James. 'Are girls then the only folk who have any
sense, or good nature? Or what proof does it shew of spirit to be fond
of mischief, and giving people trouble? It is like a monkey of spirit
indeed; but I cannot say, that I see either spirit or sense in making
the clean clothes fall into the dirt, or mixing the corn and chaff, for
the sake of making the poor servants do them all over again: if these
things are a sign of any spirit. I am sure it is of an evil one, and not
at all such as I wish to possess, though I no more want to sit still,
or work with a needle, than you do; but I hope there are other ways of
showing my spirit, as you call it, than by doing mischief, and being
ill-natured. I do not think my papa ever seems to be effeminate, or want
sufficient spirit; but he would scorn to give unnecessary trouble to
anybody: and so will Tom Vaulter, though no boy in the world loves play
better than he does; he plays at cricket the best of any boy in the
school, and I am sure none can beat him at tennis; and as for skipping,
I never saw a boy skip so well in all my life; and I am sure he would
beat you, with all your spirit, out and out twenty times, either at
running, or sliding, or swimming, or climbing a tree. And yet he
never gives trouble to anybody for the sake of fun; he is one of the
best-tempered boys in the world; and whether it is like a girl or not,
he always does what he knows to be right and kind; and if that is being
like girls, why, with all my heart; I like girls well enough, and if
they behave well I do not see why you should speak so contemptuously of
them. My papa always says that he loves girls just as well as boys, and
none but foolish and naughty boys despise and tease them.' Just as he
said these words, Simon and John entered the barn, and seeing Will stand
idle, 'Come, come, young gentleman,' said John, 'take up your flail and
go to work, sir, to work! to work! night will be here presently, and
you have done nothing yet.' Presently after the gentleman returned, and
enforced John's advice for him to mind his work.

After Master Will had continued his employment some little time, he
began to cry, saying, his arms ached ready to drop off, and his hand was
so sore he could not bear it. 'Then doubtless,' replied his father, 'you
would prodigiously like, after you have been labouring all day, to have
your work to do over again, for the sake of diverting a foolish boy. But
go on, William, I am determined