What though in solemm silence all It is now time to return to the house we have exceeded our usual time, and your father will be waiting for his suppergood night." ELIZA." Mama, I was so frightened last night after we left you, I was looking out at the window, across the field by the marsh, and I saw a light flame play about the bushes and trees." Mrs. H.-" Well, my dear, it was nothing to cause alarm; it is called ignis fatuus, and, by the country people, Will o' Wisp; about which you have doubtless heard most marvellous tales related, but which, in fact, is nothing more than sulphurous vapours, that take fire and play about not more than four or five feet 'from the ground. They are never seen but in flat marshy fenny lands, and probably owe their origin to putrid and rotten plants, or animal matter, for they are frequently seen in church yards; which has given rise to several fabulous stories, many ignorant and credulous persons being persuaded that they are the souls of the dead, who wickedly disposed in life, rise from their graves to mislead and entangle the unwary traveller, who heedlessly pursues the flame, which stops while the traveller runs to overtake him, and when near sets off again, thus deluding the poor creature into some uncertain or unknown path; but this may be philosophically accounted for, for the person who flies leaves a space, which is filled up by the air, and produces a current between him and the fire. "This will convince you how silly and ridiculous it is, to give too much way to imagination and fear; depend upon it, half of the tales, with which the ears of children are filled, of ghosts and spirits, owe their origin to some phænomena of nature, and which an active fancy has formed into shape. Conscience too may often assist to give force to these terrors; thus idle tales first originate, and thus the foundation of superstition and fear is impressed upon the infant mind.” Eliza." Well, now I know the cause, I shall never be frighted at the ignis fatuus more." Mrs. H." Always endeavour to trace effects to their causes, you will then find your mind gradually gather strength, and you will lose not only vain and idle, as well as ignorant opinions, which you may have contracted, but you will lose many superstitious fears which weaken and enslave the mind." Emily." Mama, when you were at Mrs. Wilding's, did you not observe her niece, a most beautiful girl?" Mrs. H." I did, my dear, but what of her?" Emily Do not you think her very accomplished?"..: Mrs. H." She plays and sings well, I grant, and judging by her port-folio, she not only draws well, but a great deal.” Eliza" Well, mama, those are accomplishments, are they not? and she is beautiful beside." Mrs. H.-" Beauty is of small impor tance, and is at best but ideal. There can be no standard for taste. To convince you, the Hottentot thinks a flat head and nose a great ornament to the person; to effect this the heads of children are compressed by boards, and the parent takes great care to flatten the nose. The Hollander admires large lusty women. The inhabitants of the western and northern parts of America take pains to dye their teeth black, and their nails red, and think every one deficient in external charms who does not possess these requisites; to effect this they chew an immoderate quantity of the beetle nut, and use a kind of red ochre for their nails. The inhabitants of that part of Switzerland near the Glaciers, have large wens grow on their throats, which are called goitres, and so much do they admire this excresence, that they regard every one who, according to their opinion, are deficient in this ornament, as wanting the principal beauty of person. Thus you see beauty |