amily, parish, and country, did the
same, why then all the schemes would meet, and the end of one
parish, where I was doing good, would be the beginning of another
parish where somebody else was doing good; so my schemes would jut
into my neighbor's; his projects would unite with those of some
other local reformer; and all would fit with a sort of dove-tail
exactness. And what is better, all would join in forming a living
comment on that practical precept; "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God
with all thy heart, and thy neighbor as thyself."

_Fantom._ Sir, a man of large views will be on the watch for great
occasions to prove his benevolence.

_Trueman._ Yes, sir; but if they are so distant that he can not
reach them, or so vast that he can not grasp them, he may let a
thousand little, snug, kind, good actions slip through his fingers
in the meanwhile; and so between the great things that he can not
do, and the little ones that he will not do, life passes and nothing
will be done.

Just at this moment Miss Polly Fantom (whose mother had gone out
some time before) started up, let fall her work, and cried out, "O,
papa, do but look what a monstrous great fire there is yonder on
the common! If it were the fifth of November I should think it were
a bonfire. Look how it blazes." "I see plain enough what it is,"
said Mr. Fantom, sitting down again without the least emotion. "It
is Jenkins's cottage on fire." "What, poor John Jenkins, who works
in our garden, papa?" said the poor girl, in great terror. "Do not
be frightened, child," answered Fantom; "we are safe enough; the
wind blows the other way. Why did you disturb us for such a trifle,
as it was so distant? Come, Mr. Trueman, sit down." "Sit down!" said
Mr. Trueman; "I am not a stock, nor a stone, but a man, made of the
same common nature with Jenkins, whose house is burning. Come
along--let us fly and help him," continued he, running to the door
in such haste that he forgot to take his hat, though it hung just
before him. "Come, Mr. Fantom--come, my little dear; I wish your
mamma was here; I am sorry she went out just now; we may all do some
good; every body may be of some use at a fire. Even you, Miss Polly,
may save some of these poor people's things in your apron, while
your papa and I hand the buckets." All this he said as he ran along
with the young lady in his hand, not doubting but Fantom and his
whole family were following close behind him. But the present
dis