Imágenes de páginas
PDF
EPUB

"My aunt," said I-for here my pride took fire-"meant me to take care of NumberOne;' and this is all I have done.".

[ocr errors]

My dear boy," said the good-natured Rachel, "you quite mistake the matter; and as your aunt is too unwell just now to explain herself, I, in my poor way, will do it for her. She could mean no more by taking care of

[ocr errors]

Number One,' than that it was every person's duty to take care of himself.

But then the

best way to take care of yourself, Sancho, is to please God, and to be just and kind to others."

“But, aunt,” said I, "there is nothing about pleasing God, and being good and kind to others, in the proverb."

"No, there is not," she replied; "but still my sister meant all this, and a great deal more, as she would soon convince you, Sancho, if she were well. You understood the proverb to mean, that you should indulge yourself in all that pleased you best at the moment: your aunt

meant that you should do what was best for yourself upon the whole."

Now, not a word of this last distinction did I understand. But as I held my tonguewhich is a rule I earnestly recommend to all persons in similar circumstances-my aunt Rachel did not find me out, and accordingly proceeded.

"My dear Sancho," she said, “ no man ever became good or great who was very fond of himself: good and great men live for others. Look there, my boy!" and I turned my eyes to a fine copy of Ruben's Descent from the Cross, to which she pointed-" The Son of God," came down to live and to die for

said she,

others."

[ocr errors]

This argument I did understand; and I can truly say, that, through my long life, whenever I have wanted a cure for selfishness, I have found nothing so efficacious as following my aunt Rachel's advice. A hundred times at

least, when self has been getting the better of nobler considerations, her "Look there, my boy!" has sounded in my ears. I have looked with my mind's eye at the picture, and said, It is impossible to be a real follower of Christ, and to be selfish.

But, to return to our history. While I was looking at the picture, my aunt Winifred rose up. I thought that I saw her gratefully, though rather awkwardly, press her sister's hand. I am sure that I saw her eyes full of tears. She left the room. Rachel immediately followed her, but not till she had said to me, Look, Sancho, to-night for a verse which I will mark in the little Bible I gave you; and you may venture to use that verse in future instead of the proverb." I did look, and found my aunt's initials marked opposite the words, "Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself;" and I think it right to say, that if I had literally complied with this command, either at that

time, or for many years of my life, there are very few people in the world who would have loved their neighbour better. But, of this also, the reader may judge for himself in the following pages.

CHAP. VI.

ANOTHER HEAD OF THE HYDRA.

He knows little of human nature who fancies that the follies and vices of the world, in general, are, as it were, to be brought down by a single shot. And he knows equally little of the character of my aunt Winifred who imagines her to be an exception to this general rule, and conceives her likely to be cured of her error by the single incident recorded in the last chapter. It is often the property of those who hold very foolish opinions, to be attached to them just in proportion to their folly-as idolaters love their idols the better, the more deformed they are. I do not say that my aunt entertained quite the same profound respect for the particular proverb which had so much dishonoured the family;

« AnteriorContinuar »