell, and after that she taught them to
compose sentences. "You know what a sentence is, my dear. 'I will be
good' is a sentence; and is made up, as you see, of several words."
I once went her rounds with her, and was highly diverted, as you may
see, if you please to look into the next chapter.
V
HOW LITTLE TWO-SHOES BECAME A TROTTING TUTORESS, AND HOW SHE TAUGHT
HER YOUNG PUPILS
It was about seven o'clock in the morning when we set out on this
important business, and the first house we came to was Farmer
Wilson's. Here Margery stopped, and ran up to the door, tap, tap, tap.
"Who's there?" "Only Little Goody Two-Shoes," answered Margery, "come
to teach Billy." "Oh! Little Goody," says Mrs. Wilson, with pleasure
in her face, "I am glad to see you Billy wants you sadly for he has
learned his lesson." Then out came the little boy. "How do, Doody
Two-Shoes," says he, not able to speak plain. Yet this little boy had
learned all his letters; for she threw down this alphabet mixed
together thus:
b d f h k m o q s u w y x f a c e g i l n p r t v z j,
and he picked them up, called them by their right names, and put them
all in order thus:
a b c d e f g h i j k i m n o p q r s t u v w x y z.
The next place we came to was Farmer Simpson's.
"Bow, wow, wow," says the dog at the door. "Sirrah," says his
mistress, "what do you bark at Little Two-Shoes? come in, Madge; here,
Sally wants you sadly, she has learned all her lesson." "Yes, that's
what I have," replied the little one, in the country manner: and
immediately taking the letters she set up these syllables:
ba be bi bo bu, ca ce ci co cu,
da de di do du, fa fe fi fo fu,
and gave them their exact sounds as she composed them.
After this, Little Two-Shoes taught her to spell words of one
syllable, and she soon set up pear, plumb, top, ball, pin, puss, dog,
hog, fawn, buck, doe, lamb, sheep, ram, cow, bull, cock, hen, and many
more.
The next place we came to was Gaffer Cook's cottage. Here a number of
poor children were met to learn, who all came round Little Margery at
once, who having pulled out her letters, asked the little boy next her
what he had for dinner? Who answered, "Bread" (the poor children in
many places live very hard). "Well then," says she, "set up the first
letter." He put up the B, to which the next added r, and the next e,
the next a, the next d, and it stood thus, Bread.
And what had you, Polly Comb, for your dinner? "Apple Pie," answered
the little girl; upon which the next in turn set up a great A, the two
next a p each, and so on, till the two words Apple and Pie were united
and stood thus, Apple Pie.
The next had potatoes, the next beef and turnips; which were spelled,
with many others, till the game of spelling was finished. She then set
them another task, and we proceeded.
The next place we came to was Farmer Thomson's, where there was a
great many little ones waiting for her.
"So, Little Mrs. Goody Two-Shoes," says one of them, "where have you
been so long?" "I have been teaching," says she, "longer than I
intended, and am, I am afraid, come too soon for you now." "No, but
indeed you are not," replied the other; "for I have got my lesson, and
so has Sally Dawson, and so has Harry Wilson, and so have we all;" and
they capered about as if they were overjoyed to see her. "Why, then,"
says she, "you are all very good, and God Almighty will love you; so
let us begin our lessons." They all huddled round her, and though at
the other place they were employed about words and syllables, here we
had people of much greater understanding who dealt only in sentences.
The letters being brought upon the table, one of the little ones set
up the following sentence:
"The Lord have mercy upon me, and grant that I may be always good, and
say my prayers, and love the Lord my God with all my heart, with all
my soul, and with all my strength; and honor the King and all good men
in authority under him."
Then the next took the letters, and composed this sentence:
"Lord, have mercy upon me, and grant that I may love my neighbor as
myself, and do unto all men as I would have them do unto me, and tell
no lies; but be honest and just in all my dealings."
LESSON FOR THE CONDUCT OF LIFE
He that would thrive,
Must rise by five.
He that hath thriven,
May lay till seven.
Truth may be blamed
But can't be shamed.
Tell me with whom you go,
And I'll tell what you do.
A friend in your need,
Is a friend indeed.
They never can be wise,
Who good counsel despise.
As we were returning home, we saw a gentleman, who was very ill,
sitting under a shady tree at the corner of the rookery. Though ill,
he began to joke with Little Margery, and said, laughing, "So, Goody
Two-Shoes, they tell me you are a cunning little baggage; pray can you
tell me what I shall do to get well?" "Yes, sir," says she, "go to bed
when your rooks do and get up with them in the morning; earn, as they
do, every day what you eat, and eat and drink no more than you earn:
and you'll get health and keep it. What should induce the rooks to
frequent gentlemen's houses, only but to tell them how to lead a
prudent life? they never build under cottages or farmhouses, because
they see that these people know how to live without their admonition.
"Thus wealth and wit you may improve.
Taught by tenants of the grove."