Lord High Admiral. I do not think it would be wise in me to gratify
your desires in this matter, for then I should be like the foolish
father of whom Krummacher relates a story."

"Oh! what is it, papa," inquired George: "will you tell us?"

MR. WILTON. "A father returned from the sea-coast to his own home,
and brought with him, for his son, some beautiful shells, which he
had picked up on the shore. The delight of the boy was great. He
took them, and sorted them, and counted them over. He called all his
playfellows, to show them his treasures; and they could talk of
nothing but the beautiful shells. He daily found new beauties, and
gave each of them a name. But in a few months, the boy's father said
to himself, 'I will now give him a still higher pleasure; I will
take him to the coast of the sea itself; there he will see thousands
more of beautiful shells, and may choose for himself.' When they
came to the beach, the boy was amazed at the multitude of shells
that lay around, and he went to and fro and picked them up. But one
seemed still more beautiful than another, and he kept always
changing those he had gathered for fresh shells. In this manner he
went about changing, vexed, and out of humor with himself. At
length, tired of stooping and comparing, and selecting, he threw
away all he had picked up, and, returning home weary of shells, he
gave away all those which had afforded him so much pleasure. Then
his father was sorry, and said, 'I have acted unwisely; the boy was
happy in his small pleasures, and I have robbed him of his
simplicity, and both of us of a gratification.' Now, my boy, does
not this advise you to be content with such things as you have? King
Solomon says, 'Better is a little with the fear of the Lord, than
great treasure and trouble therewith;' and surely your trouble would