At this period Adeline's ambition had led her to form new plans, which
Mrs Woodville's death left her at liberty to put in execution. Whenever
the old lady reminded her that she was no genius, Adeline had felt as
much degraded as if she had said that she was no conjuror; and though
she was too humble to suppose that she could ever equal her mother, she
was resolved to try to make herself more worthy of her, by imitating
her in those pursuits and studies on which were founded Mrs Mowbray's
pretensions to superior talents.
She therefore made it her business to inquire what those studies and
pursuits were; and finding that Mrs Mowbray's noted superiority was
built on her passion for abstruse speculations, Adeline eagerly devoted
her leisure hours to similar studies: but, unfortunately, these new
theories, and these romantic reveries, which only served to amuse
Mrs Mowbray's fancy, her more enthusiastic daughter resolved to make
conscientiously the rules of her practice. And while Mrs Mowbray
expended her eccentric philosophy in words, as Mr Shandy did his grief,
Adeline carefully treasured up hers in her heart, to be manifested only
by its fruits.
One author in particular, by a train of reasoning captivating though
sophistical, and plausible though absurd, made her a delighted convert
to his opinions, and prepared her young and impassioned heart for the
practice of vice, by filling her mind, ardent in the love of virtue,
with new and singular opinions on the subject of moral duty. On the works
of this writer Adeline had often heard her mother descant in terms of
the highest praise; but she did not feel herself so completely his
convert on her own conviction, till she had experienced the fatal
fascination of his style, and been conveyed by his bewitching pen from
the world as it is, into a world as it _ought_ to be.
This writer, whose name was Glenmurray, amongst other institutions,
attacked the institution of marriage; and after having elaborately
pointed out its folly and its wickedness, he drew so delightful a
picture of the superior purity, as well as happiness, of an union
cemented by no ties but those of love and honour, that Adeline, wrought
to the highest pitch of enthusiasm for a new order of things, entered
into a solemn compact with herself to act, when she was introduced into
society, according to the rules laid down by this writer.
Unfortunately for her, she had no opportunity of hearing these opinions
combated by the good sense and sober experience of Dr Norberry then
their sole visitant; for at this time the American war was the object
of attention to all Europe: and as Mrs Mowbray, as well as Dr Norberry,
were deeply interested in this subject, they scarcely ever talked on
any other; and even Glenmurray and his theories were driven from Mrs
Mowbray's remembrance by political tracts and the eager anxieties of
a politician. Nor had she even leisure to observe, that while she was
feeling all the generous anxiety of a citizen of the world for the sons
and daughters of American independence, her own child was imbibing,
through her means, opinions dangerous to her well-being as a member of
any civilized society, and laying, perhaps, the foundation to herself
and her mother of future misery and disgrace. Alas! the astrologer in
the fable was but too like Mrs Mowbray!
But even had Adeline had an opportunity of discussing her new opinions
with Dr Norberry, it is not at all certain that she would have had the
power.
Mrs Mowbray was, if I may be allowed the expression, a showing-off
woman, and loved the information which she acquired, less for its own
sake than for the supposed importance which it gave her amongst her
acquaintance, and the means of displaying her superiority over other
women. Before she secluded herself from society in order to study
education, she had been the terror of the ladies in the neighbourhood;
since, despising small talk, she would always insist on making the
gentlemen of her acquaintance (as much terrified sometimes as their
wives) engage with her in some literary or political conversation.
She wanted to convert every drawing-room into an arena for the mind,
and all her guests into intellectual gladiators. She was often heard
to interrupt two grave matrons in an interesting discussion of an
accouchement, by asking them if they had read a new theological tract,
or a pamphlet against the minister? If they softly expatiated on the
lady-like fatigue of body which they had endured, she discoursed in
choice terms on the energies of the mind; and she never received or paid
visits without convincing the company that she was the most wise, most
learned, and most disagreeable of companions.
But Adeline, on the contrary, studied merely from the love of study,
and not with a view to shine in conversation; nor dared she venture
to expatiate on subjects which she had often heard Mrs Woodville say
were very rarely canvassed, or even alluded to, by women. She remained
silent, therefore, on the subject nearest her heart, from choice as well
as necessity, in the presence of Dr Norberry, till at length she imbibed
the political mania herself, and soon found it impossible to conceal
the interest which she took in the success of the infant republic. She
therefore one day put into the doctor's hands some _bouts rimes_ which
she had written on some recent victory of the American arms; exclaiming
with a smile, 'I, too, am a politician!' and was rewarded by an
exclamation of 'Why girl--I protest you are as clever as your mother!'
This unexpected declaration fixed her in the path of literary ambition:
and though wisely resolved to fulfil, as usual, every feminine duty,
Adeline was convinced that she, like her mother, had a right to be an
author, a politician, and a philosopher; while Dr Norberry's praises of
her daughter convinced Mrs Mowbray, that almost unconsciously she had
educated her into a prodigy, and confirmed her in her intention of
exhibiting herself and Adeline to the admiring world during the next
season at Bath; for at Bath she expected to receive that admiration
which she had vainly sought in London.
Soon after their marriage, Mr Mowbray had carried his lively bride to
the metropolis, where she expected to receive the same homage which had
been paid to her charms at the assize-balls in her neighbourhood. What
then must have been her disappointment, when, instead of hearing as
she passed, 'That is Miss Woodville, the rich heiress--or the great
genius--or the great beauty'--or, 'That is the beautiful Mrs Mowbray,'
she walked unknown and unobserved in public and in private, and found
herself of as little importance in the wide world of the metropolis, as
the most humble of her acquaintance in a country ball-room. True, she
had beauty, but then it was unset-off by fashion; nay, more, it was
eclipsed by unfashionable and tasteless attire; and her manner, though
stately and imposing in an assembly where she was known, was wholly
unlike the manners of the world, and in a London party appeared arrogant
and offensive. Her remarks, too, wise as they appeared to her and Mr
Mowbray, excited little attention,--as the few persons to whom they were
known in the metropolis were wholly ignorant of her high pretensions,
and knew not that they were discoursing with a professed genius, and
the oracle of a provincial circle. Some persons, indeed, surprised at
hearing from the lips of eighteen, observations on morals, theology, and
politics, listened to her with wonder, and even attention, but turned
away observing--
'Such things, 'tis true, are neither new nor rare,
The only wonder is, how they got there:'
till at length, disappointed, mortified, and disgusted, Mrs Mowbray
impatiently returned to Rosevalley, where in beauty, in learning, and in
grandeur she was unrivalled, and where she might deal out her dogmas,
sure of exciting respectful attention, however she might fail of calling
for a more flattering tribute from her auditors. But in the narrower
field of Bath she expected to shine forth with greater eclat than in
London, and to obtain admiration more worthy of her acceptance than any
which a country circle could offer. To Bath, therefore, she prepared to
go; and the young heart of Adeline beat high with pleasure at the idea
of mixing with that busy world which her fancy had often clothed in the
most winning attractions.
But her joy, and Mrs Mowbray's was a little over-clouded at the
moment of their departure, by the sight of Dr Norberry's melancholy
countenance. What was to be, as they fondly imagined, their gain, was
his loss, and with a full heart he came to bid them adieu.
For Adeline he had conceived not only affection, but esteem amounting
almost to veneration; for she appeared to him to unite various and
opposing excellencies. Though possessed of taste and talents for
literature, she was skilled in the minutest details of housewifery and
feminine occupations: and at the same time she bore her faculties so
meekly, that she never wounded the self-love of any one, by arrogating
to herself any superiority.
Such Adeline appeared to her excellent old friend; and his affection
for her was, perhaps, increased by the necessity which he was under
of concealing it at home. The praises of Mrs Mowbray and Adeline were
odious to the ears of Mrs Norberry and her daughters,--but especially
the praises of the latter,--as the merit of Adeline was so uniform, that
even the eye of envy could not at that period discover any thing in
her vulnerable to censure: and as the sound of her name excited in
his family a number of bad passions and corresponding expressions of
countenance, the doctor wisely resolved to keep his feelings, with
regard to her, locked up in his own bosom.
But he persisted in visiting at the Park daily; and it is no wonder,
therefore, that the loss, even for a few months, of the society of its
inhabitants should by him be anticipated as a serious calamity.
'Pshaw!' cried he, as Adeline, with an exulting bound sprung after her
mother into the carriage, 'how gay and delighted you are! though my
heart feels sadly queer and heavy.'
'My dear friend,' cried Mrs Mowbray, 'I must miss your society wherever
I go.'--'I wish you were going too,' said Adeline: 'I shall often think
of you.' 'Pshaw, girl! don't lie,' replied Dr Norberry, swallowing a
sigh as he spoke: 'you will soon forget an old fellow like me.'--'Then
I conclude that you will soon forget us.'--'He! how! what! think so
at your peril.'--'I must think so, as we usually judge of others
by ourselves.'--'Go to--go, miss mal-a-pert.--Well, but, drive on,
coachman--this taking leave is plaguey disagreeable, so shake hands and
be off.'
They gave him their hands, which he pressed very affectionately, and the
carriage drove on.
'I am an old fool,' cried the doctor, wiping his eyes as the carriage
disappeared. 'Well: Heaven grant, sweet innocent, that you may return to
me as happy and spotless as you now are!'
Mrs Mowbray had been married at a very early age, and had accepted in Mr
Mowbray the first man who addressed her: consequently that passion for
personal admiration, so natural to women, had in her never been gratified,
nor even called forth. But seeing herself, at the age of thirty-eight,
possessed of almost undiminished beauty, she recollected that her charms
had never received that general homage for which nature intended them;
and she who at twenty had disregarded, even to a fault, the ornaments
of dress, was now, at the age of thirty-eight, eager to indulge in the
extremes of decoration, and to share in the delights of conquest and
admiration with her youthful and attractive daughter.
Attractive, rather than handsome, was the epithet best suited to
describe Adeline Mowbray. Her beauty was the beauty of expression of
countenance, not regularity of feature, though the uncommon fairness and
delicacy of her complexion, the lustre of her hazel eyes, her long dark
eye-lashes, and the profusion of soft light hair which curled over the
ever-mantling colour of her cheek, gave her some pretensions to what is
denominated beauty. But her own sex declared she was plain--and perhaps
they were right--though the other protested against the decision--and
probably they were right also: but women criticize in detail, men admire
in the aggregate. Women reason, and men feel, when passing judgment
on female beauty: and when a woman declares another to be plain, the
chances are that she is right in her opinion, as she cannot, from her
being a woman, feel the charm of that power to please, that 'something
than beauty dearer,' which often throws a veil over the irregularity of
features and obtains, for even a plain woman, from men at least, the
appellation of pretty.
Whether Adeline's face were plain or not, her form could defy even the
severity of female criticism. She was indeed tall, almost to a masculine
degree; but such were the roundness and proportion of her limbs, such
the symmetry of her whole person, such the lightness and gracefulness
of her movements, and so truly feminine were her look and manner, that
superior height was forgotten in the superior loveliness of her figure.
It is not to be wondered at, then, that Miss Mowbray was an object of
attention and admiration at Bath, as soon as she appeared, nor that her
mother had her share of flattery and followers. Indeed, when it was
known that Mrs Mowbray was a rich widow, and Adeline dependent upon her,
the mother became, in the eyes of some people, much more attractive than
her daughter.
It was impossible, however, that, in such a place as Bath, Mrs Mowbray
and Adeline could make, or rather retain, a general acquaintance. Their
opinions on most subjects were so very different from those of the world,
and they were so little conscious, from the retirement in which they
lived, that this difference existed, or was likely to make them enemies,
that not a day elapsed in which they did not shock the prejudices of
some, and excite the contemptuous pity of others; and they soon saw
their acquaintance coolly dropped by those who, as persons of family
and fortune, had on their first arrival sought it with eagerness.
But this was not entirely owing to the freedom of their sentiments on
politics, or on other subjects; but, because they associated with a
well-known but obnoxious author;--a man whose speculations had delighted
the inquiring but ignorant lover of novelty, terrified the timid idolater
of ancient usages, and excited the regret of the cool and rational
observer:--regret, that eloquence so overwhelming, powers of reasoning
so acute, activity of research so praise-worthy, and a love of
investigation so ardent, should be thrown away on the discussion of
moral and political subjects, incapable of teaching the world to build
up again with more beauty and propriety, a fabric, which they were
perhaps, calculated to pull down: in short, Mrs Mowbray and Adeline
associated with Glenmurray, that author over whose works they had long
delighted to meditate, and who had completely led their imagination
captive, before the fascination of his countenance and manners had come
in aid of his eloquence.