bought with the reft of the money; and they laughed at me fo much for my folly, that I cried with vexation; and the reflection gave me more chagrin than the whistle gave me pleasure.

This however was afterwards of use to me, the impreffion continuing on my mind; fo that often, when I was tempted to buy fome unneceffary thing, I taid to myself, Don't give too much for the shiftle; and fo I faved my money.

As I grew up, came into the world, and obferved the actions of men, I thought I met with many, very many, who gave too much for the whistle.

When I faw any one too ambitious of court favours, facrificing his time in attendance on levees, his repofe, his liberty, his virtue, and perhaps his friends, to attain it, I have faid to myfelf, This man gives too much for his whistle. When I saw another fond of popularity, conftantly employing himself in po

litical

litical buftles, neglecting his own affairs, and ruining them by that neglect: He pays, indeed, fays I, too much for bis whistle.

If I knew a mifer, who gave up every kind of comfortable living, all the pleafure of doing good to others, all the efteem of his fellow-citizens, and the joys of benevolent friendship, for the fake of accumulating wealth; Poor man, fays I, you do indeed pay too much for your whistle.

When I meet a man of pleasure, facrificing every laudable improvement of the mind, or of his fortune, to mere corporeal fenfations; Mistaken man, says I, you are providing pain for yourself, instead of pleasure: you give too much for your whistle.

If I fee one fond of fine clothes, fine furniture, fine equipages, all above his fortune, for which he contracts debts, and ends his career in prifon; Alas, fays Į,

be

be has paid dear, very dear, for his whistle.

When I fee a beautiful, fweet-tempered girl, married to an ill-natured brute of a husband: What a pity it is, fays I, that she has paid fo much for a whistle !

In fhort, I conceived that great part of the miseries of mankind were brought upon them by the falfe eftimates they had made of the value of things, and by their giving too much for their whistles.

VOL. I.

C

A PETI

A PETITION

TO THOSE WHO HAVE THE SUPERINTENDENCY OF EDUCATION,

I ADDRESS myself to all the friends of youth, and conjure them to direct their compaffionate regards to my unhappy fate, in order to remove the prejudices of which I am the victim. There are twin fifters of us and the two eyes of man do not more resemble, nor are capable of being upon better terms with each other, than my fifter and myself, were it not for the partiality of our parents, who make the most injurious diftinctions between us. From my infancy, I have been led to confider my fifter as a being of a more elevated rank. I was fuffered to grow up without the least instruction, while nothing was fpared in her education.

4

She

She had masters to teach her writing, drawing, mufic, and other accomplish ments; but if by chance I touched a pencil, a pen, or a needle, I was bitterly rebuked and more than once I have been beaten for being aukward, and wanting a graceful manner. It is true, my fifter affociated me with her upon fome occafions; but he always made a point of taking the lead, calling upon me only from neceffity, or to figure by her side.

But conceive not, Sirs, that my complaints are instigated merely by vanityNo; my uneafinefs is occafioned by an object much more serious. It is the practice in our family, that the whole business of providing for its fubfiftence falls upon my fifter and myself. If any indifpofition should attack my fister-and I mention it in confidence, upon this occafion, that she is fubject to the gout, the rheumatism, and cramp, without making mention of other accidents-what would be the fate