human
I should have thought, mamma, she said,
gpt
It does not surprise me, replied Mrs Herbert,
human
But there cannot really be any harm in wishing, can there?
gpt
Only so far harm as it is the seed of all evil, answered her mother.
human
If our wishes were good, our actions would be good also.
gpt
But there are a great many wishes which are neither good nor bad, mamma--wishes, I mean, that are of no consequence.
human
I think that is a mistake, my dear; we are so ignorant that we never can tell whether even a passing thought may not be of consequence; and, with regard to our wishes, the moment we see that we shall not be permitted to indulge them, we must try and get rid of them.
gpt
I do not quite see why it is necessary,
human
Because, replied her mother,
gpt
I see that he was wrong, said Amy,
human
If we were quite good, we should never do so, my love; we should see plainly that even the smallest events of our lives are ordered for our good; and it is better to begin with controlling our wishes in trifles, and then we shall not be led astray by them in great things. Of course there is no harm in wishing for innocent things, as long as it is permitted us to enjoy them; but when they are put beyond our reach our wishes must cease.