Ambrosia laughed assent; but a low murmur of discontent resounded through the Fairy group.

“Intolerable!” cried Leila, shrugging her shoulders like a French woman.

“It is no Fairy gift at all,” exclaimed others; “it is downright plodding and working.”

“If the human race can be made happy by nothing but labour,” cried another; “I propose we leave them to themselves, and give them no more Fairy gifts at all.”

“Remember,” cried Ambrosia, now coming forward, “this is our first experiment upon human happiness.  Hitherto we have given Fairy gifts, and never enquired how they have acted.  And I feel sure we have always forgotten one thing, viz. that poor men and women living in Time, and only having in their power the small bit of it which is present, cannot be happy unless they make Time present happy.  And there is but one plan for that; I use Aglaia’s words:  ’To like every thing you do, and like to be always doing something.’”

Ambrosia ceased speaking, and the circled group were silent too.  They were not satisfied, however; but those sweet, airy people take nothing to heart for long.  For a short time they wandered about in little knots of two and three, talking, and then joined together in a dance and song, ere night surrounded them.  There was from that time, however, a general understanding among them that the human race was too coarse and common to have much sympathy with Fairies, and even the Godmothers agreed to this, for they were sadly tired with the unusual quantity of thinking and observing they had had to undergo.  So if you ever wonder, dear Readers, that Fairy Gifts and Fairy Godmothers have gone out of fashion; you may conclude that the adventure of Ambrosia and Hermione is the reason.

* * * * *

The story is ended; and if any enquiring child should say, “There are no more Fairy gifts, and we can no more give ourselves love of employment than beauty or riches;” let me correct this dangerous error!  Wiser heads than mine have shown that every thing we do becomes by HABIT, not only easy, but actually agreeable.[4]

[4] Abercrombie.  Moral Feelings.

Dear Children! encourage a habit of attention to whatever you undertake, and you may make that habit not only easy, but agreeable; and then, I will venture to promise you, you will like and even love your occupations.  And thus, though you may not have so many talents as Hermione, you may call all those you do possess, into play, and make them the solace, pleasure and resources of your earthly career.

If you do this, I think you will not feel disposed to quarrel, as the Fairies did, with Ambrosia’s gift; for increased knowledge of the world, and your own happy experience, will convince you more and more that no Fairy Gift is so well worth having, as,

THE LOVE OF EMPLOYMENT.

JOACHIM THE MIMIC.