The Works of Hannah More (Volume 5); Including Several Pieces Never Before Published (Paperback)

Book may have numerous typos, missing text, images, or index. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. 1801. Excerpt: ... THE TWO SHOEMAKERS. Jack Brown and James Stock, were two lads apprenticed at nearly the fame time, to Mr. Williams, a shoemaker, in a small town in Oxfordshire: they were pretty near the same age, but of very different characters and dispositions. Brown was eldest son to a farmer in good circumstances, who gave the usual apprentice fee with him. Being a wild giddy boy, whom his father could not well manage or instruct in farming, he thought it better to fend him out to learn a trade at a distance, than to let him idle about at home; for Jack always preferred bird'snesting and marbles to any other employment; he would trifle away half the day, ' F 3 when when his father thought he was at school, with any boys he could meet with, who were as idle as himself; and never could be prevailed upon to do, or to learn any thing, while a game at taw could be had for love or money. All this time, his little brothers, much younger than himself, were beginning to follow the plough, or to carry the corn to mill as soon as they were able to mount a part-horse. Jack, however, who was a lively boy, and did not naturally want either sense or good-nature, might have turned out well enough, if he had not had the misfortune to. be his mother's favourite. She concealed and forgave all his faults. To be sure he was a little wild, she would fay, but he would not make the worse man for that, for Jack had a good spirit of his own, and she would not have it broke, and so make a mope of the boy. The farmer, for a quiet life, as it is called, gave up all these points" to his wife; and, with them, gave up the future virtue and happiness of his child. He was was a laborious and industrious man, but had no religion; he thought only of the gains and advantages of the'present day, and never took the future into the ac...