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Zane Grey - "Desert Gold"

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The Governess [The Little Female Academy]

S >> Sarah Fielding >> The Governess [The Little Female Academy]




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.'

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