"Oh, that will be delightful, mother, but Edward and I cannot dance a cotillon alone."
"No, but we are not going to a desert. There are enough clever children in the neighborhood, who will form a set with you; and now, Julia, that I see by your brightened eye, that you think the affliction of leaving the dancing-school will be alleviated, what is the next subject of your regret?"
"The next, mother? what is next, Edward?"
"I do not know what you will call next, Julia, but I think the theatre comes next."
"O! the theatre--yes, the theatre--how could I forget the theatre?"
"Well, my children, I think you can live without the theatre, as you go but once, or at most twice in a season; a pleasure that occupies so small a portion of your time, cannot be very important to your happiness, or regretted very deeply."
"A small portion of time, to be sure, mother," replied Edward; "but then you will own it is delightful: you yourself exclaimed the other night when the curtain drew up, 'what a beautiful spectacle!'"
"Yes, my love, but nature has far more beautiful spectacles, and I have kept you too long from them."
"But, mother," insisted Edward, "nothing can be so pleasant and startling, as when the curtain suddenly draws up and discovers a beautiful scene."
"It may be more startling, my dear Ned, but it is not half so delightful as to see the curtain of night withdrawn in a clear summer morning, and the lovely objects of nature lighting up with the rays of the rising sun."
"And in the country, my dear, we have bands of voluntary musicians on every side of us, who set all their wants, and all their pleasures to music, and pour them forth in the sweetest notes, from morning till night. These musicians will hover about our house and garden the entire summer, and ask no reward, but to share with us our cherries and raspberries; a small pittance from the generous stores of summer. But, come, my children, what next?"
"What next, Julia? Let us think--Oh, there is the museum. I am sure, mother, you cannot say a word against the museum--such a variety of curiosities, and elegant specimens of every thing, and I have heard you and papa both say, that it is a very instructive as well as amusing place to visit."