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.
