and all this for the accommodation of a little girl of ten years old, who in one of the easy chairs is lying back in front of the fire, with her tiny feet on a bright brass fender.  She has a gold watch in her hand, which is suspended round her neck by a chain of the same material, and she is playing with it, and with the seals, and pretty ornaments hung to it, that jingle as she moves her hand.  Ever and anon she glances at the face of the watch.

But life is very easy to her, and the chair is very soft, and her feet are very warm.  At last, however, she gets up and rings a silver bell that is on the mantel-piece.  A servant answers the summons.  “It is time for me to dress, I believe, Annette; the company are expected to-day at half past six.  Has my new frock come home?”

“Yes, Miss.”

“Let me look at it.”

A delicate blue satin, trimmed with the finest lace, is produced from a band-box.

“It is very pretty, I think, Annette.”

“It is downright beautiful, Miss.”

“And so expensive,” pursued the little girl whose name was Julia, “that I don’t think any one else I know is likely to imitate it, which is my greatest comfort!”

And so saying, the rich Miss Julia ——­ (an only daughter), whose comfort seemed to depend on no one else being as comfortable as herself, commenced her toilet, i.e. her maid both commenced and finished it for her, for those who can command the unlimited assistance of servants are apt to be very idle in helping themselves.

“Your Julia looks self-satisfied enough,” observed Ianthe, “but I do not see that this is more like real happiness than my Aurora’s face before the party.”

“Perhaps,” returned Euphrosyne, “the same remark applies to her as to Aurora—­the age for thoroughly enjoying riches is hardly arrived.  You smile, Ambrosia!  Well, we do not yet know your experiment, and you yourself do not know how it has answered.  Take care that our turn for laughing at you does not soon come!”

Julia was dressed at the end of the half-hour, but not sooner.  Her toilet occupied more time than Aurora’s.  She could not decide what ornaments she would wear, and at last getting out of humour with the “embarras des richesses” she fixed on a necklace which, though extremely handsome, was scarcely fit for a child.  She was neither pretty nor otherwise, but when good humoured and happy her face, like that of all other creatures of her innocent time of life, was attractive and pleasant to behold.  Oh, that children did but know wherein the secret of being loveable and beloved lies!  In holding fast the innocence and simplicity of their infant years; in the cheerful spirit, the universal kindheartedness, the open honesty, the sweet teachableness and readiness of belief, which are the real characteristics of childhood and which we so love to trace in their faces.  It was these things our Saviour called upon grown-up people to imitate, and so to receive the kingdom of Heaven as little children.  And oh, that grown-up people would imitate these things; for if they would become in these respects as little children, the sweet cast of mind would be reflected in their faces too, and the ugly looks given by envious discontent, deceitful thoughts, unkind intention and restless want of faith and hope would all be washed out of the world.