his own conduct prevented
it. My elder sister, Benigna, who is more powerful than I am, had long
been the friend and protector of your mother: she is all excellence, but
more strict, and imposes greater restraint upon those she takes under
her care than I do. She disapproved the marriage with your father, which
offended him so highly, that he forbade his lady ever holding farther
intercourse with her; and Benigna, in return, forbade me ever attempting
to serve or befriend him, which I was well disposed to do. The errors of
the father, however, are not to be visited upon the children. Moved with
compassion for your hapless situation, I am come to take you under my
future patronage, if you choose to accept of it."

Adrian and his sister, bounding with joy, threw themselves at the
fairy's feet, while the former exclaimed, "O, Madam, how can we
sufficiently thank you for thus taking pity on our forlorn state. We
are, indeed, miserable orphans, without a friend in the world; and how
rejoiced must we be to place ourselves under so powerful a protector!"
Claribel too, though not given to raptures, endeavoured to express her
satisfaction, but in a voice so low that it was scarcely audible by the
side of her vociferous cousins.

"Observe then," said the fairy, "that you secure my good offices only
by deserving them. If you prove unworthy of my kindness, I shall feel it
proper to forsake you; and you will be left in a more deplorable state
than this from which I am now desirous to relieve you." The brother and
sister protested again and again, that they should never forgive
themselves if they could be guilty of any thing that would incur the
displeasure of so good and generous a friend.

"I shall judge of your wisdom," answered Felicia, with a smile, "by your
choice." She then displayed her basket, and they discovered that though
they thought it had contained a variety of flowers, there were but three
sorts. These consisted of the finest damask roses, in full blow;
beautiful hyacinths of the brightest azure blue; and simple lilies of
the valley, but whose fragrance was delicious to the senses.

"This," said the fairy, holding up one of the first, "will bestow
immense, but not inexhaustible riches on its possessor. As long as they
make a right use of their wealth, they will find no end to it; but if
spent in licentious profusion, that gratifies only luxury and pride, or
churlishly grasped solely for their own advantage, withou