. Early lessons .. . s are especially called uponto show respect and kindness to mankind. Piety of disposition, connected with urbanity of manners,characterise both the Christian and gentleman. We shouldalways be careful not to hurt or injure others by careless,wanton, or unkind conduct. As every action may produce effects over which humanpower has no influence, and which human sagacity cannotforesee, we should not lightly venture to the verge of evil,nor strike at others, though with a reed, lest, like the rod ofMoses, it become a serpent in our hand. If a civil word or two will render a man
. Early lessons .. . s are especially called uponto show respect and kindness to mankind. Piety of disposition, connected with urbanity of manners,characterise both the Christian and gentleman. We shouldalways be careful not to hurt or injure others by careless,wanton, or unkind conduct. As every action may produce effects over which humanpower has no influence, and which human sagacity cannotforesee, we should not lightly venture to the verge of evil,nor strike at others, though with a reed, lest, like the rod ofMoses, it become a serpent in our hand. If a civil word or two will render a man happy, saida French king, he must be a wretch indeed who will notgive them to him. POLITENESS. POLITENESS is one of the advantages which we neverestimate rightly, but by inconvenience of its loss. Its influ-ence upon the manners is constant and uniform. Everyman may hope, by the help of good breeding, to enjoy thekindness of mankind, though he should have no claim tohigher distinctions. THE FOX AND THE CROW. A A CROW, having stolen a piece of* cheese from acottage window, flew up into a high tree with it, inorder to eat it; which the Fox observing, came andsat underneath, and began to compliment the Crowupon the subject of her beauty. I protest, said he, I never observed it before, but your feathers are of amore delicate white than any that ever I saw in mylife! Ah ! what a fine shape and graceful turn ofbody is there ! And I dare say you have a beautifulvoice. If it be but as fine as your complexion, I do 24 INGRATITUDE. not know a bird that can pretend to stand in competi-tion with you. The Crow, tickled with this very civil language,wriggled about and hardly knew where she was; butthinking the Fox a little dubious as to the particular ofher voice, and having a mind to set him right in thatmatter, she began to sing, and in the same instant, letthe cheese fall out of her mouth. This being what theFox wanted, he snapped it up in a moment; andtrotted away, laughing to hi
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