off the last joint of my tail (for which I had the satisfaction to see him soundly corrected), I kept beyond the length of his chain; and neither the parrot nor the lapdogs ever dared to molest me. One of the greatest afflictions I have felt here, was the stifling of a whole litter of my kittens by a fat old lady, a friend of my mistress's, who sat down on the chair where they lay, and never perceived the mischief she was doing till she arose, though I pulled her clothes, and used all the means in my power to show my uneasiness. This misfortune my mistress took to heart almost as much as myself, and the lady has never since entered our doors. Indeed, both I and mine have ever been treated here with the utmost kindness-perhaps with too much; for to the pampering me with delicacies, together with Mrs. Abigail's frequent washings, I attribute this asthma, which is now putting an end to my life, rather sooner than its natural period. But I know all was meant well; and with my last breath I charge you all to show your gratitude to our worthy mistress, by every return in your power.

"And now, my dear children, farewell; we shall perhaps meet again in a land where there are no dogs to worry us, or boys to torment us-Adieu!"

Having thus said, Grimalkin became speechless, and presently departed this life, to the great grief of all the family.

CANUTE'S REPROOF TO HIS COURTIERS.

Persons:

CANUTE
OSWALD, OFFA

King of England.
Courtiers.

Scene.-The Sea-Side, near Southampton-The Tide coming in.

Canute. Is it true, my friends, what you have so often told me, that I am the greatest of monarchs ? Offa. It is true, my liege; you are the most powerful of all kings.

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Oswald. We are all your slaves; we kiss the dust your feet.

Offa. Not only we, but even the elements, are your slaves. The land obeys you from shore to

shore; and the sea obeys you.

Canute. Does the sea, with its loud boisterous waves, obey me? Will that terrible element be still at my bidding?

Offa. Yes, the sea is yours; it was made to bear your ships upon its bosom, and to pour the treasures of the world at your royal feet. It is boisterous to

your enemies, but it knows you to be its sovereign. Canute. Is not the tide coming up ?

Oswald. Yes, my liege; you may perceive the swell already.

Canute. Bring me a chair, then; set it here upon the sands.

Offa. Where the tide is coming up, my gracious lord?

Canute. Yes, set it just here.

Oswald (aside). I wonder what he is going to do! Offa (aside). Surely he is not such a fool as to believe us!

Canute. O, mighty Ocean! thou art my subject; my courtiers tell me so; and it is thy bounden duty to obey me. Thus, then, I stretch my sceptre over thee, and command thee to retire. Roll back thy swelling waves, nor let them presume to wet the feet of me, thy royal master.

Oswald (aside). I believe the sea will pay very little regard to his royal commands.

Offa. See how fast the tide rises!

Oswald. The next wave will come up to the chair. It is a folly to stay; we shall be covered with salt

water.

Canute. Well, does the sea obey my commands? If it be my subject, it is a very rebellious subject. See how it swells, and dashes the angry foam and salt spray over my sacred person. Vile sycophants! did

you think I was the dupe of your base lies? that I believed your abject flatteries? Know, there is only ne Being whom the sea will obey. He is Sovereign of heaven and earth, King of kings, and Lord of lords. It is only He who can say to the ocean, "Thus far shalt thou go, but no farther, and here shall thy proud waves be stayed." A king is but a man, and à man is but a worm. Shall a worm assume the power of the great God, and think the elements will obey him? Take away this crown, I will never wear it more. May kings learn to be humble from my example, and courtiers learn truth from your disgrace!

DIALOGUE, ON THINGS TO BE LEARNED.

Between Mamma and Kitty.

Kitty. PRAY, mamma, may I leave off working? I am tired.

Mamma. You have done very little, my dear; you know you were to finish all that hem.

K. But I had rather write now, mamma, or read, or get my French grammar.

M. I know very well what that means, Kitty; you had rather do anything than what I set you about.

K. No, mamma; but you know I can work very well already, and I have a great many more things to learn. There's Miss Rich, that cannot sew half so well as I, and she is learning music and drawing already, besides dancing, and I don't know how many other things. She tells me that they hardly work at all in their school.

M. Your tongue runs at a great rate, my dear; but in the first place you cannot sew very well, for if you could, you would not have been so long in doing this little piece. Then I hope you will allow, that mammas know better what is proper for their little girls to learn than they do themselves.

K. To be sure, mamma; but as I suppose I must learn all these things some time or other, I thought

you would like to have me begin them soon, for I have often heard you say that children cannot be set too early about what is necessary for them to do.

M. That's very true, but all things are not equally necessary to every one; for some, that are very fit for one, are scarcely proper at all for others.

K. Why, mamma?

M. Because, my dear, it is the purpose of all education to fit persons for the station in which they are hereafter to live; and you know there are very great differences in that respect, both among men and

women.

K. Are there? I thought all ladies lived alike.

M. It is usual to call all well-educated women, who have no occasion to work for their livelihood, ladies; but if you will think a little, you must see that they live very differently from each other; for their fathers and husbands are in very different ranks and situations in the world, you know.

K. Yes, I know that some are lords, and some are squires, and some are clergymen, and some are merchants, and some are doctors, and some are shopkeepers.

M. Well; and do you think that the wives and daughters of these persons have just the same things to do, and the same duties to perform? You know how I spend my time. I have to go to market, and provide for the family, to look after the servants, to help in taking care of you children, and in teaching you, to see that clothes are your in proper condition, and assist in making and mending for myself, and for you, and your papa. All this is my necessary duty; and besides this, I must go out a-visiting, to keep up our acquaintance; this I call partly business, and partly amusement. Then when I am tired, and have done all that I think is necessary, I may amuse myself with reading, or in any other proper way. Now a great many of these employments do not belong to Lady Wealthy, or Mrs. Rich, who keep housekeepers and

governesses, and servants of all kinds, to do everything for them. It is very proper, therefore, for them to pay more attention to music, drawing, ornamental work, and any other elegant manner of passing their time, and making themselves agreeable.

K. And shall I have all the same things to do, mamma, that you have ?

M. It is impossible, my dear, to foresee what your future station will be; but you have no reason to expect that if you have a family, you will have fewer duties to perform than I have. This is the way of life for which your education should prepare you; and everything will be useful and important for you to learn, in proportion as it will make you fit for this.

K. But when I am grown a young lady, shall I not have to visit, and go to assemblies and plays, as the Misses Wilson and the Misses Johnson do?

M. It is very likely you may enter into some amusement of this sort; but even then you will have several more serious employments, which will take up a much greater part of your time; and if you do not perform those duties properly, you will have no right to partake of the pleasure.

K. What will they be, mamma?

M. Why don't you think it proper that you should

assist me in my household affairs a little, as soon as you are able?

K. O, yes, mamma, I should be very glad to do that. M. Well, consider what talents will be necessary for that purpose; will not a good hand at your needle be one of the very first qualities?

K. I believe it will.

M. Yes, and not only in assisting me, but in making things for yourself. You know how we admired Miss Smart's ingenuity when she was with us, in contriving and making so many articles of her dress, for which she must otherwise have gone to the milliner's, which would have cost a great deal of money.