52 The Fairy Godmothers.

and took up a book that was before her on the
table ; mechanically removing her bonnet from
her head, and laying it down by her fide as fhe
fpoke.

And here for fome time there was a filence,
during which Hermione’s mother ceafed reading,
and, lifting up her eyes, looked at her daughter
with mingled love, admiration, and intereft. ‘I
wifh I had her picture fo,” dreamt the poor lady,
as fhe gazed; ‘fo earneft, and underftanding, and
yet fo fimple, and kind !—There is but one diffi-
culty for her in life,” was the next thought; ‘ with
fuch keen enjoyment of this world, fuch apprecia-
tion of the beauties, and wonders, and delights of
God’s creations on earth—to keep the eye of
faith firmly fixed on the ‘better and more enduring
inheritance,’ to which both fhe and I, but I truft
fhe, far behind, are haftening. Yet, by God’s
bleffing, and with Chriftian training, and the habit
of active charity, and the viciffitudes of life, I have
few or no fears. But fuch capability of happinefs
in this world is a great temptation, and I fome-
times fancy muft therefore have been a Fairy gift.”
And here the no longer young Mother of Her-
mione fell into a reverie, and a long paufe enfued,
during which Ambrofia felt very fad, for it grieved
her to think that the good and reafonable Mother
fhould be fo much afraid of Fairy gifts, even when
the refult had been fo favourable.

A note at length interrupted the prolonged fi-
lence. It was from Aurora the Beauty, whofe