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diff --git a/1905.txt b/1905.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..4898831 --- /dev/null +++ b/1905.txt @@ -0,0 +1,5351 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Governess, by Sarah Fielding + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The Governess + The Little Female Academy + +Author: Sarah Fielding + +Posting Date: October 10, 2008 [EBook #1905] +Release Date: September, 1999 + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE GOVERNESS *** + + + + +Produced by Pat Pflieger + + + + + +THE GOVERNESS; + +OR, THE LITTLE FEMALE ACADEMY (1749) + +by Sarah Fielding + + + +There lived in the northern parts of England, a gentlewoman who +undertook the education of young ladies; and this trust she endeavoured +faithfully to discharge, by instructing those committed to her care in +reading, writing, working, and in all proper forms of behaviour. And +though her principal aim was to improve their minds in all useful +knowledge; to render them obedient to their superiors, and gentle, kind, +and affectionate to each other; yet did she not omit teaching them an +exact neatness in their persons and dress, and a perfect gentility in +their whole carriage. + +This gentlewoman, whose name was Teachum, was the widow of a clergyman, +with whom she had lived nine years in all the harmony and concord which +forms the only satisfactory happiness in the married state. Two little +girls (the youngest of which was born before the second year of their +marriage was expired) took up a great part of their thoughts; and it was +their mutual design to spare no pains or trouble in their education. + +Mr. Teachum was a very sensible man, and took great delight in improving +his wife; as she also placed her chief pleasure in receiving his +instructions. One of his constant subjects of discourse to her was +concerning the education of children: so that, when in his last illness +his physicians pronounced him beyond the power of their art to relieve +him, he expressed great satisfaction in the thought of leaving his +children to the care of so prudent a mother. + +Mrs. Teachum, though exceedingly afflicted by such a loss, yet thought +it her duty to call forth all her resolutions to conquer her grief, in +order to apply herself to the care of these her dear husband's children. +But her misfortunes were not here to end: for within a twelvemonth after +the death of her husband, she was deprived of both her children by a +violent fever that then raged in the country; and, about the same time, +by the unforeseen breaking of a banker, in whose hands almost all her +fortune was just then placed, she was bereft of the means of her future +support. + +The Christian fortitude with which (through her husband's instructions) +she had armed her mind, had not left it in the power of any outward +accident to bereave her of her understanding, or to make her incapable +of doing what was proper on all occasions. Therefore, by the advice +of all her friends, she undertook what she was so well qualified for; +namely, the education of children. But as she was moderate in her +desires, and did not seek to raise a great fortune, she was resolved to +take no more scholars than she could have an eye to herself without +the help of other teachers; and instead of making interest to fill her +school, it was looked upon as a great favour when she would take any +girl. And as her number was fixed to nine, which she on no account +would be prevailed on to increase, great application was made, when any +scholar went away, to have her place supplied; and happy were they who +could get a promise for the next vacancy. + +Mrs. Teachum was about forty years old, tall and genteel in her person, +though somewhat inclined to fat. She had a lively and commanding eye, +insomuch that she naturally created an awe in all her little scholars; +except when she condescended to smile, and talk familiarly to them; +and then she had something perfectly kind and tender in her manner. Her +temper was so extremely calm and good, that though she never omitted +reprehending, and that pretty severely, any girl that was guilty of the +smallest fault proceeding from an evil disposition; yet for no cause +whatsoever was she provoked to be in a passion; but she kept up such a +dignity and authority, by her steady behavior, that the girls greatly +feared to incur her displeasure by disobeying her commands; and were +equally pleased with her approbation, when they had done anything worthy +her commendation. + +At the time of the ensuing history, the school (being full) consisted of +the nine following young ladies: + + Miss JENNY PEACE. + Miss NANNY SPRUCE. + Miss SUKEY JENNETT. + Miss BETTY FORD. + Miss DOLLY FRIENDLY. + Miss HENNY FRET. + Miss LUCY SLY. + Miss POLLY SUCKLING. + Miss PATTY LOCKIT. + +The eldest of these was but fourteen years old, and none of the rest had +yet attained their twelfth year. + + + + +AN ACCOUNT OF A FRAY, + +BEGUN AND CARRIED ON FOR THE SAKE OF AN APPLE: IN WHICH ARE SHOWN THE +SAD EFFECTS OF RAGE AND ANGER. + +It was on a fine summer's evening when the school-hours were at an end, +and the young ladies were admitted to divert themselves for some time, +as they thought proper, in a pleasant garden adjoining to the house, +that their governess, who delighted in pleasing them, brought out a +little basket of apples, which were intended to be divided equally +amongst them; but Mrs. Teachum being hastily called away (one of her +poor neighhours having had an accident which wanted her assistance), +she left the fruit in the hands of Miss Jenny Peace, the eldest of her +scholars, with a strict charge to see that every one had an equal share +of her gift. + +But here a perverse accident turned good Mrs. Teachum's design of giving +them pleasure into their sorrow, and raised in their little hearts +nothing but strife and anger: for, alas! there happened to be one apple +something larger than the rest, on which the whole company immediately +placed their desiring eyes, and all at once cried out, 'Pray, Miss +Jenny, give me that apple.' Each gave her reasons why she had the best +title to it: the youngest pleaded her youth, and the eldest her age; one +insisted on her goodness, another from her meekness claimed a title to +preference; and one, in confidence of her strength, said positively, +she would have it; but all speaking together, it was difficult to +distinguish who said this, or who said that. + +Miss Jenny begged them all to be quiet, but in vain; for she could not +be heard: they had all set their hearts on that fine apple, looking upon +those she had given them as nothing. She told them they had better +be contented with what they had, than be thus seeking what it was +impossible for her to give to them all. She offered to divide it into +eight parts, or to do anything to satisfy them; but she might as well +have been silent; for they were all talking and had no time to hear. +At last as a means to quiet the disturbance, she threw this apple, +the cause of their contention, with her utmost force over a hedge into +another garden, where they could not come at it. + +At first they were all silent, as if they were struck dumb with +astonishment with the loss of this one poor apple, though at the same +time they had plenty before them. + +But this did not bring to pass Miss Jenny's design: for now they all +began again to quarrel which had the most right to it, and which ought +to have had it, with as much vehemence as they had before contended for +the possession of it; and their anger by degrees became so high, that +words could not vent half their rage; and they fell to pulling of caps, +tearing of hair, and dragging the clothes off one another's backs: +though they did not so much strike, as endeavour to scratch and pinch +their enemies. + +Miss Dolly Friendly as yet was not engaged in the battle; but on hearing +her friend Miss Nanny Spruce scream out, that she was hurt by a sly +pinch from one of the girls, she flew on this sly pincher, as she called +her, like an enraged lion on its prey; and not content only to return +the harm her friend had received, she struck with such force, as felled +her enemy to the ground. And now they could not distinguish between +friend and enemy; but fought, scratched, and tore, like so many cats, +when they extend their claws to fix them in their rival's heart. + +Miss Jenny was employed in endeavouring to part them. + +In the midst of this confusion appeared Mrs. Teachum, who was returning +in hopes to see them happy with the fruit she had given them; but she +was some time there before either her voice or presence could awaken +them from their attention to the fight; when on a sudden they all faced +her, and fear of punishment began now a little to abate their rage. +Each of the misses held in her right hand, fast clenched, some marks +of victory; for they beat and were beaten by turns. One of them held a +little lock of hair torn from the head of her enemy; another grasped a +piece of a cap, which, in aiming at her rival's hair, had deceived her +hand, and was all the spoils she could gain; a third clenched a piece of +an apron; a fourth, of a frock. In short, everyone unfortunately held +in her hand a proof of having been engaged in the battle. And the ground +was spread with rags and tatters, torn from the backs of the little +inveterate combatants. + +Mrs. Teachum stood for some time astonished at the sight; but at last +she enquired of Miss Jenny Peace, who was the only person disengaged, +to tell her the whole truth, and to inform her of the cause of all this +confusion. + +Miss Jenny was obliged to obey the commands of her governess; though +she was so good natured that she did it in the mildest terms; and +endeavoured all she could to lessen, rather than increase, Mrs. +Teachum's anger. The guilty persons now began all to excuse themselves +as fast as tears and sobs would permit them. + +One said, 'Indeed, madam, it was none of my fault; for I did not begin; +for Miss Sukey Jennett, without any cause in the world (for I did +nothing to provoke her), hit me a great slap in the face, and made my +tooth ache; the pain DID make me angry; and then, indeed, I hit her a +little tap; but it was on her back; and I am sure it was the smallest +tap in the world and could not possibly hurt her half so much as her +great blow did me.' + +'Law, miss!' replied Miss Jennett, 'how can you say so? when you know +that you struck me first, and that yours was the great blow, and mine +the little tap; for I only went to defend myself from your monstrous +blows.' + +Such like defences they would all have made for themselves, each +insisting on not being in fault, and throwing the blame on her +companion; but Mrs. Teachum silenced them by a positive command; and +told them, that she saw they were all equally guilty, and as such would +treat them. + +Mrs. Teachum's method of punishing I never could find out. But this +is certain, the most severe punishment she had ever inflicted on any +misses, since she had kept a school, was now laid on these wicked girls, +who had been thus fighting, and pulling one another to pieces, for a +sorry apple. + +The first thing she did was to take away all the apples; telling them, +that before they had any more instances of such kindness from her, they +should give her proofs of their deserving them better. And when she had +punished them as much as she thought proper, she made them all embrace +one another, and promise to be friends for the future; which, in +obedience to her commands, they were forced to comply with, though there +remained a grudge and ill-will in their bosoms; every one thinking she +was punished most, although she would have it, that she deserved to be +punished least; and they continued all the sly tricks they could think +on to vex and tease each other. + + + + +A DIALOGUE BETWEEN MISS JENNY PEACE AND MISS SUKEY JENNETT; + +WHEREIN THE LATTER IS AT LAST CONVINCED OF HER OWN FOLLY IN BEING SO +QUARRELSOME; AND, BY HER EXAMPLE, ALL HER COMPANIONS ARE BROUGHT TO SEE +AND CONFESS THEIR FAULT. + +The next morning Miss Jenny Peace used her utmost endeavours to bring +her schoolfellows to be heartily reconciled, but in vain: for each +insisted on it, that she was not to blame; but that the whole quarrel +arose from the faults of others. At last ensued the following dialogue +between Miss Jenny Peace and Miss Sukey Jennett, which brought about +Miss Jenny's designs; and which we recommend to the consideration of all +our young readers. + +MISS JENNY. Now pray, Miss Sukey, tell me, what did you get by your +contention and quarrel about that foolish apple? + +MISS SUKEY. Indeed, ma'am, I shall not answer you; I know that you only +want to prove, that you are wiser than I, because you are older. But I +don't know but some people may understand as much at eleven years old as +others at thirteen: but, because you are the oldest in the school, you +always want to be tutoring and governing. I don't like to have more than +one governess; and if I obey my mistress, I think that is enough. + +MISS JENNY. Indeed, my dear, I don't want to govern you, nor to prove +myself wiser than you; I only want that instead of quarrelling, and +making yourself miserable, you should live at peace and be happy. +Therefore, pray do answer my question, whether you get anything by your +quarrel? + +MISS SUKEY. No I cannot say I got anything by it: for my mistress was +angry, and punished me; and my hair was pulled off, and my clothes torn +in the scuffle; neither did I value the apple; but yet I have too much +spirit to be imposed on. I am sure I had as good a right to it as any of +the others; and I would not give up my right to anyone. + +MISS JENNY. But don't you know, Miss Sukey, it would have shown much +more spirit to have yielded the apple to another, than to have fought +about it? Then indeed you would have proved your sense; for you would +have shown, that you had too much understanding to fight about a trifle. +Then your clothes had been whole, your hair not torn from your head, +your mistress had not been angry, nor had your fruit been taken away +from you. + +MISS SUKEY. And so, miss, you would fain prove, that it is wisest to +submit to everybody that would impose upon one? But I will not believe +ii, say what you will. + +MISS JENNY. But is not what I say true? If you had not been in the +battle, would not your clothes have been whole, your hair not torn, your +mistress pleased with you, and the apples your own? + + +Here Miss Sukey paused for some time: for as Miss Jenny was in the right +and had truth on her side, it was difficult for Miss Sukey to know what +to answer. For it is impossible, without being very silly, to contradict +truth; and yet Miss Sukey was so foolish, that she did not care to own +herself in the wrong; though nothing could have been so great a sign of +her understanding. + +When Miss Jenny saw her thus at a loss for an answer, she was in hopes +of making her companion happy; for, as she had as much good nature as +understanding, that was her design. She therefore pursued her discourse +in the following manner: + + +MISS JENNY. Pray, Miss Sukey, do answer me one question more. Don't you +lie awake at nights, and fret and vex yourself, because you are angry +with your school-fellows? Are not you restless and uneasy, because you +cannot find a safe method to be revenged on them, without being punished +yourself? Do tell me truly, is not this your case? + +MISS SUKEY. Yes it is. For if I could but hurt my enemies, without +being hurt myself, it would be the greatest pleasure I could have in the +world. + +MISS JENNY. Oh fie, Miss Sukey! What you have now said is wicked. Don't +you consider what you say every day in your prayers'? And this way of +thinking will make you lead a very uneasy life. If you would hearken to +me, I could put you into a method of being very happy, and making all +those misses you call your enemies, become your friends. + +MISS SUKEY. You could tell me a method, miss? Do you think I don't know +as well as you what is fit to be done? I believe I am as capable of +finding the way to be happy, as you are of teaching me. + + +Here Miss Sukey burst into tears, that anybody should presume to tell +her the way to be happy. + + +MISS JENNY. Upon my word, my dear, I don't mean to vex you; but only, +instead of tormenting yourself all night in laying plots to revenge +yourself, I would have you employ this one night in thinking of what I +have said. Nothing will show your sense so much, as to own that you have +been in the wrong. Nor will anything prove a right spirit so much as +to confess your fault. All the misses will be your friends, and perhaps +follow your example. Then you will have the pleasure of having caused +the quiet of the whole school; your governess will love you; and you +will be at peace in your mind, and never have any more foolish quarrels, +in which you all get nothing but blows and uneasiness. + + +Miss Sukey began now to find, that Miss Jenny was in the right, and she +herself in the wrong; but yet she was so proud she would not own it. +Nothing could be so foolish as this pride; because it would have been +both good and wise in her to confess the truth the moment she saw it. +However, Miss Jenny was so discreet as not to press her any farther that +night; but begged her to consider seriously on what she had said, and to +let her know her thoughts the next morning and then left her. + +When Miss Sukey was alone she stood some time in great confusion. She +could not help seeing how much hitherto she had been in the wrong; and +that thought stung her to the heart. She cried, stamped, and was in as +great an agony as if some sad misfortune had befallen her. At last, when +she had somewhat vented her passion by tears, she burst forth into the +following speech: + +'It is very true what Miss Jenny Peace says; for I am always uneasy. I +don't sleep in quiet because I am always thinking, either that I have +not my share of what is given us, or that I cannot be revenged on any of +the girls that offend me. And when I quarrel with them, I am scratched +and bruised; or reproached. And what do I get by all this? Why, I +scratch, bruise, and reproach them in my turn. Is not that gain enough? +I warrant I hurt them as much as they hurt me. But then indeed, as Miss +Jenny says, if I could make these girls my friends, and did not wish +to hurt them, I certainly might live a quieter, and perhaps a happier, +life. But what then, have I been always in the wrong all my lifetime? +for I always quarrelled and hated everyone who had offended me. Oh! I +cannot bear that thought! It is enough to make me mad! when I imagined +myself so wise and so sensible, to find out that I have been always a +fool. If I think a moment longer about it, I shall die with grief and +shame. I must think myself in the right; and I will too. But, as Miss +Jenny says, I really am unhappy; for I hate all my schoolfellows; and +yet I dare not do them any mischief; for my mistress will punish me +severely if I do. I should not so much mind that neither; but then those +I intend to hurt will triumph over me, to see me punished for their +sakes. In short, the more I reflect, the more I am afraid Miss Jenny is +in the right; and yet it breaks my heart to think so.' + +Here the poor girl wept so bitterly, and was so heartily grieved, that +she could not utter one word more; but sat herself down, reclining her +head upon her hand, in the most melancholy posture that could be; nor +could she close her eyes all night, but lay tossing and raving with the +thought how she should act, and what she should say to Miss Jenny the +next day. + +When the morning came, Miss Sukey dreaded every moment, as the time drew +nearer when she must meet Miss Jenny. She knew it would not be possible +to resist her arguments; and yet shame for having been in fault overcame +her. + +As soon as Miss Jenny saw Miss Sukey with her eyes cast down, and +confessing, by a look of sorrow, that she would take her advice, she +embraced her kindly; and, without giving her the trouble to speak, took +it for granted, that she would leave off quarreling, be reconciled to +her schoolfellows, and make herself happy. + +Miss Sukey did indeed stammer out some words, which implied a confession +of her fault; but they were spoke so low they could hardly be heard; +only Miss Jenny, who always chose to look at the fairest side of +her companions' actions, by Miss Sukey's look and manner guessed her +meaning. + +In the same manner did this good girl, Jenny, persuade, one by one, all +her schoolfellows to be reconciled to each with sincerity and love. + +Miss Dolly Friendly, who had too much sense to engage the battle for +the sake of an apple, and who was provoked to strike a blow only for +friendship's sake, easily saw the truth of what Miss Jenny said; and was +therefore presently convinced, that the best part she could have acted +for her friend, would have been to have withdrawn her from the scuffle. + + + + +A SCENE OF LOVE AND FRIENDSHIP, QUITE THE REVERSE OF THE BATTLE, + +WHEREIN ARE SHOWN THE DIFFERENT EFFECTS OF LOVE AND GOODNESS FROM THOSE +ATTENDING ANGER, STRIFE, AND WICKEDNESS: WITH THE LIFE OF MISS JENNY +PEACE. + +After Miss Jenny had completed the good work of making all her +companions friends, she drew them round her in a little arbour, in that +very garden which had been the scene of their strife, and consequently +of their misery; and then spoke to them the following speech; which +she delivered in so mild a voice, that it was sufficient to charm her +hearers into attention, and to persuade them to be led by her advice, +and to follow her example in the paths of goodness. + +'My dear friends and schoolfellows, you cannot imagine the happiness it +gives me to see you thus all so heartily reconciled. You will find +the joyful fruits of it. Nothing can show so much sense as thus to own +yourselves in fault; for could anything have been so foolish as to spend +all your time in misery, rather than at once to make use of the power +you have of making yourselves happy? Now if you will use as many +endeavours to love as you have hitherto done to hate each other, you +will find that every one amongst you, whenever you have anything given +you, will have double, nay, I may say eight times (as there are eight of +you) the pleasure, in considering that your companions are happy. What +is the end of quarrels, but that everyone is fretted and vexed, and +no one gains anything! Whereas by endeavouring to please and love each +other, the end is happiness to ourselves, and joy to everyone around us. +I am sure, if you will speak the truth, none of you have been so easy +since you quarrelled, as you are now you are reconciled. Answer me +honestly, if this is not truth.' + +Here Miss Jenny was silent, and waited for an answer. But the poor +girls, who had in them the seeds of goodwill to each other, although +those seeds were choked and overrun with the weeds of envy and pride; +as in a garden the finest strawberries will be spoiled by rank weeds, if +care is not taken to root them out; these poor girls, I say, now struck +with the force of truth, and sorry for what they had done, let drop some +tears, which trickled down their cheeks, and were signs of meekness, +and sorrow for their fault. Not like those tears which burst from their +swollen eyes, when anger and hatred choked their words, and their proud +hearts laboured with stubbornness and folly; when their skins reddened, +and all their features were changed and distorted by the violence of +passion, which made them frightful to the beholders, and miserable +to themselves;-- No! Far other cause had they now for tears, and far +different were the tears they shed; their eyes, melted with sorrow for +their faults, let fall some drops, as tokens of their repentance; but, +as soon as they could recover themselves to speak, they all with one +voice cried out, 'Indeed, Miss Jenny, we are sorry for our fault, and +will follow your advice; which we now see is owing to your goodness.' + +Miss Jenny now produced a basket of apples, which she had purchased out +of the little pocket-money she was allowed, in order to prove, that the +same things may be a pleasure or a pain, according as the persons to +whom they are given are good or bad. + +These she placed in the midst of her companions, and desired them to +eat, and enjoy themselves; and now they were so changed, that each +helped her next neighbour before she would touch any for herself; and +the moment they were grown thus good natured and friendly, they were as +well-bred, and as polite, as it is possible to describe. + +Miss Jenny's joy was inexpressible, that she had caused this happy +change; nor less was the joy of her companions, who now began to +taste pleasures, from which their animosity to each other had hitherto +debarred them. They all sat looking pleased on their companions; their +faces borrowed beauty from the calmness and goodness of their minds; +and all those ugly frowns, and all that ill-natured sourness, which when +they were angry and cross were but too plain in their faces, were now +entirely fled; jessamine and honeysuckles surrounded their seats, and +played round their heads, of which they gathered nosegays to present +each other with. They now enjoyed all the pleasure and happiness that +attend those who are innocent and good. + +Miss Jenny, with her heart overflowing with joy at this happy change, +said, 'Now, my dear companions, that you may be convinced what I have +said and done was not occasioned by any desire of proving myself wiser +than you, as Miss Sukey hinted while she was yet in her anger, I will, +if you please, relate to you the history of my past life; by which you +will see in what manner I came by this way of thinking; and as you will +perceive it was chiefly owing to the instructions of a kind mamma, you +may all likewise reap the same advantage under good Mrs. Teachum, if +you will obey her commands, and attend to her precepts. And after I have +given you the particulars of my life, I must beg that every one of you +will, some day or other, when you have reflected upon it, declare all +that you can remember of your own; for, should you not be able to relate +anything worth remembering as an example, yet there is nothing more +likely to amend the future part of anyone's life, than the recollecting +and confessing the faults of the past.' + +All our little company highly approved of Miss Jenny's proposal, and +promised, in their turns, to relate their own lives; and Miss Polly +Suckling cried out, 'Yes indeed, Miss Jenny, I'll tell all when it comes +to my turn; so pray begin, for I long to hear what you did, when you was +no bigger than I am now.' Miss Jenny then kissed little Polly, and said +she would instantly begin. + +But as in the reading of any one's story, it is an additional pleasure +to have some acquaintance with their persons; and as I delight in giving +my little readers every pleasure that is in my power; I shall endeavour, +as justly as I can, by description, to set before their eyes the picture +of this good young creature: and in the same of every one of our young +company, as they begin their lives. + + + + +THE DESCRIPTION OF MISS JENNY PEACE. + +Miss Jenny Peace was just turned of fourteen, and could be called +neither tall nor short of her age; but her whole person was the most +agreeable that can be imagined. She had an exceeding fine complexion, +with as much colour in her cheeks as is the natural effect of perfect +health. Her hair was light brown, and curled in so regular and yet easy +a manner, as never to want any assistance from art. Her eyebrows (which +were not of that correct turn as to look as if they were drawn with a +pencil) and her eyelashes were both darker than her hair; and the +latter being very long, gave such a shade to her eyes as made them often +mistaken for black, though they were only a dark hazel. To give any +description of her eyes beyond the colour and size, which was perfectly +the medium, would be impossible; except by saying they were expressive +of everything that is amiable and good; for through them might be read +every single thought of the mind; from whence they had such a brightness +and cheerfulness, as seemed to cast a lustre over her whole face. She +had fine teeth, and a mouth answering to the most correct rules of +beauty; and when she spoke (though you were at too great a distance to +hear what she said) there appeared so much sweetness, mildness, modesty +and good nature, that you found yourself filled more with pleasure than +admiration in beholding her. The delight which everyone took in looking +on Miss Jenny was evident in this, that though Miss Sukey Jennett and +Miss Patty Lockit were both what may be called handsomer girls (and if +you asked any persons in company their opinion, they would tell you so) +yet their eyes were a direct contradiction to their tongues, by being +continually fixed on Miss Jenny; for, while she was in the room, it +was impossible to fix them anywhere else. She had a natural ease and +gentility in her shape; and all her motions were more pleasing, though +less striking than what is commonly acquired by the instruction of +dancing masters. + +Such was the agreeable person of Miss Jenny Peace, who, in her usual +obliging manner, and with an air pleasing beyond my power to express, at +the request of her companions began to relate the history of her life, +as follows: + + + + +THE LIFE OF MISS JENNY PEACE. + +'My father dying when I was but half a year old, I was left to the care +of my mamma, who was the best woman in the world, and to whose memory +I shall ever pay the most grateful honour. From the time she had any +children, she made it the whole study of her life to promote their +welfare, and form their minds in the manner she thought would best +answer her purpose of making them both good and happy; for it was her +constant maxim, that goodness and happiness dwelt in the same bosoms, +and were generally found to life so much together, that they could not +easily be separated. + +'My mother had six children born alive; but could preserve none beyond +the first year, except my brother, Harry Peace, and myself. She made it +one of her chief cares to cultivate and preserve the most perfect love +and harmony between us. My brother is but a twelvemonth older than I; +so that, till I was six years old (for seven was the age in which he was +sent to school) he remained at home with me; in which time we often had +little childish quarrels; but my mother always took care to convince us +of our error in wrangling and fighting about nothing, and to teach +us how much more pleasure we enjoyed whilst we agreed. She showed no +partiality to either, but endeavoured to make us equal in all things, +any otherwise than that she taught me I owed a respect to my brother as +the eldest. + +'Before my brother went to school, we had set hours appointed us, in +which we regularly attended to learn whatever was thought necessary +for our improvement; my mamma herself daily watching the opening of our +minds, and taking great care to instruct us in what manner to make the +best use of the knowledge we attained. Whatever we read she explained to +us, and made us understand, that we might be the better for our lessons. +When we were capable of thinking, we made it so much a rule to obey our +parent, the moment she signified her pleasure, that by that means we +avoided many accidents and misfortunes; for example: my brother was +running one day giddily round the brink of a well; and if he had made +the least false step, he must have fallen to the bottom, and been +drowned; my mamma, by a sign with her finger that called him to her, +preserved him from the imminent danger he was in of losing his life; +and then she took care that we should both be the better for this little +incident, by laying before us how much our safety and happiness, as well +as our duty, were concerned in being obedient. + +'My brother and I once had a quarrel about something as trifling as +your apple of contention; and, though we both heartily wished to be +reconciled to each other, yet did our little hearts swell so much with +stubbornness and pride, that neither of us would speak first; by which +means we were so silly as to be both uneasy, and yet would not use the +remedy that was in our own power to remove that uneasiness. My mamma +found it out, and sent for me into her closet, and said, "She was sorry +to see her instructions had no better effect on me; for," continued she, +"indeed, Jenny, I am ashamed of your folly, as well as wickedness, in +thus contending with your brother." A tear, which I believe flowed from +shame, started from my eyes at this reproof; and I fixed them on the +ground, being too much overwhelmed with confusion to dare to lift them +up on mamma. On which she kindly said, "She hoped my confusion was a +sign of my amendment. That she might indeed have used another method, by +commanding me to seek a reconciliation with my brother; for she did not +imagine I was already so far gone in perverseness, as not to hold her +commands as inviolable; but she was willing, for my good, first to +convince me of my folly." As soon as my confusion would give me leave +to speak, on my knees I gave her a thousand thanks for her goodness, +and went immediately to seek my brother. He joyfully embraced the +first opportunity of being reconciled to me; and this was one of the +pleasantest hours of my life. This quarrel happened when my brother came +home at a breaking-up, and I was nine years old. + +'My mamma's principal care was to keep up a perfect amity between me +and my brother. I remember once, when Harry and I were playing in the +fields, there was a small rivulet stopped me in my way. My brother, +being nimbler and better able to jump than myself, with one spring +leaped over, and left me on the other side of it; but seeing me uneasy +that I could not get over to him, his good nature prompted him to come +back and to assist me; and, by the help of his hand, I easily passed +over. On this my good mamma bid me remember how much my brother's +superior strength might assist me in his being my protector; and that I +ought to return to use my utmost endeavours to oblige him; and that +then we should be mutual assistants to each other throughout life. Thus +everything that passed was made use of to improve my understanding and +amend my heart. + +'I believe no child ever spent her time more agreeably than I did; for I +not only enjoyed my own pleasures, but also those of others. And when my +brother was carried abroad, and I was left at home, that HE was pleased, +made me full amends for the loss of any diversion, the contentions +between us (where our parent's commands did not interfere) were always +exerted in endeavours each to prefer the other's pleasures to our own. +My mind was easy and free from anxiety; for as I always took care to +speak truth, I had nothing to conceal from my mamma, and consequently +had never any fears of being found in a lie. For one lie obliges us +to tell a thousand others to conceal it; and I have no notion of +any conditions being so miserable, as to live in a continual fear of +detection. Most particularly, my mamma instructed me to beware of all +sorts of deceit; so that I was accustomed, not only in words to speak +truth, but also not to endeavour by any means to deceive. + +'But though the friendship between my brother and me was so strongly +cultivated, yet we were taught, that lying for each other, or praising +each other when it was not deserved, was not only a fault, but a very +great crime; for this, my mamma used to tell us, was not love, but +hatred; as it was encouraging one another in folly and wickedness. +And though my natural disposition inclined me to be very tender of +everything in my power, yet was I not suffered to give way even to THIS +in an unreasonable degree. One instance of which I remember. + +'When I was about eleven years old, I had a cat that I had bred up from +a little kitten, that used to play round me, till I had indulged for the +poor animal a fondness that made me delight to have it continually with +me wherever I went; and, in return for my indulgence, the cat seemed +to have changed its nature, and assumed the manner that more properly +belongs to dogs than cats; for it would follow me about the house and +gardens, mourn for my absence, and rejoice at my presence. And, what was +very remarkable, the poor animal would, when fed by my hand, lose that +caution which cats are known to be possessed of, and eat whatever I gave +it, as if it could reflect that I meant only its good, and no harm could +come from me. + +'I was at last so accustomed to see this little Frisk (for so I called +it) playing round me, that I seemed to miss part of myself in its +absence. But one day the poor little creature followed me to the door; +when a parcel of schoolboys coming by, one of them catched her up in his +arms, and ran away with her. All my cries were to no purpose; for he was +out of sight with her in a moment, and there was no method to trace his +steps. The cruel wretches, for sport, as they called it, hunted it the +next day from one to the other, in the most barbarous manner; till at +last it took shelter in that house that used to be its protection, and +came and expired at my feet. + +'I was so struck with the sight of the little animal dying in that +manner, that the great grief of my heart overflowed at my eyes, and I +was for some time inconsolable. + +'My indulgent mamma comforted without blaming me, till she thought I +had sufficient time to vent my grief; and then, sending for me into her +chamber, spoke as follows: + +'"Jenny, I have watched you ever since the death of your little +favourite cat; and have been in hopes daily, that your lamenting and +melancholy on that account would be at an end. But I find you still +persist in grieving, as if such a loss was irreparable. Now, though +I have always encouraged you in all sentiments of good nature and +compassion; and am sensible, that where those sentiments are strongly +implanted, they will extend their influence even to the least animal; +yet you are to consider, my child, that you are not to give way to +any passions that interfere with your duty; for whenever there is any +contention between your duty and your inclinations, you must conquer the +latter, or become wicked and contemptible. If, therefore, you give way +to this melancholy, how will you be able to perform your duty towards +me, in cheerfully obeying my commands, and endeavouring, by your lively +prattle and innocent gaiety of heart, to be my companion and delight? +Nor will you be fit to converse with your brother, whom (as you lost +your good papa when you were too young to know that loss) I have +endeavoured to educate in such a manner, that I hope he will be a father +to you, if you deserve his love and protection. In short, if you do +not keep command enough of yourself to prevent being ruffled by every +accident, you will be unfit for all the social offices of life, and be +despised by all those whose regard and love are worth your seeking. I +treat you, my girl, as capable of considering what is for your own good; +for though you are but eleven years of age, yet I hope the pains I have +taken in explaining all you read, and in answering all your questions in +search of knowledge, has not been so much thrown away, but that you are +more capable of judging, than those unhappy children are, whose parents +have neglected to instruct them. And therefore, farther to enforce what +I say, remember, that repining at any accident that happens to you, is +an offence to that God to whom I have taught you daily to pray for all +the blessings you can receive, and to whom you are to return humble +thanks for every blessing." + +'"I expect therefore, Jenny, that you now dry up your tears, and resume +your usual cheerfulness. I do not doubt but your obedience to me will +make you at least put on the appearance of cheerfulness in my sight. But +you will deceive yourself, if you think that is performing your duty; +for if you would obey me as you ought, you must try heartily to root +from your mind all sorrow and gloominess. You may depend upon it, this +command is in your power to obey; for you know I never require anything +of you that is impossible." + +'After my mamma had made this speech, she went out to take a walk in the +garden, and left me to consider of what she had said. + +'The moment I came to reflect seriously, I found it was indeed in my +power to root all melancholy from my heart, when I considered it was +necessary, in order to perform my duty to God, to obey the best of +mothers, and to make myself a blessing and a cheerful companion to her, +rather than a burden, and the cause of her uneasiness, by my foolish +melancholy. + +'This little accident, as managed by my mamma, has been a lesson to me +in governing my passions ever since. + +'It would be endless to repeat all the methods this good mother invented +for my instruction, amendment, and improvement. It is sufficient to +acquaint you, that she contrived that every new day should open to me +some new scene of knowledge; and no girl could be happier than I was +during her life. But, alas! when I was thirteen years of age, the scene +changed. My dear mamma was taken ill of a scarlet fever. I attended her +day and night whilst she lay ill, my eyes starting with tears to see her +in that condition; and yet I did not dare to give my sorrows vent, for +fear of increasing her pain.' + +Here a trickling tear stole from Miss Jenny's eyes. She suppressed some +rising sobs that interrupted her speech, and was about to proceed in her +story, when, casting her eyes on her companions, she saw her sorrow had +such an effect upon them all, that there was not one of her hearers who +could refrain from shedding a sympathising tear. She therefore thought +it was more strictly following her mamma's precepts to pass this part +of her story in silence, rather than to grieve her friends; and having +wiped away her tears, she hastened to conclude her story; which she did +as follows: + +'After my mamma's death, my Aunt Newman, my father's sister, took the +care of me; but being obliged to go to Jamaica, to settle some affairs +relating to an estate she is possessed of there, she took with her my +Cousin Harriet, her only daughter, and left me under the care of the +good Mrs. Teachum till her return. And since I have been here, you all +know as much of my history as I do myself.' + + +As Miss Jenny spoke these words, the bell summoned them to supper into +the presence of their governess, who having narrowly watched their looks +ever since the fray, had hitherto plainly perceived, that though they +did not dare to break out again into an open quarrel, yet their hearts +had still harboured unkind thoughts of one another. She was surprised +NOW, as she stood at a window in the hall that overlooked the garden, to +see all her scholars walk towards her hand in hand, with such cheerful +countenances, as plainly showed their inward good humour. And as she +thought proper to mention to them her pleasure in seeing them thus +altered, Miss Jenny Peace related to her governess all that had passed +in the arbour, with their general reconciliation. Mrs. Teachum gave Miss +Jenny all the applause due to her goodness, saying, she herself had only +waited a little while, to see if their anger would subside, and love +take its place in their bosoms, without her interfering again; for THAT +she certainly should otherwise have done, to have brought about what +Miss Jenny had so happily effected. + +Miss Jenny thanked her governess for her kind approbation, and said, +that if she would give them leave, she would spend what time she was +pleased to allow them from school in this little arbour, in reading +stories, and such things as she should think a proper and innocent +amusement. + +Mrs. Teachum not only gave leave, but very much approved of this +proposal; and desired Miss Jenny, as a reward for what she had already +done, to preside over these diversions, and to give her an account in +what manner they proceeded. Miss Jenny promised in all things to be +guided by good Mrs. Teachum. And now, soon after supper, they retired to +rest, free from those uneasy passions which used to prevent their quiet; +and as they had passed the day in pleasure, at night they sunk in soft +and sweet repose. + + + + +MONDAY. + +THE FIRST DAY AFTER THEIR REPENTANCE; AND, CONSEQUENTLY, THE FIRST DAY +OF THE HAPPINESS OF MISS JENNY PEACE AND HER COMPANIONS. + +Early in the morning, as soon as Miss Jenny arose, all her companions +flocked round her; for they now looked on her as the best friend they +had in the world; and they agreed, when they came out of school, to +adjourn into their arbour, and divert themselves till dinner-time; which +they accordingly did. When Miss Jenny proposed, if it was agreeable to +them to hear it, to read them a story which she had put in her pocket +for that purpose; and as they now began to look upon her as the most +proper person to direct them in their amusements, they all replied, What +was most agreeable to her would please them best. She then began to +read the following story, with which we shall open their first day's +amusement. + + + + +THE STORY OF THE CRUEL GIANT BARBARICO, THE GOOD GIANT BENEFICO, + +AND THE LITTLE PRETTY DWARF MIGNON. + +A great many hundred years ago, the mountains of Wales were inhabited +by two giants; one of whom was the terror of all his neighbours and the +plague of the whole country. He greatly exceeded the size of any giant +recorded in history; and his eyes looked so fierce and terrible, that +they frightened all who were so unhappy as to behold them. + +The name of this enormous wretch was Barbarico. A name which filled +all who heard it with fear and astonishment. The whole delight of this +monster's life was in acts of inhumanity and mischief; and he was the +most miserable as well as the most wicked creature that ever yet was +born. He had no sooner committed one outrage, but he was in agonies +till he could commit another; never satisfied, unless he could find an +opportunity of either torturing or devouring some innocent creature. +And whenever he happened to be disappointed in any of his malicious +purposes, he would stretch his immense bulk on the top of some high +mountain, and groan, and beat the earth, and bellow with such a hollow +voice, that the whole country heard and trembled at the sound. + +The other giant, whose name was Benefico, was not so tall and bulky as +the hideous Barbarico. He was handsome, well proportioned, and of a very +good-natured turn of mind. His delight was no less in acts of goodness +and benevolence than the other's was in cruelty and mischief. His +constant care was to endeavour if possible to repair the injuries +committed by this horrid tyrant, which he had sometimes an opportunity +of doing; for though Barbarico was much larger and stronger than +Benefico, yet his coward mind was afraid to engage with him, and always +shunned a meeting; leaving the pursuit of any prey, if he himself was +pursued by Benefico: nor could the good Benefico trust farther to +this coward spirit of his base adversary, than only to make the horrid +creature fly; for he well knew that a close engagement might make him +desperate; and fatal to himself might be the consequence of such a +brutal desperation; therefore he prudently declined any attempt to +destroy this cruel monster, till he should gain some sure advantage over +him. + +It happened on a certain day, that as the inhuman Barbarico was prowling +along the side of a craggy mountain overgrown with brambles and briery +thickets, taking most horrid strides, rolling his ghastly eyes around +in quest of human blood, and having his breast tortured with inward rage +and grief, that he had been so unhappy as to live one whole day without +some act of violence, he beheld, in a pleasant valley at a distance, a +little rivulet winding its gentle course through rows of willows mixed +with flowery shrubs. Hither the giant hasted; and being arrived, he +gazed about to see if in this sweet retirement any were so unhappy as to +fall within his power; but finding none, the disappointment set him in +a flame of rage, which, burning like an inward furnace, parched his +throat. And now he laid him down on the bank, to try if in the cool +stream, that murmured as it flowed, he could assuage or slack the fiery +thirst that burnt within him. + +He bent him down to drink; and at the same time casting his baleful eyes +towards the opposite side, he discovered within a little natural arbour +formed by the branches of a spreading tree, within the meadow's flowery +lawn, the shepherd Fidus and his loved Amata. + +The gloomy tyrant no sooner perceived this happy pair, than his heart +exulted with joy; and, suddenly leaping up on the ground, he forgot his +thirst, and left the stream untasted. He stood for a short space to +view them in their sweet retirement; and was soon convinced that, in +the innocent enjoyment of reciprocal affection, their happiness was +complete. His eyes, inflamed with envy to behold such bliss, darted a +fearful glare; and his breast swelling with malice and envenomed rage, +he with gigantic pace approached their peaceful seat. + +The happy Fidus was at that time busy in entertaining his loved Amata +with a song which he had that very morning composed in praise of +constancy; and the giant was now within one stride of them, when Amata, +perceiving him, cried out in a trembling voice, 'Fly, Fidus, fly, or +we are lost for ever; we are pursued by the hateful Barbarico!' She had +scarce uttered these words, when the savage tyrant seized them by the +waist in either hand, and holding up to his nearer view, thus said: +'Speak, miscreants; and, if you would avoid immediate death, tell me +who you are, and whence arises that tranquility of mind, which even at a +distance was visible in your behaviour.' + +Poor Fidus, with looks that would have melted the hardest heart, +innocently replied, that they were wandering that way without designing +offence to any creature on earth. That they were faithful lovers; and, +with the consent of all their friends and relations, were soon to be +married; therefore he entreated him not to part them. + +The giant now no sooner perceived, from the last words of the affrighted +youth, what was most likely to give them the greatest torment, than with +a spiteful grin which made his horrible face yet more horrible, and in +a hollow voice, as loud as thunder, he tauntingly cried out, 'Ho-hoh! +You'd not be parted, would you? For once I'll gratify thy will, and thou +shalt follow this thy whimpering fondling down my capatious maw.' So +saying, he turned his ghastly visage on the trembling Amata who, being +now no longer able to support herself under his cruel threats, fainted +away, and remained in his hand but as a lifeless corpse. When lifting +up his eyes towards the hill on the opposite side, he beheld Benefico +coming hastily towards him. This good giant having been that morning +informed that Barbarico was roaming in the mountains after prey, +left his peaceful castle, in hopes of giving protection to whatever +unfortunate creature should fall into the clutches of this so cruel a +monster. + +Barbarico, at the sight of the friendly Benefico, started with fear; for +although in bulk and stature he was, as we have said, the superior: yet +that cowardice, which ever accompanies wickedness, now wrought in him in +such a manner that he could not bear to confront him, well knowing the +courage and fortitude that always attend the good and virtuous; and +therefore instantly putting Fidus into the wallet that hung over his +shoulder, he flung the fainting Amata, whom he took to be quite expired, +into the stream that ran hard by, and fled to his cave, not daring once +to cast his eyes behind him. + +The good Benefico perceiving the monster's flight, and not doubting but +he had been perpetrating some horrid mischief, immediately hastened +to the brook; where he found the half-expiring Amata floating down +the stream, for her clothes had yet borne her up on the surface of the +water. He speedily stepped in and drew her out, and taking her in his +arms, pressed her to his warm bosom; and in a short space perceiving +in her face the visible marks of returning life, his heart swelled with +kind compassion, and he thus bespoke the tender maid: 'Unhappy damsel, +lift up thy gentle eyes, and tell me by what hard fate thou hast fallen +into the power of that barbarous monster, whose savage nature delights +in nothing but ruin and desolation. Tremble not thus, but without fear +or terror behold one who joys in the thought of having saved thee from +destruction, and will bring thee every comfort his utmost power can +procure.' + +The gentle Amata was now just enough recovered to open her eyes: but +finding herself in a giant's arms, and still retaining in her mind the +frightful image of the horrid Barbarico, she fetched a deep sigh, crying +out in broken accents, 'Fly, Fidus, fly;' and again sunk down upon the +friendly giant's breast. On hearing these words, and plainly seeing by +the anguish of her mind that some settled grief was deeply rooted at her +heart, and therefore despairing to bring her to herself immediately, the +kind Benefico hastened with her to his hospitable castle; where every +imaginable assistance was administered to her relief, in order to +recover her lost sense, and to reconcile her to her wretched fate. + +The cruel Barbarico was no sooner arrived at his gloomy cave, than he +called to him his little page; who, trembling to hear the tyrant now +again returned, quickly drew near to attend his stern commands: when +drawing out of the wallet the poor Fidus, more dead than alive, the +monster cried out, 'Here, caitiff, take in charge this smoothed-faced +miscreant; and, d'ye hear me? see that his allowance be no more than one +small ounce of mouldy bread and half a pint of standing water, for each +day's support, till his now blooming skin be withered, his flesh be +wasted from his bones, and he dwindle to a meagre skeleton.' So saying +he left them, as he hoped, to bewail each other's sad condition. But the +unhappy Fidus, bereft of his Amata, was not to be appalled by any of the +most horrid threats; for now his only comfort was the hopes of a speedy +end to his miserable life, and to find a refuge from his misfortunes +in the peaceful grave. With this reflection the faithful Fidus was +endeavouring to calm the inward troubles of his mind, when the little +page, with looks of the most tender compassion, and in gentle words, +bid him be comforted, and with patience endure his present affliction; +adding that he himself had long suffered the most rigorous fate, yet +despaired not but that one day would give them an opportunity to free +themselves from the wicked wretch, whose sole delight was in others' +torments. 'As to his inhuman commands,' continued he, 'I will sooner +die than obey them; and in a mutual friendship perhaps we may find some +consolation, even in this dismal cave.' + +This little page the cruel Barbarico had stolen from his parents at five +years old; ever since which time he had tortured and abused him, till he +had now attained the age of one-and-twenty. His mother had given him +the name of Mignon; by which name the monster always called him, as it +gratified his insolence to make use of that fond appellation whilst he +was abusing him, only when he said Mignon he would in derision add the +word Dwarf; for, to say the truth, Mignon was one of the least men that +was ever seen, though at the same time one of the prettiest: his limbs, +though small, were exactly proportioned; his countenance was at once +sprightly and soft; and whatever his head thought, or his heart felt, +his eyes by their looks expressed; and his temper was as sweet as his +person was amiable. Such was the gentle creature Barbarico chose to +torment. For wicked giants, no less than wicked men and women, are +constantly tormented at the appearance of those perfections in another, +to which they themselves have no pretensions. + +The friendship and affection of Fidus and Mignon now every day +increased; and the longer they were acquainted, the mere delight +they took in each other's company. The faithful Fidus related to +his companion the story of his loved Amata, whilst the tender Mignon +consoled his friend's inward sorrows, and supplied him with necessaries, +notwithstanding the venture he run of the cruel tyrant's heavy +displeasure. The giant ceased not every day to view the hapless Fidus, +to see if the cruelty of his intentions had in any degree wrought its +desired effect; but perceiving in him no alteration, he now began to be +suspicious that the little Mignon had not punctually obeyed his savage +command. In order therefore to satisfy his wicked curiosity, he resolved +within himself narrowly to watch every occasion these poor unhappy +captives had of conversing with each other. Mignon, well knowing the +implacable and revengeful disposition of this barbarous tyrant, had +taken all the precautions imaginable to avoid discovery; and therefore +generally sought every opportunity of being alone with Fidus, and +carrying him his daily provisions at those hours he knew the giant was +most likely to be asleep. + +It so befell that, on a certain day, the wicked giant had, as was his +usual custom, been abroad for many hours in search of some unhappy +creature on whom to glut his hateful inhumanity; when, tired with +fruitless roaming, he returned to his gloomy cave, beguiled of all his +horrid purposes; for he had not once that day espied so much as the +track of man, or other harmless animal, to give him hopes even to +gratify his rage or cruelty; but now raving with inward torment and +despair, he laid him down upon his iron couch, to try if he could close +his eyes and quiet the tumultuous passions of his breast. He tossed and +tumbled and could get no rest, starting with fearful dreams, and horrid +visions of tormenting furies. + +Meanwhile the gentle Mignon had prepared a little delicate repast, and +having seen the monster lay himself at length, and thinking now that a +fit occasion offered in which to comfort and refresh his long-expecting +friend, was hastening with it to the cell where the faithful Fidus +was confined. At the fatal moment the giant, rearing himself up on his +couch, perceived the little Mignon just at the entrance of the cell; +when calling to him in a hollow voice, that dismally resounded through +the cave, he so startled the poor unhappy page, that he dropped the +cover from his trembling hand and stood fixed and motionless as a +statue. + +'Come hither, Mignon, caitiff, dwarf,' said then the taunting homicide: +but the poor little creature was so thunderstruck he was quite unable +to stir one foot. Whereat the giant, rousing himself from off his couch, +with one huge stride reached out his brawny arm, and seized him by +the waist; and, pointing to the scattered delicates, cried out, 'Vile +miscreant! is it thus thou hast obeyed my orders? Is this the mouldy +bread and muddy water, with which alone it was my command thou shouldst +sustain that puny mortal? But I'll--' Here raising him aloft, he was +about to dash him to the ground, when suddenly revolving in his wicked +thoughts, that if at once he should destroy his patient slave, his +cruelty to him must also have an end, he paused--and then recovering, he +stretched out his arm, and bringing the little trembler near his glaring +eyes, he thus subjoins: 'No; I'll not destroy thy wretched life; but +thou shalt waste thy weary days in a dark dungeon, as far remote from +the least dawn of light as from thy loved companion. And I myself will +carefully supply you both so equally with mouldy bread and water, +that each by his own sufferings shall daily know what his dear friend +endures.' So saying, he hastened with him to his deepest dungeon; and +having thrust him in, he doubly barred the iron door. And now again +retiring to his couch, this new-wrought mischief, which greatly +gratified his raging mind, soon sunk him down into a sound and heavy +sleep. The reason this horrid monster had not long ago devoured his +little captive (for he thought him a delicious morsel) was, that he +might never want an object at hand to gratify his cruelty. For though +extremely great was his voracious hunger, yet greater still was his +desire of tormenting; and oftentimes when he had teased, beat, and +tortured the poor gentle Mignon, so as to force from him tears, and +sometimes a soft complaint, he would, with a malicious sneer, scornfully +reproach him in the following words: 'Little does it avail to whine, to +blubber, or complain; for, remember, abject wretch, + + I am a giant, and I can eat thee: + Thou art a dwarf, and thou canst not eat me.' + +When Mignon was thus alone, he threw himself on the cold ground, +bemoaning his unhappy fate. However, he soon recollected that patience +and resignation were his only succour in this distressful condition; not +doubting but that, as goodness cannot always suffer, he should in time +meet with some unforeseen deliverance from the savage power of the +inhuman Barbarico. + +Whilst the gentle Mignon was endeavouring to comfort himself in his +dungeon with these good reflections, he suddenly perceived, at a little +distance from him, a small glimmering light. Immediately he rose from +the ground, and going towards it, found that it shone through a little +door that had been left at jar, which led him to a spacious hall, +wherein the giant hoarded his immense treasures. Mignon was at first +dazzled with the lustre of so much gold and silver, and sparkling jewels +as were there heaped together. But casting his eyes on a statue that was +placed in the middle of the room, he read on the pedestal, written in +very small letters, the following verses: + + Wouldst thou from the rage be free + Of the tyrant's tyranny, + Loose the fillet which is bound + Twice three times my brows around; + Bolts and bars shall open fly, + By a magic sympathy. + Take him in his sleeping hour; + Bind his neck and break his pow'r. + Patience bids, make no delay: + Haste to bind him, haste away. + +Mignon's little heart now leapt for joy, that he had found the means +of such a speedy deliverance; and eagerly climbing up the statue, he +quickly unbound the magic fillet; which was no sooner done, but suddenly +the bolts and bars of the brazen gates through which the giant used to +pass to this his treasury, were all unloosed, and the folding-doors of +their own accord flew open, grating harsh thunder on their massy hinges. +At the same instant, stretched on his iron couch in the room adjoining +to the hall, the giant gave a deadly groan. Here again the little +Mignon's trembling heart began to fail; for he feared the monster was +awakened by the noise, and that he should now suffer the cruellest +torments his wicked malice could invent. Wherefore for a short space he +remained clinging round the statue, till he perceived that all again was +hushed and silent; when, getting down, he gently stole into the giant's +chamber, where he found him still in a profound sleep. + + +But here, to the great mortification of Miss Jenny's attentive hearers, +the hour of entertaining themselves being at an end, they were obliged +to leave the poor little Mignon in the greatest distress and fright +lest the giant should awake before he could fulfil the commands of +the oracle, and to wait for the remainder of the story till another +opportunity. + +In the evening, as soon as school was over, the little company again met +in their arbour, and nothing could be greater than their impatience to +hear the event of Mignon's hazardous undertaking. Miss Dolly Friendly +said that if the poor little creature was destroyed, she should not +sleep that night. But they all joined in entreating Miss Jenny to +proceed; which she did in the following manner: + + + + +A CONTINUATION OF THE STORY OF THE GIANTS. + +Now, thought Mignon, is the lucky moment to fulfil the instructions of +the oracle. And then cautiously getting up the side of the couch, with +trembling hands he put the fillet round the monster's neck, and tied it +firmly in a threefold knot; and again softly creeping down, he retired +into a corner of the room to wait the wished event. In a few minutes the +giant waked; and opening his enormous eyes, he glared their horrid orbs +around (but without the least motion of his head or body) and spied the +little Mignon where he lay, close shrinking to avoid his baleful sight. + +The giant no sooner perceived his little page at liberty, but his heart +sorely smote him, and he began to suspect the worst that could befall; +for, recollecting that he had carelessly left open the little door +leading from the dungeon to the great hall wherein was placed the fatal +magic statue, he was now entirely convinced that Mignon had discovered +the secret charm on which his power depended; for he already found the +magic of the fillet round his neck fully to operate, his sinews all +relax, his joints all tremble; and when he would by his own hand have +tried to free himself, his shivering limbs he found refused obedience to +their office. Thus bereft of all his strength, and well nigh motionless, +in this extremity of impotence he cast about within himself by what sly +fraud (for fraud and subtlety were now his only refuge) he best might +work upon the gentle Mignon to lend his kind assistance to unloose him. +Wherefore with guileful words and seeming courtesy, still striving to +conceal his cursed condition, he thus bespake his little captive: + +'Come hither Mignon; my pretty gentle boy, come near me. This fillet +thou has bound around my neck, to keep me from the cold, gives me some +pain. I know thy gentle nature will not let thee see thy tender master +in the least uneasiness, without affording him thy cheerful aid and kind +relief. Come hither, my dear child, I say, and loose the knot which in +thy kind concern (I thank thee for thy care) thou hast tied so hard, it +somewhat frets my neck.' + +These words the insidious wretch uttered in such a low trembling tone of +voice, and with such an affectation of tenderness, that the little page, +who had never before experience from him any such kind of dialect, and +but too well knew his savage nature to believe that anything but guile +or want of power could move him to the least friendly speech, or kind +affection, began now strongly to be persuaded that all was as he wished, +and that the power of the inhuman tyrant was at an end. He knew full +well, that if the giant had not lost the ability of rising from the +couch, he should ere now too sensibly have felt the sad effects of his +malicious resentment, and therefore boldly adventured to approach him, +and coming near the couch, and finding not the least effort in the +monster to reach him, and from thence quite satisfied of the giant's +total incapacity of doing farther mischief, he flew with raptures to the +cell where Fidus lay confined. + +Poor Fidus all this time was quite disconsolate; nor could he guess the +cause why his little friend so long had kept away; one while he thought +the giant's stern commands had streightened him of all subsistence; +another while his heart misgave him for his gentle friend, lest unawares +his kind beneficence towards him had caused him to fall a sacrifice +to the tyrant's cruel resentment. With these and many other like +reflections the unhappy youth was busied, when Mignon, suddenly unbarred +the cell, flew to his friend, and eagerly embraced him, cried out, 'Come +Fidus, haste, my dearest friend; for thou and all of us are from this +moment free. Come and behold the cruel monster, where he lies, bereft of +all his strength. I cannot stay to tell thee now the cause; but haste, +and thou shall see the dreadful tyrant stretched on his iron couch, +deprived of all his wicked power. But first let us unbar each cell, +wherein is pent some wretched captive, that we may share a general +transport for this our glad deliverance.' + +The faithful Fidus, whose heart had known but little joy since he had +lost his loved Amata, now felt a dawning hope that he might once more +chance to find her, if she had survived their fatal separation; and, +without one word of answer, he followed Mignon to the several cells, and +soon released all the astonished captives. + +Mignon first carried them to behold their former terror, now, to +appearance, almost a lifeless corpse; who on seeing them all surround +his couch, gave a most hideous roar, which made them tremble, all but +the gentle Mignon, who was convinced of the impotence of his rage, and +begged them to give him their attendance in the hall; where they were no +sooner assembled than he showed them the statue, read them the oracle, +and told them every circumstance before related. + +They now began to bethink themselves of what method was to be taken +to procure their entire liberty; for the influence of the magic +fillet extended only to the gates of the hall; and still they remained +imprisoned within the dismal cave; and though they knew from the oracle, +as well as from what appeared, that the monster's power was at an end, +yet still were they to seek the means of their escape from this his +horrid abode. At length Mignon again ascended the couch to find the +massy key, and spying one end of it peep out from under the pillow, he +called to Fidus, who first stepped up to his friend's assistance; the +rest by his example quickly followed; and now, by their united force, +they dragged the ponderous key from under the monster's head; and then +descending they all went to the outer door of the cave, where, with some +difficulty, they set wide open the folding iron gates. + +They now determined to dispatch a messenger to the good Benefico with +the news, which they knew would be so welcome to him and all his guests, +and with one voice agreed that Fidus should bear the joyful tidings; +and then returned to observe the monster, and to wait the coming of +Benefico. The nimble Fidus soon reached the giant's dwelling, where, at +a little distance from the castle, he met the good Benefico with a +train of happy friends, enjoying the pleasures of the evening, and the +instructive and cheerful conversation of their kind protector. Fidus +briefly told his errand; and instantly Benefico, with all his train, +joyfully hastened to behold the wonders he had related; for now many +hearts leapt for joy, in hopes of meeting some friend of whom they had +been bereft by the cruelty of the savage Barbarico. + +They were not long before they arrived at the horrid cave, where +Benefico, proceeding directly to the monster's chamber, suddenly +appeared to him at the side of his couch. Barbarico, on seeing him, +gave a hideous yell, and rolled his glaring eyes in such a manner as +expressed the height of rage and envious bitterness. + +Benefico, turning to all the company present, thus spoke, 'How shall I +enough praise and admire the gentle Mignon for having put in my power +to justice on this execrable wretch, and freeing you all from an +insufferable slavery, and the whole country from their terror?' Then +reaching the monster's own sword, which hung over his couch, his hand +yet suspended over the impious tyrant, he thus said, 'Speak, wretch, +if yet the power of speech is left thee; and with thy latest breath +declare, what advantage hast thou found of all thy wicked life?' + +Barbarico well knew that too bad had been that life, to leave the least +room for hope of mercy; and therefore, instead of an answer, he gave +another hideous yell, gnashing his horrid teeth, and again rolling his +ghastly eyes on all around. + +Benefico seeing him thus impenitent and sullen, lifted on high the +mighty sword, and with one blow severed his odious head from his +enormous body. + +The whole assembly gave a shout for joy; and Benefico holding in his +hand the monster's yet grinning head, thus addressed his half-astonished +companions: 'See here, my friends, the proper conclusion of a rapacious +cruel life. But let us hasten from this monster's gloomy cave; and on +the top of one of our highest mountains, fixed on a pole, will I set up +this joyful spectacle, that all the country round may know themselves at +liberty to pursue their rural business or amusements, without the +dread of any annoyance from a devouring vile tormentor. And when his +treasures, which justly all belong to the good patient Mignon, are +removed, we will shut up the mouth of this abominable dwelling; and, +casting on the door a heap of earth, we'll hope, in time, that both +place and remembrance of this cruel savage may in time be lost.' + +Every one readily cried out, that to Benefico, the good Benefico, +alone belonged the tyrant's treasures; that Benefico should ever be, as +heretofore, their governor, their father, and their kind protector. + +The beneficent heart of the good giant was quite melted with this their +kind confidence and dependence upon him, and assured them, he should +ever regard them as his children: and now, exulting in the general joy +that must attend the destruction of this savage monster, when the whole +country should find themselves freed from the terror his rapine and +desolation, he sent before to his castle, to give intelligence to all +within that happy place of the grim monster's fall, and little Mignon's +triumph; giving in charge to the harbinger of these tidings, that it +should be his first and chiefest care to glad the gentle bosom of a +fair disconsolate (who kept herself retired and pent up within her own +apartment) with the knowledge that the inhuman monster was no more; and +that henceforth sweet peace and rural innocence might reign in all their +woods and groves. The hearts of all within the castle bounded with +joy, on hearing the report of the inhuman monster's death, and the +deliverance of all his captives, and with speedy steps they hastened +to meet their kind protector; nor did the melancholy fair one, lest +she should seem unthankful for the general blessing, refuse to join the +train. + +It was not long after the messenger that Benefico, and those his joyful +friends, arrived: but the faithful Fidus alone, of all this happy +company, was tortured with the inward pangs of a sad grief he could +not conquer, and his fond heart remained still captivated to a melting +sorrow: nor could even the tender friendship of the gentle Mignon quite +remove, though it alleviated, his sadness; but the thoughts of his loved +lost amata embittered every joy, and overwhelmed his generous soul with +sorrow. + +When the company from the castle joined Benefico, he declared to them in +what manner their deliverance was effected; and, as a general shout of +joy resounded through the neighbouring mountains, Fidus, lifting up +his eyes, beheld in the midst of the multitude, standing in a pensive +posture, the fair disconsolate. Her tender heart was at the instant +overflowing in soft tears, caused by a kind participation of their +present transport, yet mixed with the deep sad impression of a grief her +bosom was full fraught with. Her face, at first, was almost hid by her +white handkerchief, with which she wiped away the trickling drops, which +falling, had bedewed her beauteous cheeks: but as she turned her lovely +face to view the joyful conquerors, and to speak a welcome to her kind +protector, what words can speak the raptures, the astonishment, that +swelled the bosom of the faithful youth, when in this fair disconsolate +he saw his loved, his constant, his long-lost Amata! Their delighted +eyes in the same instant beheld each other, and, breaking on each +side from their astonished friends, they flew like lightning into each +other's arms. + +After they had given a short account of what had passed in their +separation, Fidus presented to his loved Amata the kind, the gentle +Mignon, with lavish praises of his generous friendship, and steady +resolution, in hazarding his life by disobeying the injunctions of the +cruel tyrant. No sooner had Amata heard the name of Mignon, but she +cried out, 'Surely my happiness is now complete, and all my sorrows, by +this joyful moment, are more than fully recompensed; for, in the kind +preserver of my Fidus, I have found my brother. My mother lost her +little Mignon when he was five years old; and pining grief, after some +years vain search, ended her wretched life.' + +The generous hearts of all who were present shared the raptures of +the faithful Fidus, the lovely Amata, and gentle Mignon, on this happy +discovery; and in the warmest congratulations they expressed their joy. + +Benefico now led all the delighted company into his castle, where +freedom was publicly proclaimed; and every one was left a liberty either +to remain there with Benefico, or, loaded with wealth sufficient for +their use, to go where their attachments or inclinations might invite +them. + +Fidus, Amata, and the little Mignon, hesitated not one moment to declare +their choice of staying with the generous Benefico. + +The nuptials of the faithful Fidus, and his loved Amata, were solemnized +in the presence of all their friends. + +Benefico passed the remainder of his days in pleasing reflections on his +well-spent life. + +The treasures of the dead tyrant were turned into blessings by the use +they were now made of: little Mignon was loved and cherished by all his +companions. Peace, harmony and love reigned in every bosom; dissension, +discord, and hatred were banished from this friendly dwelling; and that +happiness, which is the natural consequence of goodness, appeared in +every cheerful countenance throughout the castle of the good Benefico; +and as heretofore affright and terror spread itself from the monster's +hateful cave, so now from this peaceful castle was diffused tranquility +and joy through all the happy country round. + + +Thus ended the story of the two giants: and Miss Jenny being tired with +reading, they left the arbour for that night, and agreed to meet there +again the next day. + +As soon as they had supped, Mrs. Teachum sent for Miss Jenny Peace into +her closet, and desired an exact account from her of this their first +day's amusement, that she might judge from thence how far they might be +trusted with the liberty she had given them. + +Miss Jenny showed her governess the story she had read; and said, 'I +hope, madam, you will not think it an improper one; for it was given +me by my mamma; and she told me, that she thought it contained a very +excellent moral.' + +Mrs. Teachum, having looked it over, thus spoke: 'I have no objection, +Miss Jenny, to your reading any stories to amuse you, provided you read +them with the proper disposition of mind not to be hurt by them. A very +good moral may indeed be drawn from the whole, and likewise from almost +every part of it; and as you had this story from your mamma, I doubt not +but you are very well qualified to make the proper remarks yourself +upon the moral of it to your companions. But here let me observe to you +(which I would have you communicate to your little friends) that giants, +magic, fairies, and all sorts of supernatural assistances in a story, +are only introduced to amuse and divert: for a giant is called so only +to express a man of great power; and the magic fillet round the statue +was intended only to show you, that by patience you will overcome all +difficulties. Therefore, by no means let the notion of giants or magic +dwell upon your minds. And you may farther observe, that there is +a different style adapted to every sort of writing; and the various +sounding epithets given to Barbarico are proper to express the raging +cruelty of his wicked mind. But neither this high-sounding language, nor +the supernatural contrivances in this story, do I so thoroughly approve, +as to recommend them much to your reading; except, as I said before, +great care is taken to prevent your being carried away, by these +high-flown things, from that simplicity of taste and manners which it is +my chief study to inculcate.' + +Here Miss Jenny looked a little confounded; and, by her down-cast eye, +showed a fear that she had incurred the disapprobation, if not the +displeasure, of her governess: upon which Mrs. Teachum thus proceeded: + +'I do not intend by this, my dear, to blame you for what you have done; +but only to instruct you how to make the best use of even the most +trifling things: and if you have any more stories of this kind, with +an equal good moral, when you are not better employed, I shall not be +against your reading them; always remembering the cautions I have this +evening been giving you.' + +Miss Jenny thanked her governess for her instructions, and kind +indulgence to her, and promised to give her an exact account of their +daily amusements; and, taking leave, retired to her rest. + + + + +TUESDAY. THE SECOND DAY. + +That Miss Jenny's meeting with her companions in the morning, after +school, she asked them how they liked the history of the giants? They +all declared they thought it a very pretty diverting story. Miss Jenny +replied, though she was glad they were pleased, yet she would have them +look farther than the present amusement: 'for,' continued she, 'my mamma +always taught me to understand what I read; otherwise, she said, it was +to no manner of purpose to read ever so many books, which would only +stuff my brain, without being any improvement to my mind.' + +The misses all agreed, that certainly it was of no use to read, without +understanding what they read; and began to talk of the story of the +giants, to prove they could make just remarks on it. + +Miss Sukey Jennett said, 'I am most pleased with that part of the story +where the good Benefico cuts off the monster's head, and puts an end +to his cruelty, especially as he was so sullen he would not confess his +wickedness; because, you know, Miss Jenny, if he had had sense enough to +have owned his error, and have followed the example of the good giant, +he might have been happy.' + +Miss Lucy Sly delivered the following opinion: 'My greatest joy was +whilst Mignon was tying the magic fillet round the monster's neck, and +conquering him.' + +'Now I (said Miss Dolly Friendly) am most pleased with that part of the +story, were Fidus and Amata meet the reward of their constancy and love, +when they find each other after all their sufferings.' + +Miss Polly Suckling said, with some eagerness, 'My greatest joy was in +the description of Mignon; and to think that it should be in the power +of that little creature to conquer such a great monster.' + +Miss Patty Lockit, Miss Nanny Spruce, Miss Betty Ford, and Miss Henny +Fret, advanced no new opinions; but agreed some to one, and some to +another, of those that were already advanced. And as every one was eager +to maintain her own opinion, an argument followed, the particulars of +which I could never learn: only thus much I know, that it was concluded +by Miss Lucy Sly, saying, with an air and tone of voice that implied +more anger than had been heard since the reconciliation, that she was +sure Miss Polly Suckling only liked that part about Mignon, because she +was the least in the school; and Mignon being such a little creature, +put her in mind of herself. + +Miss Jenny Peace now began to be frighted, lest this contention should +raise another quarrel; and therefore begged to be heard before they went +any farther. They were not yet angry enough to refuse hearing what she +had to say: and then Miss Jenny desired them to consider the moral of +the story, and what use they might make of it, instead of contending +which was the prettiest part: 'For otherwise,' continued she, 'I have +lost my breath in reading to you; and you will be worse, rather than +better, for what you have heard. Pray observe, that Benefico's happiness +arose entirely from his goodness: he had less strength, and less riches, +than the cruel monster; and yet, by the good use he made of what he +possessed, you see how he turned all things to his advantage. But +particularly remember, that the good little Mignon, in the moment +that he was patiently submitting to his sufferings, found a method of +relieving himself from them, and of overcoming a barbarous monster, who +had so cruelly abused him. + +'Our good governess last night not only instructed me in this moral I +am now communicating to you, but likewise bid me warn you by no means +to let the notion of giants or magic to dwell upon your minds; for by a +giant is meant no more than a man of great power; and the magic fillet +round the head of the statue was only intended to teach you, that by the +assistance of patience you may overcome all difficulties. + +'In order therefore to make what you read of any use to you, you must +not only think of it thus in general, but make the application to +yourselves. For when (as now) instead of improving yourselves by +reading, you make what you read a subject to quarrel about, what is this +less than being like the monster Barbarico, who turned his very riches +to a curse? I am sure it is not following the example of Benefico, who +made everything a blessing to him. Remember, if you pinch and abuse a +dog or cat, because it is in your power, you are like the cruel Monster, +when he abused the little Mignon, and said, + + I am a giant, and I can eat thee; + Thou art a dwarf, and thou canst not eat me. + +'In short, if you will reap any benefit from this story towards +rendering you happy, whenever you have any power, you must follow the +example of the giant Benefico, and do good with it: and when you are +under any sufferings, like Mignon, you must patiently endure them till +you can find a remedy: then, in one case, like Benefico, you will enjoy +what you possess; and, in the other, you will in time, like Mignon, +overcome your sufferings: for the natural consequence of indulging +cruelty and revenge in the mind, even where there is the highest power +to gratify it, is misery.' + +Here Miss Sukey Jennet interrupted Miss Jenny, saying, that she herself +had experienced the truth of that observation in the former part of her +life: for she never had known either peace or pleasure, till she had +conquered in her mind the desire of hurting and being revenged on those +who she thought did not by their behaviour show the same regard for her, +that her own good opinion of herself made her think she deserved. Miss +Jenny then asked her, if she was willing to lead the way to the rest of +her companions, by telling her past life? She answered, she would do it +with all her heart; and, by having so many and great faults to confess, +she hoped she should, by her true confessions, set them an example of +honesty and ingenuity. + + + + +THE DESCRIPTION OF MISS SUKEY JENNETT. + +Miss Sukey Jennett, who was next in years to Miss Jenny Peace, was not +quite twelve years old; but so very tall of her age, that she was within +a trifle as tall as Miss Jenny Peace; and, by growing so fast, was +much thinner: and though she was not really so well made, yet, from an +assured air in her manner of carrying herself, she was called much the +genteelest girl. There was, on first view, a great resemblance in their +persons. Her face was very handsome, and her complexion extremely good; +but a little more inclined to pale than Miss Jenny's. Her eyes were a +degree darker, and had a life and fire in them which was very beautiful: +but yet her impatience on the least contradiction often brought a +fierceness into her eyes, and gave such a discomposure to her whole +countenance, as immediately took off your admiration. But her eyes had +now, since her hearty reconciliation with her companions, lost a great +part of their fierceness; and with great mildness, and an obliging +manner, she told her story as follows: + + + + +THE LIFE OF MISS SUKEY JENNETT. + +'My mamma died when I was so young that I cannot remember her; and my +papa marrying again within half a year after her death, I was chiefly +left to the care of an old servant, that had lived many years in the +family. I was a great favourite of hers, and in everything had my own +way. When I was but four years old, if ever anything crossed me, I was +taught to beat it, and be revenged of it, even though it could not +feel. If I fell down and hurt myself, the very ground was to be beat for +hurting the sweet child: so that, instead of fearing to fall, I did not +dislike it; for I was pleased to find, that I was of such consequence, +that everything was to take care that I came by no harm. + +'I had a little playfellow, in a child of one of my papa's servants, who +was to be entirely under my command. This girl I used to abuse and beat, +whenever I was out of humour; and when I had abused her, if she dared +to grumble, or make the least complaint, I thought it the greatest +impudence in the world; and, instead of mending my behaviour to her, +I grew very angry that she should dare to dispute my power: for my +governess always told her, that she was but a servant's girl, and I was +a gentleman's daughter; and that therefore she ought to give way to me; +for that I did her great honour in playing with her. Thus I thought the +distance between us was so great, that I never considered that she could +feel: but whilst I myself suffered nothing, I fancied everything was +very right; and it never once came into my head, that I could be in the +wrong. + +'This life I led till I came to school, when I was eleven years +old. Here I had nobody in my power; for all my schoolfellows thought +themselves my equals: so that I could only quarrel, fight, and contend +for everything: but being liable to be punished, when I was trying to be +revenged on any of my enemies, as I thought them, I never had a moment's +ease or pleasure, till Miss Jenny was so good to take the pains to +convince me of my folly, and made me be reconciled to you, my dear +companions.' + +Here Miss Sukey ceased; and Miss Jenny smiled with pleasure, at the +thoughts that she had been the cause of her happiness. + +Mrs. Teachum being now come into the arbour, to see in what manner +her little scholars passed their time, they all rose up and do her +reverence. Miss Jenny gave her an account how they had been employed; +and she was much pleased with their innocent and useful entertainment; +but especially with the method they had found out of relating their past +lives. She took little Polly Suckling by the hand, and bidding the rest +follow, it being now dinner time, she walked towards the house, attended +by the whole company. + +Mrs. Teachum had a great inclination to hear the history of the lives +of all her little scholars: but she thought, that being present at those +relations might be a balk to the narration, as perhaps they might be +ashamed freely to confess their past faults before her; and therefore, +that she might not be any bar in this case to the freedom of their +speech, and yet might be acquainted with their stories (though this was +not merely a vain curiosity, but a desire by this means to know their +different dispositions), she called Miss Jenny Peace to her parlour +after dinner, and told her, she would have her get the lives of her +companions in writing, and bring them to her; and Miss Jenny readily +promised to obey her commands. + +In the evening our little company again met in their charming arbour; +where they were no sooner seated, with that calmness and content which +now always attended them, than the cries and sobs of a child, at a +little distance from their garden, disturbed their tranquility. + +Miss Jenny, ever ready to relieve the distressed, ran immediately to +the place whence the sound seemed to come, and was followed by all her +companions: when, at a small distance from Mrs. Teachum's garden-wall, +over which from the terrace our young company looked, they saw, under a +large spreading tree, part of the branches of which shaded a seat at +the end of that terrace, a middle-aged woman beating a little girl, who +looked to be about eight years old, so severely, that it was no wonder +her cries had reached their arbour. + +Miss Jenny could not forbear calling out to the woman, and begging her +to forbear: and little Polly Suckling cried as much as the girl, and +desired she might not be beat any more. The woman, in respect to them, +let the child go; but said, 'Indeed, young ladies, you don't know what +a naughty girl she is: for though you now see me correct her in this +manner, yet am I in all respects very kind to her, and never strike her +but for lying. I have tried all means, good and bad, to break her of +this vile fault; but hitherto all I have done has been in vain: nor +can I ever get one word of truth out of her mouth. But I am resolved to +break her of this horrid custom, or I cannot live with her: for though I +am but poor, yet I will breed up my child to be honest, both in word and +deed.' + +Miss Jenny could not but approve of what the poor woman said. However, +they all joined in begging forgiveness for the girl this time, provided +she promised amendment for the future: and then our little society +returned to their arbour. + +Miss Jenny could not help expressing her great detestation of all lying +whatsoever; when Miss Dolly Friendly, colouring, confessed she had often +been guilty of this fault, though she never scarcely did it but for her +friend. + +Here Miss Jenny, interrupting her, said, that even that was no sort of +excuse for lying; besides that the habit of it on any occasion, even +with the appearance of a good intention, would but too likely lead to +the use of it on many others: and as she did not doubt, by Miss Dolly's +blushing, that she was now very sensible of the truth of what she had +just been saying, she hoped she would take this opportunity of obliging +them with the history of her past life: which request she made no +hesitation to grant, saying, the shame of her past faults should by o +means induce her to conceal them. + + + + +THE DESCRIPTION OF MISS DOLLY FRIENDLY. + +Miss Dolly Friendly was just turned of eleven years of age. Her person +was neither plain nor handsome: and though she had not what is properly +called one fine feature in her face, yet the disposition of them were so +suitable to each other, that her countenance was rather agreeable than +otherwise. She had generally something very quiet, or rather indolent, +in her look, except when she was moved by anger; which seldom happened, +but in defense of some favourite or friend; and she had then a +fierceness and eagerness which altered her whole countenance: for she +could not bear the least reflection or insult on those she loved. This +disposition made her always eager to comply with her friends' requests; +and she immediately began, as follows: + + + + +THE LIFE OF MISS DOLLY FRIENDLY. + +'I was bred up, till I was nine years of age, with a sister, who was one +year younger than myself. The chief care of our parents was to make us +love each other; and, as I was naturally inclined to have very strong +affections, I became so fond of my sister Molly, which was her name, +that all my delight was to please her; and this I carried to such a +height, that I scrupled no lies to excuse her faults: and whatever she +did, I justified, and thought right, only because she did it. + +'I was ready to fight her quarrels, whether right or wrong; and hated +everybody that offended her. My parents winked at whatever I did in +defence of my sister; and I had no notion that any thing done for her +could be unreasonable. In short, I made it my study to oblige and please +her, till I found at last it was out of my power; for she grew so very +humoursome, that she could not find out what she had most mind to have; +and I found her always miserable; for she would cry only because she did +not know her own mind. + +'She never minded what faults she committed, because she knew I would +excuse her; and she was forgiven in consideration of our friendship, +which gave our parents great pleasure. + +'My poor little sister grew very sickly, and she died just before I +came to school: but the same disposition still continued; and it was my +friend's outcries of being hurt, that drew me into that odious quarrel, +that we have all now repented.' + + + +Here Miss Dolly Friendly ceased; and Miss Jenny said, she hoped Miss +Dolly would remember, for the rest of her life, what HER good mamma had +always taught her; namely, that it was not the office of friendship, to +justify or excuse our friend when in the wrong; for that was the way +to prevent their ever being in the right: that it was rather hatred, +or contempt, than love, when the fear of another's anger made us forego +their good, for the sake of our own present pleasure; and that the +friends who expected such flattery were not worth keeping. + +The bell again summoned our little company to supper: but, before they +went in, Miss Dolly Friendly said, if Miss Jenny approved of it, she +would the next morning read them a story given her by an uncle of +hers, that, she said, she was sure would please her, as its subject was +friendship. Miss Jenny replied, that she was certain it would be a great +pleasure to them all, to hear any story Miss Dolly thought proper to +read them. + + + + +WEDNESDAY. THE THIRD DAY. + +As soon as school was over in the morning, our little company were +impatient to go into the arbour, to hear Miss Dolly's story: but +Mrs. Teachum told them they must be otherwise employed; for their +writing-master, who lived some miles off; and who was expected in the +afternoon, was just then come in, and begged that they would give him +their attendance, though out of school-time; because he was obliged to +be at home again before the afternoon, to meet a person who would confer +some favour on him, and would be highly disobliged should he not keep +his appointment: 'And I know (said Mrs. Teachum) my little dears, you +would rather lose your own amusement, than let any one suffer a +real inconvenience on your accounts.' They all readily complied, and +cheerfully set to their writing; and in the afternoon Mrs. Teachum +permitted them to leave off work an hour sooner than usual, as a reward +for their readiness to lose their amusement in the morning: and being +met in their arbour, Miss Dolly read as follows: + + + + +THE STORY OF CAELIA AND CHLOE. + +Caelia and Chloe were both left orphans, at the tender age of six years. +Amanda their aunt, who was very rich, and a maiden, took them directly +under her care, and bred them up as her own children. Caelia's mother +was Amanda's sister; and Chloe's father was her brother; so that she was +equally related to both. + +They were left entirely unprovided for; were both born on the same day; +and both lost their mothers on the day of their birth: their fathers +were soldiers of fortune; and both killed in one day, in the fame +engagement. But their fortunes were not more similar than their persons +and dispositions. They were both extremely handsome; and in their +Childhood were so remarkable for liveliness of parts, and sweetness of +temper, that they were the admiration of the whole country where they +lived. + +Their aunt loved them with a sincere and equal affection, and took the +greatest pleasure imaginable in their education, and particularly to +encourage that love and friendship which she with pleasure perceived +between them. Amanda being (as was said) very rich, and having no other +relations, it was supposed that these her nieces would be very great +fortunes; and as soon as they became women, they were addressed by all +the men of fortune and no fortune round the neighbourhood. But as the +love of admiration, and a desire of a large train of admirers, had +no place in their minds, they soon dismissed, in the most civil and +obliging manner, one after another, all these lovers. + +The refusing such numbers of men, and some such as by the world were +called good offers, soon got them the name of jilts; and by that means +they were freed from any farther importunity, and for some years enjoyed +that peace and quiet they had long wished. Their aunt, from being their +mother and their guardian, was now become their friend. For, as she +endeavoured not in the least to force their inclinations, they never +kept anything concealed from her; and every action of their lives was +still guided by her advice and approbation. + +They lived on in this way, perfectly happy in their own little +community, till they were about two-and-twenty years old when there +happened to be a regiment quartered in the neighbouring town, to which +their house was nearly situated; and the lieutenant-colonel, a man about +four-and-thirty years old, hearing their names, had a great desire to +see them. For when he was a boy of sixteen, he was put into the Army +under the care of Chloe's father, who treated him with the greatest +tenderness; and (in that fatal engagement in which he lost his life) +received his death's wound by endeavouring to save him from being taken +by the enemy. And gratitude to the memory of so good a friend was as +great an inducement to make him desire to see his daughter, as the +report he had heard both of hers and her cousin's great beauty. + +Sempronius (for so this Colonel was called) was a very sensible, +well-bred, agreeable man; and from the circumstances of his former +acquaintance, and his present proper and polite behaviour, he soon +became very intimate in the family. The old lady was particularly +pleased with him; and secretly wished, that before she died she might +be so happy as to see one of her nieces married to Sempronius. She could +not from his behaviour see the least particular liking to either, though +he showed an equal and very great esteem and regard for both. + +He in reality liked them both extremely; and the reason of making no +declaration of love was, his being so undetermined in any preference +that was due to either. He saw plainly that he was very agreeable to +both; and with pleasure he observed, that they made use of none of those +arts which women generally do to get away a disputed lover: and this +sincere friendship which subsisted between them raised in him the +highest degree of love and admiration. However he at last determined to +make the following trial: + +He went first to Chloe, and (finding her alone) told her, that he had +the greatest liking in the world to her cousin; and had really a mind +to propose himself to her: but as he saw a very great friendship between +them, he was willing to ask her advice in the matter; and conjured her +to tell him sincerely, whether there was anything in Caelia's temper +(not discoverable by him) which as a wife would make him unhappy? He +told her, that, if she knew any such thing, it would be no treachery, +but rather kind in her to declare it, as it would prevent her friend's +being unhappy; which must be the consequence, in marriage, of her making +him so. + +Chloe could not help seeing very plainly, that if Caelia was removed she +stood the very next in Sempronius's favour. Her lover was present--her +friend was absent--and the temptation was too strong and agreeable to be +resisted. She then answered, that since he insisted upon the truth, and +had convinced her that it was in reality acting justly and kindly by her +friend, she must confess, that Caelia was possessed (though in a very +small degree) of what she had often heard him declare most against of +anything in the world; and that was, an artfulness of temper, and some +few sparks of envy. + +Chloe's confused manner of speaking, and frequent hesitation, as +unwilling to pronounce her friend's condemnation (which, as being +unused to falsehood, was really unaffected) he imputed to tenderness +and concern for Caelia; but he did not in the least doubt, but on his +application to her he should soon be convinced of the truth of what +Chloe had said. + +He then went directly to the arbour at the end of the garden, and there +to his wish he found Caelia quite alone; and he addressed her exactly in +the same manner concerning her cousin, as he had before spoke to Chloe +concerning her. Caelia suddenly blushed (from motives I leave those to +find out who can put themselves in her circumstances) and then fetched a +soft sigh, from the thought that she was hearing a man she loved declare +a passion of which she was not the object. But after some little +pause, she told him, that if Chloe had any faults, they were to her yet +undiscovered, and she really and sincerely believed her cousin would +make him extremely happy. Sempronius then said, that of all other +things, TREACHERY and ENVY were what he had the greatest dislike to: and +he asked her, if she did not think her cousin was a little tainted with +these?--Here Caelia could not help interrupting, and assuring him, that +she believed her totally free from both. And, from his casting on +her friend an aspersion which her very soul abhorred, forgetting all +rivalship, she could not refrain from growing quite lavish in her +praise. 'Suppose then (said Sempronius) I was to say the same to your +cousin concerning my intentions towards you as I have to you concerning +her, do you think she would say as many fine things in your praise as +you have done in hers?' + +Caelia answered, that she verily believed her cousin would say as much +for her as she really deserved; but whether that would be equal to what +with justice she could say of Chloe, her modesty left her in some doubt +of. + +Sempronius had too much penetration not to see the real and true +difference in the behaviour of these two women, and could not help +crying out, 'O Caelia! your honest truth and goodness in every word and +look are too visible to leave me one doubt of their reality. But, could +you believe it? this friend of yours is false. I have already put her +to the trial, by declaring to her my sincere and unalterable passion +for you. When, on my insisting, as I did to you, upon her speaking the +truth, she accused you of what nothing should now convince me you are +guilty of. I own, that hitherto my regard, esteem, and love, have been +equal to both; but now I offer to the sincere, artless, and charming +Caelia, my whole heart, love, and affection, and the service of every +minute of my future life; and from this moment I banish from my mind the +false and ungrateful Chloe.' + +Caelia's friendship for Chloe was so deeply rooted in her breast, that +even a declaration of love from Sempronius could not blot it one moment +from her heart; and on his speaking the words 'false Chloe,' she burst +into tears, and said, 'Is it possible that Chloe should act such a part +towards her Caelia! You must forgive her, Sempronius: it was her violent +passion for you, and fear of losing you, which made her do what hitherto +her nature has ever appeared averse to.' + +Sempronius answered, 'that he could not enough admire her goodness to +her friend Chloe; but such proofs of passion, he said, were to him at +the same time proofs of its being such a passion as he had no regard +for; since it was impossible for any one to gain or increase his love +by an action which at the same time lessened his esteem.' This was so +exactly Caelia's own way of thinking, that she could not but assent to +what he said. + +But just as they were coming out of the arbour, Chloe, unseen by them, +passed by; and from seeing him kiss her hand, and the complacency of +Caelia's look, it was easy for her to guess what had been the result +of their private conference. She could not however help indulging her +curiosity, so far as to walk on the other side of a thick yew hedge, to +listen to their discourse; and as they walked on, she heard Sempronius +entreat Caelia to be cheerful, and think no more of her treacherous +friend, whose wickedness he doubted not would sufficiently punish +itself. She then heard Caelia say, 'I cannot bear, Sempronius, to hear +you speak so hardly of my Chloe. Say that you forgive her, and I will +indeed be cheerful.' + +Nothing upon earth can be conceived so wretched as poor Chloe, for on +the first moment that she suffered herself to reflect on what she had +done, she thoroughly repented, and heartily detested herself for +such baseness. She went directly into the garden in hopes of meeting +Sempronius, to have thrown herself at his feet, confessed her treachery, +and to have begged him never to have mentioned it to Caelia; but now she +was conscious her repentance would come too late; and he would despise +her, if possible still more, for such a recantation, after her knowledge +of what had passed between him and Caelia. + +She could indeed have gone to him, and not have owned what she had seen +or heard; but now her abhorrence of even the appearance of treachery or +cunning was so great, that she could not bear to add the smallest grain +of falsehood or deceit to the weight of her guilt, which was already +almost insupportable: and should she tell him of her repentance, with a +confession of her knowledge of his engagement with Caelia, it would (as +has been before observed) appear both servile and insincere. + +Nothing could now appear so altered as the whole face of this once happy +family. Sempronius as much as possible shunned the sight of Chloe; for +as she was the cause of all the confusion amongst them, he had almost an +aversion to her. Though he was not of an implacable temper, yet, as the +injury was intended to one he sincerely loved, he found it much harder +to forgive it, than if it had even succeeded against himself; and as he +still looked upon Chloe as the cause of melancholy in his dear Caelia, +he could hardly have any patience with her. + +No words can describe the various passions which were expressed in the +sad countenance of Chloe, when first she met her friend. They were both +afraid of speaking. Shame, and the fear of being (and with too good +reason) suspected of insincerity, withheld Chloe; and an unwillingness +to accuse or hurt her friend withheld the gentle Caelia. She sometimes +indeed thought she saw repentance in Chloe's face, and wished for +nothing more than to seal her pardon. But till it was asked, she was +in doubt (from what had passed) whether such pardon and proffered +reconciliation might not be rejected. She knew that her friend's +passions were naturally stronger than hers; and she therefore trembled +at the consequences of coming to an explanation. + +But there was hardly a greater sufferer in this scene of confusion than +the poor old Lady Amanda. She saw a sort of horror and wildness in the +face of Chloe; and in Caelia's a settled melancholy, and such an unusual +reserve in both towards each other, as well as to herself, as quite +astonished her. + +Sempronius came indeed to the house as often as usual; but in his +countenance she could perceive a sort of anger and concern which +perfectly frightened her. But as they did not speak to her, she could +not bring herself to ask the cause of this woeful change, for fear of +hearing something too bad to bear. + +Caelia had absolutely refused granting to Sempronius leave to ask her +aunt's consent, till she should come to some explanation with Chloe, +which seemed every day farther off than ever. + +The great perturbation of Chloe's mind threw her into a disorder not +many degrees short of madness; and at last she was seized with a violent +fever so as to keep her bed. She said she could not bear to look on +Amanda; but begged Caelia to be with her as much as possible; which she +did, in hopes of bringing herself to ease her mind, by speaking to her +of what had given them all this torment. + +Caelia watched with her night and day for three days, when the physician +who attended her pronounced that there was no hope of her life. Caelia +could not any longer bear to stay in the room, and went downstairs, +expecting every moment to hear she was expired. + +Chloe soon perceived by Caelia's abrupt leaving the room, and the looks +of those who were left in it, that her fate was pronounced; which, +instead of sinking her spirits, and making her dejected, gave a +tranquillity to her mind; for she thought within herself, 'I shall now +make my dear cousin happy, by removing out of her way an object that +must embitter all her joy; and now likewise, as she is convinced I am on +my death-bed, she will once more believe me capable of speaking truth; +and will, in the manner I could wish, receive my sincere repentance.' +Then sending for Caelia up to her bedside, she in a weak voice, with +hardly strength for utterance, spoke in this manner: 'My dear Caelia, +though you know me to be a worthless base wretch, yet do not think so +hardly of me, as to imagine I would deceive you with my last breath. +Believe me then when I tell you, that I sincerely repent of my treachery +towards you; and as sincerely rejoice that it has in reality been +the cause of your happiness with Sempronius. Tell him this; and then, +perhaps, he will not hate my memory.' Here she fainted away, and they +forced Caelia out of the room, thinking her breath was for ever flown. +But in some time she came again to herself, and cried out, 'What! would +not my dear Caelia say that she forgave me? Methinks I would not die, +till I had obtained her pardon. She is too good to refuse her friend +this last request.' Her attendants then told her, that seeing her faint +away, they had forced Caelia out of the room; and they begged her to try +to compose herself, for they were sure that seeing her friend again, at +this time, would only disturb her mind, and do her an injury. + +Chloe, from the vent she had given her grief in speaking to Caelia, +found herself something more easy and composed; and desiring the room to +be made perfectly quiet, she fell into a gentle sleep, which lasted two +hours; and when she awaked she found herself so much better, that those +about her were convinced, from her composed manner of speaking, that she +was now able to bear another interview. + +They again called for Caelia, and told her of her cousin's amendment. +She flew with all speed to her chamber; and the moment she entered, +Chloe cried out, 'Can you forgive me, Caelia?' 'Yes, with the greatest +joy and sincerity imaginable, my dearest Chloe,' answered Caelia, 'and +never let it be again mentioned or remembered.' + +The sudden recovery of Chloe was almost incredible; for in less than a +week she was able to quit both her bed and room, and go into her aunt's +chamber. The good old lady shed tears of joy, to see such a return of +Chloe's health, and of cheerfulness in the family; and was perfectly +contented, now she saw their melancholy removed, not to inquire into the +late cause of it, for fear of renewing their trouble even one moment by +the remembrance of it. + +Sempronius, in the meantime, upon some affairs of his duty in the army, +had been called away, and was absent the whole time of Chloe's illness, +and was not yet returned. Caelia spent almost her whole time with Chloe; +but three weeks passed on, and they were often alone; yet they had never +once mentioned the name of Sempronius, which laid Caelia still under +the greatest difficulty how to act, so as to avoid giving her friend any +uneasiness, and yet not disoblige Sempronius; for she had promised +him at his departure, that she would give him leave to ask her aunt's +consent immediately upon his return. But the very day he was expected, +she was made quite easy by what passed between her and her friend. + +Chloe, in this time, by proper reflections, and a due sense of Caelia's +great goodness and affection to her, had so entirely got the better +of herself in this affair, that she found she could now, without any +uneasiness, see them married; and calling Caelia to her, she said with a +smile, 'I have, my dear friend, been so long accustomed to read in that +intelligible index, your countenance, all your most inmost thoughts, +that I have not been unobserving of those kind fears you have had on +my account; and the reason I have so long delayed speaking was, my +resolution, if possible, never again to deceive you. I can with pleasure +now assure you, that nothing can give me so much joy as to see your +wedding with Sempronius. I make no doubt, but if you ask it, you will +have my aunt's consent; and, if any intercession should be wanting +towards obtaining it, I will (if you can trust me) use all my influence +in your behalf. Be assured, my dear Caelia, I have now no farther regard +left for Sempronius, than as your husband; and that regard will increase +in proportion as he is the cause of your happiness.' + +They were interrupted in their discourse by news being brought of +the arrival of Sempronius, and Chloe received him with that ease and +cheerfulness as convinced Caelia her professions were unfeigned. + +Caelia related to Sempronius all that had passed between her and +Chloe; and by her continued cheerfulness of behaviour, the peace and +tranquillity of the family was perfectly restored, and their joy greatly +increased by Amanda's ready consent to the marriage of Sempronius and +Caelia, having first settled all her fortune to be divided at her death +equally between her nieces; and in her lifetime there was no occasion of +settlements, or deeds of gift, for they lived all together, and separate +property was not so much as mentioned or thought on in this family of +harmony and peace. + +Here Miss Dolly ceased reading; and all her hearers sat some little time +silent, and then expressed their great joy that Caelia and Chloe were at +last happy; for none of them had been able to refrain from tears whilst +they were otherwise. On which Miss Jenny Peace begged them to observe +from this story, the miserable effects that attend deceit and treachery: +'For,' continued she, 'you see you could not refrain from tears, only by +imagining what Chloe must feel after her wickedness (by which indeed she +lost the very happiness she intended treacherously to gain); nor could +she enjoy one moment's peace, till by confessing her fault, and +heartily repenting of it, her mind was restored to its former calm and +tranquility.' Miss Dolly thanked Miss Jenny for her remarks; but Miss +Lucy Sly was most sensibly touched with this story, as cunning had +formerly entirely possessed HER mind; and said, that if her companions +were not weary at present of their arbour, she would now recount to them +the history of her life, as this story was a proper introduction to it. + + + + +THE DESCRIPTION OF MISS LUCY SLY. + +Miss Lucy Sly was of the same age as Miss Dolly Friendly; but shorter, +at least, by half the head. She was generally called a pretty girl, +from having a pair of exceeding fine black eyes, only with the allay of +something cunning in their look. She had a high forehead, and very good +curling black hair. She had a sharp high nose, and a very small mouth. +Her complexion was but indifferent, and the lower part of her face +ill-turned, for her chin was too long for due proportion. + + + + +THE LIFE OF MISS LUCY SLY. + +From the time I was two years old, (said Miss Lucy) my mamma was so +sickly, that she was unable to take any great care of me herself, and I +was left to the care of a governess, who made it her study to bring me +to do what she had a mind to have done, without troubling her head what +induced me so to do. And whenever I did anything wrong, she used to say +it was the foot-boy, and not miss, that was naughty. Nay, she would say, +it was the dog, or the cat, or anything she could lay the blame upon, +sooner than own it was me. I thought this pure, that I was never in +fault; and soon got into a way of telling any lies, and of laying my own +faults on others, since I found I should be believed. I remember once, +when I had broken a fine china-cup, that I artfully got out of the +scrape, and hid the broken cup in the foot-boy's room. He was whipped +for breaking it; and the next day whilst I was at play about the room, +I heard my governess say to a friend who was with her, "Yesterday Miss +Lucy broke a china-cup; but the artful little hussy went and hid it +in the foot-boy's room, and the poor boy was whipped for it. I don't +believe there was ever a girl of her age that had half her cunning and +contrivance." I knew by her tone of voice, and her manner of speaking, +that she did not blame me in her heart, but rather commended my +ingenuity. And I thought myself so wise, that I could thus get off the +blame from myself, that I every day improved in new inventions to save +myself, and have others punished in my place. + +'This life of endeavouring to deceive I led till I came to school. But +here I found that I could not so well carry on my little schemes; for I +was found out and punished for my own faults; and this created in me a +hatred to my companions. For whatever Miss I had a mind to serve as I +used to serve our foot-boy, in laying the blame falsely upon her, if she +could justify herself, and prove me in the wrong, I was very angry with +her, for daring to contradict me, and not submitting as quietly to be +punished wrongfully, as the foot-boy was forced to do. + +'This is all I know of my life hitherto.' + + +Thus ended Miss Lucy Sly: and Miss Jenny Peace commended Miss Lucy for +her free confession of her faults, and said, 'She doubted not but she +would find the advantage of amending, and endeavouring to change a +disposition so very pernicious to her own peace and quiet, as well as +to that of all her friends;' but they now obeyed the summons of the +supper-bell, and soon after retired to rest. + + + + +THURSDAY. THE FOURTH DAY. + +Our little company, as soon as the morning school-hours were over, +hastened to their arbour, and were attentive to what Miss Jenny Peace +should propose to them for their amusement till dinner-time; when Miss +Jenny, looking round upon them, said, 'that she had not at present any +story to read; but that she hoped, from Miss Dolly Friendly's example +yesterday, some of the rest might endeavour sometimes to furnish out +the entertainment of the day.' Upon which Miss Sukey Jennett said, +'that though she could not promise them such an agreeable story as Miss +Dolly's; yet she would read them a letter she had received the evening +before from her Cousin Peggy Smith, who lived at York; in which there +was a story that she thought very strange and remarkable. They were all +very desirous of it, when Miss Sukey read as follows: + + +'Dear cousin,--I promised, you know, to write to you when I had anything +to tell you; and as I think the following story very extraordinary, I +was willing to keep my word. + +'Some time ago there came to settle in this city, a lady, whose name was +Dison. We all visited her: but she had so deep a melancholy, arising, as +it appeared, from a settled state of ill health, that nothing we could +do could afford her the least relief, or make her cheerful. In this +condition she languished amongst us five years, still continuing to grow +worse and worse. + +'We all grieved at her fate. Her flesh was withered away; her appetite +decayed by degrees, till all food became nauseous to her sight; her +strength failed her; her feet could not support her tottering body, +lean and worn away as it was; and we hourly expected her death. When, at +last, she one day called her most intimate friends to her bedside, and, +as well as she could, spoke to the following purpose: "I know you all +pity me; but, alas! I am not so much the object of your pity, as your +contempt; for all my misery is of my own seeking, and owing to the +wickedness of my own mind. I had two sisters, with whom I was bred up; +and I have all my lifetime been unhappy, for no other cause but for +their success in the world. When we were young, I could neither eat nor +sleep in peace, when they had either praise or pleasure. When we grew +up to be women, they were both soon married much to their advantage and +satisfaction. This galled me to the heart; and, though I had several +good offers, yet as I did not think them in all respects equal to my +sisters, I would not accept them; and yet was inwardly vexed to refuse +them, for fear I would get no better. I generally deliberated so long +that I lost my lovers, and then I pined for that loss. I never wanted +for anything; and was in a situation in which I might have been happy, +if I pleased. My sisters loved me very well, for I concealed as much +as possible from them my odious envy; and yet never did any poor wretch +lead so miserable a life as I have done; for every blessing they enjoyed +was as so many daggers to my heart. 'Tis this envy that has caused all +my ill health, has preyed upon my very vitals, and will now bring me to +my Grave." + +'In a few days after this confession she died; and her words and death +made such a strong impression on my mind, that I could not help sending +you this relation; and begging you, my dear Sukey, to remember how +careful we ought to be to curb in our minds the very first risings of a +passion so detestable, and so fatal, as this proved to poor Mrs. Dison. +I know I have no particular reason for giving you this caution; for I +never saw anything in you, but what deserved the love and esteem of + +'Your very affectionate cousin, + +'M. SMITH.' + + +As soon as Miss Sukey had finished her letter, Miss Patty Lockit rose +up, and, flying to Miss Jenny Peace, embraced her, and said, 'What +thanks can I give you, my dear friend, for having put me into a way of +examining my heart, and reflecting on my own actions; by which you have +saved me, perhaps, from a life as miserable as that of the poor woman +in Miss Sukey's letter!' Miss Jenny did not thoroughly understand her +meaning; but imagining it might be something relating to her past life, +desired her to explain herself; which she said she would do, telling +now, in her turn, all that had hitherto happened to her. + + + + +THE DESCRIPTION OF MISS PATTY LOCKIT. + +Miss Patty Lockit was but ten years old; tall, inclined to fat. Her +neck was short; and she was not in the least genteel. Her face was very +handsome; for all her features were extremely good. She had large blue +eyes; was exceeding fair; and had a great bloom on her cheeks. Her hair +was the very first degree of light brown; was bright and shining; and +hung in ringlets half way down her back. Her mouth was rather too large; +but she had such fine teeth, and looked so agreeably when she smiled, +that you was not sensible of any fault in it. + +This was the person of Miss Patty Lockit, who was slow to relate her +past life; which she did, in the following manner: + + + + +THE LIFE OF MISS PATTY LOCKIT. + +I lived, till I was six years old, in a very large family; for I had +four sisters, all older than myself, and three brothers. We played +together, and passed our time much in the common way: sometimes we +quarrelled, and sometimes agreed, just as accident would have it. Our +parents had no partiality to any of us; so we had no cause to envy one +another on that account; and we lived tolerably well together. + +'When I was six years old, my grandmother by my father's side (and +who was also my godmother) offering to take me to live with her, and +promising to look upon me as her own child, and entirely to provide +for me, my father and mother, as they had a large family, very readily +accepted her offer, and sent me directly to her house. + +'About half a year before this, she had taken another goddaughter, the +only child of my Aunt Bradly, who was lately dead, and whose husband was +gone to the West Indies. My cousin, Molly Bradly, was four years older +than I; and her mother had taken such pains in her education, that the +understood more than most girls of her age; and had so much liveliness, +good humour, and ingenuity, that everybody was fond of her; and wherever +we went together, all the notice was taken of my cousin, and I was very +little regarded. + +'Though I had all my life before lived in a family where every one in it +was older, and knew more than myself, yet I was very easy; for we were +generally together in the nursery; and nobody took much notice of us, +whether we knew anything, or whether we did not. But now, as I lived +in the house with only one companion, who was so much more admired than +myself, the comparison began to vex me, and I found a strong hatred and +aversion for my cousin arising in my mind; and yet, I verily believe I +should have got the better of it, and been willing to have learnt of my +cousin, and should have loved her for teaching me, if any one had told +me it was right; and if it had not been that Betty, the maid who took +care of us, used to be for ever teasing me about the preference that was +shown to my cousin, and the neglect I always met with. She used to tell +me, that she wondered how I could bear to see Miss Molly so caressed; +and that it was want of spirit not to think myself as good as she was; +and, if she was in my place, she would not submit to be taught by a +child; for my Cousin Molly frequently offered to instruct me in anything +she knew; but I used to say (as Betty had taught me) that I would not +learn of her; for she was but a child, though she was a little older; +and that I was not put under her care, but that of my grandmamma. But +she, poor woman, was so old and unhealthy, that she never troubled her +head much about us, but only to take care that we wanted for nothing. I +lived in this manner three years, fretting and vexing myself that I did +not know so much, nor was not so much liked, as my Cousin Molly, and yet +resolving not to learn anything she could teach me; when my grandmamma +was advised to send me to school; but, as soon as I came here, the case +was much worse; for, instead of one person to envy, I found many; +for all my schoolfellows had learned more than I; and, instead of +endeavouring to get knowledge, I began to hate all those who knew more +than myself; and this, I am now convinced, was owing to that odious +envy, which, if not cured, would always have made me as miserable as +Mrs. Dison was and which constantly tormented me, till we came to live +in that general peace and good-humour we have lately enjoyed: and as I +hope this wicked spirit was not natural to me, but only blown up by +that vile Betty's instigations, I don't doubt but I shall now grow +very happy, and learn something every day, and be pleased with being +instructed, and that I shall always love those who are so good as to +instruct me.' + + +Here Miss Patty Lockit ceased; and the dinner-bell called them from +their arbour. + +Mrs. Teachum, as soon as they had dined, told them, that she thought +it proper they would use some bodily exercise, that they might not, +by sitting constantly still, impair their health. Not but that she was +greatly pleased with their innocent and instructive manner of employing +their leisure hours; but this wise woman knew that the faculties of the +mind grow languid and useless, when the health of the body is lost. + +As soon as they understood their governess's pleasure, they readily +resolved to obey her commands, and desired that, after school, they +might take a walk as far as the dairy house, to eat some curds and +cream. Mrs. Teachum not only granted their request, but said she would +dispense with their school-attendance that afternoon, in order to give +them more time for their walk, which was between two and three miles; +and she likewise added, that she herself would go with them. They all +flew like lightning to get their hats, and to equip themselves for their +walk; and, with cheerful countenances, attended Mrs. Teachum in the +schoolroom. This good gentlewoman, so far from laying them under a +restraint by her presence, encouraged them to run in the fields, and +to gather flowers; which they did, each miss trying to get the best +to present to her governess. In this agreeable manner, with laughing, +talking, and singing, they arrived at the dairy-house, before they +imagined they had walked a mile. + +There lived at this dairy-house an old woman, near seventy years of age. +She had a fresh colour in her face; but was troubled with the palsy, +that made her head shake a little. She was bent forward with age, and +her hair was quite grey: but she retained much good-humour, and received +this little party with hearty welcome. + +Our little gentry flocked about this good woman, asking her a thousand +questions. Miss Polly Suckling asked her, 'Why she shook her head so?' +and Miss Patty Lockit said, 'She hoped her hair would never be of such a +colour.' + +Miss Jenny Peace was afraid they would say something that would offend +the old woman, and advised them to turn their discourse. 'Oh! let the +dear rogues alone,' says the old woman; 'I like their prattle;' and, +taking Miss Polly by the hand, said, 'Come, my dear, we will go into +the dairy, and skim the milk pans.' At which words they all run into the +dairy, and some of them dipped their fingers in the cream; which when +Mrs. Nelly perceived (who was the eldest daughter of the old woman, +and who managed all the affairs) she desired they would walk out of the +dairy, and she would bring them what was fit for them: upon which Miss +Dolly Friendly said, 'she had rather be as old and good-natured as the +mother, than as young and ill-natured as the daughter.' + +The old woman desired her company to sit down at a long table, which +she soon supplied with plenty of cream, strawberries, brown bread, and +sugar. Mrs. Teachum took her place at the upper end, and the rest sat +down in their usual order, and eat plentifully of these good things. +After which, Mrs. Teachum told them they might walk out and see the +garden and orchard, and by that time it would be proper to return home. + +The good old woman showed them the way into the garden; and gathered the +finest roses and pinks she could pick, and gave them to Miss Polly, to +whom she had taken a great Fancy. + +At their taking leave, Mrs. Teachum rewarded the good old woman for her +trouble; who, on her part, expressed much pleasure in feeing so many +well-behaved young ladies; and said, she hoped they would come often. + +These little friends had not walked far in their way home, before they +met a miserable ragged fellow, who begged their charity. Our young +folks immediately gathered together about this poor creature, and were +hearkening very earnestly to his story, which he set forth in a terrible +manner, of having been burnt out of his house, and, from one distress +to another, reduced to that miserable state they saw him in, when Mrs. +Teachum came up to them. She was not a little pleased to see all +the misses' hands in their pockets, pulling out half-pence, and some +sixpences. She told them, she approved of their readiness to assist the +poor fellow, as he appeared to them; but oftentimes those fellows made +up dismal stories without much foundation, and because they were lazy, +and would not work. Miss Dolly said, indeed she believed the poor +man spoke truth; for he looked honest; and, besides, he seemed almost +starved. + +Mrs. Teachum told them it would be late before they could get home; +so, after each of them had given what they thought proper, they pursued +their walk, prattling all the way. + +They got home about nine o'clock; and, as they did not choose any +supper, the bell rang for prayers; after which our young travellers +retired to their rest, where we doubt not but they had a good repose. + + + + +FRIDAY. THE FIFTH DAY. + +Mrs. Teachum, in the morning, inquired how her scholars did after +their walk, and was pleased to hear they were all very well. They then +performed their several tasks with much cheerfulness; and, after the +school-hours, they were hastening, as usual, to their arbour, when Miss +Jenny desired them all to go thither without her, and she would soon +follow them; which they readily consented to; but begged her not to +deprive them long of the pleasure of her sweet company. + +Miss Jenny then went directly into her governess's parlour, and told her +that she had some thoughts of reading to her companions a fairy tale, +which was also given her by her mamma; and though it was not in such a +pompous style, nor so full of wonderful images, as the giant-story; +yet she would not venture to read anything of that kind without her +permission; but, as she had not absolutely condemned all that sort +of writing, she hoped she was not guilty of a fault in asking that +permission. Mrs. Teachum, with a gracious smile, told her, that she +seemed so thoroughly well to understand the whole force of her Monday +night's discourse to her, that she might be trusted almost in anything; +and desired her to go and follow her own judgment and inclinations in +the amusement of her happy friends. Miss Jenny, overjoyed with this kind +condescension in her governess, thanked her, with, a low courtesy, and +said, she hoped she should never do anything unworthy of the confidence +reposed on her; and, hastening to the arbour, she there found all her +little companions quite impatient of this short absence. + +Miss Jenny told them, that she had by her a fairy-tale, which, if they +liked it, she would read; and, as it had pleased her, she did not doubt +but it would give them equal pleasure. + +It was the custom now so much amongst them to assent to any proposal +that came from Miss Jenny, that they all with one voice desired her +to read it; till Miss Polly Suckling said, 'that although she was very +unwilling to contradict anything Miss Jenny liked, yet she could not +help saying, she thought it would be better if they were to read some +true history, from which they might learn something; for she thought +fairy-tales were fit only for little children. + +Miss Jenny could not help smiling at such an objection's coming from +the little dumpling, who was not much above seven years of age; and then +said, 'I will tell you a story, my little Polly, of what happened to me +whilst I was at home. + +'There came into our village, when I was six years old, a man who +carried about a raree-show, which all the children of the parish were +fond of seeing; but I had taken it into my head, that it was beneath my +wisdom to see raree-shows; and therefore would not be persuaded to +join my companions to see this sight; and although I had as great an +inclination as any of them to see it, yet I avoided it, in order to +boast of my own great sense, in that I was above such trifles. + +'When my mamma asked me, why I would not see the show, when she had +given me leave? I drew up my head, and said, "Indeed I did not like +raree-shows. That I had been reading; and I thought that much more +worth my while, than to lose my time at such foolish entertainments." +My mamma, who saw the cause of my refusing this amusement was only a +pretence of being wise, laughed, and said, "She herself had seen it, +and it was really very comical and diverting." On hearing this, I was +heartily vexed to think I had denied myself a pleasure, which I fancied +was beneath me, when I found even my mamma was not above seeing it. This +in a great measure cured me of the folly of thinking myself above any +innocent amusement. And when I grew older, and more capable of hearing +reason, my mamma told me, "She had taken this method of laughing at me, +as laughing is the proper manner of treating affectation; which of all +things, she said, she would have me carefully avoid; otherwise, whenever +I was found out, I should become contemptible."' + +Here Miss Jenny ceased speaking; and Miss Polly Suckling, blushing that +she had made any objection to what Miss Jenny had proposed, begged her +to begin the fairy tale; when just at that instant, Mrs. Teachum, who +had been taking a walk in the garden, turned into the arbour to delight +herself with a view of her little school united in harmony and love, and +Miss Jenny, with great good humour, told her mistress the small contest +she had just had with Miss Polly about reading a fairy tale, and the +occasion of it. Mrs. Teachum kindly chucking the little dumpling under +the chin, said, she had so good an opinion of Miss Jenny, as to answer +for her, that she would read nothing to them but what was proper; and +added, that she herself would stay and hear this fairy tale which Miss +Jenny, on her commands, immediately began. + + + + +THE PRINCESS HEBE. A FAIRY TALE. + +Above two thousand years ago, there reigned over the kingdom of Tonga, +a king, whose name was Abdallah. He was married to a young princess, the +daughter of a king of a neighbouring country, whose name was Rousignon. +Her beauty and prudence engaged him so far in affection to her, that +every hour he could possibly spare from attending the affairs of his +kingdom he spent in her apartment. They had a little daughter, to whom +they gave the name of Hebe, who was the darling and mutual care of both. + +The king was quiet in his dominion, beloved by his subjects, happy in +his family, and all his days rolled on in calm content and joy. The +king's brother Abdulham was also married to a young princess, named +Tropo, who in seven years had brought him no children; and she conceived +so mortal a hatred against the queen (for she envied her the happiness +of the little Princess Hebe) that she resolved to do her some mischief. +It was impossible for her, during the king's lifetime, to vent her +malice without being discovered, and therefore she pretended the +greatest respect and friendship imaginable for the unsuspecting queen. + +Whilst things were in this situation, the king fell into a violent +fever, of which he died; and during the time that the queen was in the +height of her affliction for him, and could think of nothing but his +loss, the Princess Tropo took the opportunity of putting in execution +her malicious intentions. She inflamed her husband's passions, by +setting forth the meanness of his spirit, in letting a crown be ravished +from his head by a female infant, till ambition seized his mind, and he +resolved to wield the Tongian sceptre himself. It was very easy to bring +this about, for, by his brother's appointment, he was protector of +the realm, and guardian to the young princess his niece; and the queen +taking him and the princess his wife for her best friends, suspected +nothing of their designs, but in a manner gave herself up to their +power. + +The protector Abdulham, having the whole treasure of the kingdom at +his command, was in possession of the means to make all his schemes +successful; and the Princess Tropo, by lavishly rewarding the +instruments of her treachery, contrived to make it generally believed, +that the queen had poisoned her husband, who was so much beloved by his +subjects, that the very horror of the action, without any proof of her +guilt, raised against the poor unhappy Queen a universal clamour, and a +general aversion throughout the whole kingdom. The princess had so well +laid her scheme, that the guards were to seize the queen, and convey her +to a place of confinement, till she could prove her innocence; which, +that she might never be able to do, proper care was taken by procuring +sufficient evidence to accuse her on oath; and the Princess Hebe, her +daughter, was to be taken from her, and educated under the care of her +uncle. But the night before this cruel design was to have been put in +execution, a faithful attendant of the queen's, named Loretta, by the +assistance of one of the Princess Tropo's confidants (who had long +professed himself her lover) discovered the whole secret, of which she +immediately informed her royal mistress. + +The horrors which filled the queen's mind at the relation of the +Princess Tropo's malicious intentions, were inexpressible, and her +perturbation so great, that she could not form any scheme that appeared +probable to execute for her own preservation. Loretta told her that the +person who had given her this timely notice, had also provided a peasant +who knew the country, and would meet her at the western gate of the +city, and, carrying the young Princess Hebe in his arms, would conduct +her to some place of safety; but she must consent to put on a disguise, +and escape that very night from the palace, or she would be lost for +ever. Horses or mules, she said, it would be impossible to come at +without suspicion; therefore she must endeavour (though unused to such +fatigue) to travel afoot till she got herself concealed in some cottage +from her pursuers, if her enemies should think of endeavouring to find +her out. Loretta offered to attend her mistress, but she absolutely +forbad her going any farther than to the western gate; where delivering +the little Princess Hebe into the arms of the peasant, who was there +waiting for them, she reluctantly withdrew. + +The good queen, who saw no remedy to this her terrible disgrace, could +have borne this barbarous usage without much repining, had she herself +been the only sufferer by it; for the loss of the good king her husband +so far exceeded all her other misfortunes, that every everything else +was trifling in comparison of so dreadful an affliction. But the young +Princess Hebe, whom she was accustomed to look on as her greatest +blessing, now became to her an object of pity and concern; for, from +being heiress to a throne, the poor infant, not yet five years old, was, +with her wretched mother, become a vagabond, and knew not whither to fly +for protection. + +Loretta had prevailed on her royal mistress to take with her a few +little necessaries, besides a small picture of the king, and some of her +jewels, which the queen contrived to conceal under her night-clothes, in +the midst of that hair they were used to adorn, when her loved husband +delighted to see it displayed in flowing ringlets round her snowy neck. +This lady, during the life of her fond husband, was by his tender +care kept from every inclemency of the air, and preserved from every +inconvenience that it was possible for human nature to suffer. What then +must be her condition now, when through bypaths and thorny ways, she was +obliged to fly with all possible speed, to escape the fury of her cruel +pursuers: for she too well knew the merciless temper of her enemies, +to hope that they would not pursue her with the utmost diligence, +especially as she was accompanied by the young Princess Hebe; whose life +was the principal cause of their disquiet, and whose destruction they +chiefly aimed at. + +The honest peasant, who carried the Princess Hebe in his arms, followed +the queen's painful steps; and seeing the day begin to break, he begged +her, if possible, to hasten on to a wood which was not far off, where it +was likely she might find a place of safety. But the afflicted queen, +at the sight of the opening morn (which once used to fill her mind with +rising joy) burst into a flood of tears, and, quite overcome with +grief and fatigue, cast herself on the ground, crying out in the most +affecting manner, 'The end of my misfortunes is at hand. My weary limbs +will no longer support me. My spirits fail me. In the grave alone must +I seek for shelter.' The poor princess, seeing her mother in tears, cast +her little arms about her neck, and wept also, though she knew not why. + +Whilst she was in this deplorable condition, turning round her head, she +saw behind her a little girl, no older in appearance than the Princess +Hebe; who, with an amiable and tranquil countenance, begged her to +rise and follow her, and she would lead her where she might refresh and +repose herself. + +The queen was surprised at the manner of speaking of this little child, +as she took her to be; but soon thought it was some kind fairy sent to +protect her, and was very ready to submit herself to her guidance and +protection. + +The little fairy (for such indeed was the seeming child who had thus +accosted them) ordered the peasant to return back, and said that she +would take care of the queen, and her young daughter; and he, knowing +her to be the good fairy Sybella, very readily obeyed. + +Sybella then striking the ground three times with a little wand, there +suddenly rose up before them a neat plain car, and a pair of milk-white +horses; and placing the queen with the Princess Hebe in her lap by her +side, she drove with excessive swiftness full westward for eight hours; +when (just as the sun began to have power enough to make the queen +almost faint with the heat and her former fatigue) they arrived at the +side of a shady wood; upon entering of which, the fairy made her horses +slacken in their speed, and having travelled about a mile and a half, +through rows of elms and beech trees, they came to a thick grove of +firs, into which there seemed to be no entrance. For there was not any +opening to a path, and the underwood consisting chiefly of rose-bushes, +white-thorn, eglantine, and other flowering shrubs, was so thick, that +it appeared impossible to attempt forcing through them. But alighting +out of the car (which immediately disappeared) the fairy (bidding the +queen follow her) pushed her way through a large bush of jessamine, +whose tender branches gave way for their passage and then closed again, +so as to leave no traces of an entrance into this charming grove. + +Having gone a little way through an extreme narrow path, they came into +an opening (quite surrounded by these firs and sweet underwood) not very +large, but in which was contained everything that is necessary towards +making life comfortable. At the end of a green meadow was a plain neat +house, built more for convenience than beauty, fronting the rising sun; +and behind it was a small garden, stored only with fruits and useful +herbs. Sybella conducted her guests into this her simple lodging; and +as repose was the chief thing necessary for the poor fatigued queen, +she prevailed with her to lie down on a couch. Some hours' sound sleep, +which her weariness induced, gave her a fresh supply of spirits; the +ease and safety from her pursuers, in which she then found herself, made +her for a short time tolerably composed; and she begged the favour +of knowing to whom she was so greatly obliged for this her happy +deliverance; but the fairy seeing her mind too unsettled to give any +due attention to what she should say, told her that she would defer the +relation of her own life (which was worth her observation) till she had +obtained a respite from her own sorrows; and in the meantime, by all +manner of obliging ways, she endeavoured to divert and amuse her. + +The queen, after a short interval of calmness of mind, occasioned only +by her so sudden escape from the terrors of pursuit, returned to her +former dejection, and for some time incessantly wept at the dismal +thought, that the princess seemed now, by this reverse of fate, to be +for ever excluded all hopes of being seated on her father's throne; +and, by a strange perverse way of adding to her own grief, she afflicted +herself the more, because the little princess was ignorant of her +misfortune; and whenever she saw her diverting herself with little +childish plays, instead of being pleased with such her innocent +amusement, it added to her sorrow, and made her tears gush forth in a +larger stream than usual. She could not divert her thoughts from the +palace from which she had been driven, to fix them on any other object; +nor would her grief suffer her to reflect, that it was possible for the +princess to be happy without a crown. + +At length time, the great cure of all ills, in some measure abated her +Sorrows; her grief began to subside; in spite of herself, the reflection +that her misery was only in her own fancy, would sometimes force itself +on her mind. She could not avoid seeing, that her little hostess enjoyed +as perfect a state of happiness as is possible to attain in this world; +that she was free from anxious cares, undisturbed by restless passions, +and mistress of all things that could be of any use to make life easy or +agreeable. The oftener this reflection presented itself to her thoughts, +the more strength it gained; and, at last, she could even bear to think, +that her beloved child might be as happy in such a situation, as was her +amiable hostess. Her countenance now grew more cheerful; she could take +the Princess Hebe in her arms, and thinking the jewels she had preserved +would secure her from any fear of want, look on her with delight; and +began even to imagine, that her future life might be spent in calm +content and pleasure. + +As soon as the voice of reason had gained this power over the queen, +Sybella told her, that now her bosom was so free from passion, she would +relate the history of her life. The queen, overjoyed that her curiosity +might now be gratified, begged her not to delay giving her that pleasure +one moment; on which our little fairy began in the following manner. + + +But there Mrs. Teachum told Miss Jenny that the bell rung for dinner; on +which she was obliged to break off. But meeting again in the same arbour +in the evening, when their good mistress continued to them the favour of +her presence, Miss Jenny pursued her story. + + + + +THE FAIRY TALE CONTINUED. + +'My father,' said the fairy, 'was a magician: he married a lady for +love, whose beauty far outshone that of all her neighbours; and by means +of that beauty, she had so great an influence over her husband, that she +could command the utmost power of his art. But better had it been for +her, had that beauty been wanting; for her power only served to make her +wish for more, and the gratification of every desire begot a new one, +which often it was impossible for her to gratify. My father, though he +saw his error in thus indulging her, could not attain steadiness of mind +enough to mend it, nor acquire resolution enough to suffer his beloved +wife once to grieve or shed a tear to no purpose, though in order to +cure her of that folly which made her miserable. + +'My grandfather so plainly saw the temper and disposition of his son +towards women, that he did not leave him at liberty to dispose of his +magic art to any but his posterity, that it might not be in the power +of a wife to tease him out of it. But his caution was to very little +purpose; for although my mother could not from herself exert any magic +power, yet such was her unbounded influence over her husband, that she +was sure of success in every attempt to persuade him to gratify her +desires. For if every argument she could invent happened to fail, yet +the shedding but one tear was a certain method to prevail with him to +give up his reason, whatever might be the consequence. + +'When my father and mother had been married about a year, she was +brought to bed of a daughter, to whom she gave the name of Brunetta. Her +first request to my father was, that he would endow this infant with as +much beauty as she herself was possessed of, and bestow on her as much +of his art as should enable her to succeed in all her designs. My father +foresaw the dreadful tendency of granting this request, but said he +would give it with this restriction, that she should succeed in all +her designs that were not wicked; for, said he, the success of wicked +designs always turns out as a punishment to the person so succeeding. +In this resolution he held for three days, till my mother (being weak +in body after her lying-in) worked herself with her violent passions to +such a degree, that the physicians told my father, they despaired of her +life, unless some method could be found to make her mind more calm +and easy. His fondness for his wife would not suffer him to bear the +thoughts of losing her, and the horror with which that apprehension had +but for a moment possessed his mind, prevailed with him to bestow on +the little Brunetta (though foreseeing it would make her miserable) the +fatal gift in its full extent. But one restriction it was out of his +power to take off, namely, that all wicked designs ever could and should +be rendered ineffectual by the virtue and perseverance of those against +whom they were intended, if they in a proper manner exerted that virtue. + +'I was born in two years after Brunetta, and was called Sybella: but my +mother was so taken up with her darling Brunetta, that she gave herself +nut the least concern about me; and I was left wholly to the care of my +father. In order to make the gift she had extorted from her fond husband +as fatal as possible to her favourite child, she took care in her +education (by endeavouring to cultivate in her the spirit of revenge and +malice against those who had in the least degree offended her) to +turn her mind to all manner of mischief; by which means she lived in a +continual passion. + +'My father, as soon as I was old enough to hearken to reason, told me +of the gift he had conferred on my sister; said he could not retract it; +and therefore, if she had any mischievous designs against me, they must +in some measure succeed; but she would endow me with a power superior to +this gift of my sister's, and likewise superior to any thing else that +he was able to bestow, which was strength and constancy of mind enough +to bear patiently any injuries I might receive; and this was a strength, +he said, which would not decay, but rather increase, by every new +exercise of it; and, to secure me in the possession of this gift, he +likewise gave me a perfect knowledge of the true value of everything +around me, by which means I might learn, whatever outward accidents +befell me, not to lose the greatest blessing in this world, namely, a +calm and contented mind. He taught me so well my duty, that I cheerfully +obeyed my mother in all things, though she seldom gave me a kind word, +or even a kind look; for my spiteful sister was always telling some lies +to make her angry with me. But my heart overflowed with gratitude to my +father, that he would give me leave to love him, whilst he instructed me +that it was my duty to pay him the most strict obedience. + +'Brunetta was daily encouraged by her mother to use me ill, and chiefly +because my father loved me; and although she succeeded in all her +designs of revenge on me, yet was she very uneasy, because she could not +take away the cheerfulness of my mind; for I bore with patience whatever +happened to me: and she would often say, "must I with all my beauty, +power, and wisdom (for so she called her low cunning) be suffering +perpetual uneasiness? and shall you, who have neither beauty, power, nor +wisdom, pretend to be happy and cheerful?" Then would she cry and stamp, +and rave like a mad creature, and set her invention at work to make my +mother beat me, or lock me up, or take from me some of my best clothes +to give to her; yet still could not her power extend to vex my mind: and +this used to throw her again into such passions, as weakened her health, +and greatly impaired her so much boasted beauty. + +'In this manner we lived, till on a certain day, after Brunetta had been +in one of her rages with me for nothing, my father came in and chid +her for it; which, when my mother heard, she threw herself into such a +violent passion, that her husband could not pacify her. And, being big +with child, the convulsions, caused by her passions, brought her to her +grave. Thus my father lost her, by the same uncontrollable excesses, the +fatal effects of which he had before ruined his daughter to preserve her +from. He did not long survive her; but, before he died, gave me a little +wand, which, by striking three times on the ground, he said, would at +any time produce me any necessary or convenience of life, which I really +wanted, either for myself, or the assistance of others; and this he gave +me, because he was very sensible, he said, that as soon as he was dead, +my sister would never rest till she had got from me both his castle, +and everything that I had belonging to me, in it. "But," continued he, +"whenever you are driven from thence, bend your course directly into the +pleasant wood Ardella; there strike with your wand, and everything you +want, will be provided for you. But keep this wand a profound secret, or +Brunetta will get it from you; and then (though you can never, while you +preserve your patience, be unhappy) you will not have it in your power +to be of so much use as you would wish to be, to those who shall stand +in need of your assistance." Saying these words, he expired, as I +kneeled by his bedside, attending his last commands, and bewailing the +loss of so good a father. + +'In the midst of this our distress, we sent to my Uncle Sochus, my +father's brother, to come to us, and to assist us in an equal division +of my deceased father's effects; but my sister soon contrived to make +him believe, that I was the wickedest girl alive, and had always set +my father against her by my art, which she said I pretended to call my +wisdom; and by several handsome presents she soon persuaded him (for he +did not care a farthing for either of us) to join with her in saying, +that, as she was the eldest sister, she had a full right to the castle, +and everything in it; but she told me I was very welcome to stay there, +and live with her, if I pleased; and while I behaved myself well, she +should be very glad of my company. + +'As it was natural for me to love every one that would give me leave to +love them, I was quite overjoyed at this kind offer of my sister's, and +never once thought on the treachery she had so lately been guilty of; +and I have since reflected, that happy was it for me, that passion was +so much uppermost with her, that she could not execute any plot, that +required a dissimulation of any long continuance; for had her good +humour lasted but one four-and-twenty hours, it is very probable that +I should have opened my whole heart to her; should have endeavoured to +have begun a friendship with her, and perhaps have betrayed the secret +of my wand; but just as it was sunset, she came into the room where I +was, in the most violent passion in the world, accusing me to my uncle +of ingratitude to her great generosity, in suffering me to live in her +castle. She said, "that she had found me out, and that my crimes were of +the blackest dye," although she would not tell me either what they were, +or who were my accusers. She would not give me leave to speak, either +to ask what my offence was, or to justify my innocence; and I plainly +perceived, that her pretended kindness was only designed to make my +disappointment the greater; and that she was now determined to find me +guilty, whether I pleaded, or not. And after she had raved on for some +time, she said to me with a sneer, "Since you have always boasted of +your calm and contented mind, you may now try to be contented this night +with the softness of the grass for your bed; for here in my castle you +shall not stay one moment longer." And so saying, she and my uncle led +me to the outer court, and thrusting me with all their force from them, +they shut up the gates, bolting and barring them as close as if to keep +out a giant; and left me, at that time of night, friendless, and, as +they thought, destitute of any kind of support. + +'I then remembered my dear father's last words, and made what haste I +could to this wood, which is not above a mile distant from the castle; +and being, as I thought, about the middle of it, I struck three times +with my wand, and immediately up rose this grove of trees, which you +see, this house, and all the other conveniences, which I now enjoy; and +getting that very night into this my plain and easy bed, I enjoyed as +sweet a repose as ever I did in my life, only delayed, indeed, a short +time, by a few sighs, for the loss of so good a parent, and the unhappy +state of a self-tormented sister, whose slumbers (I fear) on a bed of +down, were more restless and interrupted that night than mine would have +been, even had not my father's present of the wand prevented me from the +necessity of using the bed of grass, which she, in her wrath, allotted +me. In this grove, which I call Placid Grove, is contained all that I +want; and it is so well secured from any invaders, by the thick briars +and thorns which surround it, having no entrance but through that tender +jessamine, that I live in no apprehensions of any disturbance, though so +near my sister's castle. But once, indeed, she came with a large train, +and, whilst I was asleep, set fire to the trees all around me; and +waking, I found myself almost suffocated with smoke, and the flames had +reached one part of my House. I started from my bed, and striking on +the ground three times with my wand, there came such a quantity of water +from the heavens, as soon extinguished the fire; and the next morning, +by again having recourse to my wand, all things grew up into their +convenient and proper order. When my sister Brunetta found that I had +such a supernatural power at my command, though she knew not what it +was, she desisted from ever attempting any more by force to disturb me; +and now only uses all sorts of arts and contrivances to deceive me, +or any persons whom I would wish to secure. One of my father's daily +lessons to me was, that I should never omit any one day of my life +endeavouring to be as serviceable as I possibly could to any person in +distress. And I daily wander, as far as my feet will carry me, in search +of any such, and hither I invite them to peace and calm contentment. But +my father added also this command, that I should never endeavour doing +any farther good to those whom adversity had not taught to hearken to +the voice of reason, enough to enable them so to conquer their passions +as not to think themselves miserable in a safe retreat from noise and +confusion. This was the reason I could not gratify you in relating the +history of my life, whilst you gave way to raging passions, which only +serve to blind your eyes, and shut your ears from truth. But now, great +queen (for I know your state, from what you vented in your grief), I am +ready to endow this little princess with any gift in my power, that I +know will tend really to her good; and I hope your experience of the +world has made you too reasonable to require any other.' + +The queen considered a little while, and then desired Sybella to endow +the princess with that only wisdom which would enable her to see and +follow what was her own true good, to know the value of everything +around her, and to be sensible that following the paths of goodness and +performing her duty was the only road to content and happiness. + +Sybella was overjoyed at the queen's request, and immediately granted +it, only telling the Princess Hebe, that it was absolutely necessary +towards the attainment of this great blessing, that she should entirely +obey the queen her mother, without ever pretending to examine her +commands; for 'true obedience (said she) consists in submission; and +when we pretend to choose what commands are proper and fit for us, +we don't obey, but set up our own wisdom in opposition to our +governors--this, my dear Hebe, you must be very careful of avoiding, if +you would be happy.' She then cautioned her against giving way to the +persuasions of any of the young shepherdesses thereabouts, who would +endeavour to allure her to disobedience, by striving to raise in her +mind a desire of thinking herself wise, whilst they were tearing from +her what was indeed true wisdom. 'For (said Sybella) my sister Brunetta, +who lives in the castle she drove me from (about a mile from this wood) +endows young shepherdesses with great beauty, and everything that is in +appearance amiable, and likely to persuade, in order to allure away and +make wretched, those persons I would preserve: and all the wisdom with +which I have endowed the Princess Hebe will not prevent her falling into +my sister's snares, if she gives the least way to temptation; for my +father's gift to Brunetta, in her infancy, enables her (as I told you) +to succeed in all her designs, except they are resisted by the virtue of +the person she is practising against. Many poor wretches has my sister +already decoyed away from me, whom she now keeps in her castle; +where they live in splendor and seeming joy, but in real misery, from +perpetual jars and tumults, railed by envy, malice, and all the train of +tumultuous and tormenting passions.' + +The Princess Hebe said, she doubted not but she should be able to +withstand any of Brunetta's temptations. Her mother interrupting her, +cried out, 'Oh, my dear child, though you are endowed with wisdom enough +to direct you in the way to virtue, yet if you grow conceited and proud +of that wisdom, and fancy yourself above temptation, it will lead you +into the worst of all evils.' Here the fairy interposed, and told the +Princess Hebe, that if she would always carefully observe and obey her +mother, who had learned wisdom in that best school, adversity, she would +then, indeed, be able to withstand and overcome every temptation, and +would likewise be happy herself, and able to dispense happiness to all +around her. Nothing was omitted by the fairy to make this retirement +agreeable to her royal guests; and they had now passed near seven years +in this delightful grove, in perfect peace and tranquillity; when one +evening, as they were walking in the pleasant wood which surrounded +their habitation, they espied under the shade, and leaning against +the bark of a large oak, a poor old man, whose limbs were withered and +decayed, and whose eyes were hollow, and sunk with age and misery. They +stopped as soon as they saw him, and heard him in the anguish of his +heart, with a loud groan, utter these words: 'When will my sorrows end? +Where shall I find the good fairy Sybella?' The fairy immediately begged +to know his business with her; and said, if his sorrows would end on +finding Sybella, he might set his heart at ease; for she stood now +before him, and ready to serve him, if his distresses were such as would +admit of relief, and he could prove himself worthy of her friendship. +The old Man appeared greatly overjoyed at having found the fairy, and +began the following story: + +'I live from hence a thousand leagues. All this tiresome way have I come +in search of you. My whole life has been spent in amassing wealth, to +enrich one only son, whom I doted on to distraction. It is now five +years since I have given him up all the riches I had laboured to get, +only to make him happy. But, alas how am I disappointed! His wealth +enables him to command whatever this world produces; and yet the poorest +wretch that begs his bread cannot be more miserable. He spends his days +in riot and luxury; has more slaves and attendants than wait in the +palace of a prince; and still he sighs from morning till night, because, +he says, there is nothing in this world worth living for. All his +dainties only sate his palate, and grow irksome to his sight. He daily +changes his opinion of what is pleasure; and, on the trial, finds +none that he can call such; and then falls to sighing again, for the +emptiness of all that he has enjoyed. So that, instead of being my +delight, and the comfort of my old age, sleepless nights, and anxious +days, are all the rewards of my past labours for him. But I have had +many visions and dreams to admonish me, that if I would venture with my +old frame to travel hither a-foot in search of the fairy Sybella, she +had a glass, which if she showed him, he would be cured of this dreadful +melancholy, and I have borne the labour and fatigue of coming this +long tiresome way, that I may not breathe my last with the agonizing +reflection, that all the labours of my life have been thrown away. +But what shall I say to engage you to go with me? Can riches tempt, or +praise allure you?' + +'No, (answered the fairy) neither of them has power to move me; but +I compassionate your age; and if I thought I could succeed, would not +refuse you. The glass which I shall bid him look in, will show him his +inward self; but if he will not open both his eyes and heart enough to +truth, to let him understand, that the pleasures he pursues not only are +not but cannot be satisfactory, I can be of no sort of service to him. +And know, old man, that the punishment you now feel is the natural +result of your not having taught him this from his infancy; for, instead +of heaping up wealth, to allure him to seek for happiness from such +deceitful means, you should have taught him, that the only path to it +was to be virtuous and good.' + +The old man said, he heartily repented of his conduct, and on his knees +so fervently implored Sybella's assistance, that at last she consented +to go with him. Then striking on the ground three times with her wand, +the car and horses rose up, and placing the old Man by her, after taking +leave of the queen, and begging the Princess Hebe to be careful to guard +against all temptations to disobedience, she set out on her journey. + + +It being now come to the latest hour that Mrs. Teachum thought proper +for her little scholars to stay out in the air, she told Miss Jenny that +she must defer reading the remaining part of her story till the next +day. Miss Jenny always with great cheerfulness obeyed her governess, and +immediately left off reading; and said she was ready to attend her; and +the whole company rose up to follow her. + +Mrs. Teachum had so much judgment, that, perceiving such a ready +obedience to all her commands, she now endeavoured, by all means she +could think of; to make her scholars throw off that reserve before her, +which must ever make it uneasy to them for her ever to be present +whilst they were following their innocent diversions; for such was the +understanding of this good woman, that she could keep up the authority +of the governess in her school, yet at times become the companion of +her scholars. And as she now saw, by their good behaviour, they deserved +that indulgence, she took the little dumpling by the hand, and, followed +by the rest, walked towards the house, and discoursed familiarly with +them the rest of the evening, concerning all their past amusements. + + + + +SATURDAY. THE SIXTH DAY. + +It was the custom on Saturdays to have no school in the afternoon, and +it being also their writing day from morning-school till dinner, Mrs. +Teachum, knowing how eager Miss Jenny's hearers were for the rest of the +story, accompanied them into the arbour, early in the afternoon, when +Miss Jenny went on as follows: + + + + +THE FAIRY TALE CONTINUED. + +The queen and the Princess Hebe remained, by the good fairy's desire, in +her habitation during her absence. They spent their time in serenity and +content; the princess daily improving herself in wisdom and goodness, by +hearkening to her mother's instructions, and obeying all her commands, +and the queen in studying what would be of most use to her child. She +had now forgot her throne and palace, and desired nothing for her, than +her present peaceful retreat. One morning, as they were sitting in a +little arbour at the corner of a pleasant meadow, on a sudden they +heard a voice, much sweeter than they had ever heard, warble through the +following song: + + +A SONG. + + Virtue, soft balm of every woe, + Of ev'ry grief the cure, + 'Tis thou alone that canst best bestow + Pleasures unmix'd and pure. + + The shady wood, the verdant mead, + Are Virtue's flow'ry road; + Nor painful are the steps which lead + To her divine abode. + + 'Tis not in palaces of halls, + She or their train appear; + Far off she flies from pompous walls; + Virtue and Peace dwell here. + + +The queen was all attention, and at the end of the song she gazed around +her, in hopes of seeing the person whose enchanting voice she had been +so eagerly listening to, when she espied a young shepherdess, not +much older than the Princess Hebe, but possessed of such uncommon and +dazzling beauty, that it was some time before she could disengage her +eyes from so agreeable an object. As soon as the young shepherdess found +herself observed, she seemed modestly to offer to withdraw; but the +queen begged her not to go till she had informed them who she was, that, +with such a commanding aspect, had so much engaged them in her favour. + +The shepherdess coming forward, with a bashful blush, and profound +obedience, answered, that her name was Rozella, and she was the daughter +of a neighbouring shepherd and shepherdess, who lived about a quarter of +a mile from thence; and, to confess the truth, she had wandered thither, +in hopes of seeing the young stranger, whose fame for beauty and wisdom +had filled all that country round. + +The Princess Hebe, well knowing of whom she spoke, conceived from that +moment such an inclination fur her acquaintance, that she begged her to +stay and spend that whole day with them in Placid Grove. Here the queen +frowned upon her, for she had, by the fairy's desire, charged her never +to bring any one, without her permission, into that peaceful grove. + +The young Rozella answered, that nothing could be more agreeable to her +inclinations; but she must be at home by noon, for so in the morning +had her father commanded her, and never yet in her life had she either +disputed or disobeyed her parent's commands. Here the young princess +looked on her mother with eyes expressive of her joy at finding a +companion, which she, and even the fairy herself, could not disapprove. + +When Rozella took her leave, she begged the favour that the little Hebe +(for so she called her, not knowing her to be a princess) might come +to her father's small cottage, and there partake such homely fare as it +afforded; a welcome, she said, she could insure her; and though poor, +yet from the honesty of her parents, who would be proud to entertain +so rare a beauty, she was certain no sort of harm could happen to the +pretty Hebe, from such a friendly visit; and she would be in the same +place again tomorrow, to meet her, in hopes, as she said, to conduct her +to her humble habitation. + +When Rozella was gone, the queen, though highly possessed in her favour, +both by her beauty and modest behaviour, yet pondered some time on the +thought, whether or no she was a fit companion for her daughter. She +remembered what Sybella had told her, concerning Brunetta's adorning +young shepherdesses with beauty, and other excellences, only to enable +them the better to allure and entice others into wickedness. Rozella's +beginning her acquaintance too with the princess, by flattery, had no +good aspect; and the sudden effect it had upon her, so as to make her +forget, or wilfully disobey, her commands, by inviting Rozella to +Placid Grove, were circumstances which greatly alarmed her. But, by +the repeated entreaties of the princess, she gave her consent that she +should meet Rozella the next day, and walk with her in that meadow, and +in the wood, but upon no account should she go home with her, or +bring Rozella back with her. The queen then, in gentle terms, chid the +princess for her invitation to the young shepherdess, which was contrary +to an absolute command; and said, 'You must, my dear Hebe, be very +careful to guard yourself extremely well against those temptations +which wear the face of virtue. I know that your sudden affection to this +apparent good girl, and your desire of her company, to partake with +you the innocent pleasures of this happy place, arise from a good +disposition; but where the indulgence of the most laudable passion, even +benevolence and compassion itself, interferes with, or runs counter to +your duty, you must endeavour to suppress it, or it will fare with you, +as it did with that hen, who, thinking that she heard the voice of a +little duckling in distress, flew from her young ones, to go and give it +assistance, and following the cry, came at last to a hedge, out of which +jumped a subtle and wicked fox, who had made that noise to deceive +her, and devoured her in an instant. A kite at the same time, taking +advantage of her absence, carried away, one by one, all her little +innocent brood, robbed of that parent who should have been their +protector.' The princess promised her mother that she would punctually +obey all her commands, and be very watchful and observant of everything +Rozella said and did, till she had approved herself worthy of her +confidence and friendship. + +The queen the next morning renewed her injunctions to her daughter, that +she should by no means go farther out of the wood than into the meadow, +where she was to meet Rozella, and that she should give her a faithful +account of all that should pass between them. + +They met according to appointment, and the princess brought home so good +an account of their conversation, which the queen imagined would help to +improve, rather than seduce her child, that she indulged her in the same +pleasure as often as she asked it. They passed some hours every day +in walking round that delightful wood, in which were many small green +meadows, with little rivulets running through them, on the banks of +which, covered with primroses and violets, Rozella, by the side of her +sweet companion, used to sing the most enchanting songs in the world: +the words were chiefly in praise of innocence and a country life. + +The princess came home every day more and more charmed with her young +shepherdess, and recounted, as near as she could remember, every word +that had passed between them. The queen very highly approved of their +manner of amusing themselves; but again enjoined her to omit nothing +that passed in conversation, especially if it had the least tendency +towards alluring her from her duty. + +One day, as the princess Hebe and Rozella were walking alone, and +talking, as usual, of their own happy state, and the princess was +declaring how much her own happiness was owing to her thorough obedience +to her mother, Rozella, with a tone of voice as half in jest, said, 'But +don't you think, my little Hebe, that if I take a very great pleasure in +any thing that will do me no hurt, though it is forbidden, I may disobey +my parents in enjoying it, provided I don't tell them of it to vex them +with the thought that I have disobeyed them? And then, my dear, what +harm is done?' + +'Great harm (answered the princess, looking grave and half angry): I am +ashamed to hear you talk so, Rozella. Are you not guilty of treachery, +as well as disobedience? Neither ought you to determine that no harm +is done, because you do not feel the immediate effects of your +transgression; for the consequence may be out of our narrow +inexperienced view; and I have been taught whenever my mother lays +any commands on me, to take it for granted, she has some reason for +so doing; and I obey her, without examining what those reasons are; +otherwise, it would not be obeying her, but setting up my own wisdom, +and doing what she bid me, only when I thought proper.' + +They held a long argument on this head, in which Rozella made use of +many a fallacy to prove her point; but the princess, as she had not yet +departed from Truth, nor failed in her duty, could not be imposed upon. +Rozella, seeing every attempt to persuade her was in vain, turned all +her past discourse into a jest; said she had only a mind to try her; and +was overjoyed to find her so steady in the cause of truth and virtue. +The princess resumed her usual cheerfulness and good humour. Rozella +sung her a song in praise of constancy of mind; and they passed the rest +of the time they stayed together, as they used to do. + +But, just before they parted, Rozella begged she would not tell her +mother of the first part of the conversation that had passed between +them. The princess replied, that it would be breaking through one of her +mother's commands, and therefore she dared not grant her request. Then, +said Rozella, 'Here I must for ever part with my dear little Hebe. +Your mother, not knowing the manner in which I spoke, will have an ill +opinion of me, and will never trust you again in my company. Thus will +you be torn from me; and loss will be irreparable.' These words she +accompanied with a flood of tears, and such little tendernesses, as +quite melted the princess into tears also. But she still said, that she +could not dare to conceal from her mother anything that had happened, +though she could not but own, she believed their separation would be +the consequence. 'Well then (cried Rozella) I will endeavour to be +contented, as our separation will give you less pain than what you call +this mighty breach of your duty: and though I would willingly undergo +almost any torments that could be invented, rather than be debarred one +moment the company of my dearest Hebe, yet I will not expect that she +should suffer the smallest degree of pain, or uneasiness, to save me +from losing what is the whole pleasure of my life.' + +The princess could not bear the thought of appearing ungrateful to such +a warm friendship as Rozella expressed; and, without farther hesitation, +promised to conceal what she had said, and to undergo anything, rather +than lose so amiable a friend. + +After this they parted. But when the princess entered the Grove, she did +not, as usual, run with haste and joy into the presence of her indulgent +mother; for her mind was disturbed: she felt a conscious shame on seeing +her, and turned away her face, as wanting to shun the piercing look of +that eye, which she imagined would see the secret lurking in her +bosom. Her mother observed with concern her downcast look, and want of +cheerfulness. And asking her what was the matter, she answered, her +walk had fatigued her, and she begged early to retire to rest. Her +kind mother consented; but little rest had the poor princess that whole +night, for the pain of having her mind touched with guilt, and the fear +she was under of losing her dear companion, kept her thoughts in one +continued tumult and confusion. The fairy's gift now became her curse; +for the power of seeing what was right, as she had acted contrary to her +knowledge, only tormented her. + +She hastened the next morning to meet Rozella, and told her all that had +passed in her own mind the preceding night; declaring that she would not +pass such another for the whole world; but yet would not dispense with +her promise to her, without her consent; and therefore came to ask her +leave to acquaint her good mother with all that had passed: 'For (said +she) my dear Rozella, we must, if we would be happy, do always what is +right, and trust for the consequences.' Here Rozella drew her features +into the most contemptuous sneer imaginable, and said, 'Pray what are +all these mighty pains you have suffered? Are they not owing only to +your want of sense enough to know, that you can do your mother no harm, +by concealing from her this, or anything else that will vex her? and, +my dear girl (continued she) when you have once entered into this way of +thinking, and have put this blind duty out of your head, you will spend +no more such restless nights, which you must see was entirely owing to +your own imaginations.' + +This startled the princess to such a degree, that she was breaking from +her, but, putting on a more tender air, Rozella cried, 'And can +you then, my dear Hebe, determine to give me up for such a trifling +consideration?' Then raising her voice again, in a haughty manner, she +said, 'I ought to despise and laugh at you for your folly, or at best +pity your ignorance, rather than offer a sincere friendship to one so +undeserving.' + +The princess, having once swerved from her duty, was now in the power of +every passion that should attack her. + +Pride and indignation, at the thought of being despised, bore more sway +with her, than either her duty or affection to her fond mother; and she +was now determined, she said, to think for herself, and make use of her +own understanding, which she was convinced would always teach her what +was right. Upon this Rozella took her by the hand, and, with tears +of joy, said, 'Now, my dearest girl, you are really wise, and cannot +therefore (according to your own rule) fail of being happy. But to show +that you are in earnest in this resolution, you shall this morning go +home with me to my father's cot; it is not so far off, but you will be +back by the time your mother expects you; and as that will be obeying +the chief command, it is but concealing from her the thing that would +vex her, and there will be no harm done.' Here a ray of truth broke in +upon our young princess; but as a false shame, and fear of being laughed +at, had now got possession of her, she, with a soft sigh, consented to +the proposal. + +Rozella led the way. But just as they were turning round the walk, which +leads out of the wood, a large serpent darted from one side out of a +thicket, directly between them, and turning its hissing mouth towards +the princess, as seeming to make after her, she fled hastily back, and +ran with all her speed towards the grove, and panting for breath, flew +into the arms of her ever kind protectress. + +Her mother was vastly terrified to see her tremble, and look so pale; +and as soon as she was a little recovered, asked her the occasion of her +fright, and added (with tears running down her cheeks) 'I am afraid, my +dear Hebe, some sad disaster has befallen you, for, indeed, my child, I +but too plainly saw last night--' + +Here the princess was so struck with true shame and confusion, for her +past behaviour, that she fell down upon her knees, confessed the whole +truth, and implored forgiveness for her fault. + +The queen kindly raised her up, kissed and forgave her. 'I am overjoyed, +my dear child (said she) at this your sweet repentance, though the +effect of mere accident, as it appears but sent, without doubt, by some +good fairy, to save you from destruction; and I hope you are thoroughly +convinced, that the serpent which drove you home, was not half so +dangerous as the false Rozella.' + +The princess answered, that she was thoroughly sensible of the dangers +she had avoided, and hoped she never should again, by her own folly and +wickedness, deserve to be exposed to the danger from which she had so +lately escaped. + +Some days passed, without the princess's offering to stir out of the +grove; and in that time she gave a willing and patient ear to all her +mother's instructions, and seemed thoroughly sensible of the great +deliverance she had lately experienced. But yet there appeared in her +countenance an uneasiness, which the queen wishing to remove, asked her +the cause of. + +'It is, dear madam,' answered the princess, 'because I have not yet had +it in my power to convince you of my repentance, which (though I know it +to be sincere) you have had no proof of, but in words only; and, indeed, +my heart longs for an occasion to show you, that I am now able to resist +any allurement which would tempt me from my duty; and I cannot be easy +till you have given me an opportunity of showing you the firmness of +my resolution; and if you will give me leave to take a walk in the +wood alone, this evening, I shall return to you with pleasure, and will +promise not to exceed any bounds that you shall prescribe.' + +The queen was not much pleased with this request; but the princess was +so earnest with her to grant it, that she could not well refuse, without +seeming to suspect her sincerity; which she did not, but only feared for +her safety, and, giving her a strict charge, not to stir a step out of +the wood, or to speak to the false Rozella, if she came in her way, she +reluctantly gave her consent. + +The princess walked through all the flowery labyrinths, in which she had +so often strayed with Rozella; but she was so shocked with the thoughts +of her wickedness, that she hardly gave a sigh for the loss of a +companion once so dear to her; and as a proof that her repentance +was sincere, though she heard Rozella singing in an arbour (purposely +perhaps to decoy her) she turned away without the least emotion, and +went quite to the other side of the wood; where looking into the meadow, +in which she first beheld that false friend, she saw a girl about her +own age, leaning against a tree, and crying most bitterly. But the +moment she came in sight, the young shepherdess (for such by her dress +she appeared to be) cried out, 'O help, dear young lady, help me; for I +am tied here to this tree, by the spiteful contrivance of a wicked young +shepherdess called Rozella: my hands too, you see, are bound behind me, +so that I cannot myself unloose the knot; and if I am not released, here +must I lie all night and my wretched parents will break their hearts, +for fear some sad accident should have befallen their only child, their +poor unhappy Florimel!' + +The Princess, hearing her speak of Rozella in that manner, had no +suspicion of her being one of that false girl's deluding companions; +but rather thought that she was a fellow-sufferer with herself; and +therefore, without any consideration of the bounds prescribed, she +hastened to relieve her, and even thought that she should have great +pleasure in telling her mother, that she had saved a poor young +shepherdess from Rozella's malice, and restored her to her fond parents. +But as soon as she had unloosed the girl from the tree, and unbound her +hands, instead of receiving thanks for what she had done, the wicked +Florimel burst into a laugh, and suddenly snatching from the Princess +Hebe's side her father's picture, which she always wore hanging in a +ribbon, she ran away with it, as fast as she could, over the meadow. + +The Princess was so astonished at this strange piece of ingratitude +and treachery, and was so alarmed for fear of losing what she knew her +mother so highly valued, that hardly knowing what she was about, she +pursued Florimel with all her speed, begging and entreating her not to +bereave her so basely and ungratefully of that picture, which she would +not part with for the world: but it was all to no purpose for Florimel +continued her flight, and the princess her pursuit, till they arrived +at Brunetta's castle-gate; where the fairy herself appeared dressed and +adorned in the most becoming manner, and, with the most bewitching smile +that can come from dazzling beauty, invited the princess to enter her +castle (into which Florimel was run to hide herself) and promised her, +on that condition, to make the idle girl restore the picture. + +It was now so late, that it was impossible for the princess to think +of returning home that night; and the pleasing address of Brunetta, +together with the hopes of having her picture restored, soon prevailed +with her to accept of the fairy's invitation. + +The castle glittered with gaudy furniture; sweet music was heard in +every room; the whole company, who were all of the most beautiful forms +that could be conceived, strove who should be most obliging to this +their new guest. They omitted nothing that could amuse and delight the +senses. And the Princess Hebe was so entranced with joy and rapture, +that she had not time for thought, or for the least serious reflection; +and she now began to think, that she had attained the highest happiness +upon earth. + +After they had kept her three days in this round of pleasure and +delight, they began to pull of the mask; nothing was heard but quarrels, +jars, and galling speeches. Instead of sweet music, the apartments were +filled with screams and howling; for every one giving way to the most +outrageous passions, they were always doing each other some malicious +turn, and only universal horror and confusion reigned. + +The princess was hated by all, and was often asked, with insulting +sneers, why she did not return to her peaceful grove, and condescending +mother? But her mind having been thus turned aside from what was right, +could not bear the thoughts of returning; and though by her daily tears, +she showed her repentance, shame prevented her return: but this again +was not the right sort of shame; for then she would humbly have taken +the punishment due to her crime; and it was rather a stubborn pride, +which, as she knew herself so highly to blame, would not give her leave +to suffer the confusion of again confessing her fault; and till she +could bring herself to such a state of mind, there was no remedy for her +misery. + + +Just as Miss Jenny had read these words, Mrs. Teachum remembering some +orders necessary to give in her family, left them, but bid them go on, +saying she would return again in a quarter of an hour. But she was no +sooner gone from them, than our little company, hearing the sound of +trumpets and kettle-drums, which seemed to be playing at some little +distance from Mrs. Teachum's house, suddenly started from their seats, +running directly to the terrace; and, looking over the garden wall, +they saw a troop of soldiers riding by, with these instruments of music +playing before them. + +They were highly delighted with the gallant and splendid appearance of +these soldiers, and watched them till they were out of sight, and were +then returning to their arbour, where Miss Jenny had been reading; but +Miss Nanny Spruce espied another such troop coming out of the lane from +whence the first had issued, and cried out, 'O! here is another fine +sight; let us stay, and see these go by too.' 'Indeed (said Miss Dolly +Friendly) I am in such pain for the poor princess Hebe, while she is in +that sad castle, that I had rather hear how she escaped (for that I hope +she will) than see all the soldiers in the world; and besides, it is but +seeing the same thing we have just looked at before.' Here some were for +staying, and others for going back; but as Miss Dolly's party was the +strongest, the few were ashamed to avow their inclinations; and they +were returning to the arbour, when they met Mrs. Teachum, who informed +them their dancing master was just arrived, and they must attend him; +but in the evening they might finish their story. + +They were so curious (and especially Miss Dolly Friendly) to know what +was to become of the princess, that they could have wished not to have +been interrupted; but yet, without one word of answer, they complied +with what their governess thought most proper; and in the evening, +hastening to their arbour, Mrs. Teachum herself being present, Miss +Jenny went on in the following manner: + + + + +THE FAIRY TALE CONTINUED. + +The queen, in the meantime, suffered for the loss of her child more than +words can express, till the good fairy Sybella returned. The queen burst +into tears at the sight of her; but the fairy immediately cried out, +'You may spare yourself, my royal guest, the pain of relating what has +happened. I know it all; for that old man, whom I took such pity on, was +a phantom, raised by Brunetta, to allure me hence, in order to have an +opportunity, in my absence, of seducing the princess from her duty. +She knew nothing but a probable story could impose on me, and therefore +raised that story of the misery of the old man's son (from motives which +too often, indeed, cause the misery of mortals); as knowing I should +think it my duty to do what I could to relieve such a wretch. I will not +tell you all my journey, nor what I have gone through. I know your +mind is at present too much fixed on the princess, to attend to such +a relation I'll only tell you what concerns yourself. When the phantom +found, that by no distress he could perturb my mind, he said he was +obliged to tell the truth, what was the intention of my being deluded +from home, and what had happened since; and then vanished away.' Here +the fairy related to the queen everything that had happened to the +princess, as has already been written; and concluded with saying, that +she would wander about the castle walls (for Brunetta had no power over +her); and if she could get a sight of the princess, she would endeavour +to bring her to a true sense of her fault, and then she might again be +restored to happiness. + +The queen blessed the fairy for her goodness; and it was not long before +Sybella's continual assiduity got her a sight of the princess; for +she often wandered a little way towards that wood she had once so +much delighted in, but never could bring herself to enter into it: the +thought of seeing her injured mother made her start back, and run half +wild into the fatal castle. Rozella used frequently to throw herself +in her way; and on hearing her sighs, and seeing her tears, would burst +into a sneering laugh at her folly; to avoid which laugh, the poor +princess first suffered herself to throw off all her principles of +goodness and obedience, and was now fallen into the very contempt she so +much dreaded. + +The first time the fairy got a sight of her, she called to her with the +most friendly voice; but the princess, stung to the soul with the sight +of her, fled away, and did not venture out again in several days. The +kind Sybella began almost to despair of regaining her lost child; but +never failed walking round the castle many hours every day. And one +evening, just before the sun set, she heard within the gates a loud +tumultuous noise, but more like riotous mirth, than either the voice +either of rage or anger; and immediately she saw the princess rush out +at the gate, and about a dozen girls, laughing and shouting, running +after her. The poor princess flew with all her speed till she came to a +little arbour, just by the side of the wood; and her pursuers, as they +intended only to tease her, did not follow her very close; but, as soon +as they lost sight of her, turned all back again to the castle. + +Sybella went directly into the arbour, where she found the little +trembler prostrate on the ground, crying and sobbing as if her heart was +breaking. The fairy seized her hand, and would not let her go till she +had prevailed with her to return to the Placid Grove, to throw herself +once more at her mother's feet, assuring her, that nothing but this +humble state of mind could cure her misery and restore her wonted peace. + +The queen was filled with the highest joy to see her child; but +restrained herself so much, that she showed not the least sign of it, +till she had seen her some time prostrate at her feet, and had heard +her with tears properly confess, and ask pardon for, all her faults. She +then raised, and once more forgave her; but told her that she must learn +more humility and distrust of herself, before she should again expect to +be trusted. + +The princess answered not, but with a modest downcast look which +expressed her concern and true repentance, and in a short time recovered +her former peace of mind; and as she never afterwards disobeyed her +indulgent mother, she daily increased in wisdom and goodness. + +After having lived on in the most innocent and peaceful manner for three +years (the princess being just turned of eighteen years old) the fairy +told the queen that she would now tell her some news of her kingdom, +which she had heard in her journey; namely, that her sister-in-law +was dead, and her brother-in-law had made proclamation throughout the +kingdom, of great rewards to any one who should produce the queen and +the Princess Hebe, whom he would immediately reinstate on the throne. + +The Princess Hebe was by when she related this, and said she begged +to lead a private life, and never more be exposed to the temptation of +entering into vice, for which she already had so severely smarted. + +The fairy told her, that, since she doubted herself, she was now fit +to be trusted; for, said she, 'I did not like your being so sure of +resisting temptation, when first I conferred on you the gift of wisdom. +But you will, my princess, if you take the crown, have an opportunity +of doing so much good, that, if you continue virtuous, you will have +perpetual pleasures; for power, if made a right use of, is indeed a very +great blessing.' + +The princess answered, that if the queen, her mother, thought it her +duty to take the crown, she would cheerfully submit, though a private +life would be otherwise her choice. + +The queen replied, that she did not blame her for choosing a private +life; but she thought she could not innocently refuse the power that +would give her such opportunities of doing good, and making others +happy; since, by that refusal, the power might fall into hands that +would make an ill use of it. + +After this conversation, they got into the same car in which they +travelled to the wood of Ardella; arrived safely at the city of +Algorada; and the Princess Hebe was seated, with universal consent, on +her father's throne; where she and her people were reciprocally happy, +by her great wisdom and prudence; and the queen-mother spent the +remainder of her days in peace and joy, to see her beloved daughter +prove a blessing to such numbers of human creatures; whilst she herself +enjoyed that only true content and happiness this world can produce; +namely, a peaceful conscience, and a quiet mind. + + +When Miss Jenny had finished her story, Mrs. Teachum left them for +the present, that they might with the utmost freedom make their own +observations; for she knew she should be acquainted with all their +sentiments from Miss Jenny afterwards. + +The little hearts of all the company were swelled with joy, in that +the Princess Hebe was at last made happy; for hope and fear had each by +turns possessed their bosoms for the fate of the little princess; and +Miss Dolly Friendly said, that Rozella's artful manner was enough to +have drawn in the wisest girl into her snares; and she did not see how +it was possible for the Princess Hebe to withstand it, especially when +she cried for fear of parting with her. + +Miss Sukey Jennett said, that Rozella's laughing at her, and using her +with contempt, she thought was insupportable, for who could bear the +contempt of a friend? + +Many and various were the remarks made by Miss Jenny's hearers on the +story she had read to them. But now they were so confirmed in goodness, +and every one was so settled in her affection for her companions, +that, instead of being angry at any opposition that was made to their +judgments, every one spoke her opinion with the utmost mildness. + +Miss Jenny sat some time silent to hear their conversation on her fairy +tale. But her seeing them so much altered in their manner of talking to +each other, since the time they made their little remarks on her story +of the giants, filled her whole mind with the most sincere pleasure; and +with a smile peculiar to herself, and which diffused a cheerfulness to +all around her, she told her companions the joy their present behaviour +had inspired her with; but saying that it was as late as their governess +chose they should stay out, she rose, and walked towards the house, +whither she was cheerfully followed by the whole company. + +Mrs. Teachum after supper, again, in a familiar manner, talked to +them on the subject of the fairy tale, and encouraged them, as much as +possible, to answer her freely in whatever she asked them; and at last +said, 'My good children, I am very much pleased when you are innocently +amused; and yet I would have you consider seriously enough of what you +read, to draw such morals from your books, as may influence your future +practice; and as to fairy tales in general, remember, that the fairies, +as I told Miss Jenny before of giants and magic, are only introduced by +the writers of those tales, by way of amusement to the reader. For if +the story is well written, the common course of things would produce the +same incidents, without the help of fairies. + +'As for example, in this of the Princess Hebe, you see the queen her +mother was not admitted to know the fairy's history, till she could calm +her mind enough to hearken to reason; which only means, that whilst we +give way to the raging of our passions, nothing useful can ever sink +into our minds. For by the fairy Sybella's story you find, that by our +own faults we may turn the greatest advantages into our own misery, as +Sybella's mother did her beauty, by making use of the influence it gave +her over her husband, to tease him into the ruin of his child; and as +also Brunetta did, by depending on her father's gift, to enable her to +complete her desires, and therefore never endeavouring to conquer them. + +'You may observe also on the other side, that no accident had any power +to hurt Sybella, because she followed the paths of virtue, and kept her +mind free from restless passions. + +'You see happiness in the good Sybella's peaceful grove, and misery +in the wicked Brunetta's gaudy castle. The queen desiring the fairy to +endow her child with true wisdom, was the cause that the Princess Hebe +had it in her power to be happy. But take notice, that when she swerved +from her duty, all her knowledge was of no use, but only rendered her +more miserable, by letting her see her own folly in the stronger light. +Rozella first tempted the princess to disobedience, by moving her +tenderness, and alarming her friendship, in fearing to part with her; +and then by persuading her to set up her own wisdom, in opposition to +her mother's commands, rather than be laughed at, and despised by +her friends. You are therefore to observe, that if you would steadily +persevere in virtue, you must have resolution enough to stand the sneers +of those who would allure you to vice; for it is the constant practice +of the vicious, to endeavour to allure others to follow their example, +by an affected contempt and ridicule of virtue. + +'By the Princess Hebe's being drawn at last beyond the prescribed +bounds, by the cries and entreaties of that insidious girl, you are to +learn, that whatever appearance of virtue any action may be attended +with, yet if it makes you go contrary to the commands of those who know +better what is for your good, than you do your selves, and who can see +farther into the consequences of actions than can your tender years, it +will certainly lead you into error and misfortune; and you find, as soon +as the princess had once overleaped the bounds, another plausible excuse +arose to carry her on; and by a false fear of incurring her mother's +displeasure, she really deserved that displeasure, and was soon reduced +into the power of her enemy. + +'The princess, you see, could have no happiness till she returned again +to her obedience, and had confessed her fault. And though in this story +all this is brought about by fairies, yet the moral of it is, that +whenever we give way to our passions, and act contrary to our duty, we +must be miserable. + +'But let me once more observe to you, that these fairies are only +intended to amuse you; for remember that the misery which attended the +Princess Hebe, on her disobedience, was the natural consequence of that +disobedience, as well as the natural consequence of her amendment and +return to her duty, was content and happiness for the rest of her life.' + +Here good Mrs. Teachum ceased, and Miss Jenny, in the name of the +company, thanked her for her kind instructions, and promised that they +would endeavour, to the utmost of their power, to imprint them on their +memory for the rest of their lives. + + + + +SUNDAY. THE SEVENTH DAY. + +This morning our little society rose very early, and were all dressed +with neatness and elegance, in order to go to church. Mrs. Teachum put +Miss Polly Suckling before her, and the rest followed, two and two, with +perfect regularity. + +Mrs. Teachum expressed great approbation, that her scholars, at this +solemn place, showed no sort of childishness, notwithstanding their +tender age; but behaved with decency and devotion suitable to the +occasion. + +They went again in the same order, and behaved again in the same manner, +in the afternoon; and when they returned from church, two young ladies, +Lady Caroline and Lady Fanny Delun, who had formerly known Miss Jenny +Peace, and who were at present in that neighbourhood with their uncle, +came to make her a visit. + +Lady Caroline was fourteen years of age, tall and genteel in her person, +of a fair complexion, and a regular set of features so that, upon the +whole, she was generally complimented with being very handsome. + +Lady Fanny, who was one year younger than her sister, was rather little +of her age, of a brown complexion, her features irregular; and, in +short, she had not the least real pretensions to beauty. + +It was but lately that their father was, by the death of his eldest +brother, become Earl of Delun; so that their titles were new, and they +had not been long used to your ladyship. + +Miss Jenny Peace received them as her old acquaintance: however, she +paid them the deference due to their quality, and, at the same time, +took care not to behave as if she imagined they thought of anything +else. + +As it was her chief delight to communicate her pleasures to others, she +introduced her new-made friends to her old acquaintance, and expected to +have spent a very agreeable afternoon. But to describe the behaviour of +these two young ladies is very difficult. Lady Caroline, who was dressed +in a pink robe, embroidered thick with gold, and adorned with very fine +jewels, and the finest Mechlin lace, addressed most of her discourse to +her sister, that she might have the pleasure every minute of uttering +'Your ladyship,' in order to show what she herself expected. And as +she spoke, her fingers were in perpetual motion, either adjusting her +tucker, placing her plaits of her robe, or fiddling with a diamond +cross, that hung down on her bosom, her eyes accompanying her fingers as +they moved, and then suddenly being snatched off, that she might not be +observed to think of her own dress; yet was it plain, that her thoughts +were employed on only that and her titles. Miss Jenny Peace, although +she would have made it her choice always to have been in company who did +not deserve ridicule, yet had she humour enough to treat affectation +as it deserved. And she addressed herself to Lady Caroline with so many +ladyships, and such praises of her fine clothes, as she hoped would have +made her ashamed; but Lady Caroline was too full of her own vanity, to +see her design, and only exposed herself ten times the more, till she +really got the better of Miss Jenny, who blushed for her, since she was +incapable of blushing for herself. + +Lady Fanny's dress was plain and neat only, nor did she mention anything +about it; and it was very visible her thoughts were otherwise employed, +neither did she seem to take any delight in the words 'Your ladyship': +but she tossed and threw her person about into so many ridiculous +postures, and as there happened unfortunately to be no looking-glass +in the room where they sat, she turned and rolled her eyes so many +different ways, in endeavouring to view as much of herself as possible, +that it was very plain to the whole company she thought herself a +beauty, and admired herself for being so. + +Our little society, whose hearts were so open to each other, that they +had not a thought they endeavoured to conceal, were so filled with +contempt at Lady Caroline and Lady Fanny's behaviour, and yet so +strictly obliged, by good manners, not to show that contempt, that +the reserve they were forced to put on, laid them under so great a +restraint, that they knew not which way to turn themselves, or how +to utter one word; and great was their joy when Lady Caroline, as the +eldest, led the way, and with a swimming curtsey, her head turned half +round on one shoulder, and a disdainful eye, took her leave, repeating +two or three times the word 'misses,' to put them in mind, that she +was a lady. She was followed by her sister Lady Fanny, who made a slow +distinct curtsey to every one in the room, that she might be the +longer under observation. And then taking Miss Jenny by the hand, said, +'Indeed, Miss, you are very pretty,' in order to put them in mind of her +own beauty. + +Our little society, as soon as they were released, retired to their +arbour, where, for some time, they could talk of nothing but this visit. +Miss Jenny Peace remarked how many shapes vanity would turn itself into, +and desired them to observe, how ridiculously Lady Caroline Delun turned +her whole thoughts on her dress, and condition of life; and how absurd +it was in Lady Fanny, who was a very plain girl, to set up for a beauty, +and to behave in a manner which would render her contemptible, even if +she had that beauty her own vanity made her imagine herself possessed +of. + +Miss Nanny Spruce said, 'She was greatly rejoiced that she had seen her +folly; for she could very well remember when she had the same vanity of +dress and superiority of station with Lady Caroline, though she had not, +indeed, a title to support it; and in what manner, she said, she would +tell them in the story of her life. + + + + +THE DESCRIPTION OF MISS NANNY SPRUCE. + +Miss Nanny Spruce was just nine years old, and was the very reverse of +Patty Lockit, in all things; for she had little limbs, little features, +and such a compactness in her form, that she was often called the little +fairy. She had the misfortune to be lame in one of her hips; but by good +management, and a briskness and alacrity in carrying herself, it was a +very small blemish to her, and looked more like an idle childish gait, +than any real defect. + + + + +THE LIFE OF MISS NANNY SPRUCE. + +'My delight,' said Miss Nanny Spruce, 'ever since I can remember, +has been in dress and finery; for whenever I did as I was bid, I was +promised fine coats, ribbons, and laced caps; and when I was stubborn +and naughty, then my fine things were all to be locked up, and I was to +wear only an old stuff coat; so that I thought the only reward I could +have was to be dressed fine and the only punishment was to be plainly +dressed. By this means I delighted so much in fine clothes, that I never +thought of anything but when I should have something new to adorn myself +in; and I have sat whole days considering what should be my next new +coat; for I had always my choice given me of the colour. + +'We lived in a country parish, my papa being the only gentleman, so that +all the little girls in the parish used to take it as a great honour to +play with me. And I used to delight to show them my fine things, and to +see that they could not come at any but very plain coats. However, as +they did not pretend to have anything equal with me, I was kind enough +to them. As to those girls whose parents were so very poor that they +went in rags, I did not suffer them to come near me. + +'Whilst I was at home, I spent my time very pleasantly, as no one +pretended to be my equal; but as soon as I came to school, where other +misses were as fine as myself, and some finer, I grew very miserable. +Every new coat, every silver ribbon, that any of my schoolfellows wore, +made me unhappy. Your scarlet damask, Miss Betty Ford, cost me a week's +pain; and I lay awake, and sighed and wept all night, because I did not +dare to spoil it. I had several plots in my head, to have dirtied it, or +cut it, so as to have made it unfit to wear; by some accident my plots +were prevented; and then I was so uneasy, I could not tell what to do +with myself; and so afraid, lest any body should suspect me of such a +thing, that I could not sleep in peace, for fear I should dream of it, +and in my sleep discover it to my bedfellow. I would not go through the +same dreads and terrors again for the world. But I am very happy now, +in having no thoughts but what my companions may know; for since that +quarrel, and Miss Jenny Peace was so good as to show me what I'm sure +I never thought of before, that is, that the road to happiness is by +conquering such foolish vanities, and the only way to be pleased is +to endeavour to please others, I have never known what it was to be +uneasy.' + + +As soon as Miss Nanny had finished speaking, Miss Betty Ford said, that +she heartily forgave her all her former designs upon her scarlet coat; +but, added she, Lady Fanny Delun put me no less in mind of my former +life, than Lady Caroline did you of yours; and if Miss Jenny pleases, I +will now relate it. + + + + +THE DESCRIPTION OF MISS BETTY FORD. + +Miss Betty Ford was of the same age with Miss Nanny Spruce, and much of +the same height, and might be called the plainest girl in the school; +for she had nothing pleasing either in her person or face, except an +exceeding fair skin, and tolerable good black eyes; but her face was +ill-shaped and broad, her hair very red, and all the summer she was +generally very full of freckles; and she had also a small hesitation in +her speech. But without preamble, she began her life as follows. + + + + +THE LIFE OF MISS BETTY FORD. + +'My life,' said Miss Betty Ford, 'has hitherto passed very like that of +Miss Nanny Spruce, only with this difference, that as all her thoughts +were fixed on finery, my head ran on nothing but beauty. I had an elder +sister, who was, I must own, a great deal handsomer than me; and yet, in +my own mind, at that time, I did not think so, though I was always told +it was not for me to pretend to the same things with pretty Miss Kitty +(which was the name of my sister); and in all respects she was taken so +much more notice of than I was, that I perfectly hated her, and could +not help wishing that, by some accident, her beauty might be spoiled: +whenever any visitors came to the house, their praises of her gave me +the greatest vexation; and as I had made myself believe I was a very +great beauty, I thought that it was prejudice and ill-nature in all +around me, not to view me in that light. My sister Kitty was very good +natured; and though she was thus cried up for her beauty, and indulged +most on that account, yet she never insulted me, but did all in her +power to oblige me. But I could not love her, and sometimes would raise +lies against her, which did not signify, for she could always justify +herself. I could not give any reason for hating her, but her beauty, +for she was very good; but the better she was, I thought the worse +I appeared. I could not bear her praises without teasing and vexing +myself. At last, little Kitty died of a fever, to my great joy, though, +as everybody cried for her, I cried too for company, and because I would +not be thought ill-natured. + +'After Kitty's death, I lived tolerably easy, till I came to school. +Then the same desire of beauty returned, and I hated all the misses who +were handsomer than myself, as much as I had before hated my sister, and +always took every opportunity of quarrelling with them, till I found my +own peace was concerned, in getting the better of this disposition; and +that, if I would have any content, I must not repine at my not being so +handsome as others.' + + +When Miss Betty Ford ceased, Miss Jenny said, 'Indeed, my dear, it is +well you had not at that time the power of the eagle in the fable; +for your poor sister might then, like the peacock, have said in a soft +voice, "You are, indeed, a great beauty; but it lies in your beak and +your talons, which make it death to me to dispute it."' + +Miss Betty Ford rejoiced, that her power did not extend to enable her to +do mischief, before she had seen her folly. And now this little society, +in good humour and cheerfulness, attended their kind governess's summons +to supper; and then, after the evening prayers, they retired to their +peaceful slumbers. + + + + +MONDAY. THE EIGHTH DAY. + +Early in the morning, after the public prayers which Mrs. Teachum read +every day, our little company took a walk in the garden whilst the +breakfast was preparing. + +The fine weather, the prospects round them, all conspired to increase +their pleasure. They looked at one another with delight; their minds +were innocent and satisfied; and therefore every outward object was +pleasing in their sight. + +Miss Jenny Peace said, she was sure they were happier than any other +society of children whatever, except where the same harmony and love +were preserved, as were kept up in their minds: 'For (continued she) +I think now, my dear companions, I can answer for you all, that +no mischievous, no malicious plots disturb the tranquility of your +thoughts; plots, which in the end, constantly fall on the head of +those who invent them, after all the pains they cost in forming, and +endeavouring to execute.' + +Whilst Miss Jenny Peace was talking, Miss Dolly Friendly looked at her +very earnestly. She would not interrupt her; but the moment she was +silent, Miss Dolly said, 'My dear Miss Jenny, what is the matter with +you? your eyes are swelled, and you look as if you had been crying. If +you have any grief that you keep to yourself, you rob us of the share we +have a right to demand in all that belongs to you.' + +'No, indeed (answered Miss Jenny), I have nothing that grieves me; +though, if I had, I should think it increased, rather than lessened, by +your being grieved too; but last night, after I went upstairs, I found +amongst my books the play of the Funeral, or, Grief-a-la-mode; where the +faithful and tender behaviour of a good old servant, who had long lived +in his lord's family, with many other passages in the play (which I +cannot explain, unless you knew the whole story) made me cry, so that I +could hardly stop my tears.' + +'Pray, Miss Jenny, let us hear this play, that had such an effect on +you,' was the general request; and Miss Jenny readily promised, when +they met in their arbour, to read it to them. + +They eagerly ran to their arbour as soon as school was over, and Miss +Jenny performed her promise, and was greatly pleased to find such a +sympathy between her companions and herself; for they were most of them +affected just in the same manner, and with the same parts of the play, +as had before affected her. + +By the time they had wiped their eyes, and were rejoicing at the turn +at the end of the play, in favour of the characters with which they were +most pleased, Mrs. Teachum entered the arbour, and inquired what they +had been reading. Miss Jenny immediately told her, adding, 'I hope, +Madam, you will not think reading a play an improper amusement for us; +for I should be very sorry to be guilty myself, or cause my companions +to be guilty, of any thing that would meet with your disapprobation.' +Mrs. Teachum answered, that she was not at all displeased with her +having read a play, as she saw by her fear of offending, that her +discretion was to be trusted to. 'Nay (continued this good woman), I +like that you should know something of all kinds of writings, where +neither morals nor manners are offended; for if you read plays, and +consider them as you ought, you will neglect and despise what is light +and useless, whilst you will imprint on your mind's every useful lesson +that is to be drawn from them. I am very well acquainted with the play +you have been reading; but that I may see whether you give the proper +attention to what you have heard, I desire, my little girls, that one of +you will give me an account of the chief incidents in the play, and tell +me the story, just as you would do to one of your companions that had +happened to have been absent.' + +Here they all looked upon Miss Jenny Peace, as thinking her the most +capable of doing what their governess required. But Mrs. Teachum, +reading their thoughts in their looks, said, 'I exclude Miss Jenny in +this case; for as the play was of her choosing to read to you, I doubt +not but she is thoroughly enough acquainted with every part of it; and +my design was to try the memory and attention of some of the others.' + +They all remained silent, and seemed to wait for a more particular +command, before any one would offer at the undertaking; not through +any backwardness to comply with Mrs. Teachum's request, but each from a +diffidence of herself to perform it. + +Miss Jenny Peace then said, that she had observed a great attention in +them all; and she did not doubt but every one was able to give a very +good account of what they had heard. 'But, as Miss Sukey Jennet is the +eldest, I believe, madam, (continued she), if you approve it, they will +all be very ready to depute her as their speaker.' + +Each smiled at being so relieved by Miss Jenny; and Mrs. Teachum, taking +Miss Sukey Jennet by the hand, said, 'Come, my dear, throw off all fear +and reserve; imagine me one of your companions, and tell me the story of +the play you have been reading.' + +Miss Sukey, thus encouraged by her kind governess, without any +hesitation, spoke in the following manner: + +'If I understand your commands, madam, by telling the story of the play, +you would not have me tell you the acts and scenes as they followed one +another for that I am afraid I can hardly remember, as I have heard +it only once but I must describe the chief people in the play, and the +plots and contrivances that are carried on amongst them.' + +Mrs. Teachum nodded her head, and Miss Sukey thus proceeded: + + +'There is an old Lord Brumpton, who had married a young wife, that had +lived with him some years, and by her deceitful and cunning ways had +prevailed with him to disinherit his only son Lord Hardy (who was a very +sensible good young man) and to leave him but a shilling. And this Lord +Brumpton was taken in a fit, so that all the house thought he was dead, +and his lady sent for an undertaker, one Mr. Sable, to bury him. But +coming out of his fit, when nobody but this Mr. Sable, and an old +servant, called Trusty, were by, he was prevailed upon by the good old +Trusty to feign himself still dead (and the undertaker promises secrecy) +in order to detect the wickedness of his wife, which old Trusty assures +him is very great; and then he carries his lord where he overhears +a discourse between the widow (as she thinks herself) and her maid +Tattleaid; and he bears his once beloved wife rejoicing in his supposed +death, and in the success of her own arts to deceive him. Then there are +two young ladies, Lady Charlotte and Lady Harriet Lovely, to whom this +Lord Brumpton was guardian; and he had also left them in the care of +this wicked woman. And this young Lord Hardy was in love with Lady +Charlotte; and Mr. Camply, a very lively young gentleman, his friend, +was in love with Lady Harriet and Lady Brumpton locked the two young +ladies up, and would not let them be seen by their lovers. But there +at last they contrived, by the help of old Trusty, who had their real +guardian's consent for it, both to get away; and Lady Harriet married +Mr. Camply directly; but Lady Charlotte did not get away so soon, and +so was not married till the end of the play. This Mr. Camply was a +very generous man, and was newly come to a large fortune; and in the +beginning of the play he contrives, in a very genteel manner, to give +his friend Lord Hardy, who very much wanted it, three hundred pounds; +but he takes care to let us know, that my lord had formerly, when he +waited his assistance, been very kind to him. And there at last, when +Lady Brumpton finds out that the two young ladies are gone, she goes +away in a rage to Lord Hardy's lodgings, and in an insulting manner she +pays all due legacies, as she calls it, that is, she gives Lord Hardy +the shilling, which, by her wicked arts, was all his father had left +him; and she was insulting the young ladies, and glorying in her +wickedness, when honest old Trusty came in, and brought in old Lord +Brumpton, whom they imagined to be dead, and all but Lady Brumpton +were greatly overjoyed to see him alive; but when he taxed her with +her falsehood, she defied him, and said that she had got a deed of +gift under his hand, which he could not revoke, and she WOULD enjoy his +fortune in spite of him. Upon which they all looked sadly vexed, till +the good old Trusty went out and came in again, and brought in a man +called Cabinet, who confessed himself the husband to the pretended Lady +Brumpton, and that he was married to her half a year before she was +married to my Lord Brumpton; but as my lord happened to fall in love +with her, they agreed to keep their marriage concealed, in order that +she should marry my lord, and cheat him in the manner she had done; and +the reason that Cabinet came to confess all this was, that he looked +into a closet and saw my lord writing, after he thought he was dead, +and, taking it for his ghost, was by that means frightened into this +confession, which he first made in writing to old Trusty, and therefore +could not now deny it. They were all rejoiced at this discovery, except +the late pretended Lady Brumpton, who sneaked away with Cabinet her +husband; and my Lord Brumpton embraced his son, and gave his consent, +that he should marry Lady Charlotte; and they were all pleased and +happy.' + +Here Miss Sukey ceased, and Mrs. Teachum told her she was a very good +girl, and had remembered a great deal of the play. 'But (said she) in +time, with using yourself to this way of repeating what you have read, +you will come to a better manner, and a more regular method of telling +your story, which you was now so intent upon finishing, that you forgot +to describe what sort of women those two young ladies were, though, as +to all the rest, you have been particular enough.' + +'Indeed, madam, (said Miss Sukey), I had forgot that, but Lady Charlotte +was a very sensible, grave young lady, and lady Harriet was extremely +gay and coquettish; but Mr. Camply tells her how much it misbecomes her +to be so and she having good sense, as well as good nature, is convinced +of her folly, and likes him so well for his reproof, that she consents +to marry him.' + +Mrs. Teachum, addressing herself to them all, told them, that this was +a method she wished they would take with whatever they read; for nothing +so strongly imprinted anything on the memory as such a repetition; and +then turning to Miss Jenny Peace, she said, 'And now, Miss Jenny, I +desire you will speak freely what you think is the chief moral to be +drawn from the play you have just read.' + +Miss Jenny being thus suddenly asked a question of this nature, +considered some time before she gave an answer; for she was naturally +very diffident of her own opinion in anything where she had not been +before instructed by some one she thought wiser than herself. At last, +with a modest look, and an humble voice, she said, 'Since, madam, +you have commanded me to speak my sentiments freely, I think by what +happened to each character in this play, the author intended to prove +what my good mamma first taught me, and what you, madam, since have so +strongly confirmed me in; namely, that folly, wickedness, and misery, +all three, as constantly dwell together, as wisdom, virtue, and +happiness do.' + +''Tis very true (answered Mrs. Teachum); but this moral does not arise +only from the happy turn in favour of the virtuous characters in the +conclusion of the play, but is strongly inculcated, as you see all +along, in the peace of mind that attends the virtuous, even in the +midst of oppression and distress, while the event is yet doubtful, and +apparently against them; and, on the contrary, in the confusion of mind +which the vicious are tormented with, even whilst they falsely imagine +themselves triumphant.' + +Mrs. Teachum then taking the book out of Miss Jenny's hands, and turning +to the passage, said, 'How does Lady Brumpton show us the wretched +condition of her own mind, when she says, + +'"How miserable 'tis to have one one hates always about one! And when +one can't endure one's own reflections upon some actions, who can bear +the thoughts of another upon them?" + +'Then with what perturbation of mind does she proceed, to wish it was in +her power to increase her wickedness, without making use enough of her +understanding, to see that by that means she would but increase her own +misery. + +'On the other hand, what a noble figure does Lord Hardy make, when, by +this wicked woman's contrivances, he thinks himself disinherited of his +whole fortune, ill-treated, and neglected by a father, he never had in +thought offended! He could give an opportunity to a sincere friend, who +would not flatter him, to say, + +'"No; you are, my lord, the extraordinary man, who, on the loss of an +almost princely fortune, can be master of a temper that makes you the +envy rather than pity, of your more fortunate, not more happy friends." + +'This is a fine distinction between fortunate and happy; and intimates +this happiness must dwell in the mind, and depends upon no outward +accidents. + +'Fortune, indeed, is a blessing, if properly used; which Camply shows, +when by that means he can assist and relieve his worthy friend. + +'With what advantage does Lady Charlotte appear over her sister, when +the latter is trifling and dancing before the glass, and the former +says, + +'"If I am at first so silly as to be a little taken with myself, I know +it is a fault, and take pains to correct it." + +'And on Lady Harriet's saying, very giddily, that it was too soon for +her to think at that rate, Lady Charlotte properly adds, + +'"They that think it too soon to understand themselves, will very soon +find it too late." + +'In how ridiculous a light does Lady Harriet appear, while she is +displaying all that foolish coquetry! And how different a figure does +she make, when she has got the better of it? + +'My Lady Brumpton, when alarmed with the least noise, breaks out into +all the convulsive starts natural to conscious guilt. + +'"Ha! what noise is that--that noise of fighting?--Run, I say.--Whither +are you going?--What, are you mad?--Will you leave me alone?--Can't you +stir?--What, you can't take your message with you!--Whatever 'tis, I +suppose you are not in the plot, not you--nor that now they're breaking +open my house for Charlotte--Not you.--Go see what's the matter, I say; +I have nobody I can trust.--One minute I think this wench honest, and +the next false.--Whither shall I turn me?" + +'This is a picture of the confused, the miserable mind of a close, +malicious, cruel, designing woman, as Lady Brumpton was, and as Lady +Harriet very properly calls her. + +'Honesty and faithfulness shine forth in all their lustre, in the +good old Trusty. We follow him throughout with anxious wishes for his +success, and tears of joy for his tenderness. And when he finds that he +is likely to come at the whole truth, and to save his lord from being +deceived and betrayed into unjustly ruining his noble son, you may +remember that he makes this pious reflection: + +All that is ours, is to be justly bent; And Heaven in its own time will +bless th' event. + +'This is the natural thought that proceeds from innocence and goodness; +and surely this state of mind is happiness. + +'I have only pointed out a few passages, to show you, that though it is +the nature of comedy to end happily, and therefore the good characters +must be successful in the last act; yet the moral lies deeper, and is +to be deduced from a proof throughout this play, that the natural +consequence of vice is misery within, even in the midst of an apparent +triumph; and the natural consequence of goodness is a calm peace of +mind, even in the midst of oppression and distress. + +'I have endeavoured, my little dears, to show you, as clearly as I can, +not only what moral is to be drawn from this play, but what is to be +sought for in all others; and where that moral is not to be found, the +writer will have it to answer for, that he has been guilty of one of +the worst of evils; namely, that he has clothed vice in so beautiful +a dress, that, instead of deterring, it will allure and draw into its +snares the young and tender mind. And I am sorry to say, that too many +of our dramatic performances are of this latter cast; which is +the reason, that wise and prudent parents and governors in general +discourage in very young people the reading of plays. And though by what +I have said (if it makes a proper impression) I doubt not but you will +all have a just abhorrence of such immoral plays, instead of being +pleased with them, should they fall in your way; yet I would advise you +rather to avoid them, and never to read any but such as are approved of; +and recommended to you by those who have the care of your education.' + +Here good Mrs. Teachum ceased, and left her little scholars to reflect +on what she had been saying; when Miss Jenny Peace declared, for her +part, that she could feel the truth of her governess's observations; for +she had rather be the innocent Lord Hardy, though she was to have but +that one shilling in the world which was so insolently offered him as +his father's last legacy, than be the Lady Brumpton, even though she had +possessed the fortune she so treacherously endeavoured to obtain. + +'Nay (said Miss Dolly Friendly) I had rather have been old Trusty, with +all the infirmities of age, following my Lord Hardy through the world, +had his poverty and distress been ever so great, than have been the +malicious Lady Brumpton, in the height of her beauty, surrounded by a +crowd of lovers and flatterers.' + +Miss Henny Fret then declared how glad she was that she had now no +malice in her mind; though she could not always have said so, as she +would inform them in the history of her past life. + + + + +THE DESCRIPTION OF MISS HENNY FRET. + +Miss Henny Fret was turned of nine years old. She was very prettily +made, and remarkably genteel. All her features were regular. She was not +very fair, and looked pale. Her upper lip seemed rather shorter than it +should be; for it was drawn up in such a manner, as to show her upper +teeth; and though this was in some degree natural, yet it had been very +much increased by her being continually on the fret for every trifling +accident that offended her, or on every contradiction that was offered +to her. When you came to examine her face, she had not one feature but +what was pretty; yet, from that constant uneasiness which appeared in +her countenance, it gave you so little pleasure to look at her, that she +seldom had common justice done her, but had generally hitherto passed +for a little insignificant plain girl, though her very face was so +altered since she was grown good natured, and had got the better of that +foolish fretfulness she used to be possessed of, that she appeared from +her good-humoured smiles quite a different person; and, with a mild +aspect, thus began her story: + + + + +THE LIFE OF MISS HENNY FRET. + +'I had one brother,' said Miss Henny, 'as well as Miss Jenny Peace; but +my manner of living with him was quite the reverse to that in which +she lived with her brother. All my praise or blame was to arise from my +being better or worse than my brother. If I was guilty of any fault, +it was immediately said, "Oh! fie, miss! Master George (that was my +brother's name) would not be guilty of such a thing for the world." If +he was carried abroad, and I stayed at home, then I was bemoaned over, +that poor Miss Henny was left at home, and her brother carried abroad. +And then I was told, that I should go abroad one of these days, and my +brother be left at home so that whenever I went abroad, my greatest joy +was, that he was left at home; and I was pleased to see him come out +to the coach-door with a melancholy air that he could not go too. If +my brother happened to have any fruit given him, and was in a peevish +humour, and would not give me as much as I desired, the servant that +attended me was sure to bid me take care, when I had anything he waited, +not to give him any. So that I thought, if I did not endeavour to be +revenged of him, I should show a want of spirit, which was of all things +what I dreaded most. I had a better memory than my brother, and whenever +I learnt anything, my comfort was to laugh at him because he could not +learn so fast; by which means I got a good deal of learning, but never +minded what I learnt, nor took any pains to keep it; so that what I was +eager to learn one day, to show George how much I knew more than he, I +forgot the next. And so I went on learning, and forgetting as fast as I +learnt; and all the pains I took served only to show that I COULD learn. + +'I was so great a favourite, that I was never denied any thing I +asked for; but I was very unhappy for the same reason that Miss Dolly +Friendly's sister was so; and I have often sat down and cried, because I +did not know what I would have, till at last I own I grew so peevish and +humoursome, that I was always on the fret, and harboured in my mind a +kind of malice that made me fancy whatever my brother got, I lost; and +in this unhappy condition I lived, till I came to school, and here I +found that other misses wanted to have their humours as well as myself. +This I could not bear, because I had been used to have my own will, and +never to trouble myself about what others felt. For whenever I beat or +abused my brother, his pain did not make me cry; but I believe it was +thinking wrong made me guilty of these faults; for I don't find I am +ill-natured; for now I have been taught to consider that my companions +can feel as well as myself, I am sorry for their pain, and glad when +they are pleased, and would be glad to do anything to oblige them.' + + +Here Miss Henny ceased, and Miss Jenny Peace then told her how glad she +was to hear that she had subdued all malice in her mind, adding, 'These +weeds, my dear, unless early plucked up, are (as I have heard our good +governess observe upon a like occasion) very apt to take such deep root, +as to choke every good seed around them; and then who can tell whether, +with the same opportunities, they might not become Lady Brumptons before +the end of their lives?' + +Little Polly Suckling remembered that all the company had told the story +of their past lives, except herself; and she thought she would not be +left out; but yet she had a mind to be asked to tell it, hoping that her +companions thought her of consequence enough not to leave her out of +any scheme; therefore, addressing herself to Miss Jenny, she said she +thought it was very pleasant to hear anybody tell the history of their +own lives. Miss Jenny saw her meaning, and answered, 'So it is, my +little dear; and now, if you please, you shall oblige us with relating +the history of yours.' Polly smiled at this request, and said she was +ready to comply. + + + + +THE DESCRIPTION OF MISS POLLY SUCKLING. + +Miss Polly Suckling was just turned of eight years old, but so short +of her age, that few people took her to be above five. It was not a +dwarfish shortness; for she had the most exact proportioned limbs in +the world, very small bones, and was as fat as a little cherub. She was +extremely fair, and her hair quite flaxen. Her eyes a perfect blue, her +mouth small, and her lips quite plump and red. She had the freshness +of a milkmaid; and when she smiled and laughed, she seemed to show an +hundred agreeable dimples. She was, in short, the very picture of health +and good-humour, and was the plaything and general favorite of the whole +school. + + + + +THE LIFE OF MISS POLLY SUCKLING. + +'Now,' said little Polly, 'I will tell you all my whole history. I +hardly remember anything before I came to school, for I was but five +years old when I was brought hither. + +'All I know is, that I don't love quarrelling, for I like better to +live in peace and quietness. But I have been always less than any of +my companions, ever since I have been here; and so I only followed the +example of the rest; and as I found they contended about everything, I +did so too. Besides, I have been always in fear that my schoolfellows +wanted to impose on me, because I was little; and so I used to engage in +every quarrel, rather than be left out, as if I was too little to give +any assistance; but, indeed, I am very glad now we all agree, because I +always came by the worst of it. And, besides, it is a great pleasure +to me to be loved, and every Miss is kind and good to me, and ready to +assist me whenever I ask them. And this is all I know of my whole life.' + + +When little Polly ceased, she was kissed and applauded by the whole +company, for the agreeable simplicity of her little history. + +And thus ended the eighth day's amusement. + + + + +TUESDAY. THE NINTH DAY. + +Miss Jenny rose early in the morning, and, having collected the lives of +her companions (which she had wrote down each day, as they related them) +she carried them, after morning school, according to her promise, to her +governess. + +Mrs. Teachum, when she had perused them, was much pleased; and said that +she perceived, by the manner in which her scholars had related their +lives, how much they were in earnest in their design of amendment. 'For +(continued she) they have all confessed their faults without reserve; +and the untowardly bent of their minds, which so strongly appeared +before the quarrel, has not broke out in these their little histories; +but, on the contrary, they all seem, according to their capacities, to +have endeavoured at imitating your style, in the account you gave of +your own life. I would have you continue to employ your leisure hours +in the manner you have lately done, only setting apart a proper time +for exercise; and today I will dispense with your attendance in the +school-room and indulge you this afternoon in another walk, either to +the dairy house, or to the cherry-garden, whichever you all agree on. +But as I shall not go with you myself, and shall only find a servant +to take care of you, I hope to hear from you, Miss Jenny, so good an +account of the behaviour of your little friends and companions, that I +shall have no cause to repent my indulgence.' + +Miss Jenny Peace respectfully took leave of her governess, and hastened +to the arbour, where her little friends were met, in expectation of her +coming. She told them how well pleased their governess was with them +all, for the ingenuous confession of their faults in their past lives; +and she then declared Mrs. Teachum's kind permission to them to take +another walk that afternoon. + +As no one had at present any story to read or relate, they employed +their time till dinner, some in walking and running about the garden; +others in looking after and tending some plant or flower, that they had +taken particularly under their care, which Mrs. Teachum both permitted +and encouraged them in, whilst Miss Jenny Peace, Miss Sukey Jennett, +and Miss Dolly Friendly, remained in the arbour, the two latter asking +a thousand questions of the former, both concerning all the instructions +she had ever learned from her mamma, and by what means they should best +be able to preserve that friendship and happiness, which had of late +subsisted amongst them; saying, how pleased their friends and relations +would be, to see such a change in their temper and behaviour, and how +much they should be beloved by every one. + +When they met at dinner, Mrs. Teachum asked them, whether they had +determined upon the choice she had given them in their afternoon's walk; +and they were all desirous of going to the dairy house; for little Polly +said, she longed to see the good-humoured old woman again, and, indeed, +she would not now say anything to her of her shaking head, or her +grey hair. Mrs. Teachum was pleased, that little Polly so gratefully +remembered the old woman, who had been so kind to her; and readily +consented to their choice, and approved of their determination. + +Being soon equipped for their walk, they set out, attended by two +maidservants; and as soon as they arrived, the good old woman expressed +the highest joy on seeing them, and told little Polly, that she should +have plenty of cream and strawberries, for her daughter had been that +day in the wood, and had brought home three baskets of very fine ones. +Mrs. Nelly, her daughter, said very crossly, that she supposed there +would be fine work amongst them, now their governess was not with them; +but 'twas her mother's way, to let all children be as rude as they +pleased. Miss Sukey Jennett, with some indignation in her look, was +going to answer her; but Miss Jenny Peace, fearing she would say +something less mild than she wished, gave her a nod; and, turning to the +young woman, with great modesty and temper, thus said: 'You shall see, +Mrs. Nelly, that our good governess's instructions are of more force +with us, than to lose all their effect when we are out of her presence; +and I hope you will have no cause, when we go away, to complain of the +ill behaviour of any of us.' + +The good old woman declared she never saw such sweet-tempered children +in all her life; and after they had eat their strawberries and cream, +and were loaded with pinks and roses by the good woman's bounty (for +they did not gather one without her permission), they took their leave +with the utmost civility, and Miss Jenny handsomely rewarded the old +woman for her good cheer. Mrs. Nelly herself was so pleased with their +regular and inoffensive behaviour, that she could not help telling Miss +Jenny, that she, and all her companions, had, indeed, behaved as well as +if their governess had been with them: on which Miss Jenny (as they were +walking home) observed to Miss Sukey Jennett (whom she had prevented +from making any reply to Mrs. Nelly's speech) how much better it was to +gain another's good will by our own endeavours to be obliging, than to +provoke them to be more cross, by our angry answers and reproaches. + +When this little company, employed in pleasing talk and lively +observations, were come within about a mile of Mrs. Teachum's house, and +within view of a nobleman's fine seat, Miss Jenny said, that the next +time their governess permitted them to walk out, she would ask her +leave, that they might go and see that fine house; for some time ago she +had told them, that they should go thither when the family were absent. +Mrs. Wilson, the housekeeper, who by chance was walking that way, and +heard what Miss Jenny said, came up to them, and told Miss Jenny that +her lord and lady were now both absent, having set out, one for London, +and the other for another fine seat, forty miles off, that very morning; +and as she knew them to be Mrs. Teachum's well-regulated family, they +should be welcome to see the house and gardens now, if they liked it. +Miss Jenny thanked her, and said, as it was near two hours sooner than +their governess expected them home, she would accept of her kind offer. +The housekeeper led them through an avenue of tall elm-trees into this +magnificent house, in which were many spacious apartments, furnished +with the utmost grandeur and elegance. Some of the rooms were adorned +with fine pictures, others were hung with tapestry almost as lively as +those paintings, and most of the apartments above stairs were furnished +with the finest sorts of needle-work. Our little company were struck +into a sort of silent wonder and admiration at the splendid appearance +of everything around them; nor could they find words to express the +various reflections that passed in their minds, on seeing such a variety +of dazzling gaudy things: but when they came to the needlework, Miss +Jenny could not help smiling, to see how every one seemed most fixed in +attention upon that sort of work, which she herself was employed in, and +she saw in every face a secret wish, that their own piece of work might +be finished with equal neatness and perfection. The housekeeper was +greatly pleased to see them so much delighted, and answered all their +questions concerning the stories that were represented in the pictures +and tapestry as fully as the time would permit; but Miss Jenny, being +fearful of exceeding the hour in which they would be expected home, told +them they must not now stay any longer, but if their governess would +give them leave, and it would not be troublesome to Mrs. Wilson, they +would come another time. She answered, that it was so far from being +troublesome, that she never had more pleasure in her life, than to see +so many well-behaved young ladies, who all seemed not only pleased with +what they saw, but doubly delighted, and happy, in seeing each other so; +and for her part, she could wish they were to stay with her all their +lives; and, in short, they should not go till they had been in her room, +and eat some sweetmeats of her own making. The good woman seemed to take +so much delight in giving them any pleasure, that Miss Jenny could not +refuse accepting her offer; and, when they were all in her room, Polly +Suckling said, 'Well, this is a most charming house; I wish we could all +live here for ever. How happy must the lord and lady of this fine place +be!' + +'Indeed, my little Polly,' said Miss Jenny, 'you may be very much +mistaken; for you know our good governess has taught us, that there is +no happiness but in the content of our own minds; and perhaps we may +have more pleasure in viewing these fine things, than the owners have in +the possession of them.' + +'It is very true,' said the housekeeper, 'for my lord and lady have no +delight in all this magnificence; for, by being so accustomed to it, +they walk through all these apartments, and never so much as observe or +amuse themselves with the work, the pictures, or anything else, or if +they observe them at all, it is rather with a look that denotes a sort +of weariness, at seeing the same things continually before them, than +with any kind of pleasure.' And then, with a deep sigh, she added, 'You +are, indeed, young lady, perfectly in the right, when you say grandeur +and happiness do not always go together.' But turning off the discourse, +Mrs. Wilson forced them to take as many dried sweetmeats as they +could carry away with them, and insisted upon their promise (with +Mrs. Teachum's consent) that they should come another time to see the +gardens. They then took their leave with many thanks, and the greatest +civility; and discoursed all the way home, on the fine things they +had seen. Miss Betty Ford said, that the fine gilding, and so many +glittering looking-glasses, made her think herself in Barbarico's great +hall, where he kept all his treasure. + +'No,' says Miss Nancy Spruce, 'it was not half so much like that, as it +was like Brunetta's fine castle; and I could not help thinking myself +the Princess Hebe, and how much I should have been pleased with such a +fine place at first, just as she was.' + +'Indeed,' says Miss Betty Ford, 'you are in the right of it, Miss Nanny; +for 'twas much more like the description of Brunetta's castle, than what +I said myself.' + +Miss Jenny was pleased to hear Miss Betty so ready to own herself +mistaken; and said to Miss Nanny Spruce, 'I am glad, my dear, to +find that you so well remember what you read; for it is by recalling +frequently into our memories the things we have read, that they are +likely to be of any service to us.' + +Being now come home, they entered into the presence of their governess +with that pleasure, and proper confidence, which ever attends innocence +and goodness; and Mrs. Teachum received them with a pleasing smile. + +Miss Jenny gave her governess a faithful account of all that had passed, +with the agreeable entertainment they had accidentally met with, of +seeing Lord X----'s fine house, and the great civility of Mrs. Wilson, +'Which I hope, madam,' said Miss Jenny, 'I did not do wrong in +accepting.' 'You did very properly, my dear,' said Mrs. Teachum, 'for +when any person is willing to oblige you, without any inconvenience to +themselves, it is always right to accept their offer, as you thereby +gratify them, by putting it in their power to give you pleasure.' + +Miss Jenny then with great cheerfulness and freedom, told her governess +all that had paled in conversation, both in their walk to the +dairy house, and at Lord X--'s, what little Polly had said in the +housekeeper's room, as also Mrs. Wilson's answer; and said, by Mrs. +Wilson's downcast look, she was afraid that poor Lord X---- and his lady +were not so happy as might be wished. 'But,' continued she, 'I did +not ask Mrs. Wilson any questions, because you have taught me, madam, +carefully to avoid the least appearance of impertinent curiosity.' + +'You was very right, my dear,' said Mrs. Teachum, 'in asking no farther +questions; nor would she, I dare say, as she is a prudent woman, have +gratified you if you had; for though the unhappy story is too well known +all over the country, yet it would have been very unbecoming in one +of the family to have published it.' Mrs. Teachum saw in her little +scholars' eyes, a secret wish of knowing what this story was; and, after +a short pause, she said, 'Since I find you disposed, my good girls, to +make the proper use of what you hear, I will indulge your curiosity. + +'Lord X---- and his lady have been married seven years; Lord X---- is +the wretchedest creature breathing, because he has no children, and +therefore no heir to his title and large estate. He was naturally of a +haughty impetuous temper, and impatient of any the least disappointment; +and this disposition not being subdued in his youth, has led him into +all sort of excesses. His lady is not much better tempered than himself, +and valuing herself highly upon her beauty, and the large fortune +she brought him, greatly resents his sometimes insolent, and always +neglectful usage of her. They have hitherto lived on in the most +jarring, disputing manner, and took no care to conceal their quarrels +from the world; but at last they have agreed to part by consent, and the +different journeys they this morning took, I suppose, was with an intent +of final separation. + +'That grandeur and happiness do not always go together (as Mrs. Wilson +observed to you) is seen by this story, which I was the more willing +to tell you, as it was a proper introduction to a fable I have been +collecting together from others, for your use. You know that all my +endeavours to make you good, are only intended to make you happy; and +if you thoroughly reflect upon the truth of this maxim, which I so often +endeavour to inculcate, you will doubtless reap no small advantage from +it.' + +Here Mrs. Teachum ceased speaking, and, giving Miss Jenny Peace a paper, +she bid her read it aloud; which she did, and it contained the following +fable: + + + + +THE ASSEMBLY OF THE BIRDS. A FABLE. + +In ancient days, there was a great contention amongst the birds, which, +from his own perfections, and peculiar advantages, had the strongest +title to happiness; and at last they agreed to refer the decision of the +debate to the eagle. + +A day was appointed for their meeting; the eagle took his seat, and the +birds all attended to give in their several pleas. + +First spoke the parrot. Her voice so dearly resembling human speech, and +which enabled her to converse with such a superior race, she doubted not +(she said) would have its just weight with the eagle, and engage him to +grant a decree in her favour; and to this plea she also added, that she +dwelt in a fine cage adorned with gold, and was fed every day by the +hands a fair lady. + +'And pray, Mrs. Poll,' said the eagle, 'how comes it, since you fare so +sumptuously, that you are so lean and meagre, and seem scarcely able +to exert that voice you thus make your boast of?' 'Alas!' replied +the parrot, 'poor Poll's lady has kept her bed almost this week; the +servants have all forgot to feed me; and I am almost starved.' 'Pray +observe,' said the eagle, 'the folly of such pride! Had you been able to +have conversed only with your own kind, you would have fared in common +with them; but it is to this vaunted imitation of the human voice, that +you owe your confinement, and consequently (though living in a golden +cage) your dependence upon the will and memory of others, even for +common necessary food.' + +Thus reproved, the parrot, with shame, hastily retired from the +assembly. + +Next stood forth the daw, and, having tricked himself in all the gay +feathers he could muster together, on the credit of these borrowed +ornaments, pleaded his beauty, as a title to the preference in dispute. +Immediately the birds agreed to divest the silly counterfeit of all his +borrowed plumes; and, more abashed than the parrot, he secretly slunk +away. + +The peacock, proud of native beauty, now flew into the midst of the +assembly. He displayed before the sun his gorgeous tail. 'Observe (said +he) how the vivid blue of the sapphire glitters in my neck; and when +thus I spread my tail, a gemmy brightness strikes the eye from a plumage +varied with a thousand glowing colours.' At this moment, a nightingale +began to chant forth his melodious lay; at which the peacock, dropping +his expanded tail, cried out, 'Ah what avails my silent unmeaning +beauty, when I am so far excelled in voice by such a little +russet-feathered wretch as that!' And, by retiring, he gave up all claim +to the contended-for preference. + +The nightingale was so delighted with having got the better of the +peacock, that he exerted his little voice, and was so lost in the +conceit of his own melody, that he did not observe a hawk, who flew upon +him, and carried him off in his claws. + +The eagle then declared, 'That as the peacock's envy had taken away all +his claim, so no less had the nightingale's self-conceit frustrated +all his pretensions; for those who are so wrapped up in their own +perfections, as to mind nothing but themselves, are forever liable to +all sorts of accidents.' And, besides, it was plain, by the exultation +the nightingale expressed on his imagined glory over the peacock, that +he would have been equally dejected on any preference given to another. + +And now the owl, with an affected gravity, and whooting voice, pleaded +his well-known wisdom; and said, 'He doubted not but the preference +would be granted to him without contest, by all the whole assembly for +what was so likely to produce happiness as wisdom?' + +The eagle declared, 'That, if his title to wisdom could be proved, the +justice of his claim should be allowed; and then asked him, how he could +convince them of the truth of what he had advanced?' The owl answered, +'That he would willingly appeal to the whole assembly for their +decision in this point; for he was positive nobody could deny his great +superiority as to wisdom.' Being separately asked, they most of them +declared, that they knew no one reason, either from his words or +actions, to pronounce him a wise bird; though it was true, that by an +affected solemnity in his looks, and by frequent declarations of his +own, that he was very wife, he had made some very silly birds give +him that character; but, since they were called upon to declare their +opinions, they must say, that he was ever the object of contempt to all +those birds who had any title to common understanding. The eagle then +said, 'He could by no means admit a plea, which as plainly appeared +to be counterfeit, as were the jay's borrowed feathers.' The owl, thus +disappointed, flew away, and has ever since shunned the light of the +sun, and has never appeared in the daytime, but to be scorned and +wondered at. + + +It would be endless to repeat all the several pleas brought by the +birds, each desiring to prove, that happiness ought to be his own +peculiar lot. But the eagle observing that the arguments made use of to +prove their point were chiefly drawn from the disadvantages of others, +rather than from any advantage of their own, told them, 'There was too +much envy and malice amongst them, for him to pronounce any of them +deserving or capable of being happy; but I wonder,' says he, 'why the +dove alone is absent from this meeting?' 'I know of one in her nest hard +by,' answered the redbreast, 'shall I go and call her?' 'No,' says the +eagle, 'since she did not obey our general summons, 'tis plain she had +no ambition for a public preference; but I will take two or three chosen +friends, and we will go softly to her nest, and see in what manner she +is employing herself; for from our own observations upon the actions +of any one, we are more likely to form a judgment of them, than by any +boasts they can make.' + +The eagle was obeyed, and, accompanied only by the linnet, the lark, the +lapwing, and the redbreast for his guide, he stole gently to the place +where the dove was found hovering over her nest, waiting the return of +her absent mate; and, thinking herself quite unobserved, + + + [*] While o'er her callow brood she hung, + She fondly thus address'd her young: + 'Ye tender objects of my care, + Peace! peace! ye little helpless pair. + Anon! he comes, your gentle sire, + And brings you all your hearts require; + For us, his infants and his bride, + For us, with only love to guide, + Our lord assumes an eagle's speed, + And, like a lion, dares to bleed: + Nor yet by wintry skies confin'd, + He mounts upon the rudest wind, + From danger tears the vital spoil, + And with affection sweetens toil. + Ah! cease, too vent'rous, cease to dare; + In thine, our dearer safety spare. + From him, ye cruel falcons stray; + And turn, ye fowlers, far away, + --All-giving Pow'r, great source of life, + Oh! hear the parent, hear the wife: + That life thou lendest from above, + Though little, make it large in love. + Oh! bid my feeling heart expand + To ev'ry claim on ev'ry hand, + To those, from whom my days I drew, + To these in whom those days renew, + To all my kin, however wide, + In cordial warmth as blood allied. + To friends in steely fetters twin'd + And to the cruel not unkind; + But chief the lord of my desire, + My life, myself, my soul, my sire, + Friends, children, all that wish can claim, + Chaste passion clasp, and rapture name. + Oh! spare him, spare him, gracious Pow'r: + Oh! give him to my latest hour, + Let me my length of life employ, + To give my sole enjoyment joy. + His love let mutual love excite; + Turn all my cares to his delight, + And ev'ry needless blessing spare, + Wherein my darling wants a share. + --Let one unruffled calm delight + The loving and belov'd unite; + One pure desire our bosoms warm; + One will direct, one wish inform; + Through life one mutual aid sustain; + In death one peaceful grave contain.' + While, swelling with the darling theme, + Her accents pour'd an endless stream. + The well-known wings a sound impart + That reach'd her ear, and touch'd her heart. + Quick dropp'd the music of her tongue, + And forth, with eager joy, she sprung. + As swift her ent'ring consort flew, + And plum'd, and kindled at the view. + Their wings, their souls, embracing, meet, + Their hearts with answ'ring measure beat, + Half lost in sacred sweets, and bless'd + With raptures felt, but ne'er express'd. + Strait to her humble roof she led + The partner of her spotless bed; + Her young, a flutt'ring pair, arise, + Their welcome sparkling in their eyes, + Transported, to their sire they bound, + And hang, with speechless action, round. + In pleasure wrapt, the parents stand, + And see their little wings expand; + The sire his life sustaining prize + To each expecting bill applies; + There fondly pours the wheaten spoil, + With transport giv'n, though won with toil; + While, all collected at the sight, + And silent through supreme delight, + The fair high heav'n of bliss beguiles, + And on her lord and infants smiles. + + + [*] These verses are a quotation from that tender fable of + the Sparrow and the Dove, in the 'Fables for the Female + Sex.' + + +The eagle now, without any hesitation, pronounced the dove to be +deservedly the happiest of the feathered kind; and however unwilling the +rest of the birds were to assent to the judgment given, yet could they +not dispute the justice of the decree. + + +Here Miss Jenny ceased reading, and all the little company expressed by +their looks, that they were overjoyed at the eagle's determination; for +they had all in their own minds forestalled the eagle's judgment, of +giving the preference to the dove. 'Now, my good children,' said Mrs. +Teachum, 'if you will pass through this life with real pleasure, imitate +the dove; and remember, that innocence of mind, and integrity of heart, +adorn the female character, and can alone produce your own happiness, +and diffuse it to all around you.' + +Our little company thanked their governess for her fable; and, just +at that instant, they heard a chariot drive into the court, and Mrs. +Teachum went out to see what visitor could be arrived so late in the +evening; for it was near eight o'clock. + +They all remained in the room where their governess left them; for they +had been taught never to run out to the door, or to the windows, to look +at any strangers that came, till they knew whether it was proper for +them to see them or not. + +Mrs. Teachum soon returned with a letter open in her hand, and remained +some little time silent; but cast on every one round such a tender +and affectionate look, a tear almost starting from her eye, that the +sympathising sorrow seemed to spread through the whole company, and they +were all silent, and ready to cry, though they knew not for what reason. +'I am sorry, my little dears,' said Mrs. Teachum, 'to give your tender +bosoms the uneasiness I fear the contents of this letter will do, as it +will deprive you of that your hearts so justly hold most dear.' And, so +saying, she delivered to Miss Jenny Peace, the following letter:-- + + +'To Miss Jenny Peace. + +'Monday night, June 24. + +'My dear niece,--I arrived safe at my own house, with your cousin +Harriet, last Saturday night, after a very tedious voyage by sea, and +a fatiguing journey by land. I long to see my dear Jenny as soon as +possible, and Harriet is quite impatient for that pleasure. + +'I have ordered my chariot to be with you tomorrow night; and I desire +you would set out on Wednesday morning, as early as your inclination +shall prompt you to come to + +'Your truly affectionate aunt, + +'M. NEWMAN. + +'I have writ a letter of thanks to your kind governess, for her care of +you.' + + +It is impossible to describe the various sensations of Miss Jenny's +mind, on the reading this letter. Her rising joy at the thoughts of +seeing her kind aunt safely returned from a long and tedious voyage, +was suppressed by a sorrow, which could not be resisted, on parting with +such dear friends, and so good a governess; and the lustre which such a +joy would have given to her eye, was damped by rising tears. Her heart +for some time was too full for utterance. At last, turning to her +governess, she said, 'And is the chariot really come, to carry me to my +dear aunt?' Then, after a pause, the tears trickling down her cheeks, +'And must I so soon leave you, madam, and all my kind companions?' Mrs. +Teachum, on seeing Miss Jenny's tender struggles of mind, and all her +companions at once bursting into tears, stood up, and left the room, +saying, 'She would come to them again after supper.' For this prudent +woman well knew, that it was in vain to contend with the very first +emotions of grief on such an occasion, but intended, at her return, to +show them how much it was their duty and interest to conquer all sorts +of extravagant sorrow. + +They remained some time silent, as quite struck dumb with concern, till +at last Miss Dolly Friendly, in broken accents, cried out, 'And must we +lose you, my dear Miss Jenny, now we are just settled in that love and +esteem for you, which your goodness so well deserves?' + +Miss Jenny endeavoured to dry up her tears, and then said, 'Although +I cannot but be pleased, my dear companions, at every mark of your +affection for me; yet I beg that you would not give me the pain to see +that I make so many dear friends unhappy. Let us submit cheerfully to +this separation (which, believe me, is as deeply felt by me as any +of you) because it is our duty so to do; and let me entreat you to be +comforted, by reflecting, how much my good aunt's safe return must +be conducive to my future welfare; nor can you be unhappy, while you +continue with so good a governess, and persist in that readiness to obey +her, which you have lately shown. She will direct who shall preside over +your innocent amusements in my place. I will certainly write to you, and +shall always take the greatest delight in hearing from each of you, both +while you continue here, and when your duty and different connections +shall call you elsewhere. We may some, and perhaps all, of us, happen +often to meet again; and I hope a friendship, founded on so innocent and +so good a foundation as ours is, will always subsist, as far as shall be +consistent with our future situations in life.' + +Miss Jenny's friends could not answer her but by sobs and tears; only +little Polly Suckling, running to her, clung about her neck, and cried, +'Indeed, indeed, Miss Jenny, you must not go; I shall break my heart, if +I lose you: sure we shan't, nor we can't, be half so happy, when you are +gone, though our governess was ten times better to us than she is.' + +Miss Jenny again entreated them to dry up their tears, and to be more +contented with the present necessity; and begged, that they would not +let their governess see them so overwhelmed in sorrow on her return; for +she might take it unkindly, that they should be so afflicted at the loss +of one person, while they still remained under her indulgent care and +protection. + +It was with the utmost difficulty, that Miss Jenny refrained from +shedding tear for tear with her kind companions; but as it was her +constant maxim to partake with her friends all her pleasure, and to +confine her sorrows as much as possible within her own bosom, she chose +rather to endeavour, by her own cheerfulness and innocent talk, to steal +insensibly from the bosoms of her little companions half their sorrow; +and they begin to appear tolerably easy. + +After supper, Mrs. Teachum returned; and, seeing them all striving who +should most conceal their grief, for fear of giving uneasiness to the +rest, yet with a deep dejection fixed in every countenance, and little +Polly still sobbing behind Miss Jenny's chair, she was so moved herself +with the affecting scene, that the tears stole from her eyes; and the +sympathising company once more eased their almost bursting hearts, by +another general flow of melting sorrow. + +'My dear children,' said Mrs. Teachum, 'I am not at all surprised at +your being so much concerned to part with Miss Jenny. I love her myself +with a motherly affection (as I do all of you, and shall ever continue +to do so while you so well deserve it); and I could wish, for my own +sake, never to part with her as long as I live; but I consider, that it +is for her advantage, and I would have you all remember, in her absence, +to let her example and friendship fill your hearts with joy, instead of +grief. It is now pretty late in the evening, and as Miss Jenny is to set +out very early in the morning, I must insist upon shortening your pain +(for such is your present situation), and desire you would take your +leave of this your engaging friend.' + +They none of them attempted to speak another word, for their hearts were +still too full for utterance; and Miss Jenny took every one by the hand +as they went out of the room, saluted them with the tenderest affection, +mingling tears with those which flowed from every streaming eye; and, +wishing them all happiness and joy till their next meeting, they all, +with heavy hearts, retired to rest. + +Miss Jenny returned the warmest and most grateful acknowledgments to her +good governess, for all her care of her; and said, 'I shall attribute +every happy hour, madam, that I may hereafter be blessed with, to +your wise and kind instruction, which I shall always remember with the +highest veneration, and shall ever consider you as having been to me no +less than a fond and indulgent mother.' + +Mrs. Teachum kept Miss Jenny in the room with her no longer than to +assure her how sincerely she should regret her absence, and confessed +how much of the regularity and harmony of her school she owed to her +good example, for sweetness of temper, and conformity to rules. + + + + +THE END OF THE NINTH DAY. + +THE CONCLUSION OF THE HISTORY OF MRS. TEACHUM, &C. + + +Although Miss Jenny Peace did not return any more to school; yet she +ever gratefully remembered the kindness of her governess, and frequently +corresponded with all her companions. And as they continued their +innocent amusements and meetings in the arbour, whenever the weather +would permit, there was no day thought to be better employed than that +in which they received a letter from their absent instructive friend, +whose name was always mentioned with gratitude and honour. + +Mrs. Teachum continued the same watchful care over any young persons who +were entrusted to her management; and she never increased the number +of her scholars, though often entreated so to do. All quarrels and +contentions were banished her house; and if ever any such thing was +likely to arise, the story of Miss Jenny Peace's reconciling all her +little companions was told to them; so that Miss Jenny, though absent, +still seemed (by the bright example which she left behind her) to be the +cement of union and harmony in this well-regulated society. And if any +girl was found to harbour in her breast a rising passion, which it was +difficult to conquer, the name and story of Miss Jenny Peace soon gained +her attention, and left her without any other desire than to emulate +Miss Jenny's virtues. + +In short, Mrs. Teachum's school was always mentioned throughout the +country, as an example of peace and harmony; and also by the daily +improvement of all her girls, it plainly appeared how early young people +might attain great knowledge, if their minds were free from foolish +anxieties about trifles, and properly employed on their own improvement; +for never did any young lady leave Mrs. Teachum, but that her parents +and friends were greatly delighted with her behaviour, as she had made +it her chief study to learn always to pay to her governors the most +exact obedience, and to exert towards her companions all the good +effects of a mind filled with benevolence and love. + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Governess, by Sarah Fielding + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE GOVERNESS *** + +***** This file should be named 1905.txt or 1905.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/1/9/0/1905/ + +Produced by Pat Pflieger + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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