[Illustration]
"Dear me! how sharp the man looks!" said Henry.--"Yes," cried Mr.
Willock, "you will observe that this passion brings the eyebrows close
together, and forwards the eyes, which are more open than ordinary; the
eyeball is inflamed, and places itself in the middle of the eye; the
nostrils rise up, and are contracted towards the eyes; the mouth half
opens, and the spirits being in motion, give a glowing colour. _Desire_
is most frequently unreasonable; it often pants after things which are
improper, or hurtful to itself. Just now, when you expressed such an
ardent wish to go to sea, your face had all the expression of
_Desire_.--Now, my dear Henry, we should never desire any thing, without
due consideration of its value, or of the propriety of having it as we
wish; for instance, you should have thought, 'It cannot matter much to
me whether I spend my days on board of a ship, or on shore among my
friends; whether I am brought up to the law, or whether I go into the
army; each of these situations have their advantages and their honours;
they have, too, their labours and disappointments. I know that my
parents would sooner study my inclinations than their own: but then they
do not decide from inclination; they are wiser, and have more experience
than me, and they judge coolly, and without _Desire_, what would be most
fitting for me, according to all the circumstances of my education, the
shew of my talents, and the fortune I may have to set out with in life.
It is the novelty of a sea life which gives it attraction; but novelty
soon ceases to engage, and decreases in value, the longer we make our
visit to it; and then we afterwards wish that we had attended to
something better for us, or more adapted to our situation.'
"There are, however, many praiseworthy objects of _desire_, such as
"A _Desire_ to please God.
"A _Desire_ to improve in learning.
"A _Desire_ to excel in virtue or science, properly called emulation.
"The first of these ought to be the great object of our lives: the
second will be a lasting delight and profit to us; it will always secure
us a portion of respect in the world, and will stay by us, though by
misfortune we should be stripped of all, and left to work for our bread:
the third is a passion which makes the great man and the hero; it made
such a statesman as Charles Fox, of whom you have heard speak, and such
a hero as Lord Nelson.
"With these desires in your breast, poverty will stand no chance of
keeping you under. The world, my dear children, is like a market-place,
where many different persons bring their wares, their industry, and
their trinkets for sale. Those who have the best articles, or who are
the best workmen, will find the readiest and most certain sale and
profit or employ; those who have more humble talents, or wares of a
worse quality, are obliged to wait longer, and sell for less; and such
as have only trinkets to offer, find customers only by chance, and are
never sure of a market. Last of all, the lazy beggar, who only comes
into the market-place in expectation of getting a subsistence from the
more industrious, as he has nothing to offer in exchange, meets little
or no attention, and hears only the just reproof of 'Why don't you get
some work to do?'
"There are several objects of _Desire_ that must never be entertained,
and which are very bad and wicked; among these are
"The _Desire_ of wealth, when unreasonable or unconscionable, called
Avarice.
"The _Desire_ of obtaining any advantage of another unfairly, called in
the scripture, coveting our neighbours' goods.
"The _Desire_ of being great or ambitious.
"There are others, which are those forbidden by the Ten Commandments,
and of which I need not speak.
"The _Desire_ of wealth, called Avarice, is a most extraordinary
passion, as it defeats the very end which it wishes to produce, an
enjoyment of the rational pleasures and comforts of life; for the miser
lays up hoard upon hoard, and still remains unsatisfied; he punishes
himself continually; he submits to the derision, the reproaches, and
contempt of the world; he has no enjoyments, no friends; and, besides,
he suffers constant dread and apprehension of being robbed of his
guineas: he suspects every body. Such a character we have in
_The Story of Old Alvarus, the Miser._
"Alvarus was an old miser, who constantly kept his guineas in a bag,
which he used to hide in the most secret place he could find in his
apartments.
"Alvarus had been so careful to lay by his store where no person would
be able to find it and rob him of it, that he _forgot_ where he had put
it himself.
"Alvarus searched every hole and corner that he could think of, without
success: the bag was not to be found; but he knew that no one could have
taken it from him, for not a creature had entered the house. Alvarus
fumed and fretted himself ill; he went to his bed alone and
disconsolate, for very few cared for Alvarus.
"At length it happened that some one knocked at the door of his hut;
Alvarus could not rise to open it; but he called out, 'Whoever you are,
lift up the latch and come in, for I am sick.' It was his little nephew
Nicholas, whose father and mother were poor industrious people, and who
had often asked Alvarus to spare them a trifle, to put them into some
little way of business, to make their way in the world; but he had
always refused them: he would not part with a sixpence.
"The father and mother of Nicholas had, nevertheless, sent him to
inquire after the health of his uncle: he was a fine little boy, with
the colour of the carnation upon his cheeks, and with a brave open
countenance.
"The old man surveyed him from head to foot. 'What, Nicholas,' cried he,
'is it you? How are your father and mother? I am ill, Nicholas, very
ill.'
"Nicholas asked if he could do any thing for his uncle? Alvarus began to
reflect, 'I might as well,' said he to himself, 'have no wealth, if I am
to suffer illness without help or relief, and I shall perhaps die for
want of medical assistance; yet who can I trust to seek for this money?'
He looked again at Nicholas; he saw honesty in his face--'This boy,'
said he, 'knows nothing of the world. I think that I need not be afraid
to trust him. Nicholas, my dear Nicholas,' said he, 'I wish that you
would seek for an old bag, which you will find in some corner or other;
it is heavy, but what is in it is not of _much use_ to any body, and you
must not look into it upon any account.' Nicholas answered in a very
artless manner, that he would not look into it for the world, if his
uncle forbid it. 'Well then,' said Alvarus, 'go and look all about, and
in every corner, as I have occasion for it.'
"Nicholas, who was a very clever and persevering lad, searched place
after place, until at length, in a dark hole under the sink, he found
the bag, and carried it immediately to his uncle. Alvarus was quite
delighted, when he saw the bag unopened--'That is a good boy,' said he;
'now then go for the doctor, and tell him to come to me, for that I am
very sick indeed.'
"Nicholas ran all the way for the doctor, and when he returned, it was
but reasonable to expect that old Alvarus would have given him a trifle
of money; he however contented himself with giving him only thanks; and
Nicholas was going home when the doctor entered.
"The doctor felt the miser's pulse, and found him in a very bad way--
'I am afraid it is too late,' said he, 'I should have been sent for
before.' He moreover told Nicholas that his uncle could not be left.
Nicholas therefore promised to return, as soon as he had made his father
and mother acquainted with the situation he had left him in; but the
miser absolutely forbid him to bring them with him.
"Alvarus grew worse; the doctor gave him medicines, but in vain; when he
thought it proper to tell him, that there were no hopes of his recovery,
and advised him to settle his affairs without delay.
"Alvarus was very much affected at this news--'What,' said he, 'have I
been laying up hoard upon hoard only to leave it behind me? what
enjoyment have I had? what delight has this world afforded me? I have
been poor in the midst of riches, and have starved in abundance. I might
have been happy myself, and I might have made others happy; I have
neglected the opportunity; and before I have tasted refreshment, I
expire on my journey.'
"The doctor asked the old miser again about his affairs--'If I die,'
said he, 'I leave what little I have to this boy, my nephew Nicholas.'
The doctor took his leave, and Alvarus addressed his nephew as
follows:--'Nicholas,' said he, 'take care of this bag for me; I shall
fall asleep presently, for I feel heavy; there is not any thing worth
having in it; _it is full of rubbish_; nevertheless, some people would
be base enough to wish to take it from me.'
"Alvarus went into a sleep, from which he never awoke again--Nicholas
called to him--he did not answer. Nicholas run for his father and
mother--they arrived, but the miser was no more. Nicholas told them the
story of the bag, which they opened, and found full of guineas. The
doctor confirmed the story of Nicholas, and that the property was his
right. The father and mother of Nicholas shed tears at the death of
Alvarus; nevertheless they said, 'How good and wonderful is Providence!
It appeared only by chance that our son should happen to go on that day
to inquire after his uncle, who had then mislaid his treasure.
Providence has put it in its proper channel. Let us bury Alvarus with
respect, and mourn not so much that he is dead, as that when living, he
had never enjoyed life.'
"Nicholas succeeded to the wealth of his uncle, which was improved by
the industry and care of his parents; and from being a poor lad,
Nicholas is now an opulent farmer."
"That old miser was a very foolish old man," said William, as soon as
Mr. Willock had concluded the story. "Certainly he was," answered Mr.
Willock; "he might have made himself very comfortable, and yet have laid
by sufficient to keep him far from the dangers of want in his old age;
and that shows, my dear children, the difference between prudence or
economy, and avarice:--prudence allows all reasonable enjoyments, but no
extravagance or waste; and as the articles of plain wholesome food,
refreshing drink, and neat decent cloathing, do not require any great
sacrifice of money, and are proper for us, and as good management makes
us as frugal as possible, we cannot be much the poorer for those
reasonable indulgences; and all beyond, it is wise and necessary to lay
by; out of which, we ought, nevertheless, to spare a portion, such as we
can afford; to the distrest. It is then that our prudent hours are blest
by Providence, and the motive approved by the same Almighty who has
taught the ant to provide for winter; and indeed old age, my dear
children, may properly be called the winter of life.
"We will now," said Mr. Willock, "consider the nature of the _Desire_ by
which men wish to obtain any thing unfairly, or what is called coveting
our neighbours' goods.--There is not any _Desire_ that can be more base
or wicked than this, and it leads to the greatest crimes; if ever you
feel it in your bosoms, which I trust you never will, check it, my dear
children, as being base, mean, unfair, unjust, and beneath your natures;
and be assured, that it is a _Desire_ which in the end will never have
success, as it is contrary to the commands of God, and below the honour
and dignity of the human character. Your dear mamma can relate to you a
very pretty story of the ill-success of such a _desire_, as well as of
the folly of being too good-natured." Mrs. Willock, finding the eyes of
all her little family immediately turned towards her, began as follows:
_The Story of the Two Merchants and the Black Pebble._
"In the city of Peristan, which is a province of Cashmeer, in Hindostan,
lived a merchant, named Baizeed; he was a very good young man, but was
so generous and prodigal of his money, and so very good-natured, that
any body might get it from him; and the patrimony he had received from
his father was almost spent. As Baizeed was walking one day through the
streets of Peristan, he met an old man, with a small bag in his hand,
who accosted him, and asked if he would choose to buy any pearls or
precious stones? Baizeed had the curiosity or _desire_ to look at them;
and the old merchant seated himself under the portico of a house, where
he displayed his goods. Baizeed looked at them one by one; but his
attention was chiefly taken up with a small black pebble, which had on
it some marks of gold, resembling in form the rays of the sun. Baizeed
inquired particularly about this stone, which the merchant told him was
of considerable value, though it only appeared as a common black pebble;
that it was a talisman, invented by the magician Mahoud; and that in all
cases of extremity or danger, it would give the owner the most faithful
counsel of the good genii. Baizeed, on this, laid the pebble down,
giving up all thoughts of purchasing it, as he supposed its price to be
infinitely out of his reach. "I do not wish to inhance the value of the
pebble," said the old man; "I only ask fifty gold mohurs for it."
Baizeed assured him that he could not afford to give him half that money
for it, and was going away, when the old diamond merchant stopt
him--"Well," said he to Baizeed, "as you have taken such a mighty fancy
to the pebble, you shall be welcome to have it on credit, and pay me
when you may be able." Baizeed on this thanked the old man as politely
as he could, and accepted the stone from his hands, when the old
merchant explained to him some characters which were on it, in the
Hindoo language, and formed the following sentence--'_The rays of
wisdom._'
"Baizeed, on his return home, shewed the pebble to his wife Aseecha,
and was very eager to invite all his friends to shew them also the
purchase he had been so lucky as to make, and invited them to a feast
for that purpose. When Baizeed's friends were met together, one examined
it carefully, another liked its curious appearance, and a third wished
him to make an immediate experiment of its virtues. Baizeed was not long
waiting an opportunity. One of his neighbours being engaged in a
lawsuit, was very anxious to know what he should do in the affair, and
intreated him to try the effect of the magic pebble.
"Baizeed took a small flint in his hand, and, upon striking it against
the stone, at the first blow, the liquid fire came forth from it, and
running upon the ground, immediately formed the sentence of '_Truth_.'
"The counsel which the talisman gave was attended to by the neighbour of
Baizeed, and by following which, he got well through his difficulty.
"Numerous were the applications Baizeed received from different persons
to lend them the black pebble; and all his friends were so kind, and
appeared so grateful, that he could not find it in his heart to refuse
them; but what was the most extraordinary was, that although Baizeed was
thoroughly sensible of the virtues of the pebble, he scarcely ever made
use of it himself, but it was always at the service of others, without
any return or recompence.
"In about three or four years after Baizeed had come into possession of
the pebble, what with neglecting his own affairs, and attending to the
frequent solicitations of others about theirs, Baizeed began to find
himself very much reduced in circumstances; and in addition to this
folly of attempting to oblige every body, he was naturally of a gay and
cheerful disposition, and was constantly giving entertainments, for the
sake of having the society of his friends.
"Among others who had the free use of the talisman, was a neighbour of
Baizeed's, named Daoud, who had always been welcome to his house, and
who he had done every thing to serve; in short, Daoud had as much use of
the pebble as himself; he had it upon every occasion he wished, and
always smiled so graciously, and professed so much friendship to
Baizeed, that it was impossible to refuse him.
"Baizeed's wife Aseecha loved her husband very much, and frequently
entreated him to be more careful of the valuable treasure he had, and to
turn the magic pebble to advantage; but unhappily he neglected her
counsel; and at length, what with the waste of time, and seeing company
to show off the talisman, his situation became desperate; when he
thought it best to call on his friend Daoud, to explain to him his
circumstances, and to consult what was best to be done, as he was afraid
his creditors would take the pebble from him. Daoud begged him not to
despond, and assured him that he would take care of the talisman, if he
was afraid of any mischief happening to him. Baizeed put the stone in
his hands, requiring him, in the most solemn manner, to make use of it
for his wife and family; offering him, at the same time, a reasonable
share of that valuable treasure for his trouble.
"Daoud promised to do according to the wishes of Baizeed, who retired to
a small village near the fountain of Shookroach, whose waters bestow
peace, leaving Daoud in possession of the talisman.
"Baizeed waited many days patiently, in hopes of seeing his friend Daoud
with a supply of money, for his wife Aseecha was very distressed, and
his children had had nothing to live upon but a small bag of rice and a
few dried fishes, which were almost gone. Daoud, however, never came
near Baizeed; and presently he was informed that he had got into his
house, and had made himself acquainted with all his friends and
creditors, and that he was turning the talisman to his own advantage
solely. Baizeed began now to blame his folly, for having intrusted the
only valuable he had left to so sordid a wretch.
"Baizeed went to Daoud, to complain of his ill treatment; but that
wicked wretch insisted he owed him more money than the pebble was worth;
and Baizeed was too poor to get redress.
"At length, when Baizeed had given himself up to despair, and was
sitting at his door in a pensive attitude, he saw the old diamond
merchant who sold him the pebble approach. Baizeed was quite distressed
what he should say to him; but thought, very properly, that the truth
was the best; he therefore told him the whole story of his imprudence;
'Well,' cried the old man, 'you have suffered sufficiently for your
good-nature; though you have lost the talisman by your folly, the good
[A]Bramah will not punish you too severely. Come with me, and we will go
disguised as two [B]Calenders to the house of Daoud.'
[A] The Eastern name for God.
[B] Wandering Mahometan monks.
"Baizeed prepared to follow the old man; and at length having procured
the dresses of Calenders, they set out on their journey, and arrived at
the house of Daoud, as he was seated at the head of his table, feasting
with the great men of Peristan. The Calenders, according to the custom
in the East, were invited to take refreshment; and Baizeed seated
himself at the lower end of the table of his perfidious friend.
"After dinner, Daoud began to speak of the virtues of the talisman; and
the Viceroy of the Sultan Shahabeddeen, who was present, was desirous
that he should display its wonders before him. Daoud called for the
pebble, and struck it with the flint; but the liquid flame did not issue
from it; he tried again and again; but it was all in vain. The Viceroy,
who considered that Daoud had imposed upon him, was highly incensed;
and ordered his black eunuchs, who were in waiting, to inflict the
punishment of the bowstring.--It was in vain that he supplicated; the
Viceroy commanded that he should die, unless he could, within ten
minutes, produce the sentence of truth from the talisman. Daoud
attempted once more, but all was fruitless, when the old man took up the
pebble, and striking it with the flint, the flame immediately issued,
and formed a sentence on the ground--'_I am useless to the wicked._'
"On this, the Viceroy, who was the more enraged, demanded to know of
Daoud the history of the talisman, and how he came by it? That wicked
wretch, however, told a lie to excuse himself.
"The Viceroy was so dissatisfied with the answers of Daoud, that he
demanded of the old Calender that he should obtain again the sentence of
truth: The old man obeyed, when the talisman produced the words--'_The
saying of Daoud is not true; I belong to Baizeed._'
Baizeed, at the desire of the old man, now threw off the dress of the
Calender, and confronted the wicked Daoud, who being unable to say a
word in his defence, was instantly strangled by the eunuchs.
"The Viceroy ordered the pebble to be restored to Baizeed, who returned
home, transported with joy at having found his precious talisman.
"As soon as Baizeed entered the door of his house, he endeavoured to
obtain the sentence of wisdom from the magic pebble; but it only
produced the words--'_I am useless to the imprudent_.'
"Baizeed was again in anguish and despair, when the old man entered, and
told him that the virtue of the talisman would not return to it again
until he had, by hard labour, rubbed the pebble so bright, that the rays
which had disappeared should again become visible. Baizeed bore this
disappointment very patiently, and returned home to his wife Aseecha,
when he set to work every day rubbing the pebble, but no rays appeared.
At length, after a little time, he began just to see a glimpse of them,
and by persevering, they were once more restored. Baizeed now summoned
his friends to a feast, at which they appeared again very readily; but
when they required the counsel of the talisman, Baizeed demanded from
them a recompence for the benefit they would receive; in consequence of
which, he got several large sums of money; and having found the old man,
offered to pay him the fifty gold mohurs, when the old merchant said, 'I
am richly repaid by your being sensible of the value of the pebble. My
son, the mighty Bramah is well pleased when he observes in his children
an ingenuous heart, and kind disposition; but dangerous even is the love
of our fellow creatures, if we are weak enough to yield to the sweet
voice of deceit. Baizeed was tried with the magic pebble, and he
squandered away its blessings. The wicked Daoud, whose imagination was
at work to obtain the goods of Baizeed, was made the instrument for
punishing thy weakness; but he was to become an example also, that vice
never prospers. The magic pebble lost its power in his hands, and the
object of his covetousness was the cause of his death.'
"As the old man spoke, Baizeed observed that rays of celestial flame
surrounded his head, and that his garment was changed into a robe of the
purest white. The place was filled with the fragrance of myrrh, aloes,
sandal-wood, the jessamine flower and the rose.
"Baizeed fell prostrate on his face; it was the good genius Zemrud, who
had appeared as the old merchant. 'Blessed,' said he, 'are the good, and
powerful are those who trust in Bramah.' With these words the genius
disappeared, and Baizeed returned home to his faithful Aseecha,
satisfied of the goodness of Providence, and resolved never again to
forfeit the blessings of the talisman."
"The _desire_ of being great, or what is called ambition, is laudable,
as long as the means resorted to to satisfy it are just and fair, and it
is then a blessing; but becomes a curse, the instant we have recourse to
base or improper means.--But," said Mr. Willock, "let us see what is the
next picture. What have we here?"
"It is a very pleasant face," said John.--"It is," said Mr. Willock,
JOY with TRANQUILLITY.
[Illustration]
"You will observe here, that very little alteration is remarked in the
face of those who feel within themselves the sweetness of _Joy_. The
forehead is serene; the eyebrows without motion, elevated in the middle;
the eye pretty open, and with a laughing air; the eyeball lively and
shining; the corners of the mouth turn up a little; the complexion
lively; the cheeks and lips red.
"_Joy_ is a delightful sensation, and gives health to the body as well
as to the mind; when we feel joyful, with what alacrity, what spirit, do
we move and act! It is _Joy_ that you taste of, when the time arrives
for you to return home from school, to see your friends in vacation.
When _Joy_ is felt, the mind is occupied with every thing that is
pleasant; all care is for the time obliterated from your recollection;
you jump, and dance, and sing, and spring about like young fawns, from
place to place. But this is not _Joy with Tranquillity_, like that in
the picture. _Joy with Tranquillity_ is more lasting, and is less
violent. I will attempt to describe the passion to you by an example.
_The Story of Matthieu and Gerrard, the two Fishermen, who each found a
treasure._
"Two fishermen, named Matthieu and Gerrard, who lived in a small village
near the Mediterranean, and who had each of them large families, and
were very poor, were out one day drawing their nets, when one of them,
Gerrard, called out to the other, that he had drawn ashore a small
casket, which was extremely heavy; and he begged the other to assist him
to force it open, when he found it full of precious stones, carefully
inclosed in cotton. The fisherman who had found the treasure, very
fairly and justly told the other that he should go shares; and
overjoyed, ran home directly to his wife, to tell her the good news. The
other fisherman, who was older and more careful, staid to put his nets
in order before he followed, and was very kindly doing the same office
for his friend, when he discovered another casket among the meshes of
the net, which his comrade had overlooked, full of the like treasure,
and which he put in his pocket.
"When the old fisherman returned to the village, which was no great way
from the sea-shore, he found the house of his comrade surrounded by
people. In short, poor Gerrard's rapture had occasioned him to tell
every creature he met of his good fortune, and they had followed him in
a mass. One gave him a piece of advice; another put in a claim for
favour; a third offered to get him a market for the diamonds of a
friend. In short, he was almost torn to pieces by the officious kindness
of his neighbours; and in his perplexity, he sold his treasure for less
than half its value, to an old Jew, who, on hearing the news, had
hastened all the way from Marseilles to the spot, to make a good
bargain.
"The old fisherman said nothing about his luck until night, when he was
at supper with his wife; and she being a prudent woman, though she felt
a great deal of joy that her dear children would be better cloathed and
fed, yet it was _Joy with Tranquillity_. They neither of them suffered
their good success to run away with their reason. It was therefore
determined between themselves, that Matthieu should go the next day to
Marseilles, where dwelt a respectable Armenian merchant, and get a fair
price from him for the precious stones he had had the luck to find.
"The next day, the old fisherman set out on his journey, without saying
a word to any body, and returned home laden with louis d'ors, in
addition to the small sum which was the moiety of what the other
fisherman had honestly shared with him.
"In a very few months it happened, that the younger fisherman, Gerrard,
owing to his excess of joy, which made him insensible of what he was
about, and the folly of his young wife, who spent a great deal in dress,
while he was giving, lending, and throwing away his money, was reduced
at length to poverty, and had nothing left to do but to take to business
again.
"He was lamenting one morning not having sufficient to purchase nets,
and was mending the old ones to go out a fishing, when his neighbour
Matthieu came to the gate. 'I thought,' cried he, 'that you had left off
fishing, and that you lived upon the interest of the money you got for
your pearls and diamonds; or, perhaps, you are going out for
pleasure.'--'Alas,' cried Gerrard, 'it is not so; I have given away and
spent all that I had.'--'Well, but,' said he, 'those you have done
service to will never let you want a little money to purchase nets;
they have had plenty from you.'--'I have but little hopes of them,'
answered Gerrard.--'Well,' said the old fisherman, 'at any rate, give
them the trial; invite all these your neighbours and friends to a feast,
and after they have regaled themselves, I will open the whole business
of your necessities, and ask them to subscribe to put you into business
again.' Gerrard followed the advice of his neighbour, and a feast was
prepared, at which every one took care to be present. After dinner was
over, the old fisherman opened the business, and asked each of them to
subscribe a something; but they had all of them an excuse ready. 'Well,'
cried he, 'in that case, I must do all by myself,' when he pulled out
two large bags full of louis d'ors, which he opened before them, and
placed one of them before Gerrard. 'Now, sirs,' said Matthieu, turning
to the guests, 'we will not trouble you any further; _we shall not want
your assistance to count them out this time_.'
"The guests departed one after another, not a little chagrined at this
unexpected turn; and Matthieu explained to Gerrard that the money was
his right; that he had kept it for him, that it might not fall into such
bad hands as his former treasure. All now was joy, but it was _Joy with
Tranquillity_; and Gerrard, delighted with the wisdom, as well as with
the honesty of his friend, begged him to keep it for him, and that he
would draw for what he might have occasion.
"Matthieu and Gerrard continued neighbours and friends; their little
fortunes increased; and at length their children intermarried, to the
satisfaction of the old people, who, undisturbed by any excess of
passion, felt only _Joy with tranquillity_."
"Oh dear! what a funny face!" cried Henry, as Mr. Willock turned over
the leaf.
"It is, my dear," said he, "the face of