Chapter 1

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A

WEEK

OF

INSTRUCTION

AND

AMUSEMENT;

OR,

MRS. HARLEY'S _BIRTHDAY PRESENT_ TO HER DAUGHTER.

INTERSPERSED WITH SHORT STORIES --OUTLINES OF SACRED AND PROPHANE HISTORY-- GEOGRAPHY, &c.

LONDON: PRINTED FOR J. HARRIS, CORNER OF ST. PAUL'S CHURCH-YARD.

1812.

H. Bryer, Printer, Bridge-Street, Blackfriars, London.

ADVERTISEMENT.

The following pages were written with the design of communicating, in a manner agreeable to children, some knowledge of those subjects which they so often find tedious and uninteresting.--Should the stories related inspire a love of virtue, and the lessons awaken a desire for the further acquisition of useful knowledge, the attempt, notwithstanding its defect, cannot, it is hoped, be deemed wholly useless.

A WEEK OF INSTRUCTION, _&c._

_CHAPTER I._

THURSDAY.

At a pleasant village a few miles from London, resided a widow-lady of the name of Harley; she had but one child, and to forming her manners and instructing her mind she devoted her whole time. Anne (for so was this little girl named) was an amiable child; she rewarded her mother's care and affection, by paying great attention to her instructions; like all other children, she was fond of play, but seldom murmured when called to attend the hours set apart for working, reading, or learning her lessons: all these she performed extremely well for her age, and had already gone through many of the first books that are put into the hands of children.

As a reward for her application, her mamma had promised to write a few stories on purpose for her, and one Thursday in the month of August, the day on which little Anne completed her eighth year, Mrs. Harley presented her the book which contained them, saying, "I shall only permit you to read in this book, my dear Anne, when I have reason to be satisfied with your conduct, for as it is now given to a good little girl, I would never upon any account, allow a naughty one to make use of it. We will begin our mornings with reading one of these stories, and afterwards I will give you a lesson upon different subjects, many of which you are now quite unacquainted with. By pursuing this method you will be daily adding to your stock of knowledge, and will I hope in time become a good and sensible girl: this, my dear, is the first wish of my heart, and you must do every thing in your power to promote it. Be industrious and docile, and you may be sure of succeeding in all I require you to undertake. But come, the morning is so fine that we will go into the garden, where upon yonder seat you shall begin your new study."

Little Anne after thanking her mamma for her kind present, followed her to the bench, when they were seated, she opened the book, and the first story that presented itself was

_The pleasure of giving, much greater than that of receiving._

Edward and James were the sons of a respectable farmer, who spared no pains in giving them an education suited to their situation in life. Having been pleased with their good conduct in some circumstances that had lately occurred, he promised them a holiday the first time the weather should be fine enough for them to visit their aunt, who lived a few miles distant from the village where they resided. The wished for morning at length arrived, the farmer gave each of his sons a shilling, and a basket filled with provisions. Thus equipped, they began their journey, and amused themselves on the road, by talking of the pleasure they should have in seeing their good aunt. The best way of spending their shillings was a subject of great importance, "I will have a handsome kite," said Edward, "and the string shall be long enough to allow it to fly as high as the clouds." "Yes," answered James, "but however long your string may be, I believe it must depend upon the wind for flying. Now, I will have a bag of marbles, with these I can always play on the stones in the church-yard after school." "Excepting when it rains brother James; however, as the money is our own, we have each you know a right to please ourselves."

Just as Edward finished speaking, a poor little ragged boy came up to the brothers, and asked for a halfpenny to buy a bit of bread, saying he was so very hungry he knew not what to do. "What, have you had no breakfast! my little man?" asked James. "No, sir, nor supper last night, do pray give me a halfpenny, I am so very faint for want of food."

Edward immediately took a piece of cake from his basket and gave it to the boy, enquiring at the same time, where his father and mother was.

"Alas, my good young gentleman, they are both dead. I lost father about a month ago, and I fear I shall soon follow him, for indeed I am very ill, and not able to work, therefore I must be starved." "O no," said James, "not if I can prevent it, you do indeed look very ill, but take courage, I hope you will soon recover, and surely the parish must provide for you--where do you live?"

"Since father died I have had no regular home, and this is not my parish. Sometimes I sleep in a barn. I do what I can to assist an old man, who was my mother's uncle, but he is ill now, and not able to keep me, so I shall be quite deserted."--"Well," said Edward, "I will provide you with a dinner to day, and give you money to procure a lodging at night; here is a shilling, my father gave it me to buy toys with, but I can do better without them, than you can without food." The little boy took the shilling, and with tears in his eyes thanked his kind friend. James would not suffer him to depart without accepting his shilling also, and desiring him to call the next morning at their father's, where they would try to be of further use to him, they bade him adieu, and pursued their journey.

"I am sure," said Edward, "I feel more pleasure in making that child happy, than in flying the finest kite in the world." "And I," added James, "was a hundred times happier in giving him a shilling, than I was when I received it this morning. Only think how rejoiced the poor boy must be, to have so much money; I dare say he never before, possessed so large a sum, but Edward, we shall have no new kite nor marbles now!--Never mind, brother, we have done a good action, and that, you know, our father says is the surest way to secure happiness"--

Thus conversing, these good lads arrived at their aunt's, where they spent a very pleasant day, and in the evening returned home, to delight their father's heart, with an account of their morning's adventure.--The poor boy came the next morning to the farmer's, who having made the necessary enquiries into his former conduct, took him into his service. The brothers had soon the satisfaction of seeing him restored to health, and in time he became a useful, faithful, and grateful servant to his benevolent master.

* * * * *

"Well, my dear Anne," said Mrs. Harley, "how do you like my first story?"

_Anne._ O very much mamma, what good children Edward and James were, to give their money to a poor little hungry boy; indeed, if ever I should meet one I will do the same.

_Mrs. Harley._ Then you will do well, and I shall love you dearly. Remember, that the use of reading examples of virtue is to inspire you with the desire to imitate them. But do you, my dear, know of what the story you have just read is composed?

_Anne._ O yes, mamma, of words, is it not?

_Mrs. Harley._ You are right: letters make syllables, one or more syllables make a word, words form a sentence, and a number of sentences compose not only the little story of Edward and James, but all the great books in the library. Now can you tell me how letters are divided?

_Anne._ Not properly mamma, pray explain it to me.

_Mrs. Harley._ I will my dear, and so we begin our

FIRST LESSON.

_Mrs. Harley._ Letters of which there are twenty six in our language, are divided into vowels and consonants. There are five proper vowels, a, e, i, o, and u. Y is generally a consonant at the beginning of words, and a vowel at the end of them. Repeat the vowels.

_Anne._ a, e, i, o, u. Y, is sometimes a vowel, and sometimes a consonant. The other letters are all consonants, they are, b, c, d, f, g, h, j, k, l, m, n, p, q, r, s, t, v, w, x, y, z.

_Mrs. Harley._ Very well, now you understand the letters, I will explain the other little marks you see in this book. They are called stops: there are six different ones, the comma, which is the shortest; the semicolon;--the colon:--the period.--the note of admiration!--which denotes wonder or surprise--and the note of interrogation? which shews that a question is asked. Repeat them to me.

_Anne._ , ; : . ! ?

_Mrs. Harley._ Quite right, you may now put away your book, and go to play.

_CHAPTER II._

FRIDAY.

_Mrs. Harley._ Here is another story for you Anne.

_Anne._ Thank you, dear mamma, let me begin it directly.

_The Naughty Girl Reformed._

There was once a little girl who had been so much indulged in her infancy, that by the time she arrived at her sixth year, every one disliked her. She was proud and ill-tempered, she wanted whatever she saw, and when any thing was refused her, she immediately began crying and teazing her mamma for it, who being at last quite tired of her importunity, generally gave up the point, and Fanny obtained what she wished for. Now, though the mamma certainly intended to be very kind to her child, yet I think she did wrong in this respect, because children should never have what they cry for.

Fanny's ill-temper increased with her years, she quarrelled with all the children who used to play with her, till at length she was quite shunned, and none of her little friends took any notice of her.

A lady had given her sister Julia a pretty wax-doll, and she had taken great pleasure in dressing it: almost all her leisure was occupied in making its cloaths, and when they were completed she was quite delighted. It so happened that Fanny was from home when her sister received this present, but no sooner was she returned, and the doll produced, than she began, as usual, to cry for it, and so loud, too, that she disturbed the whole house. For this time, however, her tears were in vain, Julia would not give up her favourite, though she endeavoured to sooth her sister, by promising to lend it her as soon as she should be a little more careful. Fanny was at length pacified, but she watched the first opportunity to get possession of the doll. She soon succeeded, and for some time played with it very carefully, but having acquired a negligent habit of using her toys, she soon forgot its brittle texture, and when tired of nursing it, threw it down on the ground. The face was immediately broken to pieces, and while she was picking up the scattered remains of the once beautiful features, Julia entered the room. On seeing her favourite thus destroyed, she could not help shedding tears, and she reproached Fanny for having taken the doll without permission, especially as she had been so repeatedly desired never to touch it. Fanny felt quite ashamed for her fault, and was really sorry for the mischief she had occasioned: she begged her sister's pardon and promised never again to be so naughty. The good tempered Julia readily forgave her, and for a few days after this misfortune Fanny behaved much better than usual. However, as ill habits are very difficult to be overcome, she soon relapsed into her former fretful and passionate ways; indeed, she made the family so uncomfortable that her mother determined to send her from home, and for that purpose wrote to a relation, entreating her to take the care of Fanny for some time, and try if a different mode of treatment might have some good effect in correcting her faults.

Mrs. Benson was eminently distinguished for good sense and pleasing manners. She had frequently regretted the improper indulgences that were granted to this little girl, and accepted with alacrity the charge consigned to her care. She made but a short visit to her sister, and when she returned to her own residence, took back her little niece. It had been a very difficult task to persuade Fanny to accompany Mrs. Benson, but at length the engaging manners of this lady quite overcame her reluctance, and after parting very affectionately with her mother and sister, she got into the carriage that was to convey her above a hundred miles from the place where she had hitherto resided.

It was night when Mrs. Benson with her young charge arrived at the end of her journey. The motion of the carriage had lulled Fanny to sleep, and she was undressed and put to bed without being conscious of what was passing around her. The next morning on opening her eyes, she was quite surprised to find herself in an apartment with which she was wholly unacquainted, but the sight of her aunt soon brought to her recollection the change that had taken place. Mrs. Benson desired her to rise, but when told to put on her stockings she began to cry, and said that her maid always did it at home. "But here, my dear," replied Mrs. Benson, "you must do it yourself, for I make it an invariable rule never to assist a little girl in any thing she can so easily accomplish by herself. And I must now tell you Fanny, that you never can have what you cry for in my house, so be a good girl and do as you are desired."

Fanny then continued to cry very violently, and would not obey; her naughty behaviour had no effect upon her aunt, who continued dressing herself, and when she had finished, went out of the room without noticing it. Fanny being left alone, and finding that no one attended to her tears, at length began to dress, and after she had remained quiet for some time, a servant was sent up to assist her. She then went down stairs, and when she entered the parlour, her aunt said to her, "I am sorry you have been so long dressing, because I have breakfasted; the things are removed, and I cannot suffer them to be brought up again this morning. I am going out, and if you like to accompany me, I will shew you the village, and we will visit some of the cottagers who are employed in making lace, their work, I assure you, is very beautiful."

Fanny was greatly disappointed at being deprived of her breakfast, but she fetched her bonnet and followed her aunt. She was quite delighted with her walk, and on her return to the house was very glad to see a plate of bread and fruit on the table. After she had eaten as much as she chose, Mrs. Benson shewed her some pictures, and she remained a tolerably good girl during the rest of the day.

The following morning, when Mrs. Benson desired Fanny to read, she was very naughty, and would not say a letter. "Well," said her aunt, "if you will not read you shall neither play nor walk, so when I go out I shall leave you at home." Fanny persisted in her ill-humour, and was therefore obliged to spend the morning alone, instead of enjoying a pleasant ramble in the fields. When Mrs. Benson returned, she asked her niece if she would then try to read, "because," added she "till you have done so, you may be assured I will grant you no amusement." Fanny perceiving that her aunt was quite determined to keep her word, at length took up the book and read as well as she could. Mrs. Benson, pleased with her compliance, made no allusion to her former obstinacy, but gave her a pretty sattin pincushion, telling her that if she would try to be a good child she should love her dearly.

From this time Fanny began to amend; at first she found it very difficult to restrain her temper, but the more she tried, the easier she found the task: and though during the first few months of her residence at Mrs. Benson's she frequently forgot the good resolutions she had formed, yet she was always sincerely sorry for her faults, and endeavoured to make amends by doing whatever she thought would restore her to her aunt's favour.

Thus Mrs. Benson had the satisfaction of seeing a child whom she had formerly known so undutiful and ill-tempered, become by degrees quite amiable and obliging: the alteration in her was so great, that when at the end of a year Mrs. Benson carried her to pay a visit to her family, they could hardly trace any resemblance between Fanny such as she now was, and the naughty little girl who had given them so much trouble. She staid in London three weeks, during which time the cloud of ill-humour scarcely once ruffled her brow. At the end of that time Mrs. Benson wished to return home, and Fanny begged to accompany her, fearing that if deprived of her aunt's counsel before her good habits were entirely fixed, she might relapse into her former errors.

Several years are now past since these events happened. Fanny has been constantly improving, she is now the delight of her family, and the favourite of all who know her.

Let the history of Fanny teach all little girls that to be _good_ is to be _happy_!

* * * * *

"What an interesting story," said Anne, as she shut the book: "now I find what a silly thing it is to be naughty, I will always try to be good."

_Mrs. Harley._ Do my dear child, and you will be sure of success. It gives me pleasure to see you so attentive to the instructions contained in the stories you read.

SECOND LESSON.

_Mrs. Harley._ We talked about letters yesterday: to-day I will explain figures or numbers to you, the following is a list of them: those letters which stand for numbers are called _numeral letters_.

1 I One 2 II Two 3 III Three 4 IV Four 5 V Five 6 VI Six 7 VII Seven 8 VIII Eight 9 IX Nine 10 X Ten 11 XI Eleven 12 XII Twelve 13 XIII Thirteen 14 XIV Fourteen 15 XV Fifteen 16 XVI Sixteen 17 XVII Seventeen 18 XVIII Eighteen 19 XIX Nineteen 20 XX Twenty 21 XXI Twenty-one 22 XXII Twenty-two 23 XXIII Twenty-three 24 XXIV Twenty-four 25 XXV Twenty-five 30 XXX Thirty 36 XXXVI Thirty-six 40 XL Forty 47 XLVII Forty-seven 50 L Fifty 60 LX Sixty 70 LXX Seventy 80 LXXX Eighty 90 XC Ninety 100 C One hundred 200 CC Two hundred 300 CCC Three hundred 400 CCCC Four hundred 500 D Five hundred 600 DC Six hundred 700 DCC Seven hundred 800 DCCC Eight hundred 900 DCD Nine hundred 1000 M One thousand 1100 MC One thousand one hundred 1500 MD One thousand five hundred 1812 MDCCCXII One thousand eight hundred and twelve

In the above list you perceive the numeral letters are I, V, X, L, C, D, and M; the letter that stands for a smaller sum put before one that denotes a greater takes so many from it, and that after it adds so many to it.

The numbers you learned long ago; but I don't think you know the numeration table, it will teach you to read any number of figures not exceeding nine: the last figure on the right hand denotes _units_, or single figures, the one before that tens, then _hundreds_, _thousands_, _tens of thousands_, _hundreds of thousands_, _tens of hundreds of thousands_, _millions_, _tens of millions_, _hundreds of millions_, now my dear read the following number, 123,456,789.

_Anne._ One hundred and twenty three millions, four hundred and fifty six thousand, seven hundred and eighty nine.

_Mrs. Harley._ Right; it is absolutely necessary to be able to read figures perfectly, before you can learn arithmetic.

_Anne._ What is arithmetic, mamma?

_Mrs. Harley._ The act of numbering, or computing by numbers, my dear. The four principal rules of arithmetic are addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division.

_Anne._ I wish you would explain them to me.

_Mrs. Harley._ Addition teaches to collect several numbers together in order to know their total value. The answer to a question in addition is therefore called the _sum_, _total_, or _amount_; subtraction teaches to take a less number from a greater, in order to know the remainder. The answer in subtraction is called the _remainder_, or _difference_.

Multiplication teaches to find the amount of any given number repeated a certain number of times. The answer in multiplication is called the _product_. The three terms made use of in multiplication are, the multiplicand, or number to be multiplied; the multiplier, or number that multiplies; and the product or answer, which is the amount of the multiplicand and multiplier.

Division teaches to find how often one number is contained in another. The answer in division is called the _quotient_. The four terms made use of in division are, the dividend or number to be divided, the divisor, or number that divides, the quotient or answer which is the number of times one number is contained in another, and the remainder or what is left after dividing.

This explanation of arithmetic must serve you for the present, you shall learn the multiplication table, and do some sums every day, and when you are thoroughly acquainted with these rules, we will proceed to the others.

_CHAPTER III._

SATURDAY.

_Mrs. Harley._ Come hither my dear Anne. Your smiling countenance tells me I may give you a story, so take the book and let us hear the

_History of an Orphan._

One fine autumnal morning in the year 1789, John and Cicely Wortham, with their little son Robert, began a long journey into the North of England. They had hitherto resided at a small village near Abergavenny in South Wales, and there they would most probably have ended their days, had not John been informed of the death of a distant relation at Durham, to whose property he knew himself to be the rightful heir, though to secure it, he found it necessary to repair thither. Having, therefore, disposed of his Welsh hut, and converted all his furniture into money, he removed to London, and after spending a few days there, secured places on the outside of a stage-coach, which was to convey him with his family about half way on their journey.

Their conversation chiefly turned on the friends they had left, and the hopes of finding as kind ones in the country whither they were going. Robert was too young to be interested in either the hopes or fears of his parents; at the age of six months he slept as comfortably on his mother's red cloak as if he had been placed on a bed of down.