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ding of Olympian Jove: but, while he infused in me a dread of future attempts to deceive, it introduced a flame to the yet steaming breath of obstinacy: so that, when after this, I had determined to do any thing, or right or wrong, I fanned my resolution to a blaze, consuming all objections. This plan I pursued, that an untruth of the mind should not appear, and that my tongue, after having said "I will," should not be heard to utter, "I will not." So much for obstinacy.

A short time after this, a poor fellow, who, by accident, had lost the greater part of his tongue, came before my father's gate, with a wheel-barrow, picking up rags and offals, and stopping, made signs that he wanted to eat and drink. He showed us, for my elder sister was with me, the wound. I ran to the house, stole into the pantry, and brought him a quantity of provisions, with some beer. After having given them to the man, I desired him to call again, when I should be from school, and I would do the same for him. He bowed, with an humility and look which I had never before witnessed; and I felt a something like a pleasing pain I could not comprehend. I have since found it was a possession of one of those estimable commodities, which avarice sometimes embargoes, when it says: "I will not give bread to my enemy." It was a pang with an enjoyment-it was feeling for a fellow creature-and, being the first sensation of that nature, I had ever experienced, it operated like an alkali on the acidity of my disposition-fermenting for a moment; but, eventually, neutralizing; serving, in proper quantities, as harmless medicine; when decomposed, inveterate poison. The decomposition frequently took place, and each power

was left to act alone. The following was the result:when soothed I played the fool, and when opposed the madman.

What a fool am I now to attempt to write a book, when I cannot confine myself, ten minutes together, to any subject-still wandering, as in youth, from the direct road. Reader! I cannot help it: I am the slave of feeling sometimes l'Allegro-sometimes Il Penseroso.

A book has lately appeared that has a strange title"Thinks I to myself." I feel much obliged to the author, whoever he may prove to be; for he has furnished me with an expression, sanctified by public opinion, which will save me much trouble, or circumlocution; I shall, therefore, adopt it, immediately after this digressional excursion.

Now, "thinks I to myself," have I done right or wrong? I was decided in my justification, till I was informed, that unfortunately, in my hurry, I had snatch'd up a chicken that had been intended for part of that day's dinner. The cook missed it, and complained. My father discovered the whole concern; and, after having punished me pretty severely, ordered me never to do so again.

Hence arose a most painful struggle in the bosom of a child, about seven years old. I had promised a poor man that, on his return, I would do the same for him as I had done before-and my father had ordered me not to do so. How happily for the future good disposition of the child had it been, could my father have condescended to say: you have done wrong in promising; but, as you have promised, you must perform. I will give to you every thing necessary to your engagement;

but make no more without my knowledge and consent; instead of this, the child was left to settle, as it were, accounts with himself; obedience was charged with breach of promise, want of feeling, and a sense of shame. Obstinacy made out the bill, and the balance proved in the poor man's favour; he came, he saw and conquered.

Here was weakened the bond of filial duty, for it appeared at variance with what seemed just. I was then but a child, and as St. Paul says, when I was a child, I spake as a child, I thought as a child, I understood as a child-I wish I could pursue the parallel.

Let parents, however, consider the result a different conduct would have produced. Had my father, on this occasion, knowing that I had made a promise, condescended to have indulged me in my desire, of offering some broken victuals to the poor man, my obedience to my father would have been preserved, my obstinacy, by a little prudence on his part, would have been weakened, and my feelings would have increased affection towards him.

A few weeks after this, a circumstance of considerable effect on my disposition, occurred; we were, as boys, frequently inclined to run on the broad-capt walls* that separated the one neighbour's garden from the other; we had approached (for the houses were in a row) the garden of a man of very austere disposition. Come, says one of the company, let us try if this man's fruit is as

* Peaches being a wall fruit in England and Scotland, they secure them by a capping of stone, which extending, several inches over each side of the wall, serves to secure the fruit from the droppings of rain, which would otherwise fall upon it.

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sour as his temper; I instantly jumped down; they followed; but scarcely had we tasted of the forbidden fruit, when we saw old Crabstick issuing from his house at a distance, with his servant behind him. I immediately ordered my little army to disperse, and seek their own safety, while I remained firm on the spot till he came up. I was instantly seized and taken to my father's, where I was first whipped, and afterwards ordered to declare who my accomplices were-Alas! it was too late to get any explanation from me: I had been already punished, as I thought, enough, and every lash of the rod had but increased my obstinacy.

About this time, a melancholy accident frightened me extremely-my father's chimneys smoked: a person undertook to remove their defects: his offer was accepted. He was on the roof of a three story brick house, while I, with my brothers and sisters, were amusing ourselves in the nursery: something occasioned his slipping; he fell from the roof to the ground, and died in a few minutes. I saw him, in falling, pass the window. On the bustle occasioned by the sudden fate of the poor man, the children were ordered and confined to the nursery without their governess; during which time, four infants, from two to nine years old, were suffered to converse, and make their uncorrected remarks on this fatal subject. Like rays of light passing through mediums of different densities, my ideas were variously refracted, creating a confusion resembling the effects of a terrific dream. The horror I experienced, and the hints given on the occasion, from the one to the other, were such I never before felt or thought of:

they penetrated deeply, and for some time produced serious effects.

After the following winter I was sent on a visit to an elder sister of my father's, who had no children; she then lived, and still lives at Hornsey, near London. She will not only pardon, but smile on the recollection of the childish tricks with which I then vexed her good nature. She had with her an elderly couple, who had at that time had, if I mistake not, lived with her upwards of twenty years: these good old people, wishing to preserve the best cherries in the garden for their kind employer, and suspecting, perhaps, that a child would naturally prefer the nicest, used to attempt to frighten me from picking them, by telling me, that they were bleeding fingers, and such bugbear stories, as, connected with my reflections on the foregoing event, often made me tremble; still, however, I was determined to have them, when no other hand restrained me but that which might be attached to the bleeding fingers: my obstinacy prevailed, and I picked the cherries.

One day my aunt having to prepare for receiving company, and fearing, perhaps, that I should escape into the garden, locked me up in a back parlour: being confined, I felt impatient of restraint, and looking around, at last contrived the means of escape: the windows, to be sure, had been secured, as the good lady thought, yet I found the method of opening one; but I could just raise it high enough to get my head and body through: I ventured; however the window had lost a weight, and I crawled till at last it caught me by the foot, and there I remained suspended, excepting that my arms had reached a large dairy pan, which with many

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