fle in
which one person could give pain or pleasure, trouble or relief,
annoyance or comfort to another, or by which any one's own mind or
habits could be either injured or improved. She maintained that there
was a right and a wrong to every thing, and that right and wrong could
never be trifles, whether in great things or small. By degrees the
conversation turned upon matters far too solemn to be repeated by a mere
plaything like myself; but I thought, as I heard her, that it might be
better to be a poor wooden figure which could do neither right nor
wrong, than a human being who neglected his appointed duties.

Geoffrey said little, but he shook hands with Margaret when she had
finished speaking, and I noticed from that day forward a gradual
improvement in his conduct. Bad habits are not cured in a minute, and he
did not become all at once as gentle and considerate as Willy, nor as
kind and helpful as Edward; but he put himself in the right road, and
seemed in a fair way of overtaking them in due time. He at once left off
_active_ mischief; and if he could not avoid being occasionally
troublesome, he at any rate cured himself of teazing people on purpose.
And it was remarkable how many employments he found as soon as his mind
was disengaged from mischief. Instead of his dawdling about all the
morning calling things stupid, and saying he had nothing to do, all
manner of pleasant occupations seemed to start up in his path, as if
made to order for him, now that he had time to attend to them. When he
relinquished the pleasure of spoiling things, he acquired the far
greater pleasure of learning to make them. When Edward was no longer
afraid of trusting him with his tools, it was wonderful what a carpenter
he turned out. When Margaret could venture to leave drawing materials
within his reach, he began to draw capitally. Good-natured Margaret gave
him lessons, and said she would never wish for a better scholar. He
found it was twice the pleasure to walk or play with Edward when he was
thought an acquisition instead of a burden; and far more agreeable to
have Rose and Willy anxious for his company than wishing to get rid of
him. But the advantages were not confined to himself; the whole house
shared in them; for his perpetual small annoyances had made every body
uncomfortable, whereas now, by attention to what he used to look upon as
trifles, he found he had the power of contributing his part towards the
happiness of his fell