I have no objection,
Miss Jenny, to your reading any stories to amuse you, provided you read
them with the proper disposition of mind not to be hurt by them. A very
good moral may indeed be drawn from the whole, and likewise from almost
every part of it; and as you had this story from your mamma, I doubt not
but you are very well qualified to make the proper remarks yourself
upon the moral of it to your companions. But here let me observe to you
(which I would have you communicate to your little friends) that giants,
magic, fairies, and all sorts of supernatural assistances in a story,
are only introduced to amuse and divert: for a giant is called so only
to express a man of great power; and the magic fillet round the statue
was intended only to show you, that by patience you will overcome all
difficulties. Therefore, by no means let the notion of giants or magic
dwell upon your minds. And you may farther observe, that there is
a different style adapted to every sort of writing; and the various
sounding epithets given to Barbarico are proper to express the raging
cruelty of his wicked mind. But neither this high-sounding language, nor
the supernatural contrivances in this story, do I so thoroughly approve,
as to recommend them much to your reading; except, as I said before,
great care is taken to prevent your being carried away, by these
high-flown things, from that simplicity of taste and manners which it is
my chief study to inculcate.'

Here Miss Jenny looked a little confounded; and, by her down-cast eye,
showed a fear that she had incurred the disapprobation, if not the
displeasure, of her governess: upon which Mrs. Teachum thus proceeded:

'I do not intend by this, my dear, to blame you for what you have done;
but only to instruct you how to make the best use of even the most
trifling things: and if you have any more stories of this kind, with
an equal good moral, when you are not better employed, I shall not be
against your reading them; always remembering the cautions I have this
evening been giving you.'

Miss Jenny thanked her governess for her instructions, and kind
indulgence to her, and promised to give her an exact account of their
daily amusements; and, taking leave, retired to her rest.






That Miss Jenny's meeting with her companions in the morning, after
school, she asked them how they liked the history of the giants? They
all declared they thought it