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Sipe + heen +t eaeweed sere ky behets SHUT teers ieetaraingt pba t ahheur: it Feat reed bore! be oes 2 Tek Ceftssreitstte net isneet hres EE ere eee ee terete : Sauer ¢ saunter cman ‘ 5 ables tees e one scetitt itera * stht ieee ts (if Soneetes: rst peteetss The Baldwin Library THE FAIRY GODMOTHERS AND OTHER TALES, THE FAIRY GODMOTHERS AND OTHER TALES. 5 BY MRS. ALFRED GATTY. Col miele, ¢ non coll’ aceto fi piglian le mofche. Italian Proverb. LONDON: GEORGE BELL, 186, FLEET STREET. 1851. es OR Na eet: a «k TO MY CHILDREN THESE TALES ARE MOST AFFECTIONATELY DEDICATED. THEY WERE WRITTEN IN HOURS OF SICKNESS, BUT ARE INTENDED TO BE READ BY THE HEALTHY AND JOYOUS YOUNG: AND TO ILLUSTRATE SOME FAVOURITE AND LONG CHERISHED CONVICTIONS. MARGARET GATTY. Ecclesfield Vicarage, 27th March, 1851, CONTENTS. Page Tue Fairy GODMOTHERS . . + + + «'* * I Joachim the Mimic «©» 6+ s+ + © s+ ts: 61 Darknefsand Light ... - +--+ + + + + 85 The Loveof God . » s+ 0 e «© © 6 ee « 3S *,* The defign for the Frontifpiece which adorns this yolume is by the pencil of the writer’s kind and highly gifted friend, Mifs Lucette E. Barker. THE FAIRY GODMOTHERS. g]N one of the beautiful bays on the 9) Coatt of Fairy Land, a party of Fairies fe} was aflembled on a lovely evening in 3 on the coaft of England, and there is one efpecially, my dear little readers, which you and I know of, where a long line of grand old rocks ftretches far into the fea on the left-hand extre- mity, while in the diftance to the right a warning lighthoufe with its changing lights gives an almoft folemn beauty to the fcene; for one cannot help thinking, at the fight of it, of the poor ftorm-driven mariner, whom even that friendly light may fail to fave from a fad and fudden death. But beautiful as this little bay is, of which I fpeak, and fond as we are of it, it is nothing, I do aflure you, compared to the bays in Fairy Land! There, there are no light- houfes reminding one painfully of danger and de- ftruction near, but all is lovelinefs and peace ; and even the rocks would be turned into foft pillows by B 2 The Fairy Godmothers. the good-natured Fairies who inhabit the country, fhould any ftrange accident drive a mortal fhip on that fhore. Alfo the bays in Fairy Land face to the weft, which is a great advantage, for in an evening there you may fit and watch the golden fun dipping be- hind the waves; and the rich red tints he fends out upon the rocks before he fets, are beyond meafure beautiful and attractive. Efpecially, I be- lieve, the Fairies enjoy this time of day, for they are odd little creatures, rather conceited, and fond of everything pretty; confequently they like to be floating about the rocks in their white dreffes when the crimfon and golden hues of funfet fhine on them, knowing very. well they look like fo many bright flowers on the occafion. The day I fpeak of however had been very hot, and at the time I fpeak of, the Fairies felt a little lazy and were reclining on fome rocks covered with fea-weed and amufing themfelves by talking. In general the converfation of thefe little creatures is rather light and frivolous and gay; butit is really a fat that they were juft then all ferious together and all were engaged in a very profound conver- fation on human happinefs. I am forry to have fo many explanations to give, but I think it quite neceflary to tell you the reafon of fo uncommon an event as a party of Fairies being ferious. Well then, there were going to be, very fhortly, feveral extremely gay chriften- ings in the world, and fome of the Fairies had been The Fairy Godmothers. 3 invited to attend at them as Godmothers, in order that they might beftow Fairy gifts on the different infants. Four or five of the chriftenings were to take place the next day, and the Fairies who were going were difcuffing with each other what gifts they fhould beftow, and as their only object was to en- {ure the happinefs of the children for whom they were interefted, they naturally fell into a difcourfe as to what gifts were moft likely to have fo charm- ing an effect. “ Your Godchild is a girl too, I be- lieve,” faid Euphrofyne to Janthe [Fairies are pri- vileged, you know, to have romantic names] “‘ what do you think of beftowing upon her?” “‘ Why,” anfwered Ianthe, “ the old ftory, I fup- pofe—BEAUTY: at leaft fuch was my intention, but if you can any of you fhow me I am wrong in fuppofing it a caufe of happinefs to the mortal race, why, I fuppofe I muft give her uglinefs in- ftead.” “ Sifter, I hope you will do no fuch thing,” murmured a young Fairy who lay near twining feaweeds into a wreath. “I never until this evening heard a doubt upon the fubje&, and to tell you the truth the only time I ever envy a mortal is when I fee a regular beauty enter a large aflembly. Oh, the triumph of that moment! Every eye turned upon her; murmurs of admira- tion, not unmixed with envy, greeting her as fhe fweeps along; every one courting her acquaintance ; a word, a {mile of hers more valued than a pearl 4 The Fairy Godmothers. or a ruby. A fort of queen of Nature’s own making, reigning royally in undifputed {way, let her circumftances of life be what they may! Look how mean the richeft woman who is ugly looks by the fide of her! No no, dear Ianthe, make your little lady handfome, and you have done the beft that Fairy can do for her. I declare I envy her beforehand! Here where we are all fo beautiful together there is no intereft or excite- ment about it—it is quite flat.” And fo faying the young fairy Leila laid herfelf down to her wreath again. ‘‘ Why, Leila, you are abfolutely eloquent!” obferved Ianthe, ‘ Beauty it certainly mutt be.” “© Oh, I declare,” purfued Ianthe, roufing up again,” I have fometimes really wifhed myfelf ugly, that I might fome day have the pleafure of fuddenly finding myfelf beautiful ! ” “¢ Oh, but then,” faid a Fairy from behind, ‘is there no danger of your regular beauty, as you call her, getting as tired of being beautiful as you are, and wifhing herfelf ugly too?” “ Certainly,’not,” anfwered Ianthe, “for, for an earthly beauty there would always be the excite- ment of being envied.” “© Come, come,” perfifted the former fpeaker, “ then the gift of being envied would be the beft thing to beftow, at all events a neceflary addi- tion.” “ Oh,” cried Leila, ftopping her ears, “I can’t argue, I never could—I can’t hear any more, I The Fairy Godmothers. 5 am quite fatisfied that I am right ; you can’t argue away the pleafure of being a beauty in a ball-room. Afk any of them themfelves.” “ Well,” faid Ianthe, “* we need purfue the fubje&t no further. I am refolved. My baby is to be beautiful, beautiful as the dawn of the morn- ing; they fhall call her Aurora!” “7 fhall not follow your example,” obferved Euphrofyne, “ I don’t at all like that notion of the neceflity of envy to make the beauty’s joy com- plete. Befides, I’m not at all fure beauty is not much more charming in idea than in poffleffion. Nobody fpend their lives in entering a ball-room, and one gets fadly tired of one’s own face. I’m fure J do, beautiful as it is ;” and as fhe fpoke the Fairy ftooped over a clear tide pool which mir- rored her lovely countenance; “ and yet look what a nofe I have! It is abfolutely exquifite ! And this hair!” and fhe held up her long filken curling trefles and looked at them reflected in the water as fhe fpoke. A mufical laugh rang through the fairy group. Euphrofyne refumed her feat. ‘¢ There ifn’t a mortal damfel in the world who would not go into raptures to refemble me,”’ pur- fued fhe, ‘‘ and yet—but, oh dear, I am getting quite profy, and it is quite ufelefs, for Ianthe has decided. I, on the contrary, am thinking of fome- thing far lefs romantic and interefting, but I fuf- pect far more neceflary to the happinefs of mor- tals than beauty—I mean RICHES,” © Men are horribly fond of them, certainly,” 29 6 The Fairy Godmothers. obferved the Fairy from behind, whofe name was Ambrofia. ‘I can’t endure men on that very account. Look at the grubby wretched lives they lead in counting-houfes and banks, and dread- ful dingy holes and corners of great towns, where we would’nt fet the foles of our feet, and this for forty or fifty years, perhaps, in order that in the fifty-firft, or perhaps later ftill, they may turn into butterflies for the little bit of life that is left to them. And fuch butterflies, too! not knowing what to do with their gay coats and fine wings when they get them at laft.” ‘¢] think you are putting an extreme cafe,” obferved Euphrofyne. ‘‘ Though the grubs them- felves may not thoroughly enjoy the riches they have fo laborioufly acquired, their children: ox grandchildren may, and live at eafe and enjoy them. I fhould not think of beftowing great © riches on uneducated paupers. But it is ano- ther matter to give them to people whom edu- cation has refined, and who would know how to enjoy and employ them.” “© wonder,” fuggefted'a very little Fairy, fcarcely grown to her full fize, “ why you don’t juft give your Godchildren moderate good health, and enough money to make them quite comfort- able without puzzling them ?” “You are a complete Solomon,” obferved Euphrofyne, “ but you muft know, my dear, that moderate good health and a mere comfortable competency would hardly be confidered Fairy gifts The Fairy Godmothers. 7 by our friends in the lower world. ‘Thefe things are, as it were, the abfolute neceffities of a happy life; they are the beef and mutton (to borrow an earthly fimile) of the entertainment. Fairy gifts form the fomewhat unneceflary (and queftionably wholefome) fecond courfe, the f{weets, the bonbons, the lufcious luxuries of the repatt. “ Very few, by comparifon, get them. Very few infants you know have Fairy Godmothers, but we make it a rule that thofe who have, fhall _always' be diftinguifhed from the crowd. Other- wife our power would not be believed in. No, my little Aglaia, all our Godchildren ftart from the point you fpoke of—‘ ceteris paribus,’ as thofe dingy black lawyers fay—all other things being equal—it is a queftion now of beftowing extra fuperfine Fairy gifts.” Aglaia tittered—‘ I know Sifter Euphrofyne is thinking of the chriftening fuppers, and the whipped creams, and the fyllabubs!” and away fhe tripped to the other end of the bay, left the older Fairies fhould fcold her for impertinence. “ Certainly,” purfued Euphrofyne, “ I have a great contempt for riches myfelf. Bah !' the idea of all the troublefome as well as wicked things men do in order that they may be able to keep a lumbering thing they calla carriage, to drive them round a dirty town. Juft think of that one thing alone! It is hardly credible.” And Euphrofyne laid her head by the fide of Leila’s, and looked up into the deep blue fky. 8 The Fairy Godmothers. -“ Remember,” faid Ambrofia, from behind, “ it is a choice with poor mortals between heavy foot- walking, and the lumbering vehicles you talk of. Perhaps when their legs ache terribly, the carriages are no fuch bad things. We can hardly judge difpaffionately in fuch a matter, we who can float and fly!” and the delicate Ambrofia, fpringing up, floated foftly round the bay, and then returned fmiling to her companions. ‘ It made me almoft ill to think of aching legs,” obferved fhe, “ how I do pity the mortal race ! ” “ How pretty you looked as the fun fhone golden upon your white robe,” exclaimed Leila, ‘ It was a fight for a mortal painter to die of !” ‘¢ A genius for painting would be a grand Fairy gift,” obferved Ianthe. “ Too doubtful of fuccefs,” anfwered Eu- phrofyne, ‘“‘ and the Mufician’s power the fame ; befides muficians’ always die young and with ex- haufted minds. ‘The art is too much for mortal nerves,” “¢ Their atmofphere is too thick,” faid Leila. “ How tired I am of your difcuffions! Let us fing ! Whatever mufic may be to them, it is food to us.” Then all thofe beautiful Fairies arofe and join- ing hands on the rocks they fang to the now dying Sun a chorus of Fairy Land! Now and then thefe ravifhing melodies are permitted to reach to mortal ears : chiefly in dreams to the fick and forrowful, for Fairies have great compaffion on fuch, and The Fairy Godmothers. 9 allow them a diftant tafte of this, the moft exqui- fite of their enjoyments. There was no more difcuffion that night, nor did they argue much the next morning. There was the rifing fun to welcome from the fleep- ing caves on the eaftern fide of their country, and the bath to be enjoyed, and their wings to plume, and {weet odours to gather from the early flowers ; and the time pafled fo quickly, they only met to take a hurried leave. ‘* We muft under- ftand each other however, before we feparate,”’ faid Euphrofyne. “© Dear Ianthe, your Gift is Beauty?” “ It is.” ‘ And mine is Riches,” faid Euphrofyne. “¢ All the pleafures of life fhall be at my Godchild’s feet,” faid another Fairy, laughing. “ If that will not enfure -happinefs, I know not what will.” Ambrofia held back—*“ Y our choice, dear Sifter?” afked Euphrofyne. “ Come! we have no time to lofe.” “It muft remain a fecret,’ was the reply. “ Our difcourfe yefterday evening was fo thought- ful, fo fad, I could not fleep. I arofe hours before you: this morning, ere daylight ftreaked the fky. Dear Sifters, how fhocked you will be to hear I wept; but now I have determined. If my gift fucceed I will tell you all about it, or you fhall guefs it yourfelves; for I now propofe that our Fairy Gifts this year fhall be a fort of experiment on human happinefs. Let us from time to time vifit in company our young charges, and let the 10 The Fairy Godmothers. refult — that is, which of our Gifts is proved to confer the greateft amount of happinefs, be written in the archives of our kingdom for the future benefit of the mortal race.” A murmur of approbation rofe, fweet as the vibration of a harp-chord through the affembly. There was no time for enquiry about the other gifts: the travelling Fairies arofe and beat their gauzy wings upon the weftern breeze. A melo- dious rufhing was juft audible ; the diftant mur- murs of the earthly fea the moft refemble that {weet dream of found. In a few moments the departing fifters became invifible, and thofe who remained returned to float by the fea fhore, or make {weet mufic in the bowers of their enchanted land. Time is a very odd fort of thing, dear readers. We neither know whence it comes nor whither it goes ;—nay we know nothing about it in fact except that there is one little moment of it called the pre- fent, which we have as it were in our hands to make ufe of—but beyond this we can give no account of, even that little moment. It is ours to ufe, but not to underftand. ‘There is one thing in the world, however, quite as wonderful, and quite as common, and that is, the Wind. Did it never ftrike you how ftrange it was that the ftrongeft thing in the world fhould be invifible? ‘The nice breezes we feel in fummer and the rougheft blafts we feel in winter in England are not fo extremely The Fairy Godmothers. — 11 {trong you will fay: but I am fpeaking, befides thefe, of the winds called hurricanes that arife in the Weft Indian Iflands, and in other places in the world. ‘Thefe dreadful hurricanes have at times done as much mifchief as earthquakes and lightning. ‘They tear down the ftrongeft trees, overthrow the firmeft houfes and fpread ruin and defolation around, and yet this terrible power, fo tremendous, and againft which the clevereft contrivances can provide no defence, is as invifible as the great Maker of Heaven and Earth. How unbelieving many people would look if you told them of a dreadful creature that was coming to the world, which could be heard to roar, be felt to knock dents every thing in its path—men, women and children, houfes, churches, towers, caftles, cities, and trees the moft firmly rooted—and yet which you could never catch the fainteft glimpfe of, for it was always invifible, even when it roared the loudeft! As invifible then, as when in its mildeft moods, it, as it were, purred foftly over the country like a cat. How the good people would laugh, and tell you you were very filly to believe in fuch a thing. Yet I think this is not at all an incorrect defcription of the great invifible Power WIND. Now the leffon we may learn from this is to be humble-minded ; for fince we live in the conftant prefence of a Power we cannot fee, we ought to feel it is equally poffible other Powers may exift of which our other fenfes cannot take cognizance. There is an old proverb 12 The Fairy Godmothers. “¢ Seeing is believing ” —but you perceive, dear readers, we are forced to believe in the wind though we never fee him at all. To return to Time who is travelling faft on while I am rambling after the wind, he has puz- zled the artifts a good deal I fhould fay, for with all their fkill at reprefentation they have never hit upon any better idea of him than an old Man with wings. An old man with wings! Can you fancy anything fo unnatural! One can quite underftand beautiful young Angels with wings. Youth and power and {wiftnefs belong to them. Alfo Fairies with wings are quite comprehenfible creatures ; for one fancies them fo light and airy and tranf- parent, living upon honey dew and ambrofia, that wings wherewith to fly feem their natural appen- dages. But the decrepitude of old age and the wings of youth and power are a ftrange mixture : —a bald head, and a Fairy’s fwiftnefs !—how ridi- culous it feems, and fo I think I may well fay Time is a very odd fort of thing. | Among thofe who have to deal with Time, few are more puzzled how to manage him than we ftory-tellers. In my firft chapter, for inftance, I gave you a half-hour’s converfation among fome Fairies, but I think you would be very angry with me were I to give you as exactly every half-hour that pafled over the heads of the little girls with Fairy Godmothers, till they grew up. How you would fcold, dear little readers, if I were to enter into a particular defcription of each child’s Nurfe, The Fairy Godmothers. 13 and tell whether Mifs Aurora, Mifs Julia, Mifs Hermione, &c. &c. &c. were brought up on baked flour, groat-gruel, rufks, tops and bottoms, or re- valenta food! Whether they took more caftor- oil, or rhubarb and magnefia; whether they fqualled on thofe occafions or were very good. When they cut their teeth and how, together with all the &c. and ups and downs of Nurfery life which large families, fuch as you and I belong to, go through daily. Well then, fuppofe I altogether pafs over a pe- riod of ten years, and enter into no minute parti- culars refpecting that portion of Time. You muft know that the Fairies had agreed that all the children fhould have the fame (and rather a large) amount of intelle&t, or what you would call cle- vernefs : that is to fay, they were all equally capa- ble of learning anything they chofe to learn: alfo they had all fair health, plenty to eat and drink, and all the fo called “ neceflary ” comforts of life. Now then to our ftory. At the end of ten years the Fairies agreed to go and have a peep how their charges were going on. They quite knew that nothing decifive could be found out, till the children had come to years of difcretion and were their own miftrefles. Still they thought it would amufe them juft to go and fee how the charms were working, as it were ; fo, away they went. Now pi@ture to yourfelves a nice large nurfery, much fuch a one as your own, in which feveral 14 The Fairy Godmothers. children are playing. The eldeft, a girl of ten, you may fee yonder lounging—gracefully perhaps —but ftill lounging in a rocking chair which fhe is {winging backwards and forwards, having fet it in motion by the aétion of her foot on the floor. What a lovely face! Ido not think you ever faw one fo handfome except in a print in one of Mamma’s beft pifture books. All the features are perfeétly good and in proportion, and the dark blue eyes are fringed by the longeft eyelafhes ever feen. The hair of this little girl too — look at it, as the foft chefnut ringlets wave about on her fhoulders as fhe fwings, and fhow the round rich- nefs of the curls. Now if you afk about the expreffion on her face, I muft tell you it was rather languid and “ penfierofo.” Penfierofo is an Italian word really meaning thoughtful — but this little girl was not thinking, for then the expreffion of her face would have been much ftronger and firmer and lefs lan- guid ; but the word has got to be ufed for a fort of awake-dreamy ftate when one lets thoughts float lazily along without having any energy to dwell upon them, and fee whether they are good or bad. The thought that was pafling through this little girl’s head at the time I mention and which made her look fo languid and penfierofo, was «¢ T wifh it was 6 o’clock.” Now here you are ready to laugh, I know, for there was nothing to look fo languid about, in “ I The Fairy Godmothers. 15 with it was fix o’clock!” but the fa& was this ; at half-paft fix the little girl’s Mamma was ex- pecting a large party to dinner and the little girl was to drefs at fix and be ready to go down and fee the company :—I might add and to be feen by them; for the little girl was, as you will have guefled, the beautiful Aurora herfelf, and there had been plenty of foolifh people, though her good Mamma was not one of them, to tell her how pretty fhe was and how much people admired her. It is a very pleafant thing to be admired, both for children and grown up people. ‘ The love of approbation,” as it is called, i. e. the with to be approved of and admired is a feeling which is very ftrong in moft people; not in quite all, perhaps, but in moff people certainly. But like all other powers of the mind confidered apart from the in- fluence of the heart and confcience, it is capable of being ufed to a very bad or a very good purpofe. Thus you may remember what our Saviour fays of the Pharifees who ftood praying at the corners of the ftreets that they might be feen of men: Verily, they had their reward—viz: that men ad- mired them : whereas thofe who do good deeds and pray privately, i. e. unfeen and unadmired by men, fhould verily have their reward in that day when God who feeth in fecret himfelf fhall reward them openly. Here you fee is the fame ftrong feeling, —love of approbation, exercifed in a wrong and a right direction. The Pharifees with for the approbation 16 The Fairy Godmothers. of men, good people wifh for the approbation of God. Now, love of approbation exifts about much fmaller matters than I have juft been mentioning. But I would warn my young readers, that, to be always thinking, and bothering yourfelves as to what other people are thinking about you, is one of the moft uncomfortable and injurious habits a perfon can get into. It makes them fo felfifh and egotiftical, And here was one of Aurora’s dan- gers. Becaufe fhe knew fhe was pretty, fhe was always wondering what other people were think- ing about her, a habit which fo far from contri- buting to what the good Fairy had wifhed, viz. her happinefs, was conftantly fpoiling her comfort from hour to hour. And here, at ten years old, was this little lady fwinging languidly and idly on the rocking chair, wifhing it was fix o’clock, in- {tead of enjoying, as fhe might fo well have done, that fmall portion of time, time prefent, which is, as I told you before, the only bit of him we can ever lay hold of, as it were. Of time prefent, juft then, fhe thought nothing. She would have faid, (had fhe been afked), that the old gentleman moved very flowly in fpite of his wings, for her eye was fixed on that delightful time future, fix o’clock. Well! at laft the clock ftruck, and Aurora fprang from her chair,—her whole face altered in a moment. “* Now, Nurfe, I may drefs, may I not?” fhe exclaimed, radiant with anima- tion, and all the languor and dreaminefs gone over The Fairy Godmothers. 17 like a cloud from before the fun. And it is true that juft then Aurora was happy. It was a plea- fant tafk to her to arrange and fmooth that curling hair, and to put on the fimple white drefs the knew fet off her beauty fo well. But alas! for the happinefs caufed by thoughts of one’s elf! The toilet over, fhe ran down to her Mamma, and was welcomed with a {mile of fondnefs and approbation. Indeed, when fhe was happy, a {weeter face could not be feen, for fhe was not a naughty child, and if it had not been for the F airy gift, I do think fhe would have been a very nice one. The Fairies who invifibly had witneffed all I have defcribed to you, were not fo loud in their admiration of Aurora as you or I might have been. They are fo handfome themfelves, they think but little of earthly beauty, and even Ianthe could not con{cientioufly fay, “* What a happy looking little girl fhe is.” That was juft the one thing that was wanting : ay, and it continued wanting even after the room was filled with company, and fhe was petted, and carefled, and praifed on every fide. Her fpirits became very high, however, and fhe enjoyed herfelf much ; and it is perhaps only very very critical folk, bent on fpying out a fault, that could have detected the little clouds of anxiety that now and then fhot acrofs her face. A thought of whether her curls were all right, or her drefs untumbled, &c. juft now and then difturbed the Cc 18 The Fairy Godmothers. charm, and prevented her forgetting herfelf fufi- ciently to allow her to be quite at eafe and happy, and fhe would glance at herfelf in the mirror, and put back the hair from her brow, left Mrs. I-know- not-who, who was juft then entering the room, fhould not think her quite as lovely as Mrs. Some- body-elfe did, who had very foolifhly been faying fo rather in a loud tone to her Mamma. At laft the fatal time arrived to go to bed. Aurora was much too fenfible to cry, or be crofs, you muft know, but as fhe clofed the door of the drawing-room and left the gay company, a figh very heavy for fo young a heart to have breathed, efcaped her, and it was flowly fhe retraced her fteps up ftairs. She was in reality tired, for it was later than her ufual bed-time, and when fhe © wert into her-room.fhe threw herfelf on the chair and yawned. ‘he young Nurfe who attended to undrefs her, afked her if fhe had enjoyed herfelf. “Oh yes!” was her ready anfwer. ‘“‘All is fo bright, and gay, and entertaining among thofe la- dies, and they are fo good-natured to me,” —(an- other figh coupled with the recolleétion of, and how much they admire me!) —“ But I do fo hate being a little girl, and having to go to bed. I with the time would come quicker for me to be grown up, and be down ftairs altogether, and talk, and enjoy myfelf all the evening!” Oh, Aurora, Aurora, with that diffatisfied face where is your beauty? with that difcontented mind where 1s your happinefs. The Fairy Godmothers. 19 “ Your charm is not working perfectly, Sifter,” obferved Euphrofyne to Ianthe. ‘‘ Her’s is not the age for perfect happinefs and enjoyment asa beauty, remember,” replied Ianthe, “‘ and fhe feels this herfelf.’’ ‘¢ Man never is but always to be bleft,” cried Ambrofia laughing. ‘ You fee I can quote their own poets againft them.”’ “ You are prejudging now, Ambrofia, wait till another ten years is over; but we muft fee our little beauty through the twenty-four hours.” Ianthe now waved a tiny wand in a circle around Aurora’s head,—the long eyelafhes fank over her eyes, and the beautiful child fell into a fweet and . placid fleep. Morning, which awakens all young creatures to life, enjoyment, and action, awoke Aurora among the reft, and fhe arofe in health and ftrength, and the full glow of animal fpirits. ‘ This is happi- nefs, however,” exclaimed Ianthe to her compa- nions, as the young girl {prang about, carolling to herfelf the while. And fo it was, for at that mo- ment no forecaftings into futurity difturbed the comfort of prefent pleafure: but an accidental glimpfe of her face caught in a looking-glafs as fhe paffed, recalled Aurora to the recollection of HERSELF ! and the admiration fhe had obtained the evening before. At firft fome pleafure at- tended the remembrance, and fhe gazed with a childifh triumph at her pretty face in the glafs. In a few minutes, however, the voice of her Go- 20 The F airy Godmothers. vernefs calling her to leffons difturbed the egotift- ical amufement, and the charming Aurora frowned —yes, frowned ! and looked crofs at the looking- glafs before fhe quitted the apartment. _ And now, dear little readers, let me remind you that Aurora was a clever little girl, for the F airy had taken care of that. She had every faculty for learning, and no real diflike to it; but this un- lucky Fairy gift was in the way of every thing fhe did, for it took away her intereft in every thing but herfelf; and fo, though fhe got through her leffons refpectably, it was with many yawns, and not a few fighs, and wonderings what Mamma was doing ; and did the Governefs think there would foon be another dinner party ? and didn’t the Go- vernefs, when /he was a little girl, with very much fhe was a grown up woman? and, finally, the wifhed fhe had been able to talk when fhe was a baby at her chriftening, becaufe then fhe would have begged the Fairy Godmother to give her the gift of growing up to be a young lady very quick indeed, and of learning every thing without any trouble at all! And fo faying, Aurora yawned and laid down her book, and the poor Governefs could hardly keep her temper at fuch repeated in- terruptions to the fubjeé in hand, “* My dear,” fhe exclaimed, “ Fairies have no power to counteract what God has ordained, and he has ordained that we enjoy but little what we get at without labour and trouble.” “* Ah taifez-vous donc ma chére !” cried Au- The Fairy Godmothers. 21 rora, {topping her ears with her hands, and run- ning round the room fhaking her long curls furi- oufly. ‘* Vous me faites abfolument frémir ! Excufe my French, but I am certain you are the eldeft daughter of the old woman in the wood, and you are juft now dropping vipers, toads, newts, and efts from your mouth at every word you ut- ter!” The good-natured Governefs laughed heartily at the joke, for they had juft been reading the old French fairy tale of “‘ Les deux Fées,” and the application amufed her ; but fhe fhook her head gravely at Aurora afterwards, and reminded her that no ferious truth was well anfwered by a joke, however droll. A bell rings, a carriage is at the door. Mifs Aurora is wanted. Vifiters! Ah! here is hap- pinefs again! But it lafts but a fhort time, and the reaction is the fame as before—drooping eyes, languid eyelids, and a figh. Books, drawing, mufic, work, even domeftic recreations, all deprived of their charm through this idolatry of felf! The curtain clofed over this {cene. “A charming child, Ianthe, but for your Fairy Gift, which is fpoiling her.” “* I repeat to you we are no judges yet. Now for riches, Euphrofyne !” At the fame hour of evening, and under the fame circumftances, of a party about to affemble, 22 The Fairy Godmothers. let me introduce you to a beautiful little boudoir or up-ftairs fitting-room adjoining an equally pretty fleeping apartment in a magnificent houfe in a town. The paflages are carpeted all over, and fo are the boudoir and the fleeping-room, and they are furnifhed with fofas, eafy chairs, and every de- fcription of luxurious comfort; and all this for the accommodation of a little girl of ten years old, who in one of the eafy chairs is lying back in front of the fire, with her tiny feet on a bright brafs fender. She has a gold watch in her hand, which is fuf- pended round her neck by a chain of the fame material, and fhe is playing with it, and with the feals, and pretty ornaments hung to it, that jingle as fhe moves her hand. Ever and anon the glances at the face of the watch. But life is very eafy to her, and the chair is very foft, and her feet are very warm. At laft, how- ever, fhe gets up and rings a filver bell that is on the mantel-piece. A fervant anfwers the fum- mons. ‘It is time for me to drefs, I believe, Annette ; the company are expected to-day at half paft fix. Has my new frock come home ?” “¢ ‘Yes, Mifs.” “© Let me look at it.” A delicate blue fatin, trimmed with the fineft lace, is produced from a band-box. “‘ It is very pretty, I think, Annette.” “¢ It is downright beautiful, Mifs.” “And fo expenfive,” purfued the little girl whofe name was Julia, “ that I don’t think any The Fairy Godmothers. 23 one elfe I know is likely to imitate it, which is my greateft comfort !” And fo faying, the rich Mifs Julia (an only daughter), whofe comfort feemed to depend on no one elfe being as comfortable as herfelf, commenced her toilet, i.e. her maid both com- menced and finifhed it for her, for thofe who can command the unlimited affiftance of fervants are apt to be very idle in helping themfelves. * Your Julia looks felf-fatisfied enough,” ob- ferved Ianthe, “but I do not fee that this is more like real happinefs than my Aurora’s face before the party.” ‘© Perhaps,” returned Euphrofyne, “ the fame remark applies to her as to Aurora—the age for thoroughly enjoying riches is hardly arrived. You fmile, Ambrofia! Well, we do not yet know your experiment, and you yourfelf do not know how it has anfwered. ‘Take care that our turn for laughing at you does not foon come!” Julia was dreffed at the end of the half-hour, but not fooner. Her toilet occupied more time than Aurora’s. She could not decide what orna- ments fhe would wear, and at laft getting' out of humour with the ‘¢ embarras des richefles’’ fhe fixed on a necklace which, though extremely hand- fome, was fcarcely fit fora child. She was neither pretty nor otherwife, but when good humoured and happy her face, like that of all other creatures of her innocent time of life, was attraétive and pleafant to behold. Oh, that children did but ? 24 The Fairy Godmothers. know wherein the fecret of being loveable and be- loved lies! In holding faft the innocence and fimplicity of their infant years; in the cheerful {pirit, the univerfal kindheartednefs, the open honefty, the fweet teachablenefs and readinefs of belief, which are the real charaéteriftics of child- hood and which we fo love to trace in their faces. It was thefe things our Saviour called upon grown- up people to imitate, and fo to receive the king- dom of Heaven as little children. And oh, that grown-up people would imitate thefe things ; for if they would become in thefe refpects as little chil- dren, the {weet caft of mind would be reflected in their faces too, and the ugly looks given by envious difcontent, deceitful thoughts, unkind intention and reftlefs want of faith and hope would all be wathed out of the world. But now, my dear readers, can you call that the beft of Fairy gifts, which had {o great a ten- dency to bring the naughty paffions of grown-up life into the heart, and therefore on to the face, of alittle girl? Well, but riches have a tendency that way; and though Julia was not a very naughty girl fhe was being led into very fad feelings by the Fairy gift. When fhe went down to the company, her fecret anxiety was to examine all the dreffes of her Mamma’s friends and refolve fome day to fur- pafs them all. Even as it was fhe received much pleafure from knowing that her own drefs was far beyond the reach of ordinary folk. She thought too of her necklace with fecret fatisfaction, when The Fairy Godmothers. 25 the ladies were talking to her, for fhe perceived their eyes frequently attracted by its brilliancy and beauty. Then her mind rambled into futurity, to the day when fhe would aftonifh thefe very ladies far more than now by the richnefs of her coftume. Ah, dear readers, would our Saviour if prefent have called this little child to him, and faid, “ Of fuch is the kingdom of Heaven?” But all thefe felfifh thoughts made her converfation lefs pleafant and cheerful than it would otherwife have been; for you may be fure fhe was not liftening with any intereft to what was faid to her, while fhe was thus planning filly {chemes about herfelf. And not having liftened with any intereft to what was faid to her, you may guefs that her an- fwers were dull and ftupid; for when people are talking of one thing and thinking of another they become very flat companions. At times when fhe could forget herfelf fhe became natural and then was both pleafant and pleafed, and afked fome ladies to let their children come and fee her next day, to which they confented. But now came a fad drawback. One of the ladies told her that her little girl fhould bring to fhew her a moft beautiful gold fillagree work-box fet with precious ftones, which one of the maids of honour about court, who was her godmother, had given her a few days before. This lady had faved a few of the queen’s hairs very carefully, and had had them placed in a little circle of cryftal in the middle of the box, and they were fet round with the moft 26 The Fairy Godmothers. beautiful rubies. It was a prefent worthy of a Fairy Godmother, and certainly the donor was the daughter of a duchefs, which perhaps is the neareft thing to being a fairy. You will be thocked, my dear readers, to hear that the account of this box was as difagreeable as a dofe of phyfic to poor Julia. Nay it was wor/e than phyfic, for a peppermint-drop can take the tafte of that away in a minute. But not all the peppermint-drops in a chymift’s fhop could take away the tafte of the fillagree-box from Julia, She had been thinking before of fhowing all the treafures of her boudoir to her little friends next day ; but this horrid box was like a great cloud clofing over her funfhine. She knew fhe was naughty, but fhe was fo in the habit of being felfith the could not conquer her peevifh vexation. Annette wondered what could be the matter, and her Governefs fighed as fhe perceived her face clouded, even when fhe was repeating her evening prayer; but no queftioning could extra@ from her what was amifs, Oh, what a condition for a child to go to fleep in! Euphrofyne was greatly annoyed. “ They are not correcting her evil difpofitions,” cried fhe. “ I do not allow that this has anything to do nece/- farily with being very rich.” Ah, good Fairies, you do not know « How hardly fhall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of Heaven.” Look now at that young face, afleep on a The Fairy Godmothers. 27 downy pillow,in a bed richly hung with crimfon drapery, in a room filled with luxuries, glowing with warmth and comfort. You are fhocked that the heart within fhould be difturbed by nafty little envyings, that made the good things fhe poflefled of no value to her. ”Tis well; but remember we are all rich by comparifon. Go to the poor froft- bitten wayfide beggar-child, my little readers ; bring him into your comfortable drawing-room, which you fit in every day and think nothing about, and he will fancy he has got into Paradife, Itis a luxurious palace to him. Take him to your fnug bed and let him fleep there, and it will be to him what a ftate apartment in Windfor Caftle would be toyou. Donot then let you and me {cold too much at Julia, but let us keep on the watch to drive away from ourfelves the difcontented grumbling thoughts that are apt to make us all ungrateful to God. Juliadid not fleep well. The fillagree box was a fort of night-mare to her. She dreamt of its growing up into a great giant, and thumping her on the head, and calling out that fhe ought to be afhamed of herfelf. Do you know, I think this dream was owing to her Godmother, Euphrofyne, for fhe lingered behind the other Fairies as they vanifhed, and fhook, not waved, her wand over the fleeping child, with a very angry face. In the morning Julia, like Aurora, awoke in a temporary forgetfulnefs of her troubles. The morning air is fo refrefhing and fleep does one fo much good, and the fun fhining through the win- 28 The Fairy Godmothers. dows looks fo gay, and all things {peak of hope fo loudly in a’ morning, who can be fullen? Cer- tainly not little girls full of life and expectation, But the thought of the fillagree box by degrees took poffeffion of her mind and rankled there as before. She too had a Governefs, and many leffons to learn and much to do, and fhe did them; but neither Englith hiftory nor French fairy tales could quite drive away the fillagree box. Indeed it in- troduced its horrid face before her into the midft of a multiplication fum, and Mademoifelle thought fhe was bewitched to have grown fo ftupid over her arithmetic all at once. She {pent a half hour over that one fum, and when it was done fhe was fo much tired fhe gave up leffons for the day. Befides, fhe had to prepare for her friends, She went into her boudoir, opened her cabinets and unfolded her treafures of various forts—oh I can’t tell you what beautiful things! befides interefting colleGtions of foreign and Englifh fhells, and ftuffed humming birds, which you and I fhould be charmed to pof fefs. And Julia was in general moft happy when fhe was looking over her property, but rather more becaufe fhe poffeffed valuable curiofities than becaufe fhe cared about them, I fear. For my part, I wonder very much that the humming birds and fhells did not teach her to be more humble- minded ; for no art or jewellery can imitate or come up to their glorious beauty. Well, the amufed herfelf tolerably in {pite of the vifions of the fillagree box and the queen’s hair, which now The Fairy Godmothers. 29 and then came between her and her ufual feeling of felf-fatisfaction. Prefently her young friends came—feveral little girls of various ages, and now nature once more revived in poor Julia. The children felt and ex- preffed fuch hearty pleafure at the fight of her treafures. “There were fuch joyous exclamations; fuch burfts of delight; fuch {pringing and jumping about, that Julia became infected with the general pleafure, and was a happy child herfelf. Yes! even though the fillagree box had been fhown off and admired. But what do children in general know about the value of things and how much they coft? Ah, much more juft in their judg- ments than we elders are apt to be, a bird of Paradife fuch as adorned the topof Julia’s cabinet, or a peacock’s tail, fuch as fhe had in a drawer, is to their unprejudiced eyes more defirable than the gold of Ophir itfelf ! So now you fee this triumph of fimplicity over art, defpoiled the fillagree box of all its horrors, for the innocent children admired her fhells yet more—unfophifticated, and infenfible to the long {tory about the value of the rubies, the thaid of honour, and even the queen’s hairs. Still the Fairies felt and faw that it was not Eu- phrofyne’s gift, but rather the forgetfulnefS of it which caufed thefe hours of happinefS to Julia, and fomewhat puzzled as to the refult they left the vo- tary of riches, not quite without a fenfation that little Aglaia’s propofal of moderate health and 30 The Fairy Godmothers. enough riches to be ‘ comfortable without being puzzled,” was about the beft thing after all, though not much of a Fairy gift. And now, my little readers, I am beginning to get rather tired of my ftory, and to feel that you may do fo too. I think I am getting rather profy, fo I muft try and cut the matter fhort. Four out of the five Fairy gifts were like beauty and riches, worldly advantages. For inftance, there was the little girl who was to have every earthly pleafure at her feet—i.e. the was to have every thing fhe wifhed for—why fhe was fifty times worfe off than either Aurora or Julia, for I will tell you whom fhe was like. She was like the fifherman’s wife in Grimm’s German popular fairy tales, who had every thing the wifhed, and fo at laft wifhed to be king of the fun and moon. I doubt not you remember her well, and how fhe was in confequence fent back to her mud cottage. I think, therefore, I need not defcribe the young lady who had that Fairy gift. There was another who was to be Joved wher- ever fhe went; but nothing is worth having that is had fo eafily, and this child got fo fick of being kiffed and fondled and loved, that it was the great- eft nuifance to her poffible, for difagreeable people loved her juft as much as nice ones, and for her part fhe hated them all alike. It was a very filly ' Fairy gift. Come with me then to Ambrofia’s God-daugh- ter, whom they vifited laft, and whofe F airy gift the other Fairies were to guefs at ! The Fairy Godmothers. 31 Neither you nor I, my dears, ever heard a fairy- laugh. Doubtlefs it is a {weet and mufical found. You can perhaps fancy it? Well then, do fancy it, and how it rang in filver peals when our fairy friends, on entering the laft nurfery they had to vifit, found Ambrofia’s protegée in a flood of angry tears, ftamping her foot on the ground in a paffion! *¢ You naughty naughty girl !” exclaimed the old Nurfe, ‘‘ you’ll wake the baby and make your own eyes fo red you won’t be fit to be feen to night by the company !” | “I don’t care about my eyes being red, tho’ I don’t want to wake the poor baby,” fobbed the little girl, flightly foftening her wrath: “ but the cat has unravelled all the ftocking I have been knitting at for fo many days, and I had nearly juft finifhed it, and now it’s all fpoilt ;” and fhe roared with vexation. ‘‘ Mifs Hermione, if you go on fo I fhall certainly fend for your Mamma, and the baby will be quite poorly, he will! and we fhall know who made him fo,” added Nurfe triumph- antly. ‘ I can’t make the baby poorly with cry- ing, Nurfe, fo that’s nonfenfe you know,” obferved Hermione ; “ but I didn’t mean to difturb ‘him ; only my ftocking is gone, and I don’t know what to do.” And here fhe fobbed afreth. “© Do! why ain’t you going down to the ladies, and can’t you be brufhing your hair and wafhing your face and getting ready?” ‘* But it ifn’t time.” © Well, but can’t you get ready before the time a little? and then, when you’re dreffed and look fo \ 32 The Fairy Godmothers. clean and nice and pretty, you can fit in the chair and we can look at you!” and here the good old Nurfe gave a knowing {mile and nodded her head. Hermione caught fight of the comical coaxing glance, and, in fpite of her misfortune, burft into a fitof laughter. ‘ Huth, hufh, hufh!” now you'll wake the poor thing by laughing, Mifs Hermione. I do with you’d be quiet :” and here the Nurfe rocked the child on her knee more vigoroufly than ever. “¢ ‘Then why don’t you tell me what I am to do with my ftocking,” cried Hermione. ‘ Oh well, I know what I will do—fomething quite as quiet as a moufe. I will wind up my poor worfted.” Hereupon the little girl picked up the puckered remains of her lucklefs grey ftocking which a facetious young cat had fpent at leaft a quarter of an hour in ingenioufly unravelling with his claws. It was a tirefome tedious job we muft admit, and required a ftrong effort of patient perfeverance, but Hermione foon became engroffed in its diffi- culties and a dead filence enfued. At laft Nurfe who had while rocking the fleeping baby on her knee, been watching the child’s proceedings, fud- denly exclaimed, ‘ Well to be fure, Mifs Her- mione, you have fuch patience as I never before did fee.” [The Fairies exchanged glances. “ Tt is Patience, Ambrofia.” “¢ What a hurry you are in! ” was the reply. ] ‘© No I hav’n’t, Nurfe, indeed,” anfwered Her-- The Fairy Godmothers. 33 mione. ‘ I had no patience at all when I was in a paffion with the cat juft now.” “ Well, I fuppofe there are two or three forts of: Patiences, Mifs, then,” perfifted Nurfe, “ for I’m certain you have /ome forts. But, dear me, its ever fo much patft fix o’clock, and you have to be dreffed by half-paft. Do put away the worfted and get yourfelf ready, Mifs, and call Jane to help you.” Here the Nurfe and Hermione nearly had a fcufle over the worfted. Hermione declared the cat had fpoilt her ftocking ; and the only comfort left to her now was to roll it comfortably up into a ball. Nurfe on the contrary infifted that it did’nt fignify a bit what became of the worfted ; fhe muft drefs and go down. ‘The difpute ended by Her- mione running off with the half finifhed ball and its untidy remains, and cramming the whole con- cern into the pocket of her beft frock. ‘ The people will foon be tired of talking to me,” mut- tered fhe to herfelf, “‘ and then I can finifh my ball quietly in the corner behind Mamma’s chair.” The thought of this ingenious plan for her pri- vate amufement down ftairs fo tickled Hermione’s fancy that fhe was on the giggle the whole time fhe was being drefled. ‘ If Nurfe did but know what was in the pocket of my beft frock and how fat it is! how fhe would fcold, and what a fight we fhould have.” And fhe could hardly refrain from loud laughter at the thought. When fhe had got her frock on fhe fat down, and laying her arm over the fat pocket afked Jane to touch up D 34 The Fairy Godmothers. her curls: and while this operation was going on fhe began to talk to the nurfe. “* Nurfe, fhould you think it a very nice thing to go to a dinner party and fit in chairs all round a large room, where the coloured covers are taken away and everything looks very gay, and fo tidy, nobody is allowed to do anything but {mile, and talk, and wear white kid gloves ?” “* Very nice, Mifs, it’s fo like a lady,” was the Nurfe’s ready reply. ‘Well then, I don’t think it’s nice at all, Nurfe—I think it’s very nafty and ftupid.” “ Dear, Mifs Hermione, how you do talk; I hope you won’t tell the ladies fo when you get down {ftairs.” “© Oh dear no, that would be rude, and it’s wrong to be rude, but to tell you the truth I don’t know what I fhall do when I grow up if I am obliged to be fo dull as that is, very often.” “ Goodnefs, Mifs Hermione, to hear you talk one would think you’d better be a houfemaid at once, inftead of a lady with nothing to do.” *“ Nurfe, I fhould fee no objection to be a houfemaid at all, only that I am learning fo many things that wouldn’t fuit a houfemaid ; but without being a houfemaid there are many pleafanter things to do than to fit in that ftupid fort of way. [| like the room when all Papa’s books and papers are about, and when he is {cribbling away fo bufy, and when Mamma has got her microfcope out looking at feaweeds or curiofities. I have a chance The Fairy Godmothers. 35 then myfelf. I don’t like ladies who fay nothing but ‘ Pretty little dear, what a nice colour fhe has,’ juft to pleafe Mamma.” What Nurfe in England could be expeéted to enter into fo philofophical an inveftigation of the habits of fociety ? Hermione’s did nothing but affure her it was time to be off, and fhe only hoped fhe would fit ftill and talk prettily, and never trouble her head whether it was ftupid or not. When Hermione got into the drawing room and faw the company feated as fhe had defcribed to her Nurfe, fhe felt very much difpofed to laugh again, but made an effort and compofed herfelf. Still her face was beaming with mirth and fun, and when fome ladies faid ‘* What a happy look- ing little girl,” they were quite fincere. That fort of face too worked wonders, and her Mamma’s friends liked her much and talked pleafantly to her, and fhe was pleafed and happy and quite for- got the ball of worfted, as well as the ladies’ white kid gloves. A young lady however who had her arm round Hermione’s waift and was playing with her, fuddenly felt the round protuberance! in her pocket. ‘“ Ah you little rogue, what have you here?” ‘ Its a fecret,”’ cried Hermione. ‘“ I think I can unravel your myfterious fecret, little girl, you are a favourite with the houfekeeper,”’ added fhe, whifpering in Hermione’s ear, ‘¢ and fhe has juft given you an orange.” ‘¢ You are a very bad gueffer of fecrets,”’ whif- 36 The Fairy Godmothers. pered Hermione in return, “ It’s no fuch thing !” —“ Then it’s an apple.” ‘ No, nor an apple.” —‘“* Then it’s a peach, and your new frock will be fpoilt.” “ No it is’nt a peach either, and it’s a fecret.” The young lady loved fun, and a playful ftruggle enfued between her and Hermione ; in the courfe of which the large grey worfted ball and its long ravelled tail were drawn from the little pocket. Hermione had now to tell the hiftory of the ball, which fhe did naturally and honeftly, but when fhe added, quite ferioufly, that fhe intended, when they had done talking to her, to go behind her Mamma’s chair and finifh winding it up, you may guefs how they laughed. “* Come here, my little dear, and let me look at you,” cried an elderly lady in fpeétacles, put- ting out her hand and laying hold of Hermione’s. “¢ Why what an induftrious little foul you muft be! a perfect pattern! There now! you may go be- hind my chair and finifh your ball of worfted ; no- body wants to talk to you any longer.” This old lady was rather crabbed, and had not quite believed Hermione fincere, fo the did this to try her, and expected to fee her pout and refufe. To her furprize, Hermione only faid “ Oh thank you, ma’am,” with a quite fmiling face, and going behind the chair, fat down on the floor to her worfted. For a few moments the old lady kept thinking “ It won’t laft long: fhe’ll foon be glad of an excufe to come out:” but no fuch thing happened ; and juft what Hermione expected did The Fairy Godmothers. 37 happen. The ladies fell to talking among them- felves, and in a very fhort time the prefence of the little girl was quite forgotten, even by the old lady, who was handed out to dinner, without once re- membering whom fhe had left behind her chair. Hermione ftayed in the room till her tafk was over, and then rufhed up ftairs to the nurfery, and ftopping at the door, half opened it and rolled the great grey worfted ball fo cleverly in, that it hit the old Nurfe’s foot as fhe fat (once more rocking the baby) over the fire. ‘ Goodnefs, blefs me ! what ever is that??? Then, fpying a laughing face at the door, “Oh dear heart, it’s you I declare, Mifs Hermione! will you never leave off waking the baby? I thought a great black dog was laying hold of my foot.” “« Nurfe,” faid Hermione, ‘ your baby is always and always going to fleep ; why doefn’t he go, and then I could have a bit of fun? You don’t know where I finifhed winding the worfted ball !” “© Why goodnefs me, Mifs Hermione, where 7 <¢ Down in the drawing-room among all the fine ladies ; fo good night !” and off fhe ran to avoid further explanation. A few words with her Go- vernefs ; a fober time of evening prayer; and the happy child laid her head on her pillow, and needed no Fairy wand to lull her to fleep. She had been fome time with her Governefs in the morning be- fore her Mamma coming to her there, heard a loud difcuffion going on within. The voices, however, were thofe of good-humour. “ Hermione,” faid 38 The Fairy Godmothers. her Mother, “I am come to fay that your Go- vernefs told me yefterday you had been fo very good for a long time over all that you have had to do, that I have arranged for your having a holiday and a treat to-day, and feveral of your young friends are coming to fee you. Among them is Aurora, the granddaughter of the old lady in fpeétacles, who, juft before fhe was going away at night, re- collected you, and began to look for you behind her chair.” “‘ Oh what a goofe, Mamma!” “ No, not a goofe, my dear—only an oddity, but a very kind one too—for fhe defired me to find out whether you really did roll up the whole of the ravelled worfted laft night; and if you really perfevered till it was finifhed, I have fomething to give you from her, but not otherwife. How was it?” ‘Oh, its finifhed, Mamma ; afk Nurfe ; for when I rolled it againft her foot laft night, fhe took it for a great black dog.” ‘ Well then, I fuppofe this is yours, Hermione ; but, I muft fay, I never knew a gold thimble earned fo eafily.” Yes, dear little readers, it was a pretty gold thimble, and round the bottom of it there was a rim of white enamel, and on the enamel were gold letters. * L’induftrie ajoute 4 la beauté.” “* Mamma,” faid Hermione, looking at it in delight, as the found it exactly fitted her finger, * it’s lovely ; but, do you know, I think the old lady ought to have given it to her granddaughter, The Fairy Godmothers. 39 Aurora, with fuch a motto.” “ My dear, fhe has had it, fhe told me, fome months in her pocket fecretly, for the purpofe you mention, but fhe can- not ever fatisfy herfelf that Aurora has got the fpirit of real induftry in her, and to bribe her to carn the thimble is not her object, fo you fee it has accidentally fallen to your fhare.” And as fhe faid this, Hermione’s mother turned round to leave the room; but before fhe had reached the door, her little girl ftopped her— ‘¢ Mamma, do turn back.” “¢ What is the matter, Hermione ?” “ [’ve fomething I want to fay to you.” “ [ am all attention, my dear, particularly as your face looks fo unufually grave.” “¢ Why, you and my Governefs are always call- ing me good for doing my leffons well, and now you are rewarding me for being good and all that, and I don’t fee that I am good at all.” “¢ Upon my word this is a very ferious matter, Hermione; who or what has put this into your head?” “ [ read in a ferious book lately, that nobody could be good without practifing felf-denial ; and that, to be really good, one muft either do fome- thing that one does not like, or give up fomething that one does; fo that I am quite fure I cannot be good and deferve a reward when I do French and mufic and drawing and work well, becaufe I am fo very fond of doing every thing I do do, that every thing is a pleafure to me. And there is no 4.0 The Fairy Godmothers. ftruggle to do what is tirefome and no other with to give up. The only time when I have to try to be good at all, is when I have to leave off one thing and go to another. That is always a little difagreeable at firft, but unfortunately the difagree- ablenefs goes off in a very few minutes, and I like the new employment as well as the laft. This is what I was talking about to my Governefs when you came, and fhe laughed fo loud I felt quite vexed,” ‘¢ My dear Hermione,” faid her Mamma, “ you have quite mifapplied what you have read in the book. . Self-denial is always required of us, when we feel inclined to do any thing that is wrong, but it does not apply to any aptitude you may have for enjoying the occupations I require of you. That is only a piece of good fortune for you ; for to many little girls, doing leffons is a very great act of felf-denial, as they want to be doing fomething elfe. But now, as you are fo lucky in liking every thing you do, you muft practife your felf-denial in fome other way.” “ How, Mamma ?”’ “In not being vexed when your Governefs laughs, and in not being in a paffion with the cat next time he unravels your ftocking.”’ Hermione blufhed. ‘* Oh, Mamma, I under- ftand the difference now.” “ But this is not all, Hermione.” Well, Mamma?” The Fairy Godmothers. 41 “¢ Why, as you are fo fortunate as to be always happy when employed, and as therefore there is no goodne/s ftriétly fpeaking, in your doing your bufinefs fo cheerfully and well, you muft do this, you muft fpend fome portion of time every day in making your energy of ufe to other people, and then you will be doing active good if not practifing felf-denial.” “ Oh, Mamma, what a nice idea ! Perhaps you will give me fome needlework to do for the poor women you give money to ; and, befides, juft now I can do fomething actively ufeful and {till a little really difagreeable,—really it is, Mam- ma,—what makes you laugh!” “ Your refolution to do fomething you don’t like. What is it, Hermione ?”’ “© To knit up again the ftocking the cat pulled out. I quite diflike the idea.” “ Then fet to work by all means, Hermione. You will at leaft have the comfort of ‘ beginning by a little averfion ;’ but I warn you beforehand, not to fet your heart upon the difagreeablenefs laft- ing very long, and if you find yourfelf fhortly, as happy as ever over the ftocking, do not be puz- zled and vexed any more, but thank God as I do, that, fo far at leaft, you are {pared one of the trou- bles of life. The trouble of an indolent, difcon- tented mind.” An affectionate embrace was exchanged be- tween Mother and Daughter ;. and the latter, with 42 The Fairy Godmothers. the affiftance of her Governefs, recommenced the unlucky grey ftocking, and was working affidu- oufly at it when her young friends arrived. It was a curious fight to the Fairies to fee two of their god-daughters together, as they now did. But the conviction was forced upon them, that, for the prefent at leaft, Hermione had the balance of happinefs in her favour. Whatever their amufe- ments were,—whether looking over curiofities, ' playing with dolls, or any of the numerous games invented for the entertainment of the young, Her- mione’s whole heart and attention were in the matter, and fhe was as much engrofled as over learning at other times, and quite happy. With poor Aurora it was not fo; the childifhnefs of the play every now and then annoyed her; there was no food for her vanity, in playing with children ; they cared nothing about her beauty; the gayeft and moft good-natured face has always the moft charms for them, and this did not fuit Aurora at all, and ever and anon her thoughts wandered, and her wifhes too. | For ever ftraining into the future |! “I cannot make out your Fairy gift at all, Ambrofia,” faid Euphrofyne, and I begin to fuf- pect you have not given her one.” “¢ We are all growing philofophical, I perceive,” faid Ambrofia, fmiling. ‘ Who could think you would have gueffed that my happy child has had no Fairy gift at all. But the has, I aflure you. What do you fay to the Philofopher’s Stone? It The Fairy Godmothers. 43 is quite clear that fhe has got fomething which TURNS EVERY THING SHE TOUCHES INTO GOLD.” What is the Philofopher’s Stone? I hear my little readers exclaim. ‘There is no fuch thing, my dears, nor ever was; but the chymifts in old times, who were very ignorant, and yet knew that many wonderful things had been done by the mix- ture of minerals and metals, and the curious effects fome had upon others, gueffed that yet more won- derful things might be found out by fearching, and they got into their heads that it might be poffible to find, or make, a ftone that would have the power of turning every thing it touched into gold. In the fame manner, the dodtors of thofe times fancied there might be fuch a thing made as a draught that would turn old people into young ones again. This was called “ The Elixir of Life.” But I do affure you thefe old fellows never did difcover either a Philofopher’s Stone, or an Elixir of Life. So this was only a joke of Ambrofia’s. Now to go on and finifh my ftory. [t was ten years more before the Fairies revifited their Godchildren in the lower world, and this time they were to decide who had given the beft Fairy gift. And I dare fay you expect me to give you as long an account of their vifits to the young ladies of twenty, as I did of their peeps at the little girls | of ten. But I really do not think it worth while. 44 The Fairy Godmothers. I would do fo indeed in a minute if there were anything quite frefh and new to defcribe. But on the faith of a ftory-teller I affure you, it would be “ the old ftory over again,” only on an en- larged fcale. Did you ever look at any interefting objet firft with your natural eyes, and then through a micro- {cope or magnifying glafs? If fo, you will remem- ber that through the magnifying glafs you faw the fame thing again, only much bigger. In the fame manner the ten years acted as a fort of magnifying glafs over Aurora, Julia, and Hermione. Everything was the fame, but in- creafed in fize and made clearer and plainer. Aurora’s triumphant joy as fhe entered the ball room as a beauty, was much greater certainly than her pleafure at her Mamma’s dinner party. But the wearinefs and anxiety afterwards were in- creafed alfo. She was ftill getting away from our friend Time prefent, and forecafting into fome future delight. ‘ The good time coming, Boys,” was her, as well as many other people’s bugbear. She never could feel that (with God’s bleffing) the good time is always come. The only time fhe ever thoroughly enjoyed was the moment of being exceffively admired. But judge for yourfelves how long that can laft. Could you fit and look at a pretty picture for an hour together? No, I know you could not. You cannot think how fhort a time it takes to fay ‘¢ Dear me, what a beautiful girl!” and then, The Fairy Godmothers. 45 perhaps, up comes fomebody who addrefles the _ admiring gazer on the fubjeét of Lord John Ruf- fel’s laft fpeech, and the “ beautiful girl,” fo all important in her own eyes, is as entirely forgotten as if fhe had never been feen. And then, to let -you into another fecret, Aurora was by no means a very entertaining companion : nobody can be, with their heads full of themfelves: and fhe had often the mortification, even in that fcene of her triumph, a ball room, of feeing her admirers drop off, to amufe themfelves with other people ; lefs handfome perhaps, but more interefting than her- felf. And fo the Fairies, having accompanied her through a day of Triumphs, mixed with mortifi- cations, followed by languors, unfettled by hopes of future joy, clouded with anxieties that all but fpoilt thofe hopes :—came one and all to the con- clufion that Aurora could not be confidered as a model of human happinefs. Nor could they fay much more for Julia. Per- haps, indeed, there is more equanimity in the pleafures of a very rich perfon, than in thofe of a very beautiful one : but, oh dear, they are bf fuch a mean fort! Still, there is a good deal of imper- tinent comfort in money I do admit. Life rolls on, upon fuch well oiled hinges! The rich fay, “ Do this,” to people around them; and the people, “do it.” But the Fairies had no fympathy with fuch an unnatural fault as the pride of wealth. ‘They faw Julia reclining in one of thofe ‘* lumbering things” 46 The Fairy Godmothers. they fo much defpifed: and driving round the “* dirty town” they fo much difliked : and along a park a great deal too fmoky for their tafte: and they could not underftand the haughty glance of felf-fatisfaction with which fhe looked out upon the walking crowds fhe paffed, or the affected gra- . ciouf{nefs with which fhe fmiled upon the few whom fhe condefcended to recognize as acquaint- ances. ‘T’hey thought her very naughty and very abfurd for being conceited about fuch matters. They followed her to her Milliner’s too, and there I affure you they had nearly betrayed their pre- fence by the uncontrollable fits of laughter they fell into when fhe was trying on, or talking about, bonnets, head drefles, gowns, &c. with the affected Frenchwoman who fhowed them off. Julia cared for nothing becaufe it was pretty or tafteful, but chofe every thing by its coftlinefs and magnifi- cence. Of courfe the milliner affured her that every thing fhe took a fancy to from its. rarity, was becoming ; and then, oh dear! how the Fai- ries were amufed! for poor Julja looked down- right ugly in fome of the things fhe felected, and ftill went away as felf fatisfied as ever, on the old grounds that the coftume was fo expenfive that none of her acquaintance could get one like it. This was {till her chief comfort !_ Euphrofyne ac- tually fhook her fift at her as fhe was going away, and fhe had the toothache for the reft of the day, and was extremely crofs to her hufband in confe- quence. For, by the way, Julia had married — The Fairy Godmothers. 47 and married a nobleman— a man fomewhat older than herfelf; but he and the had had a fort of mu- tual conviction that riches and rank go very well together, and fo they married; and fuited very well in this refpect, that as their heads were full of other things they neither claimed nor required from each other a great amount of affection. Still, was Julia happy ? The Fairies fhook their heads. She had gardens, hot-houfes, magnifi- cent collections of curiofities, treafures that might have foftened and opened her heart, if fhe had made a right ufe of them. But riches have a very hardening tendency, and fhe never ftruggled againft it. Then, too, fhe could get every thing fhe wanted fo eafily, that fhe cared very little about anything. Life becomes very ftale when your hands are full and you have nothing to afk for. Her greateft pleafure was to create aftonifhment and envy among her aflociates: but, befides the naughtinefs of the feeling, this is a triumph of very fhort duration; for moft people, when they cannot get at what they envy, amufe themfelves with fomething elfe ; and then, what a mortification to fee them do this! “ Befides,” faid the Fairies, ““ we muft follow her into her folitude, to fee if fhe is happy.” — Ah! there, lying back once more in the eafy chair, in a drefs which— ¢¢ China’s gayeft art had dyed,” 48 The Fairy Godmothers. do you think that felf-fatisfied, but ftill uncheerful looking face tells of happinefs? No! fhe too, like Aurora, was unoccupied, and forecafting into futurity for the “ good time coming,” which fo many fpend their lives in craving after and expecting, but which the proud, the felfith and the idle never reach to. The Fairies turned from her forrowful and angry. In the outfkirts of a foreft, juft where its intri- cacy had broken away into picturefque openings, leaving vifible fome ftrange old trees with knotted trunks and myfterioufly twifted branches, fat a young girl fketching. She was intently engaged, but as her eyes were ever and anon raifed from her paper to the opening glade, and one of the old trees, the Fairies had no difficulty in recognizing their protégée, Hermione. The laughing face of childhood had become fobered and refined by fentiment and ftrength, but contentment and even enjoyment beamed in her eyes as fhe thoughtfully and earneftly purfued her beautiful art. The little beings who hovered around her in that {weet {pot, almoft forgot they were not in Fairy land; the air was fo full of fweet odours from ferns and mofles, and the many other delicious fcénts you find fo conftantly in woods, Befides which, it amufed the good fouls to watch Hermione’s fkilful hand tracing the fcene before her; and they felt an admiring delight The Fairy Godmothers. 49 when they faw the old tree of the foreft reappear on the paper, with all the fhadows and lights the fun juft then threw upon it, and they wondered not a little at the fkill with which fhe gave dif- tance and perfpective to the glade beyond. They felt, too, that though the drawing they faw rifing under the fketcher’s hand was not made powerful by brilliant effets or ftriking contrafts, it was neverthelefs overflowing with the truth and fenti- ment of nature. It was the impreffion of the fcene itfelf, viewed through the poetry of the artift’s mind; and as the delicate creatures who hung over the picture, looked at it, they almoft longed for it, flight as it was, that they might carry it away, and hang it up in their fairy palace as a faithful repre- fentation of one of the lovelieft {pots of earth, the outfkirts of an ancient Englifh foreft. It is impoffible to fay how long they might not have ftaid watching Hermione, but that after a time the fketch was finifhed, and the young lady after writing beneath it Schiller’s well known line in Wallenftein, arofe. ‘‘ Das ift das Loos des Schonen auf der Erde.’’* | The poor tree was marked for felling! Am- brofia was almoft affected to tears, once more. The fcene was fo beautiful, and the allufion fo touching, and there feemed to her fuch a charm over her God-daughter Hermione; fhe was herfelf fo glad, too, to feel fure that fuccefs had crowned # “Such is the lot of the beautiful upon earth.” E 50 The Fairy Godmothers. her gift, that, altogether, her Fairy heart grew quite foft. ‘ You may do as you like about obferving _ Hermione further,” cried fhe. ‘ But, for my part, I am now fatisfied. She is enjoying life to the ut- termoft ; all its beauties of fight and found ; its outward lovelinefs; its inward myfteries. She will never marry but from love, and one whofe heart can fympathife with hers. Ah, Ianthe, what more has life to give? You will fay, the is not beautiful; perhaps not for a marble ftatue; but the grace of poetical feeling is in her every look and action. Ah, fhe will walk by the fide of man- hood, turning even the hard realities of life into beauty by that living well-fpring of fweet thoughts and fancies that I fee beaming. from her eyes. Look at her now, Ianthe, and confefs that furely that countenance breathes more beauty than chi- felled features can give.” And certainly, whether fome mefmeric influence from her enthufiaftic Fairy Godmother was working on Hermione’s brain, or whether her own quotation upon the doomed tree. had ftirred up other poetical recollections, I know not; but as fhe was retracing her fteps homewards, fhe repeated to herfelf foftly but with much pathos, Coleridge’s lines : * “* O lady, we receive but what we give, And in our life alone does nature live : Ours is her wedding-garment, ours her fhroud ! And would we aught behold, of higher worth, * Coleridge’s * Dejeétion : an Ode.” The Fairy Godmothers. 51 Than that inanimate cold world allowed To the poor lovelefs ever anxious crowd, Ah! from the foul itfelf muft iffue forth A light, a glory, a fair luminous cloud Enveloping the earth— And from the foul itfelf muft there be fent A fweet and potent voice, of its own birth, Of all {weet founds the life and element !” And, turning through the little handgate at the extremity of the wood, fhe purfued the train of thought with heightened colour in her cheeks— «