The History of Little Goody Two-Shoes | Page 9

Mouth. Don't burn your Lips with another Man's Broth. Wit is Folly, unless a wise Man hath the keeping of it. Use soft Words and hard Arguments. Honey catches more Flies than Vinegar. To forget a Wrong is the best Revenge. Patience is a Plaister for all Sores. Where Pride goes, Shame will follow. When Vice enters the Room, Vengeance is near the Door. Industry is Fortune's right Hand, and Frugality her left. Make much of Three-pence, or you ne'er will be worth a Groat.
LESSON III.
A Lie stands upon one Leg, but Truth upon two. When a Man talks much, believe but half what he says. Fair Words butter no Parsnips. Bad Company poisons the Mind. A covetous Man is never satisfied. Abundance, like Want, ruins many. Contentment is the best Fortune. A contented Mind is a continual Feast.
A LESSON in Religion.
Love GOD, for he is good. Fear GOD, for he is just. Pray to GOD, for all good Things come from him. Praise GOD, for great is his Mercy towards us, and wonderful are all his Works. Those who strive to be good, have GOD on their Side. Those who have GOD for their Friend, shall want nothing. Confess your Sins to GOD, and if you repent he will forgive you. Remember that all you do, is done in the Presence of GOD. The Time will come, my Friends, when we must give Account to GOD, how we on Earth did live.
A Moral LESSON.
A good Boy will make a good Man. Honour your Parents, and the World will honour you. Love your Friends, and your Friends will love you. He that swims in Sin, will sink in Sorrow. Learn to live, as you would wish to die. As you expect all Men should deal by you: So deal by them, and give each Man his Due.
As we were returning Home, we saw a Gentleman, who was very ill, sitting under a shady Tree at the Corner of his Rookery. Though ill, he began to joke with Little Margery, and said, laughingly, so, _Goody Two-Shoes_, they tell me you are a cunning little Baggage; pray, can you tell me what I shall do to get well? Yes, Sir, says she, go to Bed when your Rooks do. You see they are going to Rest already:
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Do you so likewise, and get up with them in the morning; earn, as they do, every Day what you eat, and eat and drink no more than you earn; and you'll get Health and keep it. What should induce the Rooks to frequent Gentlemens Houses only, but to tell them how to lead a prudent Life? They never build over Cottages or Farm-houses, because they see, that these People know how to live without their Admonition.
_Thus Health and Wit you may improve, Taught by the Tenants of the Grove._
The Gentleman laughing gave Margery Sixpence; and told her she was a sensible Hussey.

CHAP. VI.
_How the whole Parish was frighted._
Who does not know Lady Ducklington, or who does not know that she was buried at this Parish Church?
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Well, I never saw so grand a Funeral in all my Life; but the Money they squandered away, would have been better laid out in little Books for Children, or in Meat, Drink, and Cloaths for the Poor.
This if a fine Hearse indeed, and the nodding Plumes on the Horses look very grand; but what End does that answer, otherwise than to display the Pride of the Living, or the Vanity of the Dead. Fie upon such Folly, say I, and Heaven grant that those who want more Sense may have it.
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But all the Country round came to see the Burying, and it was late before the Corpse was interred. After which, in the Night, or rather about Four o'Clock in the Morning, the Bells were heard to jingle in the Steeple, which frightened the People prodigiously, who all thought it was Lady _Ducklington_'s Ghost dancing among the Bell-ropes. The People flocked to Will Dobbins the Clerk, and wanted him to go and see what it was; but William said, he was sure it was a Ghost, and that he would not offer to open the Door. At length Mr. Long the Rector, hearing such an Uproar in the Village, went to the Clerk, to know why he did not go into the Church; and see who was there. I go, Sir, says William, why the Ghost would frighten me out of my Wits.--Mrs. Dobbins too cried, and laying hold of her Husband said, he should not be eat up by the Ghost. A Ghost, you Blockheads, says Mr. Long in a Pet, did either of you ever see a Ghost, or know any Body that did? Yes, says the Clerk, my Father did once in the Shape of a