140 WEAKNESS OF CHARACTER.

« But, mother, will not something else do
as well?” is the reply.

« No, not as well,” says the mother, “the
best thing for you is castor-oil; and sick or
well, it is always right to do the best thing
we can.” |

“Qh, mother,” retorts the thoughtless
child, “I cannot take castor-oil ; anything
but castor-oil; but really I cannot take
that.”

Now this little girl is very much like
Naaman. She wants to get well, but she
wishes to do it in her own way. She
dislikes castor-oil particularly, and really
feels willing to take the risk of being very
sick, rather than to swallow a little medicine
which disgusts her. So it was with Naaman:
he wished to get well, and he was willing
to take a bath, but he was a proud man,-and
he did not like the idea of giving a preference
to a river of Judea over the beautiful rivers
of Damascus; and so he refused, and went
away in a rage.

Thus it is that the little, as well as the
great, are very apt to find some difficulty in
the performance of duty, even where it would