Domestic pleasures | Page 5

that have been proposed to you. But it is growing late, as it wants but a quarter to nine o'clock; we must therefore defer the remainder of our history till to-morrow. Farewell, my dear children.
The young folks immediately arose, and having carefully put by their work, took an affectionate leave of their parents, and retired for the night.
CONVERSATION II
After a day spent happily, because it was spent in the cheerful performance of their several duties, the little family assembled round the tea-table, and were rewarded by the approving smiles of their affectionate parents.
_Louisa._ Let us make haste and finish our tea, that we may sit down to work, with papa and mamma, as comfortably as we did last night.
_Mrs. B._ Rather let us endeavour, my dear Louisa, to prolong each moment by employing it usefully. It is wrong to wish one instant of so short a life to pass unimproved. Recollect, the wisest of men has said, "To every thing there is a season, and a time for every purpose under heaven."
_Ferdinand._ When you speak of the wisest of men, do you not mean Solomon, mamma?
_Mrs. B._ Yes, my dear. You have read that part of the sacred Scriptures which contains the life of that great man, have you not?
Ferdinand. I have, mamma. When God gave him his choice of many blessings, he preferred the gift of wisdom, which was granted him; and honours and riches were also added, as a reward for his prudent choice.
_Louisa._ Is knowledge the same thing as wisdom, pray? [Footnote: The conversation following, was held, _verbatim_, between the author and a little boy seven years old.]
Ferdinand. I think not, Louisa. Wisdom is a much better thing than knowledge. Is it not, mamma:
_Mrs. B._ I think so my dear; but you shall hear what my favourite poet, Cowper, says upon this subject:
"Knowledge and wisdom, far from being one, Have oft-times no connexion. Knowledge dwells In heads, replete with thoughts of other men; Wisdom, in minds attentive to their own. Knowledge, a rude, unprofitable mass, The mere materials with which wisdom builds, Till smooth'd, and squar'd, and fitted to its place, Does but encumber whom it seems t'enrich. Knowledge is proud that he has learn'd so much; Wisdom is humble that he knows no more."
Ferdinand. I do not quite understand those lines: they say that knowledge is a mere unprofitable mass. You have told me, mamma, that I ought to take pains, and gain improvement by means of books, conversation, and observation; but if these lines are true, what good will it do me?
_Mrs. B._ Read the next line, my dear boy. "The mere materials with which wisdom builds." Now, if you provide no materials, you must be aware that wisdom cannot build her temple in your mind. Do you understand now the meaning of the lines?
_Ferdinand, (after a pause for consideration,)_ Yes, mamma: and I think I understand the true meaning of the word wisdom, too. It is such power as God possesses:--a great deal of knowledge joined to a great deal of goodness.
_Mrs. B._ You are quite right, my dear Ferdinand. What is Emily reflecting upon so seriously?
Emily. I was thinking, my dear mother, how much at a loss the English must have been, before the introduction of tea into Europe. I have heard my father say, it was not known here till within the last two hundred years.
_Mr. B._ I did tell you so, my dear. Some Dutch adventurers [Footnote: See Macartney's Embassy to China.], seeking, about that time, for such objects as might produce a profit in China, and hearing of the general use, there, of a beverage from a plant of the country, endeavoured to introduce the use of the European herb, sage, amongst the Chinese, for a similar purpose, accepting, in return, the Chinese tea, which they brought to Europe. The European herb did not continue long in use in China, but the consumption of tea has been gradually increasing in Europe ever since. The annual public sales of this article, by the East India Company, did not, however, in the beginning of 1700, much exceed fifty thousand pounds weight: the annual sale now, approaches to upwards of twenty millions of pounds.
_Emily._ It is indeed an amazing increase; but I am not surprised that is has been so universally adopted. I know of no beverage so refreshing and pleasant. Although we take it twice a day, we never seem to grow tired of its flavour. I suppose it is cultivated in China, as carefully as corn is with us?
_Mr. B._ It grows wild, like any other shrub, in the hilly parts of the country; but where it is regularly cultivated, the seed is sown in rows, at the distance of about four feet from each other, and the land kept perfectly