The Governess | Page 8

by one, all
her schoolfellows to be reconciled to each with sincerity and love.
Miss Dolly Friendly, who had too much sense to engage the battle for
the sake of an apple, and who was provoked to strike a blow only for
friendship's sake, easily saw the truth of what Miss Jenny said; and was
therefore presently convinced, that the best part she could have acted
for her friend, would have been to have withdrawn her from the scuffle.

A SCENE OF LOVE AND FRIENDSHIP, QUITE THE REVERSE

OF THE BATTLE, WHEREIN ARE SHOWN THE DIFFERENT
EFFECTS OF LOVE AND GOODNESS FROM THOSE
ATTENDING ANGER, STRIFE, AND WICKEDNESS: WITH THE
LIFE OF MISS JENNY PEACE.
After Miss Jenny had completed the good work of making all her
companions friends, she drew them round her in a little arbour, in that
very garden which had been the scene of their strife, and consequently
of their misery; and then spoke to them the following speech; which
she delivered in so mild a voice, that it was sufficient to charm her
hearers into attention, and to persuade them to be led by her advice, and
to follow her example in the paths of goodness.
'My dear friends and schoolfellows, you cannot imagine the happiness
it gives me to see you thus all so heartily reconciled. You will find the
joyful fruits of it. Nothing can show so much sense as thus to own
yourselves in fault; for could anything have been so foolish as to spend
all your time in misery, rather than at once to make use of the power
you have of making yourselves happy? Now if you will use as many
endeavours to love as you have hitherto done to hate each other, you
will find that every one amongst you, whenever you have anything
given you, will have double, nay, I may say eight times (as there are
eight of you) the pleasure, in considering that your companions are
happy. What is the end of quarrels, but that everyone is fretted and
vexed, and no one gains anything! Whereas by endeavouring to please
and love each other, the end is happiness to ourselves, and joy to
everyone around us. I am sure, if you will speak the truth, none of you
have been so easy since you quarrelled, as you are now you are
reconciled. Answer me honestly, if this is not truth.'
Here Miss Jenny was silent, and waited for an answer. But the poor
girls, who had in them the seeds of goodwill to each other, although
those seeds were choked and overrun with the weeds of envy and pride;
as in a garden the finest strawberries will be spoiled by rank weeds, if
care is not taken to root them out; these poor girls, I say, now struck
with the force of truth, and sorry for what they had done, let drop some
tears, which trickled down their cheeks, and were signs of meekness,
and sorrow for their fault. Not like those tears which burst from their
swollen eyes, when anger and hatred choked their words, and their
proud hearts laboured with stubbornness and folly; when their skins

reddened, and all their features were changed and distorted by the
violence of passion, which made them frightful to the beholders, and
miserable to themselves;-- No! Far other cause had they now for tears,
and far different were the tears they shed; their eyes, melted with
sorrow for their faults, let fall some drops, as tokens of their repentance;
but, as soon as they could recover themselves to speak, they all with
one voice cried out, 'Indeed, Miss Jenny, we are sorry for our fault, and
will follow your advice; which we now see is owing to your goodness.'
Miss Jenny now produced a basket of apples, which she had purchased
out of the little pocket-money she was allowed, in order to prove, that
the same things may be a pleasure or a pain, according as the persons to
whom they are given are good or bad.
These she placed in the midst of her companions, and desired them to
eat, and enjoy themselves; and now they were so changed, that each
helped her next neighbour before she would touch any for herself; and
the moment they were grown thus good natured and friendly, they were
as well-bred, and as polite, as it is possible to describe.
Miss Jenny's joy was inexpressible, that she had caused this happy
change; nor less was the joy of her companions, who now began to
taste pleasures, from which their animosity to each other had hitherto
debarred them. They all sat looking pleased on their companions; their
faces borrowed beauty from the calmness and goodness of their minds;
and all those ugly frowns,