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diff --git a/old/gvrns10.txt b/old/gvrns10.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6c25fc4 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/gvrns10.txt @@ -0,0 +1,5561 @@ +The Project Gutenberg Etext of The Governess, by Sarah Fielding + + +Copyright laws are changing all over the world, be sure to check +the copyright laws for your country before posting these files!! + +Please take a look at the important information in this header. +We encourage you to keep this file on your own disk, keeping an +electronic path open for the next readers. Do not remove this. + + +**Welcome To The World of Free Plain Vanilla Electronic Texts** + +**Etexts Readable By Both Humans and By Computers, Since 1971** + +*These Etexts Prepared By Hundreds of Volunteers and Donations* + +Information on contacting Project Gutenberg to get Etexts, and +further information is included below. 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FOR PUBLIC DOMAIN ETEXTS*Ver.04.29.93*END* + + + + + +This Etexst prepared by Pat Pflieger +feste@keystonenet.com + + + + + +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 n 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 he 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 Etext of The Governess, by Sarah Fielding + diff --git a/old/gvrns10.zip b/old/gvrns10.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..b06bc96 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/gvrns10.zip |