“I was much surprised, as you may suppose, to hear a young gentleman acknowledge, that he was obedient only when he was watched; for I had always thought, that, as greater praise is due to those who perform their duty voluntarily, the inducement to do so must be stronger where confidence is reposed, at least to a generous mind. Master William, however, could not, I imagined, possess any generous sentiments, since he was so cruel as to deprive little, inoffensive animals of their beloved offspring, and that too for sport. “He and his servant were now approaching that part of the hedge where Sophia’s poor little birds had built. She was at the window during the above conversation, and was, doubtless, greatly alarmed for the helpless nestlings. After a short pause, Master William suddenly exclaimed, ‘I do think there are young birds in this hedge, for I heard some chirp.’ ‘Like enough,’ said John, and immediately they began to search. “Poor Sophia, on hearing the last words, left the room, in order to request her mother’s interposition in behalf of _her_ nest, as she called it. Her mother, therefore, went down into the garden, where she found Master William actually in possession of the nest, the little ones chirping with terror, and the parent birds fluttering about the hedge in visible distress. ‘Dear Master Stanton,’ said she, ‘I am sure you cannot be sensible of the pain you are inflicting on those poor little birds, by disturbing their nest, for I am persuaded that you do not intend depriving them of it.’ ‘Yes, but I do, though,’ said he. ‘And what do you propose to do with them?’ ‘Oh, I shall play with them, and give them to my little sisters to amuse them.’ ‘But can you find amusement while giving pain to any animal?’ ‘Why, as to that, I shall not hurt them; and then, you know, they will not feel any pain.’ ‘But is hunger no pain?’ ‘Oh, I shall feed them.’ ‘That I am not sure you will be able to do; and even if you were, do you think the old birds will suffer nothing from the loss of them? See how distressed they now appear.’ ‘Oh, the boys at school say that is all nonsense; they will soon forget their grief.’ ‘Well, I see you are not to be prevailed on, for the sake of the poor little birds, perhaps you will replace them when I tell you, that they have been for some time a source of amusement to one of my daughters, who is deprived of many comforts by an illness which confines her entirely to the house, and from which we have indeed every thing to apprehend.’