LETTER XXI. From Robin Redbreast in the garden to Mafter BILLY CARELESS abroad at school. Dear Mafter Billy, AS I was looking into your pappa's library win dow, last Wednesday, I faw a letter lye open, figned Billy Carelefs, which led my curiofity to read it but was forry to find there was not that duty and respect in it which every good boy fhould fhow to his pappa; and this I was the more furprised at, when I found it was to afk a favour of him. Give me leave, therefore, my dear Billy, to acquaint you, that no one should ever write to his pappa, or mamma, without beginning his letter with Honoured Sir, or Honoured Madam: and, at the fame time, not forget to obferve, through his whole epiftle, the most perfect obedience, in a very obliging, refpectful manner. By thefe means, you may not only increase your pappa's affection, but obtain almost any thing from him that you can reasonably ask, provided it be proper, and in his power to grant. What can any good boy defire more? But here, you must permit me, dear Billy, to whistle an unpleafing but very ufeful fong in your ear; which is, "That you will never get "fo much as an anfwer to any letter that is not "alfo wrote handfome, fair, and large; which, 66 as I know you are very capable of, am furpri"fed you will ever neglect it." And this you may depend upon, for I know your pappa extremely well, having frequently fat for hours at his ftudy window hearing him deliver his fentiments to your fifters, and advifing them, in the most good-natured, affectionate manner, always to behave obedient to their parents, and pretty and agreeable to every body elfe, as well abroad as at home; and, I muft fay it, his advice and commands, together with your mamma's care and inftruction, have had fo charming an effect, that they are beloved and admired wherever they go; and at home every fervant is extremely fond of them, and always ready to oblige and please them in every thing, which I fee daily, when I hop down into the court to breakfast on the crumbs from the kitchen. How eafy then is it for you, my dear Billy, who are fo much wifer and older than your fifters, to behave and write in the most dutiful and engaging manner! And, further, let me advise you never to lofe fight of the love and esteem of your mamma, to whom you are particu larly obliged for her conftant care to fupply your continual wants, which your pappa, you are fenfible, has not leifure even to think of; befides her good fenfe and amiable conduct have fo gained the afcendant of your pappa, that he does nothing relating to any of you without her confent and approbation; fo that, in gaining her efteem, you are almost certain of his: but this you are very fenfible of already, and I only juft chirp it in your ear, to remind you of good conduct as well as filial duty. But the morning draws on, and my fellow fongfters are abroad to whistle in the day: fo I must take my leave on the wing, and, for the prefent, bid you farewell: but beg I may never have occafion again to write to you an unpleafing letter of rebuke; and that you will always remember, however diftant you are, or however fecret you may think yourself from your friends and relations, you will never be able to conceal your faults; for fome of our prying tattling tribe will be continually carrying them home, to be whiftled, in a melancholy ftrain, in the ears of your pappa, much to your shame and difcredit, as well as his dislike and my great concern, who am, dearest Billy, your ever watchful and most affectionate friend, From my hole in the wall, ROBIN REDBREAST. P. S. However neglectful you may be of your duty, I know you have too much good fenfe, as well as good nature, to take any thing amifs that I have faid in this letter, which is wrote with the freedom and concern of a friend, and to which I was prompted, both by love and gratitude, in return for the plenty of crumbs I have received at your hands, and the kind protection you have always fhown me, both in the court and in the gar den, from fome of your idle companions, who, with fticks and ftones, have often, in your abfence, aimed at my life. ROBIN REDBREAST. XXII. LETTER From one fifter to another. Dear Sifter, EVER 'VER fince you went to London, your favourite acquaintance Mrs. Friendly and my felf have thought our rural amufements dull and infipid, notwithstanding we have the players in town, and an affembly once a-week. At your departure, if you remember, you paffed your word to return in a month's time; but, inftead of that, it is now almost a quarter of a year. How can you serve us fo? In fhort, if you keep us in fufpence much longer, we are determined to follow you, and find you out, let the expence and length of the journey be what it will. We live in hopes, however, that upon the receipt of this notice, you'll return without any farther delay, and prevent our taking fuch an unmerciful jaunt. Your compliance with this joint request will highly oblige, not only your moft fincere and affectionate friends, but I Your ever loving fifter. LETTER XXIII. In anfwer to the foregoing. Dear Sifter, RECEIVED your fummons, and can affure Mrs. Friendly, as well as yourfelf, that my long flay in town, notwithftanding all the good company I have met with, and all the diverfions with which I have been indulged, has been quite contrary to my inclinations; and nothing but my Lady Townly's abfolute commands not to leave her fhould have prevented my return to you within the time propofed. You are fenfible I have infinite obligations to her, and it would be ingratitude to the laft degree not to comply with her injunctions. In order, however, to make you both ample amends for that uneafinefs which my long abfence has given you, 1 fhall ufe my utmost endeavour to prevail with her Ladyfhip to join with me in a vifit to you both in the spring, and to stay with you for a month at least, if not longer. I would advife you, therefore, to fave an unnecef fary expence, as well as fatigue, and reft contented where you are, till you fee Your ever loving, and affectionate fifter. E LETTER XXIV. From Lady Goodford to her daughter, a girl of fourteen years old, then under the care of her grandmother in the country. My dear Child, THOUGH I know you want no precepts under my mother's care to inftruct you in all moral and religious duties, yet there are fome things fhe may poffibly forget to remind you of, which are highly neceffary for the forming your mind, fo as to make that figure in the world I could with you to do-I am certain, you will be kept up to your mufic, finging, and dancing, by the best mafters the country affords; and need not doubt but you will very often be told, that good housewifery is a most commendable quality.I would have you, indeed, neglect none of these branches of education; but, my dear, 1 fhould be grieved to hear you were fo much attached to them as not to be able to devote two hours, at leaft, every day to reading. My father left a collection of very excellent books in all languages behind him, which are yet in being; and as you are tolerably well acquainted with the French and Italian, would have you not be altogether a ftranger to their authors Poetry, if it be good, (as in that library you will find none that is not fo,) very much elevates the ideas, and harmonizes the foul; and wellwrote novels are an amufement in which fometimes you may indulge yourfelf. But hiftory is what I would chiefly recommend ;-without fome knowledge of this you will be accounted at beft but an agreeable trifler.I would have you gay, lively, and entertaining; but then I would |