Anonymous

Moral and Instructive Tales for the Improvement of Young Ladies

London

Printed and Sold by John Marshall and Co.

1786

"Those who feel in themselves the least propensity to this growing evil should carefully guard against its first approaches; for, like a gnawing vulture, it preys upon the mind; and, unless combated with all their resolution, steals imperceptibly on the disposition, and casts a veil over their fairest virtues."

Those who feel in themselves the least propensity to this growing evil should carefully guard against its first approaches; for, like a gnawing vulture, it preys upon the mind; and, unless combated with all their resolution, steals imperceptibly on the disposition, and casts a veil over their fairest virtues. It not only prompts to the dimunition of the felicity they envy, but totally destroys their own; for no one can be truly happy who thinks another happier than himself; unless he possesses such disinterested ideas as to make the reflection of their happiness a source of satisfaction: and surely if we profess a friendship, the well-doing of those whom we so distinguish must be equally desirable to us as out own. But even in the earliest scenes of life we have too frequently examples to the contrary, and may observe, that in the tenderest years interest exerts its influence to the destruction of more noble principles. Whenever envy makes the slightest approaches to their hearts, I would recommend to the attention of my young readers, the following tale: (pages 66-7)

Contributed by PC Fleming, searching "mind."

Moral and Instructive Tales for the Improvement of Young Ladies: Calculated to Amuse the Mind, and Form the Heart to Virtue. (London: Printed and Sold by John Marshall and Co. at No. 4, Aldermary Church-Yard, in Bow-Lane, 1786).

07/16/2010