319._)

THE LADYBIRD AND THE CATERPILLAR.

One bright morning in the spring-time, a green caterpillar, on the bough
of a tree, was gazing at a ladybird and seemed bent upon making her
acquaintance. However, the ladybird disdained the insect, and flew away
among the flowers. Some time after, in the summer, the ladybird was
earnestly admiring a beautiful butterfly which was fluttering about
near her. She even approached the pretty creature and began a
conversation, when the butterfly exclaimed, 'No, no, madam! I do not
value compliments from turncoats. You were ashamed of my appearance when
I was only a caterpillar; but now that I have risen in the world,
doubtless you would be very glad to make my acquaintance.' The butterfly
then spread out its light wings and flew away, leaving the ladybird to
her own reflections.

A HUNDRED YEARS AGO.

True Tales of the Year 1806.

X.--WILLIAM PITT: BORN 1759, DIED 1806.

[Illustration]

On May 28th, 1759, there was born at the pretty little village of Hayes,
in Middlesex, a puny babe, who in after years was to be one of the
greatest statesmen of his time.

The year of his birth was one of many British successes, both by sea and
land; it was the year of the victories of Minden, in Germany, and of
Quebec, in America, and of triumphs both in India and Africa, so that
Horace Walpole in a letter of that time says, 'One is forced to ask
every morning what victory there is, for fear of missing one.'

Pitt was a most precocious child, and was fond of reading stiff books of
history and poetry at an age when other children barely knew their
letters. Even whilst in the nursery he would declare that 'when he was a
man he would speak in the House like his father!'

Lord Chatham, his father (the elder Pitt, as he is often called), was
proud of the intelligent little fellow, and took pains to fit him for a
Parliamentary career by teaching him elocution, and making him recite
every day a passage from Milton or Shakespeare. Lord Chatham seems to
have taken more interest in the education of his five children than was
usual among parents of his day. We are told by Bishop Tomline that 'he
seldom suffered a day to pass without giving instruction of some sort to
his children, and seldom without reading a chapter of the Bible with
them.'

William was so delicate that he was never sent to school, and at one
time it was feared he would not have been reared; but a doctor
prescr