must be acquainted with a number of anecdotes."

"My dear Maria," answered Angelica, "whenever I visit my friends, it is
for the sake of enjoying their company; and I am too sensible of my own
interest to forfeit their esteem by exposing their defects. Indeed, I am
sensible of so many errors in myself, and find it so difficult to
correct them, that I have no leisure to contemplate the imperfections of
others. Having every reason to wish for their candour and indulgence, I
readily grant them mine; and my attention is constantly turned to
discover what is commendable in them, in order that I may make such
perfections my own. Before we presume to censure others, we ought to be
certain that we have no faults ourselves. I cannot, therefore, but
congratulate you on that faultless state, which I am so unhappy as to
want. Continue, my dear Maria, this employment of a charitable censor,
who would lead the world to virtue by exposing the deformity of vice,
and you cannot fail of meeting your deserts."

Maria well knew how much she was the public object of aversion and
disgust, and therefore could not help feeling the irony of Angelica.
From that day she began very seriously to reflect on the danger of her
indiscretion; and, trembling at the recollection of those mischiefs she
had caused, determined to prevent their progress.

She found it difficult to throw off the custom she had long indulged of
viewing things on the worst side of the question. At last, however, she
became so perfectly reformed, that she studied only the pleasing parts
of characters, and was never heard to speak ill of any one.

Maria became more and more convinced of the pernicious consequences that
arise from exposing the faults of others, and began to feel the pleasing
satisfaction of universal charity. My dear children, shun the vice of
scandal, and, still more, being the authors of it, as you would plague,
pestilence, and famine.

[Illustration]

CLARISSA; OR, THE GRATEFUL

ORPHAN.

[Illustration]

The amiable Dorinda, soon after the misfortune of losing her husband,
was so unhappy as to have a law-suit determined to her disadvantage, and
thereby lost great part of her possessions, which were taken from her
with the most unrelenting hand. This reduced her to the necessity of
selling all her furniture, and the greater part of her jewels. The
produce of these she placed in the hands of a banker, and retired to a
village, where she could l