she picked out a dozen of her playfellows to accompany her. "Thefe young people," said she to her father," are fo very rational and fedate, "that there can be no need of their being at"tended by governeffes or tutors." The King, however, thought otherwife, and ordered the teachers to embark with their pupils. The young Sovereign, on her part, took care there fhould be abundance of musicians for her balls, and that a company of players fhould be provided for the amusement of herself and her court. On the morn of her departure, fhe took an affectionate leave of her father, but the few tears which she shed were foon dried up by the confideration of her being going to a place where the should do" juft what fhe pleased." "The "only advice that I fhall give you," said the King at parting," is, that you would follow the "advice of Ariftus (the Governor of the island "over which you are to reign) in every thing of "importance. He is a man for whom I have a

66

high esteem, and with reason, as he is discreet, "honest, and humane. I could wish that you "would make him your first Minifter; I mean, "that you should confult him in every thing, and " entrust him with the execution of all your or"ders."

This direction no way fuited the taste of our young Queen, who wished to have given that important charge to one of her favourites, Phi

lintus, a tall, genteel lad, not, indeed, many years older than herself, but one who, to tolerable skill in dancing and finging, added the very agreeable talent of elegant flattery. He was himself as averfe to ftudy, and of confequence as ignorant as his royal miftrefs; but he had knowledge enough of his own intereft to excite him never to omit affuring her that every one looked on her as a model of a perfect Princefs, although he was confcious that, out of her hearing, she was univerfally blamed for being fo totally unlike her excellent father, and for spending her whole time in trifling amusements.

As foon as the little Sovereign reached her ifland, she beheld with pleasure troops of shepherds and fhepherdeffes, in elegant fancy dreffes of rofe colour and white, who fung carols in praise of their new Queen, ftrewed fweet-fcented flowers in her path, and presented her with odoriferous nofegays. Myra, charmed with this fpecimen of her fubjects gallantry, ordered money to be diftributed amongst them; and, under the conduct of Ariftus, repaired to a lovely, though fmall palace, fitted up for her reception. Fatigued with the voyage, the Queen and her young court made hafte to their repose; but her Majefty forgot not to order, for the next day, a comedy to be acted, followed by a ball and a fplendid entertainment. On the next morn,

Myra

the palace.

Myra and her court amused themselves by walking into the capital town, which lay not far from "Obferve," faid Ariftus to his Sovereign, "the air of content which reigns in every "face we meet." "That," faid Philintus, "we “should attribute to the prefence of our lovely "Queen." Without doubt," replied Ariftus, "they are fenfible of that honour; but I ought "to inform you, that their gaiety is chiefly ow"ing to their being confcious of the excellent

σε

government under which they live, and of the "wisdom of thofe laws by which their King, "whom they look upon as their father, governs "the country.""Let us now," faid Myra, "extend our walks into the country." They did fo. An orchard, in full bloom, now tempt-ed her to take a nearer view of its beauty.""What," faid fhe to Ariftus, "occafions the

buzzing founds which I hear ?""The bees," replied he; "a ufeful tribe of your Majefty's

66

fubjects." At that inftant, most unfortunately one of thefe animals, not perfectly acquainted with the refpect due to royalty, and disgusted at the Queen's approaching too near to his hive, fettled on her hand, and made her feel his fting! Shocking creatures, thefe bees !" exclaimed Myra; 66 one of them has half killed me!""The prefumptuous, ungrateful wretches ought,' faid Philintus, "to be utterly extirpated."

E 6

66 You

You are right," said the Queen; "I will have "them deftroyed, not on my own account, but to

preferve my poor people from receiving fuch *** cruel wounds, when they are pursuing their oc

cupations in the country." "Permit me," said Ariftus, to obferve, that these accidents hap66 pen but very seldom, and that the pain which the bées occafion by their ftings, is trifling, "when compared with the vast advantage which "accrues from their labours; your subjects, ma-"dam, will fuffer feverely indeed, if they are de“prived of that useful creature."-Here he was interrupted by Philintus, who, bursting with laughter, cried out, "A pretty tale you tell us, "Ariftus! why, fure you take us all for chil "dren! Suffer indeed! what! because that naftyTM

infect is kept from stinging them! Make us "believe that if you can."-"I will have every "bec in my kingdom put to death," faid the young Queen, with an air of dignity." Poffibly," faid Ariftus, "your Majefty may fee

cause hereafter to repent of this hafty com"mand."-"Nevertheless," repeated Myra, "it Afhall be executed." Ariftus retired with a figh, and Philintus loudly applauded the mingled humanity and firmnefs of his infant Sovereign. That evening the Queen entertained herself at the play, and afterwards was present at a ball,

which, with a magnificent fupper, lafted until two in the morning.

Unluckily, among the ladies of the bedchamber were two, who, not having reached their eleventh year, had been used to eat little or no fuppers, to take moderate exercise, and to go to bed early. But the royal banquet had been fo tempting, the ball fo charming, and the whole fo perfectly new to them, that they had despised the admonitions of their governeffes, who had very naturally remonftrated against their launching at once into this new fyftem. In confequence, they were both extremely ill the next morning. The physician attended, and ordered proper medicines, which they refused to take. "They were permitted by the Queen," they faid, "to do what they liked beft, and they "hated nafty phyfic." Their complaints, however, increased; they could neither eat, drink, or fleep, and one of the two felt the attack of a fever. On this the governeffes were obliged to have recourse to the royal authority, and the Queen having commanded the young ladies to fubmit to discipline, they took what was ordered, and all went right again.

One day that the young Queen was walking in the garden of her palace, she was difgufted at the devastation which had been made by caterpillars on the leaves of the trees. "What