Page:Original stories from real life 1796.pdf/25

Rh. I will tell you. It is firſt, to avoid hurting any thing; and then, to contrive to give as much pleaſure as you can. If ſome inſects are to be deſtroyed, to preſerve my garden from deſolation, I have it done in the quickeſt way. The domeſtic animals that I keep, I provide the beſt food for, and never ſuffer them to be tormented; and this caution ariſes from two motives:—I wiſh to make them happy; and, as I love my fellow-creatures ſtill better than the brute creation, I would not allow thoſe that I have any influence over to grow habitually thoughtleſs and cruel, till they were unable to reliſh the greateſt pleaſure life affords,—that of reſembling God, by doing good.

A lark now began to ſing, as it ſoared aloft. The children watched its motions liſtening to the artleſs melody. They wondered what it was thinking of—of its young familiy, they ſoon concluded; for it flew over the hedge, and drawing near, they heard the young ones chirp. Very ſoon both the old birds took their flight together, Rh