tes between them
on it, Eton was at length pitched upon.

Natura heard of his intended removal with a perfect indifference:--if
the thoughts of parting from his father gave him any pain, it was
balanced by those of being eased of the persecuting of his stepmother;
but when all things were prepared for his journey, in which he was to
be accompanied by an old relation, who was to give the necessary
charge with him to those into whose care he should be committed, he
was taken suddenly ill on the very day he had been to take leave of
his kindred, and other friends in town.

His distemper proved to be the small-pox, but being of a very
favourable sort, he recovered in a short time, and lost nothing of his
handsomeness by that so-much-dreaded enemy to the face: there
remained, however, a little redness, which, till intirely worn off, it
was judged improper he should be sent where it was likely there might
be many young gentlemen, who having never experienced the same, would
take umbrage at the sight.

During the time of his indisposition he had been attended by an old
nurse, who had served in the same quality to his mother, and several
others of her family.--The tenderness this good creature shewed to
him, and the care she took to humour him in every thing, not only
while he continued in a condition, in which it might have been
dangerous to have put his spirits into the least agitation, but after
he was grown well enough to walk abroad, had made him become extremely
pettish and self-willed; which shews, that an over-indulgence to
youth, is no less prejudicial, than too much austerity.--Happy is it
for those who are brought up in a due proportion between these two
extremes; for as nature will be apt to fall into a dejection, if
pressed down with a constant, and uninterrupted severity, so it will
infallibly become arrogant and assuming, if suffered always to pursue
its own dictates.--Nothing is more evident, than that most of the
irregularities we see practised in the world, are owing originally to
a want of the medium I have been speaking of, in forming the mind
while it is pliable to impression.

This was not, however, the case of Natura; and though he would
doubtless have been what we call a spoiled child, had he been for any
length of time permitted to do just what he pleased, yet the nurse
being discharged, he fell again under the jurisdiction of his
mother-in-law, who had now more excuse than ever for treating him wi