r
I. He indeed feeds his horses with hay which he gets off my meadows, but
his horses in return plough the fields, which otherwise would be overrun
with weeds. He also feeds his cows and his sheep with the hay; but their
dung is useful in giving fertility to the ground. His wife and children
are fed with the harvest corn; but they in return devote the summer to
weeding the crops; and afterwards, some in reaping them, and some in
threshing. All these labours end in my advantage. The rest of the hay
and corn he takes to market to sell, and with the produce thereof he
pays his rent. From this, it is evident, who derives the greatest profit
from my lands."

Here a long pause ensued; but, at last, Robert confessed that he saw his
error. "Remember, then, all your life," said Sir John "what has now been
offered to your eyes and ears. This farmer, so homely dressed, whose
manners you have considered as so rustic, this man is better bred than
you; and, though he knows nothing of Latin, he knows much more than you,
and things of much greater use. You see, therefore, how unjust it is to
despise any one for the plainness of his dress, and the rusticity of his
manners. You may understand a little Latin, but you know not how to
plough, sow grain, or reap the harvest, nor even to prune a tree. Sit
down with being convinced that you have despised your superior."

[Illustration]

ALFRED AND DORINDA.

[Illustration]

Mr. Venables, one fine summer day, having promised his two children,
Alfred and Dorinda, to treat them with a walk in a fine garden a little
way out of town, went up into his dressing-room to prepare himself,
leaving the two children in the parlour.

Alfred was so delighted with the thoughts of the pleasure he should
receive from his walk, that he jumped about the room, without thinking
of any evil consequence that could happen; but unluckily the skirt of
his coat brushed against a very valuable flower, which his father was
rearing with great pains, and which he had unfortunately just removed
from before the window, in order to screen it from the scorching heat of
the sun.

"O brother, brother!" said Dorinda, taking up the flower which was
broken off from the stalk, "what have you done!" The sweet girl was
holding the flower in her hand, when her father, having dressed himself,
came into the parlour. "Bless me! Dorinda," said Mr. Venables, in an
angry tone, "how could you be so thoughtless as to pluck a flow