and his daughter was acquainted with the determination which Lady Melvyn
assured her, 'was very contrary to her inclination, who should find a
great loss of so agreeable a friend, but that Sir Charles had declared
his intention in so peremptory a manner that she dared not contend.'
Miss Melvyn had before observed that marriage had made a great
alteration in Lady Melvyn's behaviour; but this was a stroke she did not
expect and a very mortifying one to her who had long laid aside all
childish amusements; had been taught to employ herself as rationally as
if she had arrived at a maturer age, and been indulged in the exercise
of a most benevolent disposition, having given such good proofs of the
propriety with which she employed both her time and money, that she had
been dispensed from all restraints; and now to commence a new infancy,
and be confined to the society of children, was a very afflicting
change; but it came from a hand she too much respected to make any
resistance, though she easily perceived that it was entirely at her
mother's instigation; and knew her father too well to believe he could
be peremptory on any occasion.
A very short time intervened between the declaration and execution of
this design, and Miss Melvyn was introduced to Mademoiselle d'Avaux by
her kind step-mother, who with some tears and many assurances of regret
left her there. Miss Melvyn had been at this school three months when
Louisa Mancel was brought thither, and though a separation from a father
she sincerely loved, and the fear of the arts Lady Melvyn might use to
alienate his affections from her, after having thus removed her from his
presence, greatly affected her spirits and she found no companions fit
to amuse her rational mind, yet she endeavoured to support her
mortifications with all the cheerfulness she could assume; and received
some satisfaction from the conversation of Mademoiselle d'Avaux, a woman
of tolerable understanding, and who was much pleased with Miss Melvyn's
behaviour.
Miss Mancel's dejected air prejudiced Miss Melvyn much in her favour,
the usual consequence of a similitude of mind or manners; and when by a
further knowledge of her, she perceived her uncommon share of
understanding; her desire to learn; the strength of her application; the
quickness of her apprehension; and her great sweetness of temper, she
grew extremely fond of her; and as Miss Mancel's melancholy rendered her
little inclined to play with those of her own age, she was almost always
with Miss Melvyn, who found great pleasure in endeavouring to instruct
her; and grew to feel for her the tenderness of a mother, while Miss
Mancel began to receive consolation from experiencing an affection quite
maternal.
At the beginning of the winter, Lady Melvyn, who had less ambition to
imitate the real merit of her predecessor than to exhibit her own
imaginary perfections, brought Sir Charles to London, there to fix their
residence for the ensuing half year. This made little alteration in Miss
Melvyn's way of life. Sir Charles and his lady would sometimes call upon
her, the latter not choosing to trust Sir Charles alone with his
daughter, lest she should represent to him how unworthily she was
treated; but as he was not devoid of affection for her, he would
sometimes visit her privately, concealing it from his lady, who
endeavoured to prevent this, by telling him, that schoolmistresses were
apt to take amiss a parent's visiting his children too often, construing
it as a distrust of their care; and therefore if he offended in that
way, Mademoiselle d'Avaux's disgust might affect her behaviour to Miss
Melvyn, and render her residence there very disagreeable, which Lady
Melvyn's great tenderness made her ardently wish to avoid, as she was
desirous every thing should be agreeable to her dear daughter. Sir
Charles could not be entirely restrained by these kind admonitions from
indulging himself with the sight of Miss Melvyn.
His lady had little reason to be afraid of these interviews, for her
step-daughter had too strong a sense of filial obedience, and too
delicate a regard for her father's happiness, to suffer the least
intimation of a fault in his wife to escape her lips, as a good opinion
of her was so necessary to his ease; but as she soon found out these
visits were made by stealth, they gave her great pleasure as a plain
proof of his affection. Lady Melvyn thought her daughter's coming
abroad would be as hurtful as her being visited at home, and therefore
very seldom sent for her to her house; and when she did, took care to
have her carried home before the hour that she expected company, on
pretence of preserving the regularity of hours, which she knew would be
agreeable to Mademoiselle d'Avaux.
The true reason of this great caution was an unwillingness to be seen
with one whose person all her vanity could not prevent her from being
sensible was more attractive than her own. Miss Melvyn was very pretty,
had an engaging sweetness in her countenance, and all the bloom which
belongs to youth, though it does not always accompany it. Her person was
elegant, and perfectly genteel.
Lady Melvyn was void of delicacy; she had a regular set of features but
they wanted to be softened into effeminacy before they could have any
just pretence to beauty. Her eyes were black and not void of vivacity,
but they neither expressed penetration nor gentleness. Her person was
well proportioned, but she was formed on too large a scale, and
destitute of grace. She was not ill bred, but had none of that softness
of manners which gives rise to all the sweet civilities of life. In
short, Lady Melvyn was one who by herself and many others would be
esteemed a fine woman, and by many more ranked only under the
denomination of a shewey woman; like Mr Bayes's hero, she was unamiable,
but she was great; she excited the admiration of some, but pleased none.
As soon as she appeared in the world as Lady Melvyn, she began to
exercise what she thought only lively coquetry; but her entire want of
grace and delicacy often made that appear like boldness, which she
designed for vivacity. As her ambition to charm was as great as if she
had been better qualified for success, it is not strange that she did
not choose to give opportunities of comparison between herself and a
daughter who, though not so striking at first sight, was filled with
attractions.
The contempt which her ladyship thought she must in justice to her own
understanding shew for her husband's, and the supercilious coldness
with which she treated Miss Melvyn, made that young lady very glad that
she was so seldom sent for to her father's house. But she wished to
learn such accomplishments as whilst she lived in the country were out
of her power, and therefore intimated to Lady Melvyn her desire of being
taught music and drawing, with the better hope of success, as the
necessity of completing her education had been made the excuse for
sending her to a boarding school; but this request was denied her on
frivolous pretences, the real cause, when she perceived the very
extravagant turn of her step-mother, she soon understood was to avoid
expense.
She had flattered herself she might obtain permission to have her books
sent to her; but upon enquiry found that Lady Melvyn had removed them to
her dressing room, and intermixed them with china, in so ornamental a
manner, so truly expressive of the turn of her mind, where a pretended
love of reading was blended with a real fondness for trifles, that she
had no chance for this indulgence.
While Miss Melvyn was suffering all these mortifications from a parent,
Miss Mancel was receiving every proof of the most tender affection from
one bound to her by no paternal ties. Mr Hintman, as soon as the season
of the year brought him to town, visited his little charge, and was
charmed with the vivacity which was now restored to her. He called upon
her frequently, and seldom without some present, or a proposal of some
pleasure. He would continually entreat her to make him some request,
that he might have the pleasure of gratifying her. He frequently gave
Mademoiselle d'Avaux tickets for the play and the opera, that the young
Louisa might have somebody to accompany her; but as Miss Melvyn did not
think it proper at her age to go often with only her schoolmistress, or,
according to the language of schools, her governess, Miss Mancel
frequently declined being of the party, rather than leave her amiable
friend and instructor.
There was no one who shewed any particular civility to Miss Mancel, but
received some return from Mr Hintman. Miss Melvyn was very deservedly
the chief object of his gratitude; but as she declined accepting the
presents he offered her, he chose a way more agreeable to himself, as it
would make his little Louisa the rewarder of the favours she received.
He therefore was lavish of his money to her, and intreated her to lay it
out in such manner as would be most agreeable to herself and Miss
Melvyn; at the same time asking her by what means she could most gratify
that young lady.
Miss Mancel said she knew nothing that would be so acceptable to Miss
Melvyn as books. To this Mr Hintman replied that since that was the
case, he could very easily accommodate them, for he had by him a very
pretty library left him by his sister about a year before, which he had
never unpacked, having most of the same books in his own study.
This accordingly he sent to Miss Mancel, with proper bookcases to
contain them, which they immediately put up in their apartments. This
was the most agreeable acquisition imaginable; for Miss Hintman having
been a very sensible young lady, the collection was extremely valuable.
Mr Hintman's great indulgence could not fail of receiving from Miss
Mancel the wished-for return of affection and gratitude; whenever he
came she flew to him with delight, caressed him with all the fondness so
enchanting at that age, and parted from him with the extremest
reluctance. Her great obligations to him were the frequent subjects of
her discourse with Miss Melvyn, who had the highest admiration of his
generosity.
His allowance to Miss Mancel was sufficient to have defrayed all her
expenses, but those were to be the care of Mademoiselle d'Avaux, for the
money he gave Louisa was for no other purpose than her gratifications;
necessity, or even usefulness, was out of the question; every thing of
that kind being provided for her. Nor was he more sparing in what
concerned her education, she learnt dancing, music, and drawing; besides
other things generally taught at schools; but her greatest improvement
was from reading with Miss Melvyn, who instructed her in geography, and
in such parts of philosophy of which her age was capable: but above all,
she was most attentive to inculcate into her mind the principles of
true religion.
Thus her understanding opened in a surprising degree, and while the
beauty and graces of her person, and her great progress in genteel
accomplishments, charmed every eye, the nice discernment, and uncommon
strength of reason which appeared in her conversation, astonished every
judicious observer; but her most admirable qualities were her humility
and modesty; which, notwithstanding her great internal and external
excellencies, rendered her diffident, mild, bashful, and tractable; her
heart seemed as free from defects as her understanding was from the
follies which in a degree are incident to almost every other person.
Miss Melvyn and her little companion received a considerable increase of
happiness from the present of books Mr Hintman had made them; the latter
had no wish but that Miss Melvyn might receive equal indulgence from
parents that she enjoyed from one who bore no relation to her. The first
desire that occurred to her on Mr Hintman's profuse presents of money
was to treat her friend with masters for music and drawing, and such
other things as she knew she had an inclination to learn; but as she was
not unacquainted with her delicacy on that subject, as soon as Mr
Hintman left her, she ran to Miss Melvyn with some of the impatience in
her countenance, though she endeavoured to conceal it, with which her
heart was filled, and tried every tender caress, every fond and humble
petition, to obtain a promise from that young lady, that she would grant
her a request she had to make. She hung round her neck, and endeavoured
to prevail by a thousand engaging infantine arts; and when she found
they would not succeed, she knelt down before her, and with all the
grace and importunity of the most amiable suppliant, tried to win her to
compliance. Nothing would avail, for Miss Melvyn was convinced by her
earnestness that her design was to confer some favour; she knew the
generosity of her youthful mind too well to believe she so ardently
aimed at any thing that was for her own private gratification.
Thus Louisa found herself reduced to explain the use she intended to
have made of the promise she wanted to obtain; and having acquainted
Miss Melvyn with Mr Hintman's generous allowance, and of the payment she
had received of the first quarter, she in explicit terms told her, 'Mr
Hintman has indeed given me money, but it depends on you to make that
money yield me pleasure, by suffering me to apply it to such uses as
will procure me the inexpressible joy of contributing in some degree to
the pleasure of one who renders my life so very happy.'
Miss Melvyn was so pleased with the generosity of her little pupil that
she gave her as many caresses as the other had lavished on her in order
to obtain the promise she so much wished for; but she could not be
induced to grant her request. Miss Melvyn was void of that pride which
often conceals itself under the name of spirit and greatness of soul;
and makes people averse to receiving an obligation because they feel
themselves too proud to be grateful, and think that to be obliged
implies an inferiority which their pride cannot support. Had Louisa been
of the same age with herself, she would have felt a kind of property in
all she possessed; friendship, the tenure by which she held it; for
where hearts are strictly united, she had no notion of any distinction
in things of less importance, the adventitious goods of fortune. The
boundaries and barriers raised by those two watchful and suspicious
enemies, Meum and Tuum, were in her opinion broke down by true
friendship; and all property laid in one undistinguished common; but to
accept Miss Mancel's money, especially in so great a proportion,
appeared to her like taking advantage of her youth; and as she did not
think her old enough to be a sufficient judge of the value of it, she
did not look upon her as capable of being a party in so perfect a
friendship, as was requisite to constitute that unity of property.
Poor Louisa by this disappointment of the first wish of her heart found
what older people often experience, that her riches instead of pleasure
procured her only mortification. She could scarcely refrain from tears
at a refusal which she thought must arise from want of affection, and
told Miss Melvyn she saw that she loved her but imperfectly; for, added
she, 'Could we change places, with how much pleasure should I have
accepted it from you! And the satisfaction that learning these things
now gives me would be turned into delight by reflecting on the
gratification you would receive in having been the means of procuring
them for me. I should not envy you the joy of giving, because I as
receiver should not have the less share of that satisfaction, since by
reflecting on yours I must partake of it, and so increase my own.'
Miss Melvyn could not forbear blushing at finding a superior degree of
delicacy, and a generosity much more exalted, in one so young, than she
had felt in herself. She plainly saw that the greatest proof of a noble
mind is to feel a joy in gratitude; for those who know all the pleasures
of conferring an obligation will be sensible that by accepting it they
give the highest delight the human mind can feel, when employed on human
objects; and therefore while they receive a benefit, they will taste not
only the comforts arising from it to themselves, but share the
gratification of a benefactor, from reflecting on the joy they give to
those who have conferred it: thus the receiver of a favour from a truly
generous person, 'by owing owes not, and is at once indebted and
discharged.'
As Miss Melvyn felt her little friend's reproach, and saw that she had
done her injustice in thinking her youth rendered her incapable of that
perfection of friendship, which might justify the accepting of her
offer; she acknowledged her error, and assured her she would comply if
she had no other means of obtaining the instruction she proposed to
purchase for her; but that was not the case, for she found she could
very well learn from seeing the masters teach her, and practising in
their absence.
Mr Hintman expressed a desire that Miss Mancel should learn Italian, if
she had no objection to it; for he never dictated to her, but offered
any advice he had to give, or any inclination which he chose to
intimate, with the humility of a dependant, rather than the authority of
a benefactor; and indeed it was sufficient; for the slightest hint that
any thing would be agreeable to him, met with the most impatient desire
in Miss Mancel to perform it: actuated by sincere affection, and the
strongest gratitude, nothing made her so happy as an opportunity to shew
him the readiness of her obedience.
But as they were at a loss for a master to teach her that language, Miss
Melvyn told them she knew an Italian gentleman, who had been at Sir
Charles's house near two months before she had the misfortune of losing
the best of mothers. Lady Melvyn had begun to teach her daughter
Italian, but desirous that she should speak it with great propriety, she
invited this gentleman to her house who was reduced to great distress of
circumstances, and whose person, as well as his many virtues, she had
known from her childhood. He had been a friend of her father's and she
was glad of this excuse for making him a handsome present, which
otherwise it was not easy to induce him to accept.
Mr Hintman was not long before he procured this Italian master for Miss
Mancel; nor did she delay making use of his instructions; but I shall
not describe her progress in the acquisition of this, any more than her
other accomplishments, in all of which she excelled to a surprising
degree; nor did Miss Melvyn fall very short of her, though she was at
such disadvantage in her method of learning many of them, not having the
assistance of a master. Their time was so entirely engrossed by these
employments, that they had little leisure, and still less desire, to
keep company with the rest of the school; but they saved themselves from
the dislike which might naturally have arisen in the minds of the other
scholars, from being thus neglected, by little presents which Miss
Mancel frequently made them.
These two young ladies were very early risers, and the time which was
not taken up by Miss Mancel's masters, and that wherein it was requisite
to practise what they taught her, they employed in reading, wherein Mr
d'Avora, their Italian master, often accompanied them.
Mr d'Avora was a man of excellent understanding, and had an incomparable
heart. Misfortunes had softened common humanity into a most tender
disposition; and had given him a thorough knowledge of mankind without
lessening his benevolence for individuals; though such as learn it by
adversity, the surest school for that science, seldom see them in an
amiable light.
Mr d'Avora was not less acquainted with particular nations than with
mankind in general; he had travelled through all the countries in
Europe, some parts of Asia and Africa, and having traversed them with
discernment and the curiosity of wisdom, not of impertinence, he
received such improvement of understanding, as few travellers can boast.
He had an affection for Miss Melvyn, both for her own merits and the
obligations he had to her family, and a very short acquaintance with
Miss Mancel made him extremely fond of her. He took great pleasure in
assisting them in the improvement they so industriously laboured for,
and as he was a man of universal knowledge, he was capable of being very
useful to them in that respect. For this purpose he often read with
them, and by explaining many books on abstruse subjects, rendered
several authors intelligible to them, who, without his assistance, would
have been too obscure for persons of their age. He had very few
scholars, therefore had much leisure, and with great satisfaction
dedicated part of it to our young ladies, as he saw he thereby gave them
a very sincere pleasure; and he was much gratified with thinking that by
his care and instruction of Miss Melvyn, he made some return for the
friendship he had received from her family; and that could her mother be
sensible of his attendance on her much-loved and now neglected daughter,
it would be highly agreeable to her.
In the manner I have mentioned, these two young ladies passed their
time, till Miss Mancel reached her fifteenth year, with little
alteration, except the increase of her charms, and her great improvement
in every accomplishment. Her appearance began to grow womanly, she was
indeed
'In the bloom of beauty's pride'.
Dazzlingly handsome at first view; but such numerous and various charms
appeared on a more intimate acquaintance that people forgot how much
they had been struck by the first sight of her, lost in wonder at her
increasing attractions, to the force of which she was the only person
that was insensible. Humble piety rendered her indifferent to
circumstances which she looked upon rather as snares than blessings, and
like a person on the brink of a precipice could not enjoy the beauty of
the prospect, overawed by the dangers of her situation.
She had indeed too much of human nature in her not to feel sometimes a
little flush of vanity on seeing herself admired; but she immediately
corrected the foible, by reflecting that whatever advantages of mind or
form had fallen to her share, they were given her by one who expected
she should not suffer her thoughts or attention to be withdrawn thereby
from him, who was the perfection of all excellence, while she at best
could but flatter herself with being less imperfect than many of her
fellow creatures.
She considered flattery and admiration as the rocks on which young
people, who are at all superior to the multitude, are apt to be wrecked;
deprived of quiet happiness in this world, and exalted felicity in the
next; and as she was really convinced that she had only a few obvious
external advantages over others, she opposed to the praises lavished on
her reflections of her imperfections, which, though not apparent to any
one but herself, she verily believed were uncommonly great, as she
beheld them with very scrutinizing and rigid eyes, while she looked on
those of others with the greatest lenity. But of all the means she used
to preserve her humility, she was the most assiduous in praying to him
who made her heart, to preserve it humble.
Though the degree of piety I mention may sound in the ears of many too
grave for so young a person, yet it by no means rendered her so; she had
great vivacity; a lively imagination; an uncommon share of wit; and a
very happy manner of expressing herself. She had all the amiable gaiety
of youth, without the least tendency to imprudence; and when she talked
most, and, in appearance, let fancy assume the reins, said nothing to
repent of. Her heart was all purity, universal benevolence and
good-nature; and as out of its abundance her mouth spake, she was in
little danger of offending with her tongue.
It is not strange that Mr Hintman's fondness should increase with Miss
Mancel's excellencies, but the caresses which suited her earlier years
were now become improper, and Mr Hintman, by appearing insensible of the
necessary change of behaviour, reduced her to great difficulties; she
could not reconcile herself to receiving them; and yet to inform him of
the impropriety implied a forward consciousness which she was not able
to assume.