catch to
confine it, so that it would not remain spread. A penknife handle
without a blade, and the blade without the handle, next presented
themselves to her astonished gaze. In great confusion she then
unrolled a paper which discovered a telescope apparently like her
sister's; but on applying it to her eye, she found it did not contain
a single lens--so that it was no better than a roll of pasteboard. She
was, however, greatly encouraged to discover that the last remaining
article was a watch; for, as she heard it tick, she felt no doubt that
this at least was complete; but upon examination she discovered that
there was no hour hand, the minute hand alone pursuing its lonely and
useless track.

Charlotte, whose conscience had very soon explained to her the moral
of all this, now turned from the tantalizing table in confusion, and
burst into an agony of tears. Caroline wept also; and Mrs. Dawson,
after an interval of silence, thus addressed her daughters:

"It is quite needless for me to explain my reasons for making you such
presents, Charlotte. I assure you your papa and I have had a very
painful employment the past hour in spoiling them all for you. If I
had found on your table in the schoolroom any one thing that had been
properly finished, you would have received one complete present to
answer it; but this you know was not the case. I should be very glad
if this disappointment should teach you what I have hitherto vainly
endeavored to impress upon you--that as all those things, pretty or
useful as they are in themselves, are rendered totally useless for
want of completeness, so exertion without perseverance is no better
than busy idleness. That employment does not deserve the name of
industry which requires the stimulus of novelty to keep it going.
Those who will only work so long as they are amused will do no more
good in the world, either to themselves or others, than those who
refuse to work at all. If I had required you to pass the six weeks of
my absence in bed or in counting your fingers, you would, I suppose,
have thought it a sad waste of time; and yet I appeal to you whether
(with the exception of an hour or two of needlework) the whole mass of
articles on your table could produce anything more useful. And thus,
my dears, may life be squandered away, in a succession of busy
nothings.

"I have now a proposal to make to you. These presents, which you are
to take possession of as they are, I advise you