THE HISTORY OF 
 
 Beantj and the Beast. 
 
 The merchant, anxious to procure a rose — 
 
 ( The trifling gift sweet Beauty did propose ), 
 
 Gather'd some in the garden of the Beast, 
 
 Not thinking he was erring in the least : 
 
 " Ingrate ! thou'st robb'd me of my darling store ! " 
 
 The monster, springing from the shrubs, did roar ; 
 
 " Prepare to die ! or quick the flow'rs restore 1 " 
 
 O- 
 
 DEVONPORT: PRINTED BY SAMUEL AND JOHN KEYS. 
 
 d 
 

«» 
 
 
BEAUTY AND THE BEAST. 
 
 nPHERE was once a merchant, who possessed 
 great riches ; he had six children, three 
 boys and three girls, whom he liberally educated. 
 The youngest girl was extremely pretty, insomuch 
 that she obtained the name of Little Beauty, 
 which created jealousy on the part of her less 
 amiable sisters. 
 
 The two eldest were extremely proud at being 
 rich, and spoke to their inferiors with the greatest 
 haughtiness : they gave themselves the most 
 disdainful airs, and refused to visit other mer- 
 chants' daughters ; nor would they indeed be 
 seen with any but persons of the highest quality. 
 They went every day to balls, plays, and public 
 walks, and constantly jeered their youngest sister 
 for spending her time in reading, or other useful 
 and improving employments. 
 
 In the course of time, by some unexpected 
 event, their father lost his whole fortune, being 
 bereft of everything but a small cottage and a 
 few acres of land. " My children," said the 
 tender father, "in consequence of my misfortunes, 
 we must now work and labour." The elder 
 daughters were very ill-disposed at this sudden 
 change from opulence to comparative poverty, 
 
 L 
 
4 BEAUTY AND THE BEAST. 
 
 and obtained no pity from their neighbours, 
 because of their pride ; but every one sympathised 
 Avith Little Beauty, whose engaging manners and 
 affable disposition commanded respect. 
 
 When they removed to their cottage, the 
 merchant and his three sons employed themselves 
 in tilling and sowing the fields, and working in 
 the garden, that they might have corn and vege- 
 tables for their support. Beauty rose by four 
 o'clock, lighted the fire, cleaned the house, and 
 got breakfast ready for the whole family. She at 
 first found all this very fatiguing ; but she soon 
 grew quite accustomed to it. When she had 
 done her work, she generally amused herself 
 with reading, or playing on her harpsichord. 
 The two eldest sisters, on the contrary, were at 
 a loss what to do to pass away the time : they 
 breakfasted in bed, and did not rise till ten, when 
 they commonly walked out; and would frequently 
 sit down under a shady tree, to lament the loss 
 of their carriage and fine clothes ; when they 
 would say to each other, "What a mean-spirited, 
 poor, stupid creature is our youngest sisten to be 
 so content with our miserable situation ! ' But 
 the father thought very differently : he admired 
 the patience of this sweet young creature ; for 
 her sisters not only left the AA^hole of the work 
 of the house to her, but insulted her every 
 moment. 
 
 In this rural state the merchant lived some 
 time, when one day he was agreeably surprised 
 by the news that one of his vessels (which he 
 supposed was lost) had safely arrived. Elated 
 with joy, the two elder daughters clung to their 
 
BEAUTY AND THE BEAST. 5 
 
 father, when they learnt he was about to go and 
 take possession of his property, and intreated 
 him to bring them some trinkets and other use- 
 less baubles. Beauty felt an inward pleasure, on 
 her father's prospects of being reinstated in 
 affluence, yet concealed her ecstacy. '^ You ask 
 me not for anything, Beauty," said her father ; 
 my child, what present shall I bring you ? *' She 
 meekly replied, " I should like you, father, to 
 bring me a rose, for we have none in our garden." 
 
 The merchant then departed ; but on arriving 
 at the port, some dishonest persons went to law 
 with him about the merchandise ; so, after a 
 great deal of trouble, he was returning to his 
 cottage as poor as he had left it. When he was 
 within thirty miles of his house, thinking of the 
 happiness he should enjoy in again embracing his 
 children, he had the. misfortune to lose himself 
 in a thick forest, through which his road lay. It 
 rained and snowed terribly, and the wind was so 
 high as twice to throw him off his horse. Night 
 being come, he fully imagined he should die of 
 cold or hunger, or be torn in pieces by the wolves, 
 which howled in every direction around him. 
 The merchant, accidentally looking down a long 
 avenue, discovered a glimmering light, at a dis- 
 tance, to which he hastened. He soon arrived 
 at the gates of a palace, which he opened, and 
 was greatly surprised to find no one in any of 
 the outer yards. The merchant then tied up his 
 horse, and walked tovi^ards the house, which he 
 entered, and, to his great astonishment, saw not 
 a living creature : he pursued his way to a large 
 hall, in which was a good fire, and a table plen- 
 tifully supplied with food. 
 
6 BEAUTY AND THE BEAST. 
 
 As the snow, and rain had wetted him to the 
 skin, he approached the fire to dry himself. " I 
 hope," said he, " the master of the house or his 
 servants will excuse the liberty I take, for it 
 surely will not be long before they make their 
 appearance." He waited a considerable time, 
 and still nobody came ; at length the clock struck 
 eleven ; and the merchant, overcome with hunger 
 and thirst, helped himself to a chicken, and then 
 to a few glasses of wine ; all the time trembling 
 with fear. He sat till the clock struck twelve, 
 and not a creature had he seen. He now took 
 courage, and began to think of looking a little 
 farther about him : accordingly, he opened an 
 apartment magnificently furnished, which he 
 found opened into another, in which there was an 
 excellent bed ; and, being quite worn out with 
 fatigue, he undressed himself, and got into it. 
 
 It was ten o'clock the next morning before he 
 thought of rising : when he was about to dress 
 himself, he discovered a suit of new clothes in 
 the room of those which had been drenched 
 with the rain on the preceding evening. " No 
 doubt," he ejaculated, " this palace is the resi- 
 dence of some good Fairy, who, perhaps, com- 
 misserates my hapless situation." He then 
 returned to the hall, where he found a sumptuous 
 banquet, consisting of almost every delicacy. 
 After partaking of a hearty repast, he repaired 
 to the stable in which he had placed his horse. 
 As he passed by one of the arbours, (which was 
 bedecked with roses) he gathered a bunch of 
 them for his daughter, Beauty ; at this instant he 
 saw a hideous beast approach him, who, with a 
 horrible grin, exclaimed, *' Ungrateful man! I 
 
BEAUTY AND THE BEAST. 7 
 
 sheltered you and preserved your life from the 
 pitiless storm, and in return you ungratefully 
 steal my roses, more valuable to me than the 
 whole of these possessions — for this nefarious 
 deed you shall immediately die." 
 
 The merchant fell on his knees to the Beast, 
 and, clasping his hands, said, " My lord, I 
 humbly entreat your pardon : I did not think it 
 could offend you to gather a rose for one of my 
 daughters, who desired to have one." *' I am 
 not a lord, but a Beast," replied the monster ; " I 
 do not like compliments, but that people should 
 say what they think : so do not imagine you can 
 move me by your flattery. You say, however, 
 that you have daughters ; I will therefore pardon 
 you, on condition that one of them shall come 
 hither and die in your stead : do not attempt to 
 argue with me, but go ; and if your daughters 
 should refuse, swear to me that you will return in 
 three months." The merchant acceded. ''But," 
 added the Beast, " it is my will that you go not 
 empty away : in the chamber where you slept, 
 you will find an old empty chest — fill it with 
 whatever valuables you choose, and I will get it 
 conveyed to your cottage." The Beast retired, 
 and left the merchant to ruminate : — '' If I must 
 die, I may as well leave my children some pro- 
 vision." Accordingly, he loaded the chest with 
 gold. Mounting his horse, he left the palace of 
 enchantment with no less grief than he entered 
 it with joy." 
 
 The horse of itself took a path across the 
 forest, and in a few hours they reached the mer- 
 chant's house. His children gathered round 
 
8 BEAUTY AND THE BEAST. 
 
 him, as he dismounted from his horse ; but the 
 merchant, instead of embracing them with jov, 
 could not, as he looked at them, refrain from 
 weeping. He held in his hand the bunch of 
 roses, which he gave to Beauty, saying, *' Take 
 these roses. Beauty : but little do you think how 
 dear they have cost your unhappy father ; " and 
 then gave an account of all that happened in the 
 palace of the Beast. " Well, father," said Beauty, 
 " as the Beast will accept either you or one of 
 your daughters, I will give myself up to his fury, 
 as it is on my account you have been involved 
 in this trouble. The merchant in vain endeav- 
 oured to reason with Beauty, for she was deter- 
 mined to go ; at which the elder sisters, who 
 were jealous of her amiable qualities, secretly 
 rejoiced. 
 
 The affliction of the merchant was so great, 
 that he forgot the promised treasure; but on re- 
 tiring to rest, discovered the chest of gold by his 
 bed-side : he, however, withheld the secret from 
 his eldest daughters, imparting it only to Beauty. 
 
 When the three months were expired, the 
 merchant and Beauty set out for the palace of 
 the Beast ; upon which occasion the two sisters 
 rubbed their eyes with an onion, to appear as if 
 they shed a great many tears ; but both the mer- 
 chant and his sons shed them in reality. 
 
 They reached the palace in a few hours, and 
 entering an apartment, found a sumptuous feast 
 prepared, of which they readily partook. Beauty 
 was timorous ; but a rectitude of conduct gave 
 her courage." 
 
BEAUTY AND THE BEAST. Q 
 
 Just as they had finished supper, the Beast 
 entered. The monster asked if she came wil- 
 lingly. She tremblingly faltered out, " Y-e-s, 
 y-e-s." " You are a good girl," he replied ; 
 " and I think myself much obliged to you." "He 
 said to her father, " You may go from the palace 
 to-morrow morning, and take care never to 
 return to it again." He then withdrew. 
 
 The father and daughter now wished each 
 other a sorrowful good-night, and went to bed, 
 thinking it would be impossible for them to close 
 their eyes ; but no sooner had they lain down, 
 than they fell into a profound sleep, from which 
 they did not awake till morning. Beauty dreamt 
 that a lady approached her, who said, " I am 
 much pleased. Beauty, with the generous affection 
 you have shown, in being willing to give your life 
 to save that of your father, and it shall not go 
 unrewarded." Beauty, as soon as she awoke, 
 related this dream to her father : but though it 
 aflPorded him some comfort, he could not leave 
 his darling child, without shedding the bitterest 
 tears. 
 
 Beauty surveyed many parts of the palace? 
 and at length came to a door, over which was 
 written, "beauty's apartment," where was 
 an extensive library, furnished to illuminate the 
 mind and cultivate the understanding : in addition 
 to which were several exquisite pieces of music, 
 whose chords vibrated through the vaulted rooms 
 with more than usual melody. This gave Beauty 
 a favourable opinion of the Beast, whom she be- 
 fore conceived hostile : she then opened the 
 library, and perceived an elegantly bound book, 
 in which was written in letters of gold :— 
 
10 Beauty and the beast. 
 
 Beauteous lady, dry your tears, 
 Here's no cause for sighs or fears ; 
 Command as freely as you may. 
 Compliance still shall mark your way. 
 
 " Alas ! " said she, sighing, ^' there is nothing 
 I so much desire as to see my poor father, and 
 to know what he is this moment doing ; " when 
 casting her eyes on a looking-glass that stood 
 near her, she saw her home, and her father 
 riding up to the cottage in the deepest affliction ! 
 Her sisters had come out to meet him, who, 
 notwithstanding all their endeavours to look sorry, 
 could not help betraying their joy. 
 
 At noon Beauty found every delicacy prepared 
 for her ; and at supper, when she was going to 
 place herself at the table, she heard the Beast 
 advancing, who said, ^' Will you allow me, 
 Beauty, the pleasure of seeing you sup ?" " That 
 is as you please," she replied, somewhat intimi- 
 dated. Beauty, in the course of conversation, 
 overcame her fears ; but, when the Beast asked 
 her if she would be wedded to him, she paused 
 for a few moments, and then gave him an answer, 
 which implied non-consent. The Beast, pitifully 
 sighing, retired to give vent to tears. 
 
 Beauty felt for him the greatest compassion, 
 and regretted his frightful appearance. One day 
 she said to him, " You exceedingly distress me ; 
 but though T cannot love you, yet you shall ever 
 be entitled to my esteem, for the attention and 
 kindness which I here witness." He then made 
 her promise she would not totally quit him. In 
 answer she said, " I will not; but I am desirous 
 of seeing my father ; and if you refuse me this 
 request, I fear I shall die of grief and despair." 
 " Promise me/' said the Beast, " to return in a 
 
BEAUTY AND THE BEAST. ] | 
 
 week, and to-morrow morning you shall find 
 yourself with him : when you wish to return, 
 you have only to put your ring on a table when 
 you go to bed." This said he bade her farewell. 
 
 When she awoke in the morning, she found 
 herself with her father. A chest with a profu- 
 sion of fine clothes, pearls, and diamonds, were 
 also the gifts of the Beast. 
 
 Beauty awoke, put her ring on the table, and 
 soon fell into a slumber again. In the morning 
 she found herself in the palace of the Beast, and 
 accordingly, as she dreamt, discovered him 
 almost lifeless and extended on a grass plat. 
 She recovered him with a little water. The 
 Beast soon opened his eyes, and faltering said, 
 " Beauty, you forgot your promise — I had re- 
 solved to starve myself to death, but the sight of 
 you reanimates me." " Oh no, my Beast, you 
 shall not die — you shall liv^e to become my hus- 
 band." Scarce had she pronounced those words, 
 when the palace became suddenly illuminated : 
 music, fireworks, and all kinds of harmonic 
 sounds announced the most splendid rejoicings. 
 All this change of scene had no effect upon the 
 lamenting Beauty : but judge of her astonishment 
 when, turning aside, she beheld at her feet a 
 handsome prince, who thanked her for having 
 broken his enchantment ! 
 
 Beauty inquired of this handsome prince, 
 what was become of the Beast ? *' You see 
 him. Beauty, at your feet," said he : "a wicked 
 Fairy had condemned me to wear the form of a 
 beast, till a beautiful young lady should consent 
 
12 BEAUTY AND THE BEAST. 
 
 to marry me, and had forbidden me, on pain of 
 death, to show that I had any understanding. 
 You alone, dearest Beauty, have had the gen- 
 erosity to judge of me by the goodness of mv 
 heart." ^ 
 
 Beauty assisted the prince to rise, and they 
 proceeded together to the palace ; when her as- 
 tonishment was very great to find there her 
 father and all the family, who had been conveyed 
 thither by the beautiful lady she saw in her 
 dream. *' Beauty," said the lady, (for she was 
 a great fairy) "receive the reward of the vir- 
 tuous choice you have made. You have pre- 
 ferred goodness of heart to sense and beauty ; 
 you therefore deserve to find these same qualities 
 united in the same person. You are going to be 
 made a queen ; I hope a crown will not destroy 
 your virtue. As for you, ladies," said the fairy 
 to the elder sisters, " I have long been a wit- 
 ness to the malice of your hearts and the injustice 
 you have committed. You shall become two 
 statues ; yet under that form you shall preserve 
 your present reason ; and you shall be fixed at 
 the gates of your sister's palace. You will never 
 recover your natural forms till you are fully sen- 
 sible of your faults ; and to say the truth, I 
 much fear you will ever remain statues." At the 
 same instant, the fairy, with a stroke of her wand, 
 transported all who were present to the young 
 prince's dominions, where he was received with 
 transports of joy by his subjects. He married 
 Beauty, and passed with her a long and happy 
 life, because their actions were founded upon 
 virtue. 
 
1 
 
«j; 
 
 
 m 
 
 HISTORY BOOKS 
 
 PUBLISHED BY S. & J. KEYS, WHOLESALE AND EETAIL, 
 
 SELL AT ONE PENNY EACH. 
 The History of Fair Rosamond 
 The Life and Adventures of Richard Turpin 
 
 I The History of Tom Thumb 
 
 The surprising Adventures of Puss iii Boots 
 Rhymes for the Nursery 
 
 The entertaining History of Whittington and his Cat 
 The droll Adventures of Mother Hubbard and her Dog 
 The Serio-Comic Drama of Punch and Judy 
 
 I The History of Tom Tucker 
 
 - The Life and Adventures of Jack Sheppard 
 
 The Life and Adventures of Bampfylde Moore Carew 
 The History of the unfortunate Jane Shore 
 
 ^ The interesting History of Jack and the Giants 
 
 The New Letter Writer ; or, Art of Polite Correspondence 
 Remarkable Predictions of Robert Nixon, the Cheshire 
 
 Prophet. 
 The History of Beauty and the Beast 
 The History and Adventures of Three-Fingered Jack, the 
 
 terror of Jamaica 
 The Voyages and Travels of Sindbad the Sailor 
 The popular Tale of Blue Beard ; or. Female Curiosity 
 The History of Valentine and Orson 
 The surprising Adventures of the Seven Champions o-f 
 Christendom 
 
 «3) 
 
 '9> 
 
 'Ol 
 
 PRICE ONE PENNY EACH. 
 
 The New Universal Dream Book ; or, the Dreamer's sure Guide 
 
 to tlie hidden Mysteries of Futurity. 
 
 Napoleon Bonaparte's Book of Fate, found in his Cabinet, who 
 estimated it as his greatest treasure, being in tlie habit of consulting 
 it on all momentous occasions, and having always found its revel- 
 ations the best Insight into Futurity. 
 
 The "Wheel of Fortune : on Love, Marriage, &c, ; to which are 
 added the Signification of Moles ; Judgments drawn from the Moon's 
 age ; the Lucky and Unlucky Days and Hours ; fall directions for 
 young Ladies to choose their Husbands, and Gentlemen their Wives ; 
 how to know if their present sweethearts will marry them ; and how 
 to see their future partner; and to enjoy the pleasure of seeing iu a 
 Dream what their Future Fate will be ; and other curious and in- 
 teresting matter. 
 
 a 
 
 
 toici) 
 
 I. 
 
 m 
 
 ^; 
 
 Always on Sale, a large assortment of Penny Song Books, t^