‘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.