\ 
 
 EARLY FRIENDSHIPS. 
 
TTIS PIECE. 
 
EARLY FRIENDSHIPS. 
 
 (Kale. 
 
 BY MRS. COPLEY. 
 
 LONDON: 
 WILLIAM TEGG AND CO., 85, QUEEN-STREET, 
 
 CHEAPSIDE. 
 
 MDCCCLIII. 
 
EARLY FRIENDSHIPS. 
 
 " BE cautious, my dear child, in your selection of 
 an intimate friend." 
 
 Such was among the counsels given by an ex- 
 cellent mother, when about, for the first time, to 
 part with a beloved daughter. 
 
 " Dear mamma," replied Helen, " I shall never 
 have any other friend than you : I want no other." 
 
 " I doubt not, my dear, that such is your 
 present feeling. Between a mother and child, 
 who have lived together as we have done, there 
 subsists not only a strength and tenderness of 
 natural affection, but also an entireness of con- 
 fidence, and freedom of communication, that can 
 scarcely meet in any other relation. But you are 
 now going into a circle of companions of your 
 own age ; and, in the course of a very few weeks, 
 I have no doubt you will find yourself susceptible 
 of those feelings of preference which, ripening into 
 intimacy, will assume the character of friendship." 
 
 " Oh, mamma! I hope you do not think I shall 
 ever love anybody better than you?" 
 
2 EARLY FRIENDSHIPS. 
 
 ';"'The inrinacy to which I refer, if properly 
 directed and regulated, will not be likely to dis- 
 place, -or .at -all to weaken, the hold which your 
 mother at present has on-' your affections. You 
 will love your friend much, but your mother not 
 at all the less." 
 
 " Then, mamma, what can be the difference 
 between friendship and the love I bear to you?" 
 
 " There will be the feeling of equality in the 
 one case, which, in the other, can never exactly 
 exist. It is impossible, as it is undesirable, for a 
 child, in its intercourse with its parents, ever to 
 lose sight altogether of its dependence upon them, 
 or of the feeling that anything by which it can 
 promote their comfort and gratification, is an act 
 of gratitude, duty, and obedience. You can never 
 forget who it is that has nourished, and cared for, 
 and instructed you." 
 
 " Oh no, dear mamma, I would not for the 
 world forget it: 1 hope and trust I never shall." 
 
 " I hope so too, my dear ; but, can you not 
 realize the thought of cherishing a tender regard 
 for a friend to whom you are under no such 
 vast obligations, but with whom you can recipro- 
 cate acts of kindness on an equal footing?" 
 
 " Yes, mamma, I think I can imagine it." 
 
 " Well, then, with a companion of your own 
 age there will also be a sort of equality of pursuits 
 and attainments, very favourable to intimacy of 
 friendships. You know there are many things in 
 which I take interest and pleasure, simply be- 
 cause they are yours; such, for instance, as 
 
EARLY FRIENDSHIPS. 3 
 
 dressing your doll, or selecting the shades for 
 your worsted- work. I should not have thought 
 of attending to these things, to please myself, 
 apart from you." 
 
 " No, mamma, I am sure you would not; and 
 therefore, it is all the more kind of you to do it 
 for my sake." 
 
 " But suppose, Helen, you had a young friend 
 of your own age, engaged in pursuits like your 
 own, should you not find a great pleasure in com- 
 paring together your work and your play, and 
 consulting about your plans and your progress?" 
 
 "Oh yes, mamma; I think it would be very 
 pleasant. If I wanted to talk to her about any 
 little thing, I should not be afraid of interrupting 
 her in anything of importance. Besides, I could 
 help her, perhaps, as well as she could help me. 
 There might be some things which I could tell 
 her, that I have learnt of you, which, perhaps, she 
 did not know before." 
 
 " Perhaps so! Well, then, if you should thus 
 become attached and kind to one another, you 
 would be friends. Such a friendship you will 
 most likely form; and I am anxious that you 
 should be discreet in the choice of your friend, 
 and steady and wise in the exercise of your friend- 
 ship." 
 
 " Mamma, whom should you advise me to have 
 for a friend? Will not all the young ladies at 
 Mrs. Gilbert's be my friends ?" 
 
 " I hope you will live on terms of good-will 
 and courtesy with all ; but it is most likely there 
 
4 EARLY FRIENDSHIPS. 
 
 will be some one or two whom you will reckon 
 your chief friends towards whom you will 
 cherish a stronger attachment, and with whom you 
 will maintain more intimate intercourse than with 
 the rest." 
 
 " Well, mamma, I should like you to choose 
 my friends for me : I am sure you would choose 
 the best." 
 
 " As I do not know any of the young ladies in 
 Mrs. Gilbert's establishment, it is impossible for 
 me even to recommend any one by name to your 
 friendship; and, if I knew them all, though I 
 might form my own opinion as to the most 
 estimable and desirable among them, I could not 
 command your feelings towards her. We may 
 form an acquaintance, on the recommendation of 
 one whose judgment we respect; but friendship 
 must be a matter of personal election. I can, 
 perhaps, furnish you with a few hints as to the 
 character of a desirable friend, which may assist 
 you in forming your choice." 
 
 " Pray do, mamma; for though, as you some- 
 times tell me, when I leave home I must learn to 
 think and act for myself, it would be a very great 
 guidance to me to know what you would think 
 and wish." 
 
 " Well, Helen, I shall be glad to furnish you 
 with all the assistance in my power ; but I fancy 
 my advice will be rather of the negative than the 
 positive kind. In the first place, I would say, 
 do not be hasty in your choice of a friend, or in 
 your professions of friendship, lest you should be 
 
EARLY FRIENDSHIPS. 5 
 
 caught with superficial attractions, that will not 
 stand the test of time and experience, and lest 
 you should expose yourself to the charge of in- 
 constancy, by professing regard for an individual, 
 which a more mature knowledge of character will 
 not justify. Another caution I would suggest is 
 this : Do not give your friendship to one who 
 flatters you, or professes a strong regard for you, 
 before you have given her reason to do so. You 
 remember the fable of the Eagle and the Tortoise, 
 in that book which amused you so much when 
 you were a little girl ?" 
 
 "Yes, mamma; the eagle persuaded the tor- 
 toise to mount on his back, and carried him up 
 up in the air, far above the top of the mountains. 
 The tortoise was delighted with his ride; but 
 presently the eagle let him fall and killed him, 
 for the sake of his flesh. But, mamma, I never 
 used to read the morals of fables, and I do not 
 exactly see what this has to do with choosing a 
 friend." 
 
 " I believe few children do attend to the morals 
 of fables, at the time ; but, when they come to see 
 more of men and manners, they are often led to 
 recollect the sentiment, which was overlooked in 
 the garb of fable. If any young lady should seek 
 your favour and friendship, by affecting to admire 
 you for beauty or accomplishments which you do 
 not possess, or to make much of every little thing 
 you do, as though it were extraordinarily clever and 
 good, depend upon it she is acting the part of the 
 eagle, and is attempting to lift you up in vanity 
 
 B2 
 
6 EARLY FRIENDSHIPS. 
 
 and pride, only that she may profit by your fall. 
 This is the sentiment of the fable; and I have 
 never seen it falsified in real life." 
 
 " Well, mamma, I am not to be hasty in choos- 
 ing at all ; and I am not to choose one who flat- 
 ters what else ?" 
 
 " I would advise you not to take for your friend 
 one who is inclined to tell you secrets, or who is 
 very inquisitive about other people's affairs; nor 
 one who is disposed to boast of the wealth and 
 greatness of her family ; above all, have nothing 
 to do with an artful girl, if there should happen 
 to be one in the school, who would draw you into 
 schemes for evading the requirements and restric- 
 tions of the establishment, and tempt you to seek 
 pleasure in anything that must be concealed from 
 your parents or your governess. But I will not 
 mention anything more on the subject at present; 
 for, after all, I think it will rather tend to confuse 
 than enlighten your mind, to speak of characters, 
 while you have had no opportunity of seeing ex- 
 amples of them. I wish you may not be exposed 
 to any of the dangers against which I have 
 cautioned you ; but that you may meet with some 
 young friend, amiable, intelligent, sincere, humble, 
 and generous ; and that you may wisely improve 
 by her acquaintance and example, and steadily 
 cherish her friendship." 
 
 " Well, mamma, if I have a friend, I shall tell 
 you all about it : that is what you always taught 
 me to do, when I was not sure whether anything 
 was good or bad, right or wrong; and, though I 
 
EARLY FRIENDSHIPS. 7 
 
 go away from you, I shall not leave off doing it. 
 You know my life was saved, when I was quite a 
 little girl, and my cousin Frederic gathered some 
 red berries in the hedge, and told me they were 
 currants. I thought they were currants, but I 
 would not eat them till I had asked you; and 
 you told me they were poison. Two little girls 
 were killed with eating such berries, that same 
 year; and Frederic and I might have been killed 
 too, if it had not been for your teaching me to ask 
 you whether things were proper." 
 
 At the time of this conversation, Helen Somers 
 was in her eleventh year. Hitherto she had been 
 educated at home. By education, Mr. and Mrs. 
 Somers did not, as many people do, merely or 
 principally mean learning to read, and write, and 
 sew, and draw, and dance, and play on a musical 
 instrument ; though all these things were attended 
 to in their proper place. The good parents of 
 Helen had endeavoured to make her a healthy, 
 lively little girl, by teaching her properly to use 
 and exercise all her limbs and faculties; by ac- 
 customing her to regularity and moderation in her 
 food and rest, and giving her habits of cleanliness 
 and activity. They had taught her to observe, 
 and inquire into, and take pleasure in, the various 
 objects of nature by which she was surrounded. 
 She was also trained, from a very early age, to be 
 obedient and kind. Thus she became intelligent 
 and happy. At an age when some little girls are 
 more troublesome and fretful than mere babies, 
 and require somebody to be always employed in 
 
8 EARLY FRIENDSHIPS. 
 
 amusing them and keeping them out of mischief, 
 Helen might be safely trusted in the garden or 
 orchard, where she would amuse herself hy the 
 hour together, in comparing different leaves and 
 flowers, or watching the movements of a " dear 
 little spider," a "beautiful black beetle," or a 
 " busy bee." Being taught to take an interest in 
 observing the habits of living creatures, and to 
 find pleasure in seeing them happy, according to 
 their several natures, she was a stranger both to 
 those imaginations which weaken the minds and 
 sour the tempers of many unhappy children who" 
 learn, from their foolish nurses, to be frightened 
 at a harmless frog or spider and to the cruelty by 
 which the hearts of many are hardened, and a 
 capricious and tyrannical disposition is fostered, 
 by their being permitted, in early childhood, to 
 treat insects and other inferior animals as if they 
 were without feeling, or even to make a sport of 
 tormenting them. Every living thing she saw, 
 was to Helen a source of pure and lively pleasure, 
 and served to excite and exercise feelings of 
 benevolence and tenderness. Thus was she pre- 
 pared to exercise similar feelings towards beings 
 of her own race. The tender helplessness of a 
 newborn brother or sister awakened, in the mind 
 of little Helen, attentive consideration and lively 
 sympathy. She became a tender and thoughtful 
 little nurse; and, when too young to hold an 
 infant in her arms, might be safely trusted to 
 watch it in its cradle, or on the carpet, and to give 
 timely notice, if it required any attention beside 
 
EARLY FRIENDSHIPS. 9 
 
 her own. She was taught to consider it an honour 
 and pleasure to be usefully employed ; and in this 
 valuable branch of education she had steadily 
 advanced, from picking up fruit for a pudding, or 
 sticks for a fire which she was taught to do as 
 soon as she could run alone till, at the time 
 which introduces her to the acquaintance of the 
 young reader, she became a really valuable assist- 
 ant to her mother, in the discharge of her house- 
 hold and nursing cares, and in the humble, yet 
 needful operations of the work-table. All this 
 time, intellectual and literary advantages had not 
 been overlooked. The little girl had been taught 
 to think, and to derive information both from con- 
 versation and from books. Each of her parents 
 delighted to encourage and answer her inquiries, 
 and to assist her progress ; and, on the whole, 
 Helen had made more real advances in useful 
 knowledge, and was in a more improveable state, 
 than many a girl of her age who has, from her in- 
 fancy, been drilled into scientific learning, and 
 deprived of the innocent pleasures of childhood, 
 for the sake of being exhibited as a prodigy of 
 precocious attainment. 
 
 But it was now considered desirable that Helen 
 should be placed under the care of a judicious 
 governess, and enjoy the instruction of masters, 
 and the stimulus of companionship, in her studies. 
 From the high testimonials of several friends, 
 whose daughters were educated under Mrs. Gilbert, 
 the establishment of that lady was fixed upon for 
 
10 EARLY FRIENDSHIPS. 
 
 Helen ; and, shortly after the conversation already 
 related, she was placed there. 
 
 All school-girls can recollect something of the 
 strange, confused feelings, they experienced on 
 heing first cast among twenty or thirty entire 
 strangers ; the haughty shyness which marks the 
 expression of some countenances the keen, scru- 
 tinizing glance of others the kind sympathy of 
 some and the childish inquisitiveness of all, on 
 the introduction of a new scholar. But in no 
 case are the feelings alluded to so vividly realized, 
 or so distinctly remembered, as in that of the girl 
 whose early years have been most entirely spent 
 at home, and confined to the society of her own 
 family. 
 
 Helen had been much pleased with the prospect 
 of going to school. She felt, indeed, some dread 
 at the idea of being separated from those she 
 dearly loved, and she could scarcely imagine any 
 substitute for the conversation of her affectionate 
 parents, and the caresses and gambols of her little 
 brothers and sisters, in whose advances, growth, 
 and intelligence, she had always taken a lively 
 interest. But youth is generally disposed to take 
 the bright side of a prospect ; and, by anticipating 
 the pleasures and advantages of school, Helen had 
 reconciled herself to the necessary privations and 
 separation. She took an heroic leave of her 
 mother and the little ones at home, and of her 
 father, who conducted her to school. It was not 
 till she heard the iron gate of Mrs. Gilbert's fore 
 
EARLY FRIENDSHIPS. 1 1 
 
 court close after him, and the rolling of the wheels 
 that bore him homewards, that she felt the full 
 sense of loneliness and separation. In spite of 
 every effort to suppress her feelings, the tears 
 rolled down her cheek, and she stood in the pas- 
 sage with a look of vacancy and distress. 
 
 Mrs. Gilbert kindly took her by the hand, and, 
 conducting her to the school-room, introduced her 
 to her young companions. Poor Helen's tears 
 now flowed faster than ever. She felt that, to be 
 lonely in a crowd, was incomparably worse than 
 being lonely in solitude ; and she wished that she 
 might have been permitted to retire to her cham- 
 ber, or even to have remained in the dark passage, 
 rather than be compelled to encounter so many 
 inquiring glances. The entrance of a stranger 
 suspended the bustle of the play-room. Some of 
 the least reserved of the girls crowded round the 
 new comer, and wished her to join their party. 
 A momentary contention ensued, as to the right 
 of companionship, whether vested in the senior 
 pupil in the establishment, or her who gave the first 
 invitation, or her whose chamber Helen was to 
 share. Leaving the disputants to settle the matter 
 among themselves, Helen suffered herself to be led 
 away to the group of the successful claimant ; and 
 the sports, which her entrance had interrupted, 
 were quickly resumed. 
 
 The party with which she was first associated, 
 consisted of Marianne Armstrong a tall staid- 
 looking girl, rather reserved in her manners, and 
 who might pass for fourteen or fifteen years of 
 
12 EARLY FRIENDSHIPS. 
 
 age ; Louisa Ellis, apparently two or three years 
 younger a plump, lively, good-humoured-look- 
 ing little body, with tongue enough for herself and 
 her next door neighbour; Catharine Millman, a 
 pale-faced girl, in deep mourning who, though 
 on that occasion, the president of the party, it 
 being her birth-day, had not been the most for- 
 ward in pressing the stranger to join it ; Charlotte 
 Harrington perhaps the most attractive of the 
 group, in person and manners; and Maria and 
 Fanny Lloyd, two little Welch girls, the eldest not 
 more than eight years old, and with nothing par- 
 ticular to distinguish them from twenty other chil- 
 dren of the same age : they also wore mourning, 
 but not apparently of so recent a date, or for so 
 near a relative as that of Catharine Millman. The 
 young party were seated round a small table, 
 engaged on various kinds of fancy-work. A little 
 repast had been furnished for their entertainmerrt, 
 in honour of Catharine's birth-day. Of the young 
 ladies who surrounded the table, Charlotte was 
 the most forward in introducing Helen to the circle, 
 and in securing for her the most advantageous seat. 
 Louisa was most loud in her expressions of wel- 
 come in assuring Helen, that her present uncom- 
 fortable feelings would soon wear off, and she would 
 find herself quite happy, and in crowding on her 
 attention questions of one kind and another, much 
 more rapidly than she could possibly answer them. 
 Marianne received the new comer with rather a 
 stiff bend of the head, and a hand not very eagerly 
 stretched out, nor very warm in its pressure. 
 
EARLY FRIENDSHIPS. 13 
 
 Catharine quietly moved, to give place to the 
 stranger; spoke a very few and gentle words of 
 welcome, and brushed away the tear that involun- 
 tarily started to her own eye, on perceiving one on 
 the cheek of Helen. The little Welch girls looked 
 with timid shyness, equal to that which Helen 
 herself felt on this memorable occasion an occa- 
 sion which occurs but once in a school-girl's life ; 
 for, even should it be her misfortune a misfortune 
 to which some young people are exposed, by the 
 caprice of their parents during the course of her 
 education, to be removed from one school to ano- 
 ther, she can never feel again what she felt on first 
 leaving home, and joining a numerous society of 
 entire strangers. 
 
 " Do you like bead- work, Miss Somers ?" inquired 
 Charlotte, handing, for inspection, the bracelet 
 which she had nearly completed. 
 
 " I have never done any," replied Helen ; il but 
 I think it very beautiful." 
 
 " You can easily learn ; and you shall be wel- 
 come to my patterns ; I have a work-bag, a purse, 
 a watch-pocket, and a bracelet." 
 
 " I suppose you do worsted- work, Miss Somers ?" 
 asked Louisa; " it is all the fashion this year. I 
 did a pair of slippers, a reticule, and a pair of bell- 
 pulls, all out of school-hours ; I have just begun 
 another pair of slippers. How do you like them ? 
 but you can hardly see the pattern yet : you will 
 be able to judge of them in a few days. They are 
 for my uncle Marriott, my mother's eldest brother, 
 
14 EARLY FRIENDSHIPS. 
 
 who is just returned from the West Indies. Do 
 any of your uncles go abroad, Miss Somers?" 
 " No," replied Helen, " I believe not." 
 " Well, that is a comfort ; for, as mamma says, 
 nobody likes to part with their relations ; though 
 it is very pleasant when they come home, and 
 bring one a lot of choice presents. When uncle 
 Sandham came home from the East Indies, he 
 brought mamma a cashmere shawl, and a gold 
 chain, and me a beautiful pearl necklace, and a 
 glass case of stuffed birds such beauties ! every 
 colour you can think of. I wish I could go up 
 stairs I would show you my necklace ; but that is 
 one of the rules of the school we must not go 
 up stairs, except when we go to bed. You will find 
 it very different, being at school, from what it is 
 at home, where you can do what you please." 
 
 While this voluble young lady was pouring 
 forth this gratuitous, and not very interesting 
 information, Marianne had steadily plied her knit- 
 ting scarcely for a moment raising her eyes from 
 the silk purse on which she was engaged. An 
 acute observer, however, might have discerned a 
 slight curl of the lip, expressive, perhaps, of 
 something like contempt for her loquacious school- 
 fellow. The two little Welch girls were waiting, 
 with some degree of impatience, for a break in 
 her speech, to edge in the elder, a request to 
 Catharine for directions in the making of a doll's 
 frock, on which she was employed under her 
 superintendence and the younger, having already 
 
EARLY FRIENDSHIPS. 15 
 
 surmounted her timidity, fbr an opportunity to call 
 the attention of the new scholar to the doll itself. 
 
 Helen Somers had been used to take an interest 
 in the pursuits of children younger than herself; 
 and, though Charlotte reproved the little girl, as 
 a tiresome little thing, and told her not to tease 
 Miss Somers ahout her baby-plays, she good-na- 
 turedly took notice of the waxen baby praised its 
 eyes, hands, complexion, and, still more, the 
 neat workmanship of the few articles of clothing 
 already complete. 
 
 This parenthesis was scarcely tolerable to Louisa, 
 who was eager to pursue her motley string of 
 interrogations and intelligence. 
 
 " You are just in time, Miss Somers, to keep 
 Miss Millman's birth -day. She is twelve years 
 old to-day. Should you not take her for more? 
 Perhaps you have hardly had time to think about 
 it ; but my mamma says she looks full as old as I 
 do, and I am nearly thirteen. We were at the Isle 
 of Wight together last summer ; I do not mean in 
 the same party, but we lodged within a few doors 
 of each other." 
 
 Catharine seemed to shrink from the attention 
 thus directed to her. The talkative girl pro- 
 ceeded : 
 
 " Pray, Miss Somers, what may be your age ? 
 I should think about the same as Miss Millman's; 
 but I may be mistaken.'* 
 
 For once she paused. 
 
 " Eleven, next birth-day," replied Helen ; " the 
 10th of May." 
 
16 EAKLY FRIENDSHIPS. 
 
 "Dear!" exclaimed Charlotte Harrington, "how 
 very remarkable ! the same day as mine. We 
 were born on the very same day ! Well, we must 
 be friends ! I knew we should, from the moment 
 you entered the school-room. I hope we shall 
 sleep in the same chamber, and learn the same 
 things ; but I dare say you are much more forward 
 than I am. How far are you in French and music ?" 
 
 " I know but very little of either. My mamma 
 has taught me a little of the first principles ; but 
 she says, that what she has done is only preparing 
 me to learn, with advantage, under a master." 
 
 " You have a mamma, then?" asked Catharine, 
 with an eager and mournful expression of counte- 
 nance, which too plainly indicated her own sad 
 loss, and would have awakened the sympathy of 
 Helen, even without the indelicate whisper of the 
 officious Louisa " She has lost her mother, about 
 two months ago." 
 
 Helen's eyes filled with sadness, as she thought 
 of the loss her young companion had sustained, 
 and trembled at the very possibility of such a cala- 
 mity befalling herself. She silently pressed the hand 
 of Catharine, and conveyed to her wounded heart 
 the consolatory feeling, that much real sympathy 
 may exist where but few or no words are uttered. 
 This sentiment would have been farther corro- 
 borated, had the young ladies cast an eye towards 
 the taciturn Miss Armstrong. Whether or not they 
 noticed it, certain it is that tears dropped upon her 
 netting-silk, and that she stooped, seemingly for 
 the purpose of picking up her scissors, but, in 
 
EARLY FRIENDSHIPS. 17 
 
 reality, to wipe her eyes without observation. 
 The little Welch girls also mingled their tears, 
 while they affectionately clung upon Catharine, 
 and entreated her to dry up hers. 
 
 " I hope and trust you will sleep in my 
 room, my dear," said Miss Harrington to Helen ; 
 " I have so very much to say to you. Did Mrs. 
 Gilbert tell you with whom you were to sleep ?" 
 
 " No ; she merely desired the servant to carry 
 my boxes into the lobby. I believe I am to sleep 
 alone." 
 
 "Are you indeed? Oh, how wretched! Pray, 
 whose whim is that ? How very ridiculous ! " 
 exclaimed Charlotte. 
 
 Helen felt a rising blush excited partly, per- 
 haps, by false shame, and partly by honest indig- 
 nation. Few people can bear to find themselves 
 the subjects of ridicule; and Helen had never 
 been accustomed to hear any wish or opinion of 
 her parents spoken of as a whim. She knew that 
 that they had expressed a desire that she should 
 be provided with a separate bed, and she would 
 gladly have escaped answering a question that 
 seemed to reflect on them. The indefatigable 
 tongue of Louisa for once interposed seasonably. 
 
 " Then, if Miss Somers is to have a single bed, 
 she will sleep in the blue room that's a certainty ; 
 for there is not another room in the house fitted 
 up with small beds. It is called the blue room, 
 Miss Somers, because all the beds have blue 
 checked curtains. I dare say you never in your 
 life saw such odd beds as they have here. I am 
 c2 
 
18 EARLY FRIENDSHIPS. 
 
 sure I never did till I came to school that is 
 three years since and I have got used to such 
 things now. The hangings only come half way 
 over the top, and they are made of stuff almost 
 like a washerwoman's apron, only the checks are 
 larger; and the curtains only draw a little way, 
 just at the top. How shall you like that, do you 
 think?" 
 
 Helen replied, that she should not care what 
 hangings there were to her bed that she had 
 been used to sleep without any, as her mamma 
 considered it more conducive to health. 
 
 " How very odd," returned Louisa; " why, my 
 mamma would be frightened to death, and think 
 I should be laid up with cold, if she knew I slept 
 without curtains drawn all round my bed. For 
 my part, I do not care about it only it looks 
 mean. And how shall you like to sleep in a room 
 with a set of little ones and a teacher?" 
 
 Helen again replied, that she should not mind 
 sleeping in the room with little ones, having been 
 used to do so at home. 
 
 Charlotte and Louisa, however, with one voice 
 declared, that she would find it perfectly miserable 
 to be separated from all the great girls, and mewed 
 up with a teacher, and not dare to speak a word. 
 
 The bell for prayers put an end to the conver- 
 sation. The young ladies quickly cleared up their 
 various articles of work and play, and moved off 
 to their respective chambers. At the top of the 
 stairs, Charlotte embraced Helen with such warmth, 
 and expressed such regret that they should be 
 
EARLY FRIENDSHIPS. 19 
 
 separated, as seemed to require more than the 
 acquaintance of an hour or two to justify. Helen 
 herself wondered at it; but her disposition was 
 naturally affectionate, and she felt grateful for the 
 notice that had been taken of her, as a stranger. 
 There was, therefore, nothing like coldness in 
 her manner of reciprocating the farewell ; and she 
 really felt regret at the separation from one so 
 kind. But Helen had been taught at home to 
 accommodate herself to circumstances; and she 
 quickly followed one of the half-boarders, who 
 was directed to conduct her to her room, and 
 assist her in opening her box. The room ap- 
 pointed for Helen was adjoining that of Mrs. 
 Gilbert, and known by the name of Mrs. Gilbert's 
 dressing-room, although never used for that pur- 
 pose. In this room were two beds a small one, 
 which Helen was to occupy and a larger, which 
 was reserved for two sisters, who were daily ex- 
 pected. For the present it was her own, for the 
 wholesome purposes of secret reflection and quiet 
 repose. 
 
 According to her. long accustomed habit, Helen 
 read a short portion in her little Bible the gift 
 of her beloved father on the first leaf of which 
 was written his wish and prayer, that she might 
 be a diligent and obedient student of the sacred 
 page, and by it be made wise unto salvation. A 
 glance at this expression of parental solicitude for 
 her best interests, tended to give a mellow and 
 solemn tone to the feelings with which she perused 
 the sacred injunctions, and to rivet those injunc- 
 
20 EARLY FRIENDSHIPS. 
 
 tions on her heart. She fervently implored a 
 blessing on the beloved family from which she 
 was now separated, and prayed also for strength 
 and grace, that she might never be suffered to 
 grieve the hearts of her parents, by departing 
 from the good way in which they had so carefully 
 trained her. 
 
 Before she sunk to rest in her neat little bed 
 of which, by the way, she entirely forgot to notice 
 the half-tester, so disparagingly described by 
 Louisa her mind revolved on the conversation of 
 the evening, and the characters and manners of 
 the young people to whom she had been intro- 
 duced. Their names she could, as yet, but im- 
 perfectly recollect; but that first introduction 
 fixed in her mind a descriptive designation for 
 each. The silent girl the talking girl the 
 sorrowful girl and the kind girl; and yet, in 
 attaching the latter epithet to Charlotte, she felt a 
 moment's hesitation, when she recollected that she 
 did not speak quite so kindly to the little Welch 
 girls as she did to her; and she had, more than 
 once, heard her mother remark, that a more cor- 
 rect estimate of temper and disposition might be 
 formed from the tone and manner of speaking to 
 those with whom we are most familiar, than from 
 our behaviour to comparative strangers. 
 
 The young ladies at Mrs. Gilbert's school 
 assembled every morning, at seven o'clock, to 
 pursue their studies for an hour before break- 
 fast ; but, with the kind consideration that Helen 
 might have been over-fatigued with her journey, 
 
EARLY FRIENDSHIPS, 
 
 21 
 
 Mrs. Gilbert had given orders that, on the next 
 morning after her arrival, she should not be dis- 
 turbed so early as the rest. This was a sad disap- 
 pointment to Charlotte, who had calculated on ob- 
 taining permission to call Miss Somers and assist 
 her in dressing, and, with that view, had herself 
 risen half an hour earlier than usual; for, if the 
 truth must be told, that young lady not unfre- 
 quently had to forfeit, for want of punctuality in 
 making her appearance in the school-room, and 
 habitually reckoned it " very well indeed " if she 
 was removing her last curl-paper when the bell be- 
 gan to ring, as that just allowed her time to reach 
 the door while its last sound was vibrating. 
 
 Before Mrs. Gilbert left her own chamber, she 
 quietly peeped into that of Helen, and was not 
 more surprised than pleased to find her new pupil 
 already dressed, her bed stripped, her clothes 
 neatly put away, and herself seated by the open 
 window, reading. Helen was unconscious of having 
 merited the smile of approbation she received 
 from her governess, for she had done no more 
 than was perfectly habitual to her, having been 
 accustomed to it from her infancy. As yet, she 
 knew not the extent of her obligations to a good 
 mother, who had not only taught her the precepts, 
 but trained her to the habits of obedience, in- 
 dustry, and order, and thus rendered them de- 
 lightfully easy to practise through future life. 
 
 When Mrs. Gilbert had examined a little into 
 the state of Helen's attainments and capabilities, 
 she placed her in the same class with Charlotte 
 
22 EARLY FRIENDSHIPS. 
 
 and Catharine. Miss Armstrong was in a higher 
 class; and the two little Lloyds, who had but 
 recently left their native mountains, and come to 
 England for education, in a lower. This was 
 quite natural ; but Helen was somewhat surprised 
 to observe that they were joined by Louisa Ellis, 
 who, from her advanced age, good natural abili- 
 ties, and long advantages at school, might have 
 been expected to take higher ground. Possibly it 
 may have occurred to the reader, that a young lady 
 who talks so much, and to so little purpose, can- 
 not have much time and attention to bestow on her 
 own improvement, and will, probably, occupy a dis- 
 advantageous position, compared with that of others, 
 who, possessing equal capabilities and means of 
 improvement, assiduously lend their attention to 
 making the best of those advantages. 
 
 When the morning exercise was over, Charlotte 
 lost no time in joining Helen, and congratulating 
 her on their being placecTin the same class. 
 
 " You know it will be so delightful, my dear 
 girl; for we shall always sit together at meals; 
 and, out of school-hours, we can be as entirely with 
 each other, as if we formed the whole class ; for, 
 there are only three day-scholars, who leave as 
 soon as school is over, and Catharine Mill man 
 and she, poor thing, is always moping about her 
 mother's death, and is no society for anybody, 
 except those two Welch babies ; so, you and I, my 
 dear Helen, shall be all in all to each other." 
 
 Helen, at present, felt no desire for that isolated 
 kind of friendship. She thought much of home, 
 
EARLY FRIENDSHIPS. 23 
 
 and the dear society she had left behind ; and she 
 thought much of school, its duties and advan- 
 tages ; and hoped she should he able to acquit her- 
 self to the satisfaction of her governess ; and that 
 her improvement would equal the expectation of 
 her parents. She hoped, also, so to conduct her- 
 self among her young companions, as to deserve 
 the good- will of all ; but she was not anxious for 
 a particular friend. At the breakfast- table she 
 was accosted with gentle cordiality by Catharine, 
 and answered her courtesy with equal frankness. 
 It should be observed, that Mrs. Gilbert allowed 
 her young ladies to converse together at meals. It 
 is, or was formerly, a common rule for school meals 
 to be eaten in silence; but Mrs. Gilbert consi- 
 dered it more conducive to health, cheerfulness, 
 and the formation of propriety of deportment, to 
 encourage rational and polite intercourse at the 
 breakfast and dinner-table ; and she rarely found 
 it necessary to still the voice of clamour or bois- 
 terous mirth. It is a higher attainment to regulate 
 indulgence, than to enforce abstinence. Mrs. 
 Gilbert, however, successfully attempted and 
 maintained the union of liberty and order. 
 
 It may be supposed, that among her pupils no 
 one was more ready to avail herself of the privi- 
 lege, to its fullest extent, than Louisa Ellis. 
 Her place at the long school-table was just oppo- 
 site that of Helen. She soon assailed her with a 
 string of questions as usual, without waiting 
 for a reply. 
 
 " Well, Miss Somers, how do you like school 
 
24 EARLY FRIENDSHIPS. 
 
 breakfast? thick slices and salted butter, with 
 milk and water for tea ! Ah ! well ! you will get 
 used to it by degrees, as I did. I could scarcely 
 eat anything when first I came here ; but 1 don't 
 mind it now; and you will not, after a bit. I 
 dare say you breakfasted at home yesterday?" 
 
 " We took a little before we left home," replied 
 Helen; " but, as it was then very early, we were 
 quite ready for another breakfast when the coach 
 stopped at Chesterfield." 
 
 " You passed through Chesterfield?" said Ca- 
 tharine, in a tone of inquiry and surprise. "Did 
 you happen to notice no, it is hardly likely you 
 should the name of Hollingsby, surveyor and 
 architect, just opposite the inn where the coaches 
 stop?" 
 
 " Yes," replied Helen, " I remember seeing the 
 name on a brass plate. I should not have no- 
 ticed it, but a gentleman came out of the house, 
 and proceeded with us as far as Derby. My 
 father had pointed out to me the spire of the 
 church, which, from whatever point you view 
 it, appears to lean towards you. This gentleman 
 explained to my father the cause of the illusion, 
 and they conversed together the whole of the 
 way." 
 
 " Was he a tall, middle-aged man, dressed in 
 black ?" inquired Catharine. 
 
 " Yes ; and a young gentleman, who came 
 across to speak to him, and who called him papa, 
 was dressed in black also." 
 
 " I have no doubt it was my uncle Hollingsby. 
 
EARLY FRIENDSHIPS. 25 
 
 I wish he had known you were coming here, that 
 he might have sent me word ahout aunt, and all 
 the family. Was he in good spirits?" 
 
 " He spoke very mildly ; hut I think he seemed 
 to be in trouhle. He and papa spoke a great deal 
 ahout affliction, and the consolations of religion." 
 
 " What a pity," said Louisa, " Miss Somers did 
 not tell him she was coming to Mrs. Gilbert's 
 school: I am sure I should have told him all 
 about it." 
 
 " No doubt you would," observed Charlotte, " if 
 it had only been for the pleasure of talking." 
 
 " Well, I know I do talk too much," responded 
 Louisa ; " but you need not have told me of it, 
 just when there was a new scholar to hear." 
 
 A pause ensued. The mournful feelings of 
 Catharine were awakened. The tears rolled down 
 her cheek, and she passed the remainder of the 
 meal-time in silence. Louisa made an effort to 
 restrain her unruly member; and Charlotte, who 
 was particularly fond of a secret, but cared little 
 about general conversation, reserved all her im- 
 portant communications for the private ear of 
 Helen. Helen could not help thinking that the 
 candour of Louisa, in acknowledging her foolish 
 propensity, was more amiable than Charlotte's 
 sarcastic exposure of it. 
 
 Helen was the next speaker. On looking along 
 the table, she missed Marianne Armstrong, and 
 inquired after her, as one of the party to which 
 she had been introduced the night before. 
 
 44 Oh! you mean Miss Armstrong," replied 
 
 D 
 
26 EARLY FRIENDSHIPS. 
 
 Charlotte ; " you must not expect to see her at 
 meals in the school-room : she is a parlour boarder. 
 Her condescension last evening was in honour 
 of her friend Miss Millman's birth-day; but 
 (in an undertone) I will tell you all about it, when 
 we are alone." 
 
 When breakfast was over, Helen hastened to 
 look over the lessons in which she understood her 
 class was to be engaged. Charlotte soon hunted 
 her out, and insisted on her walking with her in 
 the garden, until school-time. 
 
 " And now, my dear," said she, " in the first 
 place, let me warn you against being so terribly 
 good. It is the common fault of new scholars ; 
 but they soon get cured of it. The sooner the 
 better ; for every one dislikes them while it lasts. 
 You may get through in class just as well, if you 
 only look it over the last five minutes before you 
 go up, as if you were to pore over it all your 
 play-time. I scarcely ever bestow more than five 
 minutes on any lesson, and I generally get through 
 as well as the rest." 
 
 " Perhaps you learn more quickly than I do, 
 and perhaps you have a better memory. Even if 
 I could learn anything in five minutes, I am sure 
 I could not remember it ; and then, you know, I 
 should in reality be no forwarder than if I had 
 not learnt it." 
 
 " Just so much the better. If it is not remem- 
 bered, it is forgotten that's all ; and I can tell 
 you, that is the way in which most school-girls 
 learn their lessons." 
 
EARLY FRIENDSHIPS. 27 
 
 " But surely we cannot improve, if we forget 
 things as fast as we learn them," said Helen, in 
 a tone of mingled statement and inquiry. 
 
 " Oh yes," returned her companion ; " some 
 how or other we do improve. We learn through 
 one book, and it is registered, * Miss M. has 
 learned (or read) such a book ;' then we learn 
 another, and that is registered ; and so we go on 
 till our education is finished ; and we know as much 
 as other people, though we do not exactly remem- 
 ber anything in particular. I will tell you what 
 a cousin of mine did. It was at a school near 
 London, where they have a grand examination 
 twice a year, before all the world and his wife. 
 They had their parts given them a month before 
 the time. But Harriet, who, though a clever girl, 
 is no bookworm, never looked at hers till within 
 the last day or two when it was impossible for 
 her to learn the whole. So she just took one page 
 and left the other, trusting that she might hap- 
 pen to be questioned upon the pages she had 
 learnt, and not updn those she had neglected, 
 or that she might happen to guess at a right an- 
 swer : and, sure enough, so it was : she gave one 
 or two clever guesses, and got off with flying 
 colours." 
 
 " But then, as my mamma would have said, 
 she gained no real improvement. Mamma always 
 told me that was one of the great dangers of 
 school being satisfied with getting through as 
 well as the rest, without being careful thoroughly 
 to understand and remember. She advised me. 
 
28 EARLY FRIENDSHIPS. 
 
 once a week to go over what I had learnt, and try 
 myself whether I had really gained knowledge, 
 and to ask for an explanation of anything I did 
 not understand." 
 
 " And who are you to ask, I should like to 
 know ? Surely you don't intend to be continually 
 running to Mrs. Gilbert, like a little bleating lamb 
 to its mother baa, baa what's the meaning of 
 this? All this may do very well for teaching 
 babies at home ; but you will find the difference, 
 now you are come to school. You must be con- 
 tent with learning your lessons, and take your 
 chance about understanding them," 
 
 Helen wondered, but made no reply, Char- 
 lotte proceeded to open her budget. 
 
 "And now, my dear, I promised to tell you 
 about all the young ladies. So, to begin at the 
 top of the tree, there is Miss Armstrong, who was 
 of Catharine Millman's party last night. Well, 
 she is one of the pattern girls makes a point of 
 never doing wrong is very much offended if any- 
 body says a word against Mrs. Gilbert, or does 
 anything that she has forbidden ; though, in gene- 
 ral, they take pretty good care to avoid this, in 
 Miss Armstrong's presence. As she is a parlour 
 boarder, of course everything she sees and hears 
 is carried to Mrs. Gilbert. Miss Armstrong, 
 though she dresses so plain, is a girl of fortune. 
 Her mother died when she was an infant, and her 
 father is abroad; so she has lived with some 
 maiden aunts, and imbibed all their stiff an- 
 tiquated ways. She would not have a thing out 
 
EARLY FRIENDSHIPS. 29 
 
 of place in her bed-room or her work-box ; and, 
 on a rainy day, she holds up her frock as if she 
 thought it a sin to get a splash. She writes to 
 her aunts once a fortnight; and, though it is no 
 trouble to her to write a letter, she won't let one 
 of the girls see what she writes, or give a poor 
 creature a sentence, if one is ever so bad put to it." 
 
 " How do you mean, give a sentence?" inquired 
 Helen. " What use would a sentence from her 
 letter be to any other person ?" 
 
 " Oh, it would do just as well for anybody else. 
 Almost all the other girls, if they happen to find a 
 good sentence, let any one have it, to put in their 
 letter. It is a great bore to write home don't 
 you think so?" 
 
 " Oh no ! It will be my greatest happiness, now 
 I am away from my dear parents, to write to them 
 as often as I can." 
 
 "Ah! you may think so, now you have just 
 left home; but, before the end of the half-year, 
 you will find the difference. I am sure I never 
 write home, except when I am obliged, and then 
 I am puzzled out of my wits to think of some- 
 thing to say. Well, I was telling you about 
 Marianne Armstrong. She has a great deal more 
 pocket-money than any other girl in the school ; 
 but she scarcely spends anything, like the rest, 
 in eatables or trinkets. She buys a great many 
 books ; and, when she wants to make a present of 
 her own work, she spares no expense in getting 
 the best materials : but that does not take half her 
 money ; so I suppose she misers the rest, or per- 
 D 2 
 
30 EARLY 1'RIENDSHIPS. 
 
 haps gives it to the poor : many people do so, just 
 to be talked about. I don't, for my part, see any 
 good in it it only makes poor people idle, and, 
 you know, they ought to work and keep them- 
 selves." 
 
 " Poor people who are sick, or very old, or 
 poor little children, cannot work, and then they 
 need help ; and, I am sure, it is a great pleasure 
 to be able to help them : I shall love Miss Arm- 
 strong if she spends her money in such good 
 ways." 
 
 "It is of no use for you to love her she will 
 never take a bit of notice of you. She keeps her- 
 self entirely to Sophia Jenning, Mrs. Gilbert's 
 niece, who is about her own age, and Catharine 
 Millman, who has been an acquaintance before 
 they came to school. Well, so much for Miss 
 Armstrong. Then comes Miss Millman 
 
 * Sweet bird, that shuns the noise of folly; 
 Most musical, most melancholy.' 
 
 I don't know any harm of her ; she is not a mis- 
 chief-making girl; but she never cares to mix 
 with the others. She is always moping about her 
 mother, or getting alone to read her father's letters, 
 or studying with her friend, Miss Armstrong. 
 One of the day-scholars told me that she knew for 
 a certainty that Mr. Millman is not so rich as he 
 was formerly, and that Catharine will have to go 
 out as a teacher or governess. Perhaps that is 
 what she frets about, more than her mother's 
 death ; and that makes her take so much pains 
 
EARLY FRIENDSHIPS. 31 
 
 with her music and drawing. No doubt Miss 
 Armstrong could tell us all about it, if she chose ; 
 but she is so very stiff and reserved, there is no 
 such thing as getting a word out of her. I have 
 tried several times to pump the little Lloyds, but 
 they are stupid little things: they either do not 
 know, or will not tell anything about the matter. 
 I have set that rattletrap, Louisa Ellis, to find 
 out the truth of the matter ; but it seems as if all 
 her brains had run into her tongue ; and, though 
 she will chatter by the hour together about her 
 own pedigree, and twenty other stupid things, that 
 nobody wants to hear, she has not sense enough 
 to find out, though she visits the family, whether 
 or not Catharine Millman is qualifying herself for 
 a teacher." 
 
 "And why do you want to know?" inquired 
 Helen. 
 
 " Oh, I have no particular reason only one 
 likes to find out things, especially when people 
 are close about their own affairs; besides, you 
 know, if Catharine is training for a teacher, that 
 accounts for her being so very diligent: she 
 knows that she must get her living by it. Ah! 
 well, it will all come out some time or other. 
 Well, now, I have got to tell you about the day- 
 scholars in our class. Sophia Reynolds is one of 
 the over-good sort, and her parents are very pre- 
 cise, particular people. She would not, for the 
 life of her, do any little secret errand for the 
 boarders; so you must be on your guard with 
 her: but Maria Burr, and Ann Williams, are 
 
32 EARLY FRIENDSHIPS. 
 
 good-natured girls, and will do anything for a 
 schoolfellow. Indeed, Maria is rather a poor 
 girl her parents keep a shop so she is glad to 
 do our errands, for the sake of what she gets for 
 herself. Ann Williams has a very nice home, and 
 garden, and is very much indulged; so she is a 
 very good one to make friends with ; for she often 
 invites her friends to spend the half holiday with 
 her. But there is the warning hell, so we must 
 be in school in ten minutes. After school we will 
 walk again, and then you shall tell me all about 
 .your home, and I will tell you about mine." 
 
 The young ladies parted Helen to perfect her- 
 self in the lessons, which she could not help feeling 
 had been slighted, in consequence of her long 
 conversation with Charlotte and Charlotte to 
 watch the arrival of her town emissaries, who 
 were generally charged by her with some secret 
 commission; for Charlotte loved secrets and, 
 though she paid twopence or threepence in a shil- 
 ling dearer for her little articles of haberdashery, 
 stationery, or eatables, beside running the risk of 
 detection, she preferred obtaining them secretly, 
 through the forbidden intervention of a day-scholar, 
 to procuring them openly, when regular opportu- 
 nities were afforded to the young ladies of supply- 
 ing themselves, according to their respective tastes 
 and resources. 
 
 The several engagements of the day allowed 
 Charlotte no opportunity of making her promised 
 communication, and calling upon Helen for that 
 which she had bespoken from her. This suspen- 
 
EARLY FRIENDSHIPS. .33 
 
 sion of intercourse afforded to Helen an interval 
 for reflection. She had wondered at many things 
 that Charlotte had said, and, indeed, at the gene- 
 ral strain of her conversation ; but it was not until 
 she thought the matter over in quiet solitude, that 
 it occurred to her that Charlotte had displayed the 
 very features of character against which she had 
 been cautioned by her mother; and then she per- 
 ceived at once, that Charlotte would be neither a 
 safe nor a desirable friend. " She professed much 
 regard for me, and flattered me, when she knew 
 nothing about me; she endeavoured to pry into 
 other people's affairs, and to make me inquisitive 
 about them ; she spoke ill of others, and she acts 
 contrary to the orders of her governess, and the 
 rules of the school. I am sure mamma would not 
 like me to make her my friend." With these re- 
 flections, Helen came to the prudent resolution to 
 hold herself back from intimate friendship. 
 
 Charlotte, however, was not easily repulsed or 
 discouraged. Again and again she assailed He- 
 len with flatter^', extolling her diligence and her 
 attainments, and entreating her assistance in 
 accomplishing tasks which her own want of appli- 
 cation and perseverance rendered difficult. It was 
 scarcely to be expected that a girl of eleven years 
 of age, should remain altogether unmoved by these 
 combined attacks on her vanity and her good nature; 
 and, without any direct preference for Charlotte's 
 society, so it was that, for the first few weeks of 
 her being at school, she conversed more with 
 Charlotte than with any other of her young com- 
 
.34 EARLY FRIENDSHIPS. 
 
 pan.ions, and was brought more under her in- 
 fluence. In more than one particular, that influ- 
 ence was of an unfavourable tendency. At home, 
 Helen had been accustomed to look upon instruc- 
 tion as a privilege, and to regard with respect, 
 gratitude, and confidence, those who imparted it 
 to her ; and she came to school fully disposed to 
 exercise the same proper and salutary sentiments 
 towards her new instructors. Charlotte, on the 
 contrary, regarded her lessons as something to be 
 got through, and her instructors as persons whom 
 it was her interest to circumvent. She seldom 
 mentioned their names without some disparaging 
 epithet ; and spoke with great self-complacency of 
 her own cleverness in evading their requirements, 
 or infringing on their prohibitions. The influence 
 of such a companion imperceptibly led Helen to 
 be more satisfied with her present attainments, 
 less diligent and assiduous in her application, and 
 less solicitous about the approbation of her teachers, 
 than was compatible with her real improvement. 
 The same influence tended also to produce coldness 
 and alienation between Helen and others who 
 would have been much more congenial and profit- 
 able companions. By assuming a sort of patron- 
 age over Helen, and teaching her to regard others 
 as proud, cold, and inaccessible, she gradually 
 brought her to consider their friendship as unat- 
 tainable and undesirable. Thus she continued 
 to engross Helen to herself; and, almost uncon- 
 sciously, Helen found herself considered as the pro- 
 tegee of one for whom she had no decided prefer- 
 
EARLY FRIENDSHIPS. 35 
 
 ence, and indeed whose sentiments and conduct 
 she could not approve. Charlotte often extolled 
 the sweets of friendship, and especially lauded her 
 own disinterested friendship for Helen ; and Helen 
 could not contradict her assertions, though, in her 
 heart, she often sighed for the delightful inter- 
 course of home, and sometimes indulged a hope 
 that something more nearly resembling it might he 
 enjoyed in the society of the expected sisters, who 
 were to share her chamber: but nearly a month 
 had elapsed, and, as they made not their appearance, 
 conjecture and speculation began to be afloat in the 
 school, as to the probability or non-probability of 
 their coming at all, and the cause or causes of the 
 alteration. The curiosity of Charlotte, in particu- 
 lar, was strongly excited ; and she made various 
 attempts, both upon Marianne the taciturn, and 
 Louisa the loquacious, to obtain the secret, but 
 without success. The tenth of May drew near ; 
 Charlotte and Helen each received a parcel from 
 home, in anticipation of their birth-day. It was 
 agreed that they should form one party, and Helen 
 proposed that it should consist of the same indivi- 
 duals as that of Catharine Millman, to which she 
 was introduced on the day she came first to 
 school. Charlotte raised some objections against 
 admitting " that melancholy Catharine," and 
 " that chattering Louisa," and " those childish lit- 
 tle Lloyds;" but, considering it the only chance of 
 inducing Miss Armstrong (with whom she knew 
 she was no favourite) to join her party, and hoping 
 that she might succeed in obtaining from her the 
 
3^ EARLY FRIENDSHIPS. 
 
 information she so earnestly desired, she consented 
 to invite the whole party who had met with Miss 
 Millman. It was a lovely day. The young party 
 were to assemble under a fine spreading horse- 
 chestnut tree, covered with rich clusters of blos- 
 soms. Charlotte was desirous that it should be 
 farther decorated with wreaths of flowers. The 
 wish was no sooner expressed, than the good-na- 
 tured Louisa, assisted by the little Welch girls, 
 hastened to gratify it. They were successful in 
 begging flowers from their governess and their 
 young companions, and quickly returned, loaded 
 with a profusion of beauties, with which to deco- 
 rate the arbour of Helen and Charlotte. But, 
 alas ! the priority given to Helen awakened the 
 jealousy of her compeer. Charlotte was well 
 pleased with any kindness shown to her friend, as 
 long as she could at all flatter herself that it was 
 in consequence of her patronage, or in any way 
 for her sake ; but when the little girls returned, 
 eagerly inquiring for Helen, and selecting the best 
 of the flowers, as having been gathered out of their 
 own gardens for Helen, or sent to her by their com- 
 panions, the thought obtruded itself on Charlotte's 
 mind, that Helen was beloved for her own sake, 
 and was even preferred to her, who had been several 
 years in the school ; and, instead of being grati- 
 fied at her share in the kindness shown, she gave 
 way to the unworthy feelings of jealousy and irri- 
 tation. Utterly unconscious of what was going 
 on, Helen had withdrawn to enjoy the several let- 
 ters from the dear ones at home, that had accmn- 
 
EARLY FRIENDSHIPS. 37 
 
 panied her birth-day parcel. The expressions of 
 affectionate remembrance and congratulation, and 
 of parental counsel and solicitude, conveyed in 
 these epistles, had left a tender and pleasing im- 
 pression on Helen's mind, and she returned to 
 her young companions with a countenance expres- 
 sive of quiet happiness. Before she had time to 
 notice the angry, sullen looks of Charlotte, her at- 
 tention was attracted to the beautiful garlands with 
 which the bower was adorned. With unaffected 
 pleasure and gratitude she acknowledged this mark 
 of kindness, and admired, as much as even the 
 little contributors themselves could desire, each 
 honeysuckle, and hyacinth, and narcissus, that was 
 pointed out to her as the produce of such or such 
 a garden. 
 
 Simplicity is a great friend to enjoyment. Helen 
 passed the evening very happily. She was disposed 
 to be pleased with all around her, and desirous of 
 imparting as well as receiving pleasure. She 
 found Marianne less reserved, and Catharine less 
 melancholy, and Louisa less annoying than she 
 had been led to expect; and, though Charlotte 
 spoke less than usual, and especially was less 
 profuse in her professions of friendship for her- 
 self, she was disposed to ascribe it rather to 
 delicacy and propriety, than to real coolness. 
 Even a taunting expression or two, that escaped 
 in the course of the evening, were passed over 
 as mere jests; and, not a single suspicion en- 
 tered the mind of Helen, that they were the out- 
 breakings of jealousy and ill-humour. Those who 
 
38 EARLY FRIENDSHIPS. 
 
 had known Charlotte longer, perhaps understood 
 better the true state of the case. Nothing, how- 
 ever, was said, and the party broke up in good spi- 
 rits and good feelings towards each other, with the 
 one exception of Charlotte, whose spring of dis- 
 satisfaction was within. 
 
 Charlotte had not so entirely yielded herself to 
 the influence of ill-humour, as to forget the object 
 of her curiosity. In the course of the evening 
 she made several attempts to find out whether or 
 not the new boarders were still expected, or whe- 
 ther Helen was to remain sole occupant of the 
 dressing-room; but she could gain no satisfaction. 
 None of her hints were taken any notice of by 
 Miss Armstrong the only person of the party 
 likely to be in possession of any information on 
 the subject At length she ventured directly to 
 propose the question, and received the direct an- 
 swer, " I really do not know." Thus was poor 
 Charlotte, on her birth-day the day which she 
 had anticipated with exultation, as a season of tri- 
 umph, disappointed in both her leading propensi- 
 ties the love of admiration, and the love of 
 mystery. She had intended to exhibit Helen as her 
 friend and protegee, and to gather incense for her 
 own vanity, from the attention that Helen might 
 receive. But, to her utter surprise and mortifica- 
 tion, she found that a simple-hearted and unassum- 
 ing girl was noticed for her own sake, while she 
 was comparatively neglected. She had expected 
 much applause for her splendid entertainment ; she 
 observed, also, with no small degree of vexation, 
 
EARLY FRIENDSHIPS. 39 
 
 that Helen was evidently attracted towards those 
 from whom she had taken much pains to alienate 
 her. Marianne talked with Helen about books, 
 and Catharine about the age, and stature, and at- 
 tainments of her little brothers and sisters; and there 
 was a freedom of intercourse, an apparent one- 
 ness of feeling between them, which had never 
 subsisted between Charlotte and her elder school- 
 fellows, nor even between her and Helen, not- 
 withstanding her loud professions of friendship. 
 Helen had many points of attraction and union. 
 She was intelligent and affectionate, and could 
 identify herself with the pursuits and feelings of 
 others. Charlotte had but one centre, and thaf 
 was herself. Whatever did not tend to attract notice 
 and admiration to herself, was insipid or repulsive. 
 But, with the exception of Louisa, whom she des- 
 pised, not one of the party inquired which part 
 of the feast was contributed by Charlotte, and 
 which by Helen. The young people partook of 
 the refreshments, but did not make them the theme 
 of their conversation : indeed, the consumption of 
 the articles indicated a preference for Helen's 
 home-made cake and dried apples, to the costly 
 and elaborate sweetmeats provided by Charlotte. 
 Then, Charlotte had confidently hoped to elicit 
 from Miss Armstrong some information on sundry 
 questions on which her eager curiosity was ex- 
 cited ; such as, the cause of dismissal of the house- 
 maid the family concerns and early history of the 
 new French teacher the delay of the expected 
 pupils -whether they would come at all and 
 
40 EARLY FRIENDSHIPS. 
 
 whether or not they would be parlour boarders. 
 These if Charlotte could but have obtained a 
 true, full, and particular account on each of these 
 topics would have furnished her with a stock of 
 secrets enough to magnify her own importance, and 
 to secure for her all the assistance in her exercises, 
 that she might choose to purchase for the Remainder 
 of the half year : but, alas ! not one of the mys- 
 teries were solved, and the evening closed in dis- 
 appointment and mortification to Charlotte. 
 
 The young people had scarcely separated for the 
 night, when a somewhat unusual bustle in the house 
 announced the arrival of new inmates to the esta- 
 blishment, and gave a fresh impetus to the restless 
 curiosity of Charlotte. Forgetting her recent dis- 
 pleasure with Helen, and regardless of the rules 
 of the house, she no sooner caught the rumour that 
 the Misses Gray were come (it must be true, for 
 her informant had seen the direction on the lug- 
 gage) than she ran across to Helen's chamber, to 
 communicate the intelligence to her, and to entreat 
 her to keep awake until the young ladies came to 
 bed, that she might be able to quiz them a little, 
 and report particulars in. the morning. Helen had 
 drawn back the window curtain, and, by the light 
 of the moon, was reading a portion of Scripture, 
 when Charlotte stealthily entered the room and 
 surprised her. The interruption was far from 
 agreeable, and Helen felt conscious that it was 
 also wrong. She ventured freely to remonstrate 
 with Charlotte on the impropriety of transgressing 
 a known rule of the house, by leaving her own 
 
EARLY FRIENDSHIPS. 41 
 
 chamber, and the indelicacy of prying into the 
 affairs of others. There needed no more to set 
 the angry passions of Charlotte into a blaze. 
 She bitterly reproached Helen with unkindness, 
 and declared, that from that moment she would 
 never acknowledge her as her friend. 
 
 Helen felt unconscious of having merited this 
 renunciation, and sat silently musing on the whole 
 of Charlotte's conduct to her, which appeared 
 alike unaccountable ; why she should so eagerly 
 seek, and so hastily renounce, her friendship, 
 both without any adequate reason. She was led 
 again to recollect the remarks of her mother, on 
 the subject of early friendships, and to observe 
 that they were verified in her own experience. 
 " Thus," thought she, " I have gained and lost a 
 friend already. I am sure this friendship has not 
 done me good; I hope it has not done me much harm ; 
 and that, if ever I should form another friendship, 
 that it may be more pleasant and improving to me 
 than this has been. Well, it is still my happi- 
 ness that my parents are my real friends, and will 
 not turn me off in a huff." As Helen ended her 
 soliloquy, and rose to prepare for bed, another tap 
 at the door was heard ; and, for a moment, she ima- 
 gined that it was Charlotte, come to revoke her 
 hasty sentence ; but her surmise was quickly cor- 
 rected by the appearance of Mrs. Gilbert, followed 
 by the two little Welch girls. 
 
 " I come, my love," said Mrs. Gilbert, " to 
 bring you two little companions for your cham- 
 ber, t hope you will find them agreeable, and 
 E 2 
 
42 EARLY FRIENDSHIPS. 
 
 not troublesome. The two sisters, who were to 
 have shared your apartment, have just arrived; 
 but, as one of them is not in good healthj I have 
 made arrangements for placing them in a room with 
 one of the teachers, and these little girls will occupy 
 the large bed in your room instead. I shall be 
 obliged by any little assistance that you may kindly 
 render them, in dressing and undressing ; and I 
 hope that your example will be advantageous, in 
 training them to habits of neatness and order. I 
 have just been informed .that it is your birth-day ; 
 accept my best wishes for your health and happi- 
 ness, and especially that, as you advance in years, 
 you may increasingly fulfil the wishes and reward 
 the exertions of your excellent parents. Good 
 night, my dear girl ; and ' Remember now thy 
 Creator in the days of thy youth.' " 
 
 An affectionate kiss sealed this expression of 
 pious good-will. 
 
 " Oh! Miss Somers," said Fanny Lloyd, " who 
 would ever have thought that we should come to 
 sleep in your room ? and we are to stay, if you will 
 let us." 
 
 " But," interrupted Maria, " Cousin Catharine 
 told us to be very quiet, and not chatter, to disturb 
 Miss Somers. We have looked over our lessons 
 to-night ; but, Miss Somers, will you be so kind, 
 another evening, to let us look over them in 
 your room, if we are very quiet? When we try 
 to learn them in the school-room, the great girls 
 make fun of us, and put us out, and so we cannot 
 get up in the class." 
 
EARLY FRIENDSHIPS. 43 
 
 Helen kindly assented. The little girls seemed 
 delighted with their preferment, and fearful of in 
 any way trespassing or making themselves dis- 
 agreeable. They quietlv assisted each other in 
 undressing, carefully folued up their clothes, and, 
 offering each a grateful kiss to Helen, were soon 
 fast asleep "beside each other. Helen looked at 
 them, and thought of her own younger brothers 
 ard sisters, who, she hoped, were as quietly repos- 
 ing at home ; and she resolved to be kind to these 
 children, as she should wish others to be kind to 
 those connected with herself. These benevolent 
 purposes and projects entirely obliterated from the 
 mind of Helen all uneasy traces of Charlotte's 
 unkindness. She laid down to rest, almost for- 
 getting that she had lost, or been threatened with 
 the loss, of a friend. 
 
 Helen rose, as usual, much earlier than her 
 school duties positively required. She had en- 
 joyed the early freshness of the morning had 
 raised her youthful thoughts to HIM whose be- 
 neficence she had learned to trace in the beauty, 
 the fragrance, and the harmony which regaled her 
 waking faculties. She had read in His holy Book 
 nobler truths than Nature in all her glories could 
 reveal. She had held communion with the Father 
 of spirits, through his beloved Son. She had im- 
 plored, for his sake, the pardon of all her sins, and 
 the guidance of his Holy Spirit in the way of 
 duty; and, thus prepared, she was ready to go 
 forth to the engagements of the day. Happy 
 youth, who thus consecrates to God the morning 
 
44 EARLY FRIENDSHIPS. 
 
 of her days, and the morning of every day ! How 
 rich the encouragement and the blessedness of 
 such! " I love them that love me, and those that 
 seek me early shall find me." (Prov. viii. 17.) 
 
 The little girls were still sleeping. The transfer 
 of beds, the preceding evening, had kept them up 
 beyond their usual time, and Helen forbore to 
 disturb them. She had just begun to colour an 
 outline map, when some one tapped at the door. 
 Helen's thoughts again reverted to Charlotte. 
 Sorry to have given even unconscious offence, and 
 eager to make up the difference for Helen had 
 been early taught, that it was both sinful and 
 miserable to be at variance even in trifling matters 
 she staid not for a second thought, but said 
 " Come in, Charlotte," and sprung to open the 
 door. Her surprise was not altogether unmingled 
 with disappointment, when, instead of Charlotte, 
 Catharine Millman appeared. 
 
 " Forgive me for intruding," said Catharine ; 
 Mrs. Gilbert gave me permission to come in and 
 call my cousins, as I have been used to do so. I 
 was fearful they might over-sleep themselves, arid 
 be behind with their lessons. I am really sorry 
 to have disappointed you. May I come in?" 
 
 " Oh yes surely," replied Helen, with her 
 usual frankness. " I was not exactly disappointed 
 only I thought, for a moment, that it might be 
 Charlotte; but I am sure I am glad to see you. 
 Do come in and be friendly." 
 
 The sound of Catharine's gentle voice roused the 
 little sleepers. The manner in which they saluted 
 
EARLY FRIENDSHIPS. 45 
 
 each other, plainly indicated that a real affection 
 subsisted between them ; it expressed an under- 
 stood compact of benevolent solicitude and pro- 
 tection on the one part, and respectful tenderness 
 and compliance on the other. In the tone and 
 manners of Catharine there was nothing dictatorial 
 or assuming ; and yet, her cousins were evidently 
 accustomed to regard her suggestions with defer- 
 ence, and to receive her kindness with gratitude 
 and love. 
 
 While Catharine assisted one of the little girls 
 in dressing, Helen, almost unconsciously for it 
 was a service to which she had been long ac- 
 customed took to the other. 
 
 " Thank you kindly," said Catharine ; " but it 
 is a shame you should be disturbed from your 
 drawing. I hope you will not find my cousins 
 occasion you annoyance; and, if they do not, I 
 shall heartily rejoice in their removal hither: it 
 will be much more for their comfort and advantage, 
 than remaining in the great room. But, as they 
 are considered as my charge, and Mrs. Gilbert has 
 given me leave to attend to them, you must tell 
 me freely whether my coming in to do so will be 
 an additional annoyance and interruption to your 
 studies ; for I would make any contrivance rather 
 than incommode you." 
 
 " Indeed, Catharine, you will not incommode 
 me. I have hitherto enjoyed my room alone; 
 but I shall be really glad to have a little company : 
 I can do all my work full half an hour before 
 school time, and that half hour it will be quite 
 
46 EARLY FRIENDSHIPS. 
 
 pleasant to spend together, while your cousins are 
 dressing. Mamma always let me help her to wash 
 and dress the younger children ; so it seems quite 
 natural to me to have something of that sort 
 to do." 
 
 " I am glad to hear you say so. When we 
 heard, last night, what was proposed, Miss Har- 
 rington said, you were so fond of seclusion, she 
 was sure it would be a great annoyance to you to 
 have companions especially two such little ones. 
 I suppose she thought so, from your not being 
 frightened and distressed at sleeping alone, .as 
 most of the girls would have been." 
 
 " I now see, what I did not think about when 
 I was at home how kind it was of my dear 
 mamma to teach me to be happy whether I was 
 alone or in company." 
 
 " Ah, you are a happy girl, to have a dear 
 mamma living! I had one" 
 
 The little Lloyds each threw an arm round 
 Catharine's neck, and kissed away the tears that 
 this mournful recollection impelled. Helen grasped 
 her hand in silent sympathy. The pressure and 
 the kisses were returned, and the emotion sup- 
 pressed. Catharine was not a girl of sentimental 
 display, but of deep and quiet feeling. 
 
 "Poor Louisa! she has never been taught as 
 youlhave) andjsheA istoniserablfe if left alone for five 
 minutes/espexjialjy in the dark. When removed 
 into a single-bedded/ room, on account of having 
 the measles, she threw herself into fits; and the 
 doctor told Mrs. Gilbert, that her health was far 
 
EARLY FRIENDSHIPS. 47 
 
 more injured by the ceaseless agitation of her 
 spirits, than by the violence of the disease. She 
 considers it quite an act of heroism in you to 
 endure sleeping alone, and looks upon you with 
 astonishment." 
 
 " Poor girl ! I am sure I pity her for caring 
 about it. My little brother, who is not a year old, 
 is always laid down awake, and left without a 
 candle. If Louisa's mother had used her so when 
 she was little, it would not have been a trouble to 
 her now." 
 
 " No ; but I suppose, when little, she was left 
 to servants, as her mother is very much out in 
 company. You and I have reason to be thankful 
 for the early care of good parents." 
 
 " Yes, indeed we have. I have been much 
 more sensible of this, during the short time I have 
 been at school, than ever I was before. If in any- 
 thing I do right, I find it is by acting on these 
 plans, and following their examples; and, if I do 
 wrong, it is from not recollecting what I was taught 
 at home." 
 
 " These poor girls, who came in last night, I 
 suppose can recollect but little of their home. 
 They were born in the East Indies, and are sent 
 over to England for education. It is two years 
 since they left their parents." 
 
 * f Poor girls ! and who has taken care of them 
 all that time?" 
 
 " I suppose they have guardians in England; 
 but they have been under the care of a black nurse, 
 who came over with them, and brought them here 
 
48 EARLY FRIENDSHIPS. 
 
 last night. Miss Armstrong saw her ; she seemed 
 very fond of the young ladies, and was almost 
 heart-broken at parting with them, and sadly 
 afraid of their not heing made warm and comfort- 
 ahle here. She calls it cold weather now, and 
 begged several additional blankets, and that the 
 curtains might be closely drawn round the bed in 
 which the young ladies were to sleep. I believe 
 that was the reason of the arrangement which has 
 thrown my cousins with you. The bed in Miss 
 Green's room has hangings of thick moreen; 
 and, Miss Green being herself a native of a warmer 
 climate, they are more likely to agree about keep- 
 ing the windows shut, and the curtains drawn, 
 than you, who have been used to enjoy the fresh 
 air." 
 
 " It is very kind of Mrs. Gilbert to have consi- 
 dered all this. I really don't know anything more 
 uncomfortable than to be shut up in a close room 
 on a fine spring morning the air is so refreshing 
 and delightful ; and yet, poor girls, I hope I should 
 have endeavoured to make them comfortable, if 
 they had been placed here ; though I am much 
 better pleased in having the Misses Lloyd." 
 
 " I think Mrs. Gilbert must have had their 
 comfort in view, as well as yours. They were 
 sadly teased among so many, in the great room." 
 
 " Yes, indeed we were, cousin ; and you will 
 see if we do not get on better with our lessons : 
 you do not know how it hindered us. 
 
 " Indeed, cousin, we tried not to be vexed, as 
 you told us ; but we could not always help it. 
 
EARLY FRIENDSHIPS. 49 
 
 Directly we took up a book, they would set up 
 calling us nanny-goats, and leek-loves, and then 
 it put us in a pet, and made the lessons go out of 
 our heads." 
 
 "Well, Maria, you must forget all that now; 
 it is not worth mentioning any more ; and I hope 
 you will not miss a word in your lessons, now you 
 have no such annoyance." 
 
 At breakfast-time Charlotte Harrington scarcely 
 deigned a look, much less addressed a word, to 
 Helen. She was worshipping the rising sun. 
 Her entire attention was directed to the new comers, 
 and every expedient was tried to attract their 
 attention to her. She offered them information, to 
 which they were indifferent introductions to com- 
 panions, whom they haughtily disdained speci- 
 mens of work, which they were too indolent to 
 admire or imitate and delicacies, which they were 
 too richly supplied to render acceptable. The 
 Misses Gray were evidently full of self-conse- 
 quence. They seemed to feel themselves degraded 
 by being placed on a level, in accommodations and 
 employments, with Europeans, and to regard as 
 contemptible everything that did not come up to 
 their oriental ideas of magnificence and splendour. 
 But though, in laying siege to their friendship, 
 Charlotte found herself repulsed at several of the 
 ordinary points of attack, she persevered, until 
 she found one at which they were not invulnerable. 
 She flattered their vanity, by affecting to admire, 
 and encouraging them to display, their expensive 
 but tawdry and ill-assorted wardrobe, and to listen 
 
 t 
 
50 EARLY FRIENDSHIPS. 
 
 with interest to their accounts of the sumptuous 
 style in which they had been accustomed to live, 
 the number of servants employed in ministering 
 to their luxury and caprice, the total disregard of 
 expense in the arrangements made for their voyage 
 and education, and the splendid prospects awaiting 
 their return. By assiduously plying the humours 
 of the new comers on these points, before the day was 
 out, Charlotte had succeeded in ingratiating her- 
 self with them, and, in the course of a week or 
 two, had rendered them so much assistance in dis- 
 posing of their superabundant pocket-money, in 
 secret purchases, by the intervention of one of the 
 day-scholars, that she found herself admitted as 
 an intimate and acknowledged friend. Helen, and 
 all professions of friendship for her, were, of course, 
 forgotten. 
 
 The new arrangement, however, brought Helen 
 into contact with other young people, of tastes and 
 habits more congenial with her own. The cha- 
 racter of Charlotte's friendships had uniformly been 
 ardent, exclusive, and transient. While the fit 
 lasted, no girl could profess more loudly, nor, per- 
 haps, feel more vehemently, than Charlotte did. 
 She was, probably, unconscious of the great pro- 
 portion of selfishness that mingled in her attach- 
 ments, though it was sufficiently obvious to every- 
 body else ; and it may be supposed she persuaded 
 herself that she had a decided preference and 
 warm attachment for the favoured individual, ade- 
 quate to her professions. Then, in the super- 
 abundant strength of her individual attachments 
 
EARLY FRIENDSHIPS. 51 
 
 she seemed to lose sight of the duty and the pos- 
 sibility of cherishing and evincing universal good- 
 will. With the object of her choice she professed, 
 and she claimed to reciprocate, all the kindly feel- 
 ings that each had to bestow. It was at least an 
 implied part of the compact of friendship, with 
 Charlotte, that every other person was to be 
 treated with neglect, if not with marked dislike. 
 It was, however, against her statutes of friendship, 
 to interchange friendly offices with any other than 
 herself. It was exacted as lawful and loyal com- 
 merce, to collect, and communicate, and magnify 
 any information, especially disparaging informa- 
 tion, concerning themselves or their families. In- 
 deed, to stimulate and gratify an idle, often a ma- 
 lignant curiosity, seemed to be the chief object for 
 which her friendships were formed. Hence, they 
 were not very likely to be lasting. This kind of 
 commerce invariably leads to disagreement. One 
 party or the other betrays the secrets which have 
 been ardently coveted, and perhaps illicitly at- 
 tained ; for a secret, like fine dress, affords little 
 gratification to the possessor, unless it be displayed. 
 Unfounded, exaggerated, or injurious reports, are 
 spread ; the resentment of the party concerned is 
 kindled, and the friends are induced to criminate 
 each other, in order to screen themselves. Seve- 
 ral of Charlotte's friendships were thus broken up, 
 and converted into bitter hostility. In other cases, 
 as in that of the generous and simple-hearted 
 Helen, Charlotte's friendship was unconsciously 
 
52 EARLY FRIENDSHIPS. 
 
 forfeited to a surmise that her friend had treason- 
 ably presumed to love and be beloved by others 
 besides herself. In no case could it be expected 
 to survive the attractions of a new comer, and the 
 tempting opportunity of acquiring new secrets. 
 Within forty-eight hours of the arrival of a new 
 scholar, some quarrel was sure to arise between 
 Charlotte and her old friend, opportunely to set 
 her at liberty to do homage to the rising sun. 
 Helen had but little cause to regret that the two 
 latter circumstances had combined to terminate an 
 intimacy, unsought, indeed, on her part, and which 
 had, by no means, been productive either of real 
 pleasure or improvement. What had been ob- 
 served of her habits and character, and what had 
 been gleaned or surmised about her family, pro- 
 bably furnished Charlotte with matter for a jest or 
 a mystery, with her new companions^ From this, 
 no very serious mischief was likely to arise ; for 
 Helen, having had nothing particular either to con- 
 ceal or to communicate, but few topics of ridicule 
 could have presented themselves, even to the fer- 
 tile imagination of Charlotte. Simplicity of cha- 
 racter, and orderliness of habits, are but lame and 
 unprolific themes for ill-natured merriment. Peo- 
 ple soon become tired of laughing at them. 
 
 Helen now found herself at liberty to chat with, 
 or even to walk arm in arm down the garden, with 
 any one of the young ladies, without incurring the 
 jealous charge of a violation of friendship. Of 
 this privilege, however, she but sparingly availed 
 
EARLY FRIENDSHIPS. 53 
 
 herself; for circumstances and preference con- 
 curred in throwing her principally into the society 
 of a few. 
 
 From a native kindness of disposition, strength- 
 ened by the early cultivation of good habits, and 
 the inculcation of good principles at home, Helen 
 devoted a considerable portion of attention tp, her 
 little chamber associates. She assisted them in 
 preparing their lessons, or rather, in understanding 
 them, and patiently and gently rectified their mis- 
 takes, without laughing at them for their Welch 
 accent, or for the ludicrous blunders into which 
 they sometimes fell, in consequence of their im- 
 perfect knowledge of the English language. These 
 children, though quick and irritable in their tem- 
 pers, and easily thrown off their guard by the 
 ridicule and persecution they had endured from 
 many of the elder girls no one more than Char- 
 lotte were of peculiarly affectionate and grateful 
 dispositions. They soon forgot their little resent- 
 ments of past unkindness, but cherished the most 
 lively sense of kindness and attachment to those 
 from whom they received it. Catharine and Helen, 
 their joint benefactors, jointly received their heart- 
 warm tribute of gratitude and love : and, pitiable 
 they who are strangers to the pleasure arising from 
 the society of those they have benefited ! There 
 is no one so young or so lowly, as to be excluded 
 from sharing this privilege ; and the young person 
 'who renders herself amiable by acts and habits of 
 unassuming kindness, can scarcely fail of being 
 surrounded by agreeable company. The new 
 
 F2 
 
54 EARLY FRIENDSHIPS. 
 
 arrangements brought Helen also into frequent 
 contact with Catharine. As they became better 
 acquainted with each other's character, they found 
 increasing pleasure in each other's society. They 
 found mutual improvement in pursuing their 
 several studies together, and participated in their 
 fancy-works and other pursuits of recreation, and 
 plans of benevolence. By incidental remarks, 
 without either of the young ladies incurring the 
 charge of impertinent tattle about family affairs, 
 or of egotistical vanity in relating her own history, 
 each felt an interest in the family of the other. 
 Catharine had learnt that Helen was blest with 
 wise and good parents, who endeavoured to train 
 her up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord 
 that she had several younger brothers and 
 sisters, by most of whom she was affectionately 
 remembered; and, of the very youngest, she re- 
 ceived, with interest, the intelligence of the cutting 
 of a tooth, running alone, acquiring accessions to 
 the vocabulary, and other infantine feats, which 
 awaken lively pleasure in the members of an 
 affectionate family. The communications of Ca- 
 tharine to Helen were of a more plaintive kind. 
 Her beloved mother had died in consumption, a 
 few months before. Her father's health and spirits 
 were shattered by this affecting bereavement; 
 and Catharine sometimes feared that he would 
 never recover. Her elder brother was placed with 
 his uncle, the architect, at Chesterfield. She had 
 three sisters, considerably younger than herself, 
 and a little brother, not much more than a year 
 
EARLY FRIENDSHIPS. 55 
 
 old. Two cousins, nearly her own age, and the 
 companions of her childhood, had been carried off 
 within a few days of each other, by malignant 
 fever, from which their mother, who took the in- 
 fection from them, was slowly recovering. The 
 mother of the little Lloyds (who had been dead 
 four or five years) was the cousin and intimate 
 friend of Mrs. Millman, who, at her death, took 
 charge of the little girls. Their father was never 
 mentioned. Catharine knew that, had her mo- 
 ther's life been spared, she would have watched 
 the education of these children with solicitude all 
 but equal to that she felt for her own ; and, with- 
 out making any vows and promises, it was evident 
 that Catharine was quietly endeavouring, in some 
 degree, to fulfil her mother's wishes on their 
 behalf. 
 
 Catharine's early acquaintance with scenes of 
 affliction and bereavement, had naturally cast 
 somewhat of a pensive shade over a naturally 
 cheerful temper. Helen's family had been mer- 
 cifully spared the afflictions with which that of her 
 companion had been so familiar. Her early years 
 had realized an unusually large portion of health 
 and enjoyment. Having been trained to obedience 
 and self-control, she was a stranger to imaginary 
 troubles. Hence, her countenance usually wore 
 a joyous expression. She possessed, nevertheless, 
 a thoughtful mind, and a feeling heart. Though 
 habitually cheerful, she never gave way to that 
 rude, boisterous mirth, that cannot restrain itself, 
 even in the sacred presence of sorrow, but obtrudes 
 
56 EARLY FRIENDSHIPS. 
 
 its incongruous songs and jests on the ear of one 
 who is " heavy of heart." (Prov. xxv. 18.) Helen, 
 on the contrary, promptly manifested that delicate 
 sympathy which can " rejoice with them that re- 
 joice, and weep with them that weep." (Rom. xii. 
 15.) She took a share in the sorrows of her com- 
 panion ; and, when Catharine received a letter, 
 without anything like impertinent inquisitiveness, 
 she inquired, with feeling interest, after the health 
 of the several objects of her solicitude, and sooth- 
 ingly encouraged every rising hope of restoration 
 to health. 
 
 Catharine shared the chamber of Miss Arm- 
 strong. This privilege for such she justly 
 deemed it was the result of some previous ac- 
 quaintance between the families of the young 
 ladies. Miss Armstrong had been several years 
 under the care of Mrs. Gilbert. She had now at- 
 tained the age when young ladies generally leave 
 school, or, as it is most mistakingly expressed, 
 " finish their education;" but, at her own desire, 
 her residence with her excellent governess was 
 protracted until her father's return to England. 
 Although far in advance of her companions, she 
 wished to pursue her studies, and continue to 
 enjoy the instructions of masters ; which latter 
 advantage would not have been accessible had she 
 left school and returned to her aunts, their residence 
 being fixed in a sequestered village. Miss Jen- 
 nings, a niece of Mrs. Gilbert, had long been the 
 chosen friend of Miss Armstrong. They had 
 pursued their studies together, and shared their 
 
EARLY FRIENDSHIPS. 57 
 
 recreations. Miss Jennings had several times 
 spent the vacation with her friend, at the house of 
 her aunts. But the education of Miss Jennings 
 had been conducted with a view to her becoming 
 an assistant in the management of Mrs. Gilbert's 
 establishment. In order to this, it was considered 
 desirable that she should remove for a time, until 
 the race with whom she had been familiar, as 
 fellow-pupils, should have passed away. It was 
 by the recommendation of the aunts of Miss Arm- 
 strong, that Mr. Millman, when the death of his 
 amiable wife cut short their purpose of giving to 
 their daughter a home education, was induced to 
 place her under the care of Mrs. Gilbert. Catha- 
 rine was thus especially thrown upon the notice of 
 Marianne; and, as her entering the school was 
 about the time of Miss Jennings leaving it, she 
 succeeded her in sharing Marianne's chamber. 
 There was only one ground on which Catharine 
 regretted this arrangement : it was, that it occa- 
 sioned her separation from the little Lloyds, and 
 their being thrown among several of the elder girls, 
 whose illiberal taunts, and general example, she 
 feared were exercising an injurious influence, both 
 on their temper and habits. This difficulty had 
 been obviated by their removal into Helen's room 
 a change as agreeable to themselves, as it was 
 satisfactory to their young protectress. The same 
 circumstance that brought Catharine and Helen 
 into contact, brought the latter considerably nearer 
 to Miss Armstrong. In the manners of that young 
 lady, there was a considerable portion of reserve 
 
58 EARLY FRIENDSHIPS. 
 
 and shyness, often ascribed to pride. Pride is 
 such a universal sin, that it would argue an ex- 
 treme ignorance of human nature to claim for any 
 individual an entire freedom from it. Marianne 
 Armstrong was too much accustomed to reflection 
 and self-examination, to advance any such pre- 
 tence; but, in the sense in which pride was 
 charged upon her by many of Mrs. Gilbert's 
 young ladies, the imputation was altogether un- 
 just. The grounds on which it was alleged were 
 simply these : she was a young lady of fortune ; 
 she was a young lady accustomed to think and 
 read ; and she was not a young lady who inquired 
 into, or communicated other people's affairs : 
 therefore, she must be proud. It might easily be 
 proved, that wherein, in these respects, Miss 
 Armstrong acted differently from many of her 
 young companions, she was actuated by a sense 
 of responsibility, more deep and influential than 
 usually belongs to persons of her age ; that she 
 knew the value of time, and had found ways of 
 employing it, far more innocent, profitable, and 
 agreeable, than in idle tattle ; and that, while she 
 avoided impertinent curiosity in the concerns of 
 other people, she was never backward in improving 
 opportunities of doing them kindness, though at 
 considerable personal sacrifice; and that, all the 
 while, she entertained very sober and humble 
 views of herself. Those who knew her best were 
 least inclined to charge her with pride or mo- 
 roseness. Nor was this young lady by any 
 means unsusceptible of the emotions of warm and 
 
EARLY FRIENDSHIPS. 59 
 
 generous friendship. Indeed, she might be re- 
 garded as a fair exemplification of the remark of 
 Mrs. Hannah More, that " shy characters, who, 
 from natural timidity, are reserved in general 
 society, open themselves with peculiar warmth and 
 frankness to a few select friends, or to an indivi- 
 dual of whom they think kindly. A distant man- 
 ner is not, as is suspected, the result of a cold 
 heart or a dull head; nor is gaiety necessarily 
 connected with feeling. High animal spirits, 
 though they often evaporate in mere talk, yet, by 
 their warmth and quickness of motion, obtain the 
 credit of strong sensibility ; a sensibility, however, 
 of which the heart is not always the fountain : 
 while, in the timid, that silence which is construed 
 into pride, indifference, or want of capacity, is 
 often the effect of keen feelings. Friendship is 
 the genial climate in which such hearts disclose 
 themselves ; they flourish in the shade, and kind- 
 ness alone makes them expand. A keen discerner 
 will often detect, in such characters, qualities which 
 are not always connected with 
 
 ' The rattling tongue 
 Of saucy and audacious eloquence.'" 
 
 With Miss Jennings, Marianne had maintained 
 ^n affectionate and unreserved friendship; not 
 that kind of friendship imagined and aspired after, 
 and falsely dignified with the name, by Charlotte 
 Harrington, and a hundred other school girls, but 
 a real union of tastes, feelings, pursuits, and in- 
 terests a steady compact and aim to promote 
 
60 EARLY FRIENDSHIPS. 
 
 mutual improvement each aiming to render her- 
 self and her friend more worthy of mutual esteem, 
 and thus to secure their attachment against the 
 ephemeral date of those friendships which are 
 taken up without reason, carried on without ad- 
 vantage, and terminated without regret* 
 
 Being now separated, Marianne and her friend 
 maintained intercourse hy letter ; not the crossed 
 and doubly crossed sheets of " sentimental frippery" 
 and drearcH not the fulsome flattery and empty 
 professions not the protestation of utter solitari- 
 ness and desolation, in the temporary absence of the 
 addressed friend, which form the epistolary corre- 
 spondence of many young ladies ; but a rational and 
 sober communication of facts and sentiments, and 
 kindly remembrances, which might be mutually 
 interesting, improving, and gratifying. So far 
 from a profession that no other individual should 
 ever be permitted to share her friendship, Miss 
 Armstrong freely informed her early friend, and the 
 information was received with unfeigned pleasure, 
 that she found in Catharine Millman a very intel- 
 ligent and amiable companion, for whom she enter- 
 tained a growing regard ; and the period of Miss 
 Jennings's return was anticipated with pleasure, 
 when, without enfeebling or interrupting the har- 
 mony, their former duet should be exchanged for 
 a trio. Towards the close of the half year, Helen 
 Somers also was kindly mentioned. Helen, as 
 well as Catharine, was not unfrequently invited, 
 by permission of the head of the establishment, 
 to share the privilege which Marianne, as parlour 
 
EARLY FRIENDSHIPS. 01 
 
 boarder enjoyed, of sitting in her own room out 
 of school hours. The books and conversation of 
 this accomplished young lady, formed a valuable 
 source of improvement and pleasure to her young 
 friends, and requited them for their kindness to 
 others much younger and more unimproved than 
 themselves. 
 
 There was yet another individual who partici- 
 pated in the good offices of her more diligent and 
 more advanced school-fellows. Louisa Ellis* by 
 her incessant talking of nonsense, had sadly re- 
 tarded her improvement, and had rendered herself 
 the butt of ridicule to the whole school, except 
 one or two, who were good-natured enough to 
 regard her with pity, and to wish that they could 
 contribute to her improvement. Louisa, with all 
 her faults, was sensible of kindness, and accessible 
 to reproof. She even received, without resent- 
 ment, many rebukes that were not dictated by 
 kindness, or expressed in a manner likely to con- 
 ciliate or improve. This amiable disposition af- 
 forded ground of hope that Louisa was not incor- 
 rigible : there was, however, this discouraging fea- 
 ture in her character by no means uncommon : 
 though possessing a full consciousness of her fault, 
 and sufficient candour freely to acknowledge it, 
 she made no decided and persevering effort to get 
 cured of it. Miss Millman, having received per- 
 mission of her governess to assist her Welch cou- 
 sins in dressing, and in preparing their appointed 
 tasks, was in the habit of visiting their cham- 
 ber every morning, for that purpose, and called 
 G 
 
62 EARLY FRIENDSHIPS. 
 
 them, generally half an hour earlier than most of 
 the girls were accustomed to rise. Louisa was 
 continually in trouble, through her giddiness and 
 inattention, and, without any deficiency of natural 
 abilities, almost uniformly maintained her posi- 
 tion at the bottom of her class. She had, in 
 general, pretty well reconciled herself to this, by 
 an indolent wish that she could rise, like other 
 girls coupled with a vague, senseless conclusion, 
 " but it was not her lot she never was lucky 
 it was of no use for her to try." But, when she 
 found herself outstripped by two little girls much 
 younger than herself, and the subjects of disadvan- 
 tages to which she was a stranger, she was stimu- 
 lated to inquire into the cause. True, they were 
 diligent and attentive ; yet she could not quite con- 
 sent to trace all their success to these humble 
 merits. No; it must be in consequence of the 
 assistance they received from their cousin ; and, if 
 Louisa had but a kind friend to render her the 
 same assistance, she could, no doubt, get on as well 
 as they. She begged the favour of Catharine to 
 call her at the same time with the Misses Lloyd, 
 and to permit her, with them, to prepare her les- 
 sons under her superintendence. The favour was 
 granted, and, for a few days, so well improved, 
 that Louisa had gone through a whole week with- 
 out disgrace, and had even astonished her class, by 
 taking two removes from her old station at the 
 bottom. But success soon threw her off her guard. 
 Instead of diligently applying herself to her les- 
 sons, and attending to the hints given by Ca- 
 
EARLY FRIENDSHIPS. 63 
 
 tharine, for facilitating tneir attainment, she fell into 
 her old folly of senseless chattering, and thus de- 
 prived herself of advantages she was beginning to 
 acquire, and proved, also, a great interruption to 
 her companions. Catharine finding their attention 
 dissipated, and her endeavours for their improve- 
 ment frustrated, by Louisa's frivolity, had come to 
 the conclusion that she must, though reluctantly, 
 exclude that giddy girl from a benefit which she 
 had so justly forfeited. The removal of the 
 Lloyds into Helen's room, opportunely removed 
 them from an influence that was beginning to be 
 injurious, and, at the same time, spared Catharine 
 the pain of inflicting the deserved and threaten ed 
 punishment. 
 
 Poor Louisa was no sooner deprived of her pri- 
 vilege, than she became doubly sensible of its 
 value, and bitterly bewailed its loss. She could, 
 however, have no hope of regaining it. The ad- 
 mission of one pupil to the chamber of another, 
 was, in the case of Catharine and her cousins, a 
 solitary departure from an established rule of the 
 house, and it was not at all likely to be extended, 
 in a case where no particular previous connexion 
 existed. Besides, Louisa could not but feel con- 
 scious that she had forfeited all claim to her kind- 
 ness, and had no reason to expect that Catharine 
 would be inclined to devise means for continuing to 
 render the assistance that had been so much abused. 
 Louisa was again in trouble and disgrace, for her 
 negligence and inattention, and again she was 
 "looking round for some friend to help her out of 
 
04 EARLY FRIENDSHIPS. 
 
 her troubles. Charlotte Harrington had formerly 
 helped her, but she was now too much engrossed 
 with her new friends, to remember her old ones. 
 Besides, the half year was far advanced, and 
 Louisa's pocket resources began to run low ; and 
 she knew that Charlotte's favours could only be 
 purchased by expensive presents, in which she 
 could not at all compete with the present favourites. 
 
 It was writing-day ; the desks were being placed. 
 Helen Somers tripped along, carrying her cipher- 
 ing-book and slate, with that air of satisfaction 
 on her countenance and in her step, that spe.-iks 
 the successful accomplishment of an enterprise. 
 Having deposited her performance, ready for 
 examination, as she turned from the desk, she 
 spied Louisa sitting behind the door of the book 
 closet, disconsolately brooding over her troubles. 
 She turned over her slate, bearing a yet un- 
 attempted sum, and her falling tears threatened to 
 obliterate the puzzling figures. Helen kindly 
 stopped, to inquire into the cause of her .distress, 
 and to offer any assistance that might be in her 
 power. Louisa's countenance in an instant 
 brightened up. 
 
 " Oh yes," she replied, " indeed you can help 
 me ; how very kind of you to offer ! you could 
 do this horrid sum in five minutes I know you 
 could. You cannot think how much I am obliged 
 to you. I am sure, if I have anything you like, 
 I would give it you with all my heart, for helping 
 me. I never was in such trouble before; but I 
 have had no luck at all since Maria and Fanny 
 
EA.RLY FRIENDSHIPS. 65 
 
 left our room : you know Catharine used to help 
 me a little, as well as them. Was it not very kind 
 of her? but since that, I have had no friend to 
 help me at all: but do, dear Miss Somers, take 
 pity on me. I know they tried to set you against 
 me at first, because I talked so much; but I 
 always thought, sometime or other, you would be 
 my friend." 
 
 Helen was obliged to cut short the speech, by 
 reminding Louisa that only a few minutes re- 
 mained for accomplishing her sum, before the 
 writing-master would arrive ; "and," added she, 
 "if you find any difficulty in your sum, I shall be 
 very willing to put you in the way of doing it; 
 though I should not think it right to do it for 
 you." 
 
 "Oh, will you not, indeed?" asked the half- 
 desponding Louisa; "Charlotte Harrington has 
 ^ften done a sum for me, and it was never found 
 out. Do, pray, help me this once I will do any- 
 thing for you I will give you a pearl from my 
 necklace." 
 
 " Thank you, Louisa; I do not wish to take 
 anything from you. As far as it is right to help 
 you, I will do it for the pleasure of helping ; but 
 I must not do that which would injure you, and 
 displease Mrs. Gilbert. You know you cannot 
 improve by what I do for you ; and, if Charlotte 
 had not done your sums, perhaps by this time 
 you would have found no difficulty in doing them 
 yourself." 
 
66 EARLY FRIENDSHIPS. 
 
 " I am sure it is impossible I should ever do 
 this sum." 
 
 " Oh no not at all, if you do but take off your 
 mind from everything else, and give it your whole 
 attention for a few minutes. Come, now, repeat 
 your rule." 
 
 With some difficulty He] en succeeded in fixing 
 her companion to observe the rule, and its appli- 
 cation to the sum in question; and, though she 
 was once or twice breaking off into some story 
 about Charlotte, or Catharine, or one of-her uncles, 
 by dint of perseverance in steadily, yet gently 
 driving her back to the point, the impracticable 
 sum was correctly worked, within the given time, 
 by Louisa herself, who then felt much more really 
 obliged to Helen, than if she had yielded to her 
 importunity, and worked it for her. In this way 
 Helen often afforded Louisa some assistance in 
 the prosecution of her school duties, and, what 
 was still more, in the conquest of her foolish pro- 
 pensity the love of unnecessary talking. Helen 
 engaged daily to devote a few minutes to bringing 
 Louisa on with her lessons and sums, on the ex- 
 press condition that she should not speak on any 
 other subject, nor say one unnecessary word, even 
 about what she was learning Helen being herself 
 engaged in performing her own duties. This little 
 daily exercise did something to convince Louisa, 
 to her utter astonishment, that much might be 
 done without talking indeed, that silence was 
 absolutely favourable to attention, diligence, and 
 
EARLY FRIENDSHIPS. 67 
 
 memory; a fact to which she was, apparently, a 
 total stranger. 
 
 Thus matters went on to the Midsummer vaca- 
 tion. Helen had gained the general good- will of 
 the school, but had made no particular profession 
 of friendship for any one. She took an affection- 
 ate leave of her governess and fellow pupils, but 
 there were no appearances of heart-breaking no 
 complaints of the tedious separation ; nor, on the 
 other hand, were there any of those senseless ac- 
 clamations of joy at being freed, for a time, from 
 business, and restrictions of school, by which some 
 young people insult their kind instructors, and 
 prove how little they are inclined to value, and 
 profit by, the privileges of instruction. Helen 
 was soberly glad to think of seeing home again, 
 and all its dear inmates, and of presenting the 
 little tokens of affectionate regard, which her in- 
 dustry and ingenuity had prepared for each ; but 
 she did not exult in the thought of leaving school, 
 as if it were a prison or a purgatory : she felt a 
 real interest in her pursuits, and attachment and 
 gratitude to her governess and other instructors ; 
 and she looked forward with pleasure to returning, 
 after an interval of recreation, with new zest to 
 her studies and engagements. Louisa could 
 scarcely enter into these sentiments and feelings ; 
 though she confessed that, after the first few days 
 of unbounded liberty at home, and taking her 
 pleasure, and seeing the sights of London, she be- 
 came heartily tired of it. To do her justice, among 
 her pleasantest anticipations of the holidays were 
 
68 EARLY FRIENDSHIPS. 
 
 those of presents to be received, and purchases to 
 l)e made, for the gratification of those who had 
 been kind to her at school. Catharine, who also 
 resided in London, was to spend part of the vaca- 
 tion with Miss Armstrong, at the house of her 
 aunts; where Miss Jennings, the early friend of 
 Miss Armstrong, was to meet them. Catharine 
 deeply felt the kindness of this arrangement, and 
 sometimes looked forward to it with pleasure ; but 
 her young heart had been repeatedly wounded by 
 affliction, and a pensive hue was cast over even 
 the pleasures of hope. 
 
 " Perhaps," thought she, " instead of being per- 
 mitted to share the enjoyments of my friends, I 
 may be called to some new scene of sorrow and 
 bereavement. Ah! I wish I could feel as my 
 dear mamma felt, when she used to say, so sweetly, 
 * Father, thy will be done ! ' If I may but be 
 fitted to dwell where she is, and there meet all 
 who have been dear to me, how willingly should 
 I bow to all that I may have to meet with here 
 below." 
 
 A smile shone through her tears, as the thought 
 of holy solace diffused itself over her mind ; and 
 she added, " yet, after all, how many mercies have 
 I still spared to me ! my dear father, and bro- 
 thers, and sisters, and many dear, kind friends; 
 and, perhaps, there is much enjoyment yet in store 
 for me. I ought not to be gloomy and ungrateful 
 no. Let me say, as my dear mamma said, 
 when she had hardly breath to speak, * Bless the 
 Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits/ " 
 
EARLY FRIENDSHIPS. 69 
 
 It was one of Catharine's trials, that the little 
 Lloyds were to be left behind. From an anxious 
 desire to fulfil the wishes of her venerated parent, 
 she cherished for these children an almost maternal 
 tenderness, and felt an extreme reluctance to part 
 with them, lest they should be ill, or lest any one 
 should treat them unkindly, or lest they should be 
 brought under the influence of bad example, or lest 
 some one of the nameless evils should befall them, 
 that an anxious mind always beholds hovering 
 around the objects of its affection. 
 
 But so it was to be, on account of convenience 
 in domestic arrangements ; and, to avoid the ex- 
 pense of travelling, it was settled that Maria and 
 Fanny were to remain at school during the vaca- 
 tion. The Misses Gray also were to remain. 
 This circumstance by no means added to Catha- 
 rine's satisfaction in the arrangement. Of these 
 young ladies she knew but little ; but that little 
 led her to conclude that they were undesirable 
 companions for her cousins. They were exceed- 
 ingly proud ; and, as it was pretty generally sur- 
 mised in the school, that the Misses Lloyd, as 
 they became old enough to be useful, and as va- 
 cancies occurred, were to become half boarders, 
 this circumstance, if known to the Misses- Gray, 
 would probably lead them to treat the children 
 with haughtiness and scorn ; which would either 
 render them silently uncomfortable, or, what was 
 more to be apprehended, excite their quick resent- 
 ment, and lead to angry disputes. But Catharine 
 knew also, or at least strongly suspected, that, in 
 
70 EARLY FRIENDSHIPS. 
 
 many respects, these young ladies, having far too 
 much money at command, and having formed their 
 school connexions in the least desirable quarters, 
 were in the habit of purchasing gratifications, and 
 carrying on practices, contrary to the rules of the 
 establishment ; and Catharine's chief anxiety was, 
 lest, in the absence of other companions, they 
 should draw in her cousins to take part in their 
 schemes. On all these accounts Catharine felt 
 deeply, in the prospect of separation from her 
 charge. She did not, however, say much about 
 it, or suffer her feelings to expend themselves in 
 useless lamentations, but endeavoured to fortify 
 her cousins against the evils apprehended. This 
 she judiciously attempted in several ways: First, 
 by furnishing them with plenty of agreeable em- 
 ployment for their leisure time, and so connecting 
 those employments with herself, as to secure a sort 
 of imaginary presence, and thus maintain a really 
 beneficial influence. She advised them to daily 
 devote a regular portion of time to learning over 
 again the lessons of the last half year, and to recall the 
 instructions of herself, or Miss Armstrong, or Miss 
 Somers, in connexion with those lessons. This, 
 she justly thought, would promote their own im- 
 provement, and enable them to proceed with ad- 
 vantage in the business of the next half year, 
 and, at the same time* keep alive the feelings oi 
 attachment, which, when well placed, always exert 
 a beneficial influence on the character. This end 
 was also kept in view, by intrusting them with 
 the charge of gardens, and pet animals belonging 
 
EARLY FRIENDSHIPS. 71 
 
 to those friends from whom they had received 
 kindness. A few articles of the simplest kinds of 
 fancy-work, and of garments for the infant poor, 
 were left in their hands, as a stimulus to their in- 
 genuity, industry, and benevolence. Catharine 
 engaged them also, each to write her a weekly let- 
 ter, informing her of the progress of their various 
 pursuits. It was probable that opportunities 
 might occur of forwarding them ; if not, Catharine 
 assured the little girls that she should feel great 
 interest in reading them on her return. She en- 
 deavoured also to strengthen their feelings of 
 attachment and respect for their excellent gover- 
 ness. She encouraged them to consider her as their 
 friend, and impressed on them a sense of the duty 
 of consulting her wishes in all their conduct of 
 acting conscientiously and uprightly when not ob- 
 served and of informing her, if they should be 
 exposed to any temptation to act improperly. 
 In their intercourse with the other young ladies, 
 who were to remain in the establishment during 
 the vacation, she begged them to be kind, accom- 
 modating, and forbearing to check their somewhat 
 impetuous tempers to be careful neither to give 
 nor take offence to make special allowance for the 
 different manners of foreigners and to ascribe to 
 that, rather than to ill intention, anything that 
 might appear unkind. At the same time, she 
 charged them against yielding to persuasion or 
 example, that might lead them to do wrong. Ca- 
 tharine, after the example of her mother, had 
 accustomed the little girls daily to commit to me- 
 
72 EARLY FRIENDSHIPS. 
 
 mory a verse of Scripture. In the prospect of 
 leaving them, she judiciously selected such por- 
 tions as were peculiarly calculated to guard them 
 against temptation, and to strengthen and en- 
 courage them in the way of duty. 
 
 Thus the young people separated for the recess. 
 Catharine, Louisa, Charlotte, and several others, 
 resident in London, were accompanied thither by 
 one of the teachers ; Miss Armstrong was attended 
 by a servant of her aunts; Mrs. Gilbert, who 
 was visiting relations in the neighbourhood of 
 Derby, conducted Helen thither, where she was 
 met by her father, and proceeded with delight to 
 embrace the expecting dear ones at her happy 
 home. She was not, however, so much engrossed 
 with her own pleasures, as to forget a packet in- 
 trusted to her by Catharine, to be left in passing 
 through Chesterfield. When the coachman drew 
 up to the inn in that town, Helen's quick, and now 
 interested eye, fixed on the brass plate opposite 
 " Hollingsby, Surveyor and Architect," and she 
 requested her father to deliver the packet. Helen's 
 eyes followed him to the door, which was opened 
 by the youth in black, whom she recollected as hav- 
 ing spoken to their former fellow-passenger. In 
 an instant her father returned, bringing from Mrs. 
 Hollingsby a pressing invitation to come in and 
 take some refreshment, while the coach stopped. 
 Helen quickly dismounted, glad of an opportunity 
 of being introduced to a family in whose affections 
 she had learnt to sympathize, and who, she knew, 
 were so very dear to her school- fellow. The inter- 
 
EARLY FRIENDSHIPS. 73 
 
 view, of course was brief, but left a favourable 
 impression on the minds of all parties. Mrs. 
 Hollingsby, now restored to health, yet bearing on 
 her countenance deep traces of sorrow, received, 
 with warm cordiality, the companion of her be- 
 loved niece, and asked many questions about her, 
 and about the little Lloyds. Recollections and 
 emotions, both of a pleasing and painful kind, were 
 awakened ; but they were held under restraint, and 
 compelled to yield to expressions of polite and kind 
 attention to the comfort of the transient guests. 
 Mr. Somers and Mr. Hollingsby shook hands, and 
 recognized each other as fellow-travellers. Helen 
 was hastily introduced to the young people of the 
 family, including Alfred, the brother of Catharine. 
 It was agreed that she should call on her return 
 to school, and be the bearer of despatches in reply. 
 The horn summoned the coach passengers ; Helen 
 and her father resumed their seats; and a few 
 more rapid miles brought them to the well-known 
 spot, and the embraces of an affectionate family. 
 
 Helen's vacation was happily passed, in employ- 
 ments and recreations not very dissimilar to those 
 which formerly occupied her. She resumed her 
 post, under her mother's direction, in the charge 
 of the younger children, and found, with delight, 
 that even the youngest, though at first he seemed 
 shy, and regarded her as a stranger, soon recol- 
 lected her voice and manner, and made himself 
 quite at home with her. Needlework, household 
 duties, gardening, country rambles, and friendly 
 H 
 
74 EARLY FRIENDSHIPS. 
 
 visits, agreeably diversified the time. A vacation 
 thus wisely spent in cultivating the intimacies and 
 the habits of home, and in enabling the parents to 
 judge of the real improvement of their daughter, 
 is a most important and valuable part of the yearly 
 course of education ; while, on the other hand, the 
 recess, squandered in dissipation and display, 
 more than neutralizes the good resulting from the 
 previous months of study. In the free conversa- 
 tions between mother and daughter, which en- 
 livened the occupations of the work-table, while 
 Mrs. Somers was naturally desirous of satisfying 
 herself on all matters of importance connected with 
 the health, comfort, mental cultivation, moral 
 habits, and religious advantages of her child, she 
 wisely forbore a multitude of questions, that might 
 have excited in Helen a foolish disposition to talk 
 for talking's sake, or that might have tended to 
 elicit censorious remarks on persons, or imperti- 
 nent and mischievous interference with affairs, not 
 her own. The habit of foolish talking in children 
 is often fostered, if not originated, by the frivolous 
 questions poured upon them by those who ought 
 to know better; by which they are themselves 
 rendered impertinently inquisitive and loquacious 
 first, for the sake of having something to say, 
 and next, for the sake of showing that they have 
 it. This was peculiarly the case with Louisa 
 Ellis, a girl of good natural abilities and disposi- 
 tion, spoiled by a foolish, empty-headed, tattling 
 mother, and trained to habits which almost ex- 
 
EARLY FRIENDSHIPS. 75 
 
 eluded her from society, in which she might have 
 maintained a respectable footing. Happily, this 
 was not the case with Helen Somers: while en- 
 couraged to maintain the freest intercourse with 
 her parents, she never had been incited to talk 
 nonsense. She was under no temptation to pry 
 after or to divulge reports concerning the high 
 or the humble birth, connexions, and expectations' 
 of her school-fellows about their costly or their 
 shabby dress their accomplishments or their 
 ignorance. She had talked little about her com- 
 panions, except to mention, with gratitude, the 
 kindness of Miss Armstrong and Miss Millman, in 
 assisting her with books and information in the 
 various pursuits in which they had preceded her. 
 She spoke also, with real sympathy, of the family 
 afflictions of the last-mentioned young lady, and 
 the kindness of her relatives, on whom she had 
 called at Chesterfield; and she sometimes ex- 
 pressed a wish that the little Welch girls had, like 
 her, a happy home to visit; but she made no 
 boast of intimate friendship ; indeed, on her mo- 
 ther alluding to the conversation on friendship, 
 that had taken place before she left home, she said, 
 with much simplicity, that she had no particular 
 friend, except those at home. 
 
 But though Helen made no professions of spe- 
 cial friendship, she was no recluse or misanthrope. 
 She cherished kindly feelings to all, and special 
 regard for some of her companions ; and it was 
 soon made evident that there were several who 
 
76 EARLY FRIENDSHIPS. 
 
 claimed her as a friend, and some who cherished 
 real feelings of friendship for her. About a fort- 
 night of the holidays had elapsed, when Helen 
 received the following letter : 
 
 My dear Miss Somers, London ' My 2nd ' 
 
 " You will, no doubt, be surprised at receiving, 
 a letter from me ; but my dear Louisa has told me 
 what an amiable young lady you are, and that you 
 are her dearest friend in all the school. I there- 
 fore write to inform you, that we are going to 
 spend a month at Matlock, and shall be glad of 
 your company to spend the time with us. I have 
 sent for Miss Millman, as Louisa tells me she is a 
 great friend of you both ; and we expect to bring 
 her down with us on Friday. We shall have my 
 brother's carriage the one whom you have, no 
 doubt, often heard Louisa mention ; so will come 
 and fetch you the beginning of the week. Give 
 my compliments to your papa and mamma: they 
 need not be afraid to trust you, as I shall take 
 every care of you, the same as my own child ; and 
 you will only go into the best society for Louisa 
 tells me they are very particular; and you and 
 Louisa will be nice company for one another ; and 
 it will be a great treat to you, if you have never 
 seen the place. We shall stay the first day at the 
 Fountain Hotel, but take the best lodgings in 
 Matlock before you come; so expect to find 
 you quite ready. If we should stay a few days 
 after school begins, it will not matter, as you can 
 
EARLY FRIENDSHIPS. 77 
 
 return with Louisa in the carriage. I remain, 
 your affectionate friend, 
 
 " ELIZA SOPHIA ELLIS. 
 
 " P. S. I have received an answer from Miss 
 Millman, who is engaged to visit some friends in 
 Hertfordshire: so is prevented from waiting on 
 me." (Turn over lecif.) 
 
 " My dearest Miss Somers, 
 
 " I hope you will be able to persuade your 
 papa and mamma to let you come to Matlock, as 
 I long to see you; and I am sure mamma and 
 uncle will do everything to make you happy. I 
 am very sorry to say Miss Millman cannot come, 
 because she is going to see Miss Armstrong and 
 her aunts. Miss Millman is my next best friend 
 in the world to you ; but nobody has ever been 
 so kind to me as you : and I hope nothing will 
 happen to hinder you from coming. I have got a 
 great deal to say to you, but I must remember 
 how I got out with Miss Millman, and not talk too 
 much, as I know you do not like it. Uncle has 
 made me several handsome presents, and has 
 promised to buy a pair of bracelets for you ; but, 
 as I am not a very good hand at letter writing, I 
 must leave all the rest till I have the pleasure of 
 seeing you on Monday. Your obliged friend, 
 
 " LOUISA ELLIS." 
 
 Helen perused this joint epistle with astonish- 
 ment, and immediately put it into her mother's 
 
 H2 
 
78 EARLY FRIENDSHIPS. 
 
 hand. " So, Helen," exclaimed Mrs. Somers, " it 
 seems, after all, you have a particular friend, and 
 one who is inclined to heap upon you large fa- 
 vours. Pray who is this young lady? and what 
 have you done for her, to deserve so much grati- 
 tude and regard?" 
 
 " Indeed, mamma," replied Helen, " I do not 
 know ; Miss Ellis lives in London her father is 
 dead and, in the holidays, she goes with her 
 mamma to some of the fashionable watering- 
 places and she has several uncles, who make her 
 handsome presents ; that is all I know about her : 
 and I am sure I have not done anything particular 
 for Louisa only tried to help her a little in learn- 
 ing her lessons, and persuaded her not to put her- 
 self out by talking. I wonder how she or her 
 mamma should think of my being such a friend to 
 her, or offer to invite me to see them. Indeed, 
 mamma, I never thought of doing such a thing." 
 
 By this time Helen's father also had read the 
 letters. He smiled as he returned them. 
 
 " So, Miss Somers ! a very pretty thing indeed ! 
 to think of leaving your old friends at home, and 
 gadding about, to visit your new and very particu- 
 lar friends from school." 
 
 " Indeed, papa," said Helen, " I do not know 
 what is meant by very particular friends. Miss 
 Ellis is not at all like what mamma told me about 
 a particular friend, before I went to school. She 
 is very good-natured; but I never said anything 
 about choosing her for my friend ; and, indeed, if 
 I had my choice, I would much rather have Miss 
 
EARLY FRIENDSHIPS. 79 
 
 Millman only she is so much my superior, that I 
 cannot expect it should be so : but I do not care 
 much about having any friend. Everybody is 
 kind to me, and I wish to be kind to everybody. 
 Is not that enough ? I should not like to be as 
 some of the young ladies are, who call one another 
 particular friends. First, they are very intimate, 
 and tell one another everything they can think 
 of and then they quarrel, and do not speak to 
 one another for a week together, and choose another 
 for their friend. There was one young lady at 
 school, who called me her friend, only because we 
 were born on the same day, and on our birth-day 
 she was offended with me, and turned me off. I 
 do not know that I gave her any reason, either to 
 like me, or to quarrel with me." 
 
 "Well said, philosopher! be sure you never 
 act without reason, and good reason : it may save 
 you much bitter repentance. But, if this Miss 
 What's her name ? is not your particular friend, 
 how should you like to go and spend a month 
 with her?" 
 
 " I do not think I should like it at all, papa." 
 
 " What ! not to see Matlock, and its beautiful 
 scenery?" 
 
 "Yes, papa, I should very much like to see it, 
 with you and mamma, but not with strangers." 
 
 " But you are to be introduced to the best 
 society, and to occupy the best apartments in the 
 town, and to have a carriage to ride about in. 
 Have you thought of all this?" 
 
 " Yes, papa. It is very kind of Louisa and 
 
80 EARLY FRIENDSHIPS. 
 
 her mother to invite me ; and, if it were only for 
 a day, I might be willing to go if you and mamma 
 approved of it to show that I did not slight their 
 kindness; but to go for a whole month is very 
 different. I would much rather stay with you. 
 Indeed, though I am sure I do not know any harm 
 of Mrs. Ellis, I do not think you would like me 
 to stay a month with her. She does not seem to 
 teach Louisa as mamma teaches us; but makes 
 her think a great deal about fine dress, and grand 
 company, and pleasure-taking. They live quite 
 differently from what we do." 
 
 " Well, Helen, I am sure we do not want to 
 get rid of you ; and I am inclined to think, with 
 you, that neither papa nor mamma would be will- 
 ing to spare you on a visit, however kindly invited, 
 to persons of whom we know so little. It gives 
 me pleasure to find that you can discern the differ- 
 ence, and give the preference, to home and its 
 quiet pleasures. Come, love, give me a kiss, and 
 let us all try to make each other happy. Mrs. 
 Ellis's phrase is somewhat ambiguous ; but, what- 
 ever she may mean by ' the best society,* I fancy 
 the best and safest is to be found at home." 
 
 Helen fully concurred in the sentiment. It could 
 scarcely, however, be expected that she could entire- 
 ly draw off her mind from the invitation she had 
 received, and the pleasures she might have enjoyed, 
 or .that she should, quite as composedly as usual, 
 set about the regular employments which she 
 regularly pursued with so much satisfaction. It 
 was really a great trial of her magnanimity and 
 
EARLY FRIENDSHIPS. 81 
 
 constancy. Her kind parents sympathized with 
 her, and endeavoured to communicate to her 
 mind a soothing consciousness of their sympathy. 
 By their advice she at once freed herself of suspense 
 and wavering, hy immediately writing, to decline 
 the invitation. On this occasion, among many 
 others, Helen experienced the advantage of sim- 
 plicity of character. She was not puzzled to find 
 plausible apologies and excuses, hut felt no hesita- 
 tion in stating the simple truth, in a very few 
 lines. She expressed her sincere thanks for the 
 kindness intended her, and respectfully declined 
 the invitation, on the real ground of happy 
 engagements at home, and the unwillingness of 
 the family to be separated for any part of the 
 remaining holidays, especially as it was the wish 
 of her parents that she should return to Holly 
 Grove on the day that school opened. There was 
 only one point on which Helen felt any difficulty ; 
 it was the manner of subscribing herself. The 
 letter was, of course, addressed to Mrs. Ellis. In 
 all the letters that Helen had hitherto written, an 
 established and acknowledged relationship subsisted 
 between herself and her correspondents ; but she 
 could not exactly understand the nature of the 
 connexion between herself and that lady, whom 
 she had never seen. Mrs. Ellis had no scruples 
 on this subject, and had styled herself an affec- 
 tionate friend; but Helen had no more idea of 
 adopting that appellation, to one with whom she 
 was not intimate, than she would of writing her- 
 self daughter, sister, or cousin, when such relation- 
 
82 EARLY FRIENDSHIPS. 
 
 ship did not really subsist. She paused a moment, 
 and then wrote, " your much obliged ;" for, thought 
 she, *! am much obliged by the kind intention of 
 Mrs. Ellis, though I do not accept it. Before 
 closing the letter, Helen put it into her mother's 
 hand, and asked if it was what she ought to 
 write. Mrs. Somers could scarcely forbear smiling 
 at the simple and laconic style of her daughter's 
 epistle. She felt, however, that it would be a sin 
 against the lovely integrity of her character, to 
 dictate to her forms of modish compliment, and 
 expressions of unfelt attachment. She glanced 
 her eye over the neatly written lines, and was 
 pleased to observe, that the orthography and syn- 
 tax were correct; and, hoping that the lady to 
 whom the letter was addressed, might have the 
 good sense to discern and approve its genuine- 
 ness in its simplicity, she directed it to be sealed 
 and forwarded. The subject was then quietly dis- 
 missed, and the happy family pursued their em- 
 ployments and pleasures, as though the invitation 
 had never been received. Two or three pleasant 
 family excursions were contrived, with a kind 
 view to prevent any feelings of disappointment ; 
 and, more than once, the observation was eli- 
 cited, and many times the feeling was enter- 
 tained by Helen, that she was much happier at 
 home, than she could have been in pleasure-taking 
 among strangers. 
 
 It was on the return of the family from one of 
 these excursions, that Helen found despatches from 
 others of her school companions. A gentleman 
 
EARLY FRIENDSHIPS. 83 
 
 on horseback had left for her a small parcel and a 
 letter, and engaged to call the following day, on 
 his return. 
 
 " Well," said her papa, "Miss Helen Somers is 
 really becoming a lady of importance ! What new 
 acquaintance and correspondents have we here? 
 Another invitation to Matlock? Come, Helen, 
 let us hear the contents of the budget. Oh! 
 ' Favoured by Mr. Hollingsby,' our Chesterfield fel- 
 low traveller. I am sure mamma will be gratified 
 with a call from him, and an opportunity of return- 
 ing the friendly courtesy we received at his house." 
 
 Helen first opened the letter. Its contents 
 were as follow: 
 
 " Dear Miss Somers, Holly Grove > July Zrd * 
 
 " We hope you will not think we make too free 
 in sending you a letter ; but we often talk about 
 you, and all your kindness to us ; and we are glad 
 of an opportunity of letting you know that we 
 remember you. Mrs. Gilbert gave us leave to 
 write, and desires her love to you, and her respects 
 to your papa and mamma. She hopes you are 
 well, and enjoying your holidays ; and so do we : 
 but we shall be very glad to see you back again, 
 and dear cousin Catharine, and Miss Armstrong. 
 Mrs. Gilbert is very kind to us, and we are very 
 happy much better since Mrs. Gilbert returned 
 from Derby. We do not quarrel with the Misses 
 Gray, but try to please them, and we try not to 
 do wrong, and we learn a little every day, as 
 cousin and you advised us : but we do not get on 
 
B4 EARLY FRIENDSHIPS. 
 
 so well, without you. We have been a long walk 
 with cousin Alfred, who has been to London and 
 Hertfordshire, to see his father, and sisters, and 
 brothers, and has called here on his way hack to 
 Chesterfield. He is going to-morrow morning, 
 and is to take this letter. I wish we had some- 
 thing worth sending you. We have gathered some 
 beautiful flowers, but they would not keep ; and 
 we are making some workbags and pincushions 
 for you and other friends, of the silk Miss Arm- 
 strong gave us; but we have not finished one 
 good enough for you. Miss Armstrong has sent 
 us a book called ' Evenings at home,' and cousin 
 Catharine has sent us ' Original Poems.' I hope 
 we shall have learnt some of them before you re- 
 turn. The birds are all well the kitten is very 
 much grown, and the gardens look very well 
 only they want rain. We water them every day ; 
 but Mrs. Gilbert says that is not so good as rain. 
 Cousin Catharine's moss rose has three fine buds. 
 This is all we have to say till we see you. We 
 thank you for all your kindness, and are, your 
 affectionate friends, 
 
 " MARIA LLOYD, 
 " FRANCES LLOYD." 
 
 The parcel contained two other letters the one, 
 accompanied by a beautiful little volume on en- 
 tomology the other, by a delicate piece of needle- 
 work, in the form of a small frock-body. The 
 former was simply : 
 
EARLY FRIENDSHIPS. 85 
 
 My clear Helen, Fait * eld Lod ^ JwM 30M " 
 
 '* As Catharine is making up a small parcel to 
 send to you by her brother, I take the opportunity 
 to enclose a small volume for your acceptance. 7 
 should have reserved it for our meeting at Holl) 
 Grove, but, as I have observed that you are in- 
 terested in watching the stages and habits of 
 insects, I thought you might derive some gratifi- 
 cation from this little book, as the companion of 
 your rambles and researches during the vacation. 
 Believe me, your sincere friend, 
 
 " MARIANNE ARMSTRONG." 
 
 The other was 
 My dear Helen, Fairfield Lodye, June 30M. 
 
 " Before we separated at Holly Grove, we made 
 no engagement to write; and, perhaps, neither of 
 us thought of doing it: but, as an opportunity 
 occurs, I feel inclined to send you a line. You 
 have often felt kindly interested in my family, and 
 you will rejoice with me in my being able to say, 
 that my dear father's health and spirits are very 
 much improved. We have been enjoying a visit 
 from my eldest brother. He has been staying a 
 week with us in London. Yesterday papa brought 
 us both to this delightful, rural spot, which I am 
 sure you would admire. To-morrow they return 
 to town, as Alfred is to reach Chesterfield on the 
 4th. He will stay a night at Holly Grove. This 
 will enliven the scene a little, for poor little Fanny 
 and Maria. I have had a letter from them. They 
 
86 EARLY FRIENDSHIPS. 
 
 are well, and speak with deserved gratitude of you. 
 My sisters are all well ; and my little brother 
 dear little fellow is just beginning to trot about. 
 I often think of you, surrounded with your 
 little brothers and sisters and your happy circle 
 is yet complete! both your dear parents are 
 spared to you. It is not so with us. I look at 
 my little brother, and think how delighted my 
 dear mamma would have been with his little en- 
 gaging ways. But it is wrong to indulge feelings 
 of regret on her account. She is happy, and per- 
 haps still takes an interest in the happiness of 
 those she loved on earth ; and I ought to be very 
 thankful that, though she is taken, my dear papa is 
 spared, and is regaining his health and spirits, which, 
 at one time, it was feared would never be the case. 
 " Just as we were leaving town, I received an in- 
 vitation from Louisa Ellis and her mother, to go down 
 with them to Matlock, and meet you there. I was 
 rather surprised at the invitation, as our acquaint- 
 ance was very slight merely occasioned by our 
 lodging near each other in the Isle of Wight, when 
 we went there for my dear mother's health. How- 
 ever, it was particularly kind of them to propose it, 
 though, of course, I could not accept it, being al- 
 ready engaged by the kindness of Miss Armstrong 
 and her aunts. Had it been, on other accounts, 
 suitable for me to go to Matlock, I should have 
 much enjoyed your society there, and exploring 
 together the romantic scenery of that celebrated 
 district. But we cannot enjoy everything. Here 
 we are surrounded with whatever can conduce to 
 
EARLY FRIENDSHIPS. 87 
 
 our gratification and improvement. The elder 
 Misses Armstrong, (Marianne's aunts) are most 
 excellent women, and seem to make everybody 
 around them happy. Marianne's friend, Miss 
 Jennings, has been here more than a week. She 
 is very amiable and well informed ; and, although 
 they are both so much older than myself, afld have 
 been long such- intimate friends, they treat me 
 with the greatest kindness, and invite me to share 
 their pleasures and pursuits. From Miss Jen- 
 nings I have learnt to do that fine thread knitting 
 which, I recollect, you admired, and wished to 
 learn. I have just accomplished a little frock- 
 body, which I enclose. If you think it worth 
 making up, you will oblige me by accepting it for 
 your little brother, and, when we meet, I shall be 
 happy to teach you the stitch. How time passes 
 away ! We have now little more than three weeks 
 of the holidays remaining ! We shall then, I hope, 
 return to our school duties with new vigour and 
 alacrity. Marianne and Sophia are gone for a ride 
 into the town. The former said I might give her 
 love to you, but that, if she returned in time, she 
 should, perhaps, write you a line herself. I wish 
 she may do so. 
 
 " Alfred tells me he had the pleasure of seeing 
 you, when you called at my uncle's on your way 
 home. He undertakes to convey my packet, as 
 he says uncle has to visit your neighbourhood on 
 business, in about a week. I hope he will find 
 you well and happy. If you think proper, please 
 to present my respects to your parents, though 
 
88 EARLY FRIENDSHIPS. 
 
 unknown ; and, with kind regards and best wishes 
 to all your circle, I remain, your affectionate 
 friend, 
 
 " CATHARINE MILLMAN." 
 
 " How very, very kind!" exclaimed Helen, as 
 she laftl down the letters and proceeded to ex- 
 amine the accompanying presents. " Look, 
 mamma here is a frock-body for little Georgy. 
 It is Catharine's own work is it not beautifully 
 done ? Will you get some muslin for a skirt, and 
 let me make it up for him? And, Henry, do 
 come and look at this delightful little book ! It 
 seems to give a description of all the dear little 
 insects that you and I have so often watched. 
 Here is a mark to direct me to the very one that 
 I have been keeping for months in a little wooden 
 house of its own building. How very exact this 
 picture! and how beautifully coloured! The 
 goat-moth ! I wonder how it was that we did not 
 find it out in papa's Encyclopaedia." 
 
 It was not often that Helen suffered her tongue 
 to run on at such a rate ; but she was thoroughly 
 excited by the unexpected kindness of her young 
 friends. Her mother made the observation, but, 
 correcting herself, added, with a smile, " Helen has 
 no friends ! and yet she is remembered in ab- 
 sence, and receives invitations, and presents, and 
 letters, from no less than six persons, subscribing 
 themselves her * sincere,' or 'obliged,' or 'affection- 
 ate friends.' There is something very much like 
 friendship in this. I do .think, Helen, you must 
 
EARLY FRIENDSHIPS. 89 
 
 have been under a mistake, and that, at least, 
 some of these young people really are your 
 friends." 
 
 " Well, mamma, I can only wonder at their 
 kindness to me, for I am sure I have done nothing 
 to deserve it ; and I shall never be able to return 
 their kindness." 
 
 u I am not sure of that," replied her mother ; " kind- 
 ness is not to be measured by costly gifts, so much 
 as by prompt and thoughtful good- will. It is not 
 so much the value of the gifts that delights you, 
 however you may admire them, as the kindness 
 with which they are conferred; that one young 
 lady should recollect your partiality for insects, 
 and another your wish to acquire a stitch in needle- 
 work or knitting." 
 
 " Yes, mamma, I do feel that ; and I should 
 have felt it if the letters had come without any 
 present at all. It pleases me just as much that 
 dear little Fanny and Maria Lloyd should gather 
 their wild flowers, and wish they could send them 
 to me, as that Miss Armstrong should send me 
 this elegant book with all these coloured plates." 
 
 " I dare say it does, love ; and in the same 
 manner you may probably have an opportunity of 
 returning the kindness of your friends, in a way 
 that will be quite as acceptable to them, as if you 
 could offer gifts of equal value with their own. 
 Friendship results from a similarity of tastes and 
 pursuits, and from the reciprocation of a constant 
 series of perhaps very small kindnesses and atten- 
 i2 
 
90 EARLY FRIENDSHIPS. 
 
 tions, which mark and cherish the feelings of 
 mutual good- will." 
 
 " Then, mamma, I think very likely, after all, 
 Catharine Millman and I are friends, or may be- 
 come so in time ; and, perhaps, Maria and Fanny 
 may too : but I do not know yet. There is not, 
 as you say, ' similarity of tastes and pursuits,* so 
 much as there is between Catharine and myself. 
 We do think and feel very much alike only she 
 is in every respect far above me." 
 
 " You are nearer of an age with Miss Millman 
 than with her cousins ; but the difference among 
 you all is every day diminishing. If you should 
 all live to double your present ages, it would be 
 scarcely perceptible." 
 
 "But Miss Armstrong, mamma I can never 
 expect to be an equal for her. She is five or six 
 years older than myself and then, she is so very 
 clever and accomplished. There is no girl in the 
 school that is reckoned equal with her. Her only 
 intimate friend is Miss Jennings, Mrs. Gilbert's 
 niece, and she is quite qualified to be a teacher, 
 and has been a teacher the last twelvemonth ; and 
 I should think Miss Armstrong is quite as for- 
 ward." 
 
 " Well, my dear, I do not at all object to your 
 feeling a deep consciousness of your inferiority to 
 this young lady ; nevertheless, if she is so kind as to 
 notice you, though you cannot be exactly upon 
 equal terms of friendship, her friendship may be 
 very valuable to you. Her superior attainments 
 
EARLY FRIENDSHIPS. 91 
 
 and excellent example may stimulate and assist 
 you in your own improvement." 
 
 " Yes, mamma, I think they have been useful 
 to me already. I have learnt some things more 
 easily and thoroughly, owing to a few words being 
 said to me, or the best way being pointed out to 
 me, by Miss Armstrong or Miss Millman, who 
 know so much better than myself; and their ex- 
 ample has more than once kept me from joining 
 others of the young ladies in schemes which, at the 
 time, I hardly knew whether they were right or 
 wrong: but I did not like to venture, because I 
 was told not to mention the thing to Marianne or 
 Catharine; and it afterwards turned out that it 
 was very improper, and brought trouble upon all 
 who were engaged in it." 
 
 " Yes, it is a great advantage to have a friend 
 to whose example we can safely look up, and who 
 possesses an established character ; so that, though 
 it is always our duty to think for ourselves, and not 
 blindly to follow any one, yet we may be assisted 
 in forming our own judgment, by observing how 
 the thing is regarded by the wise and good, who 
 possess more knowledge and experience than our- 
 selves. It will generally be found safe to avoid 
 what they avoid, if not always to follow what they 
 follow." 
 
 11 Mamma, do you think I should answer all 
 these letters? I should like to thank them for 
 their kindness." 
 
 "What! the letters, Helen?" 
 
 " No, mamma my friends if it is not impro- 
 
92 EARLY FRIENDSHIPS. 
 
 per to call them my friends. I mean those who 
 wrote the letters." 
 
 " The young ladies have proved themselves 
 friendly towards you, and you entertain grateful 
 and friendly feelings towards them. I think you 
 ought to write, and acknowledge their kindness. 
 I suppose by this time Miss Millman has left 
 Hertfordshire, or you might have addressed a let- 
 ter to them unitedly." 
 
 "Yes; or I could write to Catharine, and ask 
 her to say what I wish to Miss Armstrong: JL 
 should hardly like to make so free as to write to 
 her. But, mamma, I do not know where Catha- 
 rine's home in London is ; and, how could I direct 
 a letter?" 
 
 " That is a difficulty indeed. Do you know 
 Miss Armstrong's address ?" 
 
 " No, mamma I only know that it is in Hert- 
 fordshire. I did not know the name of her aunts' 
 house, except by the letter. It is about thirty 
 miles from London ; but I do not know what 
 town it is near." 
 
 " This seems to exclude the possibility of your 
 writing; and I suppose you must reserve your 
 thanks until you can present them in person." 
 
 Helen collected her treasures, obtained from 
 her mother a piece of muslin and a pattern frock, 
 and withdrew for the night. Very early in the 
 morning she was at work in a favourite arbour, 
 while her brother Henry read to her in Miss 
 Armstrong's delightful little volume, which threw 
 light on many of their previous inquiries and diffi- 
 
EARLY FRIENDSHIPS. 93 
 
 culties. By breakfast-time the frock was nearly 
 completed, and Helen had bestowed many a 
 thought of admiration on the beautiful workman- 
 ship, and still more on the kind remembrance of 
 her absent friend. 
 
 As the family sat at breakfast, they were joined 
 by Mr. Hollingsby. The interview proved highly 
 agreeable to all parties. In the course of con- 
 versation several persons mentioned were claimed 
 as mutual friends. Mr. Somers was able to give 
 bis visitor some local information, bearing upon 
 the immediate object of his journey; and the sight 
 of an interesting family of children led to a 
 reciprocation of parental anxieties, hopes, and plea- 
 sures. Each of these circumstances tended to 
 bring the parties nearer together ; and, before Mr. 
 Hollingsby proceeded on his way, it was mutually 
 agreed, that a journey into their respective neigh- 
 bourhoods should always, if possible, be the occa- 
 sion of a friendly call. 
 
 " Perhaps, Helen," said her mother, " this gen- 
 tleman could favour you with one or both of the 
 directions you were wishing for last night. My 
 daughter, sir, wished to reply to the young friends 
 whose communications you kindly brought her 
 yesterday." 
 
 " And pray who are they? I simply know that 
 the packets were intrusted to me by my nephew. 
 I think he said they were from his sister." 
 
 " Yes, sir, one was from Miss Millman, and the 
 other from Miss Armstrong." 
 
94 EARLY FRIENDSHIPS. 
 
 " Oh ! a friend of hers in Hertfordshire, where 
 she has just been visiting. I do not exactly know 
 her address. My niece, besides but stay if the 
 letter is ready, I have just obtained a frank for 
 Mr. Millman, and shall be happy to enclose it 
 for you." 
 
 " Thank you, sir : it is not written ; but perhaps 
 you would give me leave to write it while you stay." 
 
 " I am almost afraid to engage for waiting. 
 Young ladies' letters are sometimes very long." 
 
 " Mine will not be long, sir : I have not much 
 to say." 
 
 " Well, I will give you half an hour I shall 
 lay my watch on the table, and keep time with 
 you ; and, if half a sheet of paper each, and half 
 an hour, will serve you to write your two letters, 
 they may both be enclosed in the frank, and Ca- 
 tharine will find means to forward the other to her 
 friend." 
 
 " Oh, thank you, sir thank you: I hope I 
 shall be within time." 
 
 " A very small seal, if you please, Miss Helen, 
 lest we should exceed in weight." 
 
 " Helen withdrew to her chamber. Her writing 
 materials were all at hand, and in good order a 
 matter of no small importance, when work is to be 
 performed within a given time; and, before the 
 half hour had quite expired, the two letters or 
 rather notes were laid beside the watch, and the 
 young correspondent received a well-merited com- 
 pliment for her punctuality and despatch. 
 
EARLY FRIENDSHIPS. 95 
 
 Is the reader disposed to peep at the contents? 
 she may do so without breach of confidence. 
 
 " My dear Miss Armstrong, Netjterd ^' '* 
 " I know not how to express my gratitude for 
 your great kindness in writing to me, and sending 
 me so beautiful and valuable a present. My bro- 
 ther and I have begun reading it together, and we 
 find in it exactly the information that we have 
 been wishing to obtain. Please to accept my best 
 thanks for all the pleasure we enjoy in the perusal, 
 and for the kindness that led you to think of me, 
 which I value still more highly. With best wishes 
 for your health and happiness, I am, gratefully 
 and respectfully, yours, HELEN SoMERS> ,, 
 
 My dear Miss Millman, Netherdal*, July nth. 
 :< I thank you very much for your kind letter 
 and beautiful present. My dear mamma desires 
 me also to express her thanks : we both admire it 
 very much. It is almost made up, and will look 
 very nicely on. Your uncle is so kind as to send 
 this note for me in a frank, and one also for Miss 
 Armstrong. If you can let her have it, I shall be 
 much obliged; but if not, it is of no consequence. 
 I dare say you have seen the book that Miss 
 Armstrong was so kind as to send me. How very, 
 very kind of you both to think of me, when out of 
 sight ! I have also had a very kind letter from 
 Maria and Fanny. If you write to them, please 
 
96 EARLY FRIENDSHIPS. 
 
 to give my love and thanks. I am very glad to 
 hear that you found your dear papa better, and the 
 rest of the family well. It must be a great com- 
 fort to you. I am glad that you have had a plea- 
 sant visit to Miss Armstrong, and hope your own 
 health and spirits will be much benefited. My 
 dear papa and mamma desire their kind regards to 
 you, and are much pleased that you are so kind as 
 to notice me. I remain, your obliged and affec- 
 tionate friend, 
 
 " HELEN SOMERS." 
 
 " P. S. I forgot to say, that papa and mamma 
 thought it better for me not to go to Matlock 
 and I think so too ; though it was very kind of 
 Mrs. Ellis and Louisa to invite me. It is more 
 happy being at home than among strangers. I 
 shall be very glad to meet you again at school, 
 and hope you will kindly continue to forward my 
 improvement." 
 
 And so, after all her scruples, Helen had sub- 
 scribed herself a friend ! but it was not until she 
 really felt the sentiments and emotions of friend- 
 ship ; and the friendship thus begun was not of 
 transient date, like the noisy professions and un- 
 founded attachments of many young people. The 
 mutual regard of Helen and Catharine had been 
 attracted by something amiable and excellent, which 
 each discerned in the other. Friendship founded 
 on esteem has in it the elements of perpetuity; 
 while that which results from mere fancy or in- 
 
EARLY FRIENDSHIPS. 97 
 
 terest, will, in all probability, soon vanish away, 
 or be exchanged for enmity. 
 
 At the close of the vacation, Helen was one of 
 the first who arrived at school. Her parents 
 wisely considered it a very important part of her 
 education, to form her to habits of punctuality, 
 and to teach her to value the means of instruc- 
 tion. 
 
 Mrs. Gilbert received her with cordiality, and the 
 little Lloyds with affectionate delight. Even the 
 haughty Misses Gray seemed glad to welcome an 
 addition to their little circle the more so, as their 
 friend, Miss Harrington, had not returned. To 
 Helen's great surprise, she heard from Mrs. Gil- 
 bert, that Charlotte had accompanied Mrs. Ellis 
 and Louisa to Matlock, and that their return to 
 school was deferred for a week or ten days an 
 irregularity which the good governess strongly 
 disapproved, as at variance with the order of her 
 establishment, and the improvement of her pupils. 
 Helen could not help recollecting the contemptuous 
 manner in which Charlotte had been used to speak 
 to and of Louisa, and the sense that Louisa had 
 expressed of her unkindness, and wondered how 
 the arrangement had been brought about. The 
 case was this : Mrs. Ellis, a gay, pleasure-taking 
 lady, was not much society for her daughter, but 
 thought herself entitled, by reason of her brother's 
 carriage and liberality, to command for her any 
 other society that she chose. She had accordingly, 
 at Louisa's request, summoned Catharine and 
 Helen, not doubting that her invitation would be 
 
 K 
 
98 "EARLY FRIENDSHIPS. 
 
 joyfully accepted. To Louisa's sincere regret, and 
 her mother's extreme mortification, both these 
 young ladies declined. The day that Helen's 
 letter was received, Charlotte happened to call. 
 Mrs. Harrington transferred the invitation to her. 
 It was accepted without hesitation, hy herself and 
 her parents all her former sneers were forgotten, 
 and Louisa became, for the time being, her beloved 
 friend in other words, the means of promoting 
 her selfish gratification. 
 
 Before the arrival of these young ladies, all the 
 rest of the school were assembled and fairly set- 
 tled into their regular pursuits. The loiterers 
 fully verified Mrs. Gilbert's remark, that such ir- 
 regularities were unfavourable to improvement. 
 Indeed, decidedly deteriorating effects were pro- 
 duced on the character of each. Charlotte had 
 taken several degrees, both in self-consequence 
 and in creeping, mean servility qualities which 
 often go together, and from which that young lady 
 had never been altogether free ; Louisa, also, was 
 more volatile and inattentive than before. Miss 
 Harrington, by flattering her follies, had done her 
 far more harm than by ridiculing them ; and, 
 while she encouraged her idleness, by becoming 
 her proxy, she exercised over her an influence 
 that alienated from her those who would have 
 proved themselves real friends, by assisting her to 
 cure herself of her foibles. For a few weeks after 
 her return to school, Louisa in a measure escaped 
 disgrace, because her sums and her French exer- 
 cises were done by Charlotte, and exhibited compara- 
 
EARLY FRIENDSHIPS. 99 
 
 lively few blunders ; and she enjoyed the privilege 
 of letting her tongue run its full round of non- 
 sense, for Charlotte found it her interest to listen 
 to her ; hut her improvement was retarded, and 
 her bad habits were becoming more and more 
 inveterate. Charlotte's sense of obligation for 
 past favours was not very deep or lasting; and, 
 when Louisa's stock of disposable property again 
 run low, she was again shaken off by her selfish 
 friend, and left to the inconvenience and disgrace 
 to which her idleness exposed her. Before the 
 close of the half year, the little Lloyds, by sheer 
 diligence and application, had raised themselves to 
 a class above that in which Louisa still retained 
 her disgraceful stand at the bottom. Several 
 good-natured efforts were made, both by Helen 
 and Catharine, to rouse in her a spirit of self-im- 
 provement, but with very partial and uncertain 
 success. She was much the same giddy, ignorant, 
 but good-natured creature, at the close of the half 
 year, as at its beginning. Meanwhile, Catharine 
 and Helen had gone on steadily, advancing in 
 every pursuit to which their attention was directed. 
 They proceeded not on the mistaken supposition 
 by which Charlotte and Louisa were actuated 
 that school-tasks were something to be got through 
 with as little trouble and as much credit as could 
 be made to coalesce. They had a just sense of the 
 value of knowledge, and desired to acquire as 
 large a stock as possible, for purposes of practical 
 utility. They considered the period of education 
 as one of high privilege and responsibility the 
 
100 EARLY FRIENDSHIPS. 
 
 period in which they were to qualify themselves 
 for filling important stations in society, in the 
 manner in which their mother had set them a wor- 
 thy example. Helen had the stimulus of becom- 
 ing an assistant to her beloved mother Catharine, 
 that of, in some degree, supplying the place of hers. 
 A growing intimacy subsisted between these young 
 ladies. They kept a pretty even pace in all their 
 scholastic pursuits, and became more and more 
 identified in their private interests. They were 
 nearly on an equal footing, both in their inter- 
 course with Miss Armstrong, and in their atten- 
 tion to the Lloyds. Their home-presents were 
 mutually shared, and home-intelligence mutually 
 sympathized in. Separation was anticipated, as 
 a necessary alloy to the pleasures of the approach- 
 ing vacation, and plans and opportunities were 
 speculated on, for transmitting the correspondence 
 which it now seemed perfectly natural should be 
 kept up in absence. They were real and acknow- 
 ledged friends. 
 
 There is a well-known adage, " Prosperity gains 
 friends, but adversity tries them." The friends 
 who have been attracted by prosperity, almost 
 invariably fall away on the approach of adversity ; 
 but, where friendship is pure, disinterested, and 
 founded on genuine esteem, affliction serves to 
 bring it out more prominently than ever. Like 
 the rainbow, true friendship is brightest in the 
 darkest storm. The attachment of our young 
 friends was brought to this test, and it stood 
 approved, confirmed, and endeared. 
 
EARL'if FRIENDSHIPS. 101 
 
 It was in the month of October that Helen, one 
 evening, observed in Maria Lloyd an unusual list- 
 lessness while preparing her task for the ensu- 
 ing day. She questioned her as to her health, but, 
 receiving the assurance that she was quite well, she 
 ascribed the dulness to fatigue, and promised to 
 attend to her a little in the morning. Before the 
 usual time for rising, Helen was disturbed by the 
 restlessness, sneezing, and coughing of her young 
 companion. Helen had assisted in nursing some 
 of the younger branches of her own family in the 
 measles, and it immediately struck her that the 
 symptoms resembled those by which that disease 
 was indicated. Mrs. Gilbert had retired early the 
 preceding evening, somewhat indisposed, and 
 Helen was unwilling to disturb or alarm her. She 
 endeavoured to recollect the movements of her 
 own mother, and, as much as possible, to proceed 
 in a similar manner. With a thoughtfulness 
 above her years, (or rather, above a similar age in 
 girls who have been waited upon by others, and 
 never taught to observe or to act for themselves,) 
 Helen considered that there were several things to 
 be attended to, or" guarded against, which, for the 
 present, devolved on herself. She was sure that 
 Maria was ill, and that, for her, the safest course was 
 to remain quietly in bed, until her indisposition 
 should be properly inquired into and ascertained. 
 She therefore gently awoke Fanny, and desired 
 her to rise ; then smoothed the bed, drew the win- 
 dow-blinds, and persuaded Maria to compose her- 
 self to sleep. Then, she knew that it was imper- 
 il 
 
102 EARLY FRIENDSHIPS. 
 
 taut to guavd' others' Against receiving the infection. 
 If it were the measles, she rejoiced to know that 
 she had had the disorder, and might, therefore, 
 safely render herself useful. Whatever it might 
 prove, she and Fanny had already been exposed 
 to it, and she resolved that neither should quit the 
 room, until Mrs. Gilbert's pleasure was known. 
 Then she thought also, that it would be very im- 
 proper for an alarm to be spread in the school, 
 about what, after all, might prove an unfounded 
 fancy of her own. She would not, therefore, com- 
 municate her suspicions to a single individual 
 not even to her friend Catharine. Accordingly, 
 when Catharine's gentle tap announced half past 
 six, Helen whispered a request that she would 
 excuse her that morning, as she was particularly 
 engaged, and wished to have her room alone. A 
 half friend would have resented this; a jealous 
 curiosity would have been excited, and angry sur- 
 mises entertained, if not expressed, of fickleness, 
 unkindness, and insincerity. Helen and Catha- 
 rine were entire friends: they understood each 
 other, and could exercise candour and confidence. 
 Helen felt no hesitation or fear of offending, by 
 expressing her request, and Catharine surmised 
 no ill, and entertained no prying curiosity, but un- 
 suspectingly returned to her own pursuits. 
 
 Presently Mrs. Gilbert was heard moving in her 
 chamber. Helen then gently tapped at the door, and 
 was admitted not to rehearse all the clever things 
 she had thought and done, but simply to express 
 her hope that Mrs. Gilbert was better, and to re- 
 
EARLY FRIENDSHIPS. 103 
 
 quest that she would look at Maria Lloyd, who, she 
 feared, was not quite well. The little girl was 
 directed to remain in bed, and take some warm 
 tea, which Helen requested permission to take up. 
 Mrs. Gilbert beckoned her into her room. 
 
 " My dear, have you had the measles?" 
 
 " Yes, ma'am long ago all our family have 
 had them the youngest two just before I came 
 to school. Mamma allowed me to be- with her 
 when she was nursing them, and I thought Maria 
 seemed much as they were." 
 
 " I rather think so too, my dear ; but I shall 
 send immediately for a medical man. You have 
 acted with great discretion, and I am much obliged 
 to you. I will take Fanny with me, and leave 
 Maria in your charge till after breakfast. I am 
 sure she will be kindly and carefully attended to." 
 
 Well pleased with the confidence reposed in 
 her, Helen assiduously, but quietly, set herself 
 about the duties of a nurse, rejoicing that her 
 training at home had, in any degree, fitted her to 
 be useful. When Mrs. Gilbert returned, the little 
 girl had been refreshed with a cup of tea, and her 
 hands and face sponged with warm water, Helen's 
 bed was made, and the room made tidy, against 
 the arrival of the doctor. On his entrance Helen 
 withdrew, but was quickly summoned back, to 
 give an account of her observation of the early 
 symptoms. No doubt remained as to the nature 
 of the attack, and every precaution was imme- 
 diately adopted for preventing the infection from 
 spreading. Little Fanny became a temporary in- 
 
101 EARLY FRIENDSHIPS. 
 
 mate of Mrs. Gilbert's own room, and Helen alone 
 was allowed access to the sick chamber. Catha- 
 rine was, indeed, the only girl, besides Helen, in 
 the habit of frequenting that room, and on her a 
 special embargo was laid, as she had not had the 
 disorder. It was a great alleviation to her anxiety, 
 as well as a great consolation to the little sufferer, 
 that an exception was made in favour of Helen, 
 who sedulously improved the privilege. At every 
 interval of school engagements she was plying her 
 gentle and soothing attentions encouraging the 
 sick child patiently to submit to the requisite dis- 
 cipline cheering her with the hope of speedy 
 recovery and directing her thoughts to " Him in 
 whose hand our breath is, and whose are all our 
 ways.*' Maria was not allowed to read, nor could 
 she bear much excitement; but her young nurse 
 seemed gifted with a delicacy of perception not 
 always possessed by old nurses just how far she 
 might go in reading to, or conversing with her, so 
 as beneficially to engage her attention and gratify 
 her feelings, without inflicting weariness and when 
 to present the simple refreshment, without either, 
 inducing exhaustion, or oppressing the feeble ap- 
 petite. Nor was she less prompt and attentive in 
 conveying to Catharine frequent intimations of the 
 favourable progress of the disorder, and assurances 
 of affectionate regard from the patient. Every- 
 thing went on so well, that it was not considered 
 necessary to leave a nurse constantly in the room. 
 A trusty servant was left in charge, occasionally 
 to look in during the absence of Helen; and, 
 
EARLY FRIENDSHIPS. 105 
 
 when she was at liberty, no other attendant was 
 required. No little girl could possibly be more 
 agreeably nursed than Maria, or go through the 
 disease more satisfactorily. Within a week from 
 the commencement of the attack, she was carried 
 into another room for several hours in the day, 
 and was able to amuse herself with the maps, puz- 
 zles, and other playthings, kindly furnished, in 
 great variety, by her school-fellows. There was 
 one gratification after which she pined, but which 
 it was considered prudent to withhold the sight 
 of her sister and cousin. It required the utmost 
 stretch of Helen's ingenuity and patience to keep 
 her at all contented in submitting to Mrs. Gilbert's 
 strict injunction in this particular. The precau- 
 tion, however, was useless ; for, within a fortnight 
 of Maria's seizure, several other young ladies had 
 fallen ill with the same disorder, including both 
 Catharine and Fanny, who each had it much more 
 severely than Maria : indeed, for several days, the 
 life of each hung in jeopardy so much so, that it 
 was considered necessary to summon Mr. Millman, 
 under the painful apprehension that his beloved 
 daughter would scarcely survive to recognize him. 
 Marianne and Helen deeply shared in the affliction, 
 yet they forbore any noisy expression of useless 
 grief, and, suppressing their feelings, exerted them- 
 selves, in every possible way, to render themselves 
 useful, in sharing the fatigues of their governess, 
 and administering to the comfort of their suffering 
 fellow-pupils. In this department of service, 
 while both were actuated by equal good- will and 
 
106 
 
 EARLY FRIENDSHIPS. 
 
 attachment, Helen discovered a very superior de- 
 gree of practical aptitude, which was attested by 
 the decided preference of the patients for her assist- 
 ance, even during the prevalence of delirium, and 
 generously admitted by her senior coadjutor, who, 
 with docility equal to that with which Helen had 
 received her instructions in her literary pursuits, 
 yielded to Helen the post of precedence in apply- 
 ing leeches and blisters, flavouring lemonade, and 
 lifting up the sick ones to receive nourishment or 
 medicine. Helen's aptitude had been gained by 
 early observation and experience, of which Mari- 
 anne had had no opportunity; and she willingly 
 confessed herself but an awkward learner of a 
 young adept. For a few days, while the disorder 
 was at the worst, and recovery almost despaired of, 
 Helen was almost incessantly at the bedside of one 
 or other of the sufferers, to whom no attentions 
 but hers seemed at all acceptable. Mrs. Gilbert, 
 though loth to deprive the sufferers of so valuable 
 a solace, or the willing-hearted girl of the pleasure 
 of rendering her services, became really apprehen- 
 sive of her own health sustaining injury by close 
 confinement. She was relieved, however, by the 
 assurance of Miss Armstrong, that the active and 
 notionable habits of the dear girl were likely to 
 preserve her health uninjured, and to enable her 
 to continue her valuable services as long as they 
 might be required ; for, although she was sure to 
 be found at the post of service, whenever she 
 could be useful, she never neglected an opportu- 
 nity, when she could really be spared, of refresh- 
 
EARLY FRIENDSHIPS. 107 
 
 ing herself by a run in the open air, or by the use 
 of the shower-bath, to which, in Mrs. Gilberts 
 establishment, all the young people had access. 
 By this proper attention to herself, Helen dis- 
 covered real disinterestedness and generous affec- 
 tion, while a sickly sensibility, that would affect 
 total regardlessness of self, and refuse to eat or rest, 
 or attend to any of the ordinary vocations of the 
 day, may often be traced to mere selfishness and 
 affectation, and almost always evaporates in idle 
 sentimentality, instead of prompting to diligent, 
 self-denying, and useful exertion. The sensibility 
 and affection of Marianne and Helen were of the 
 genuine and vigorous kind, and left them no lei- 
 sure, from the exercise of prompt consideration and 
 active service, for the mere display of feeling. They 
 did feel, and feel keenly, the sufferings of those 
 they loved, and the apprehension of losing them ; 
 and they sympathized tenderly in the distress of 
 the sorrowing relatives. But their feelings were 
 not expressed in sobs and tears, which would have 
 disturbed the sufferings and aggravated the dis- 
 tress of surrounding friends. Their minds, too, 
 were deeply solemnized at the opening prospects 
 of eternity, brought so evidently near to them, 
 when they saw their young companions apparently 
 just about to enter it. Their chief solace was in 
 recalling to recollection pleasing evidences that, in 
 the time of Health, the concerns of eternity had 
 not been disregarded by the objects of their so- 
 licitude. In Catharine especially, many proofs 
 existed of a conscientious disposition and hc'y 
 
108 EARLY FRIENDSHIPS. 
 
 habits, with some few expressions of deep pious 
 feeling; and, oh how satisfactory and soothing 
 was it to her agonized father, and to her deeply 
 anxious governess, as well as to her attached 
 young friends, to indulge the cheering assurance 
 that, under a consciousness of sin and danger, she 
 had fled for refuge to lay hold on the hope set 
 before her in the gospel ; and that, should she be 
 torn from their embraces, she would be admitted 
 to join the general assembly and church of the 
 First-born above ! Such, dear young reader, would 
 be the grounds of satisfaction and consolation, 
 most earnestly desired by your pious friends, if 
 they should be called to see you sinking beneath 
 the ravages of disease, or to weep over your early 
 tomb. Should they not now engage your own 
 attention, and form the object of your supreme 
 solicitude? Oh, let your youthful days be con- 
 secrated to the service of the Saviour, that thus 
 you may be prepared for longer days, or fit for 
 early death. 
 
 After several days of alarming suspense, the 
 disorder, in both instances, took a favourable 
 turn ; and, although there was enough remaining 
 weakness and exhaustion to require extreme care, 
 and keep alive painful anxiety, there was a per- 
 ceptible progress towards recovery yet, so slow 
 and interrupted, as to forbid the return of the 
 young ladies to their regular employments. They 
 were necessarily cherished as hot-bed plants, for 
 some time, and then, with great care, conveyed to 
 Catharine's home, some weeks before the vacation. 
 
EARLY FRIENDSHIPS. 109 
 
 Catharine's aunt, Mrs. Hollingsby, having pur- 
 posed a visit to her relatives in London, at the 
 time when her beloved niece would be at home for 
 the Christmas recess, was induced to anticipate her 
 intended visit, and on her way to call at Holly 
 Grove, and take charge of the young convalescents 
 to town. An unfavourable- change in the weather 
 detained them several days after Mrs. Hollingsby's 
 arrival. This delay proved the occasion of esta- 
 blishing an intimacy between Mrs. Hollingsby and 
 the amiable young friends of her niece. For both 
 of them she cherished a grateful and affectionate 
 attachment, and indulged a pleasing hope that the 
 friendship formed at school would be perpetuated 
 through future life. As her return home was to 
 take place about the time of the breaking up, Mrs. 
 Hollingsby invited Helen to accompany her. To 
 this arrangement Mr. and Mrs. Somers readily 
 consented. Repeated opportunities of intercourse 
 had led them to entertain a growing esteem for Mr. 
 and Mrs. Hollingsby ; so that they felt no hesita- 
 tion in accepting their kind offer, and trusting 
 Helen to their care for a day or two. It was also 
 matter of accommodation to have her brought so 
 near home, without either of her parents having 
 to take a journey on purpose to fetch her. Helen 
 also looked forward to the engagement with great 
 pleasure, in the prospect of an agreeable com- 
 panion on her journey a companion who would 
 bring her every particular of the progressing 
 recovery of Catharine and her cousins of a short 
 
 L 
 
110 EARLY FRIENDSHIPS. 
 
 visit to an interesting family and that, as but 
 one short stage from her own beloved home. 
 
 It was tov/ards the end of November when Mrs*. 
 Hollingsby and her invalid charge took leave of 
 Holly Grove. The chaise was ordered at ten 
 o'clock. The morning was unusually clear for the 
 season, and every arrangement was made to secure 
 the travellers reaching their destination before the 
 fogs of evening should arise. Marianne and 
 Helen had been up early, packing the trunks, and 
 laying ready all the well-aired wrappings for their 
 young friends. Everything was completed in 
 good time. The chaise was at the door the 
 medical gentleman who had attended through the 
 illness, called to take leave of his patients, and to 
 see them off. Marianne had reserved for the 
 parting moment a handsome present, which she 
 had purchased for Catharine a fur tippet, then 
 known by the name of a pelisse tippet, but called, 
 in modern language, either a boa or a pelerine. 
 All had bid farewell to each other Mrs. Hol- 
 lingsby was already in the chaise the doctor had 
 carried to her one of the little girls, and was 
 returning to receive the other from Mrs. Gilbert's 
 arms, when Marianne ran down stairs, holding in 
 her two hands the tippet, ready to throw it over 
 Catharine's shoulders. In her haste she missed 
 the lowest step, and fell down ; Helen, who was 
 leading Catharine towards the door, sprung to Mari- 
 anne's assistance, and attempted to raise her up. 
 
 " Never mind me," said Marianne, in a tone 
 
EARLY FRIENDSHIPS. Ill 
 
 indicative of great pain. " Give this to dear Ca- 
 tharine, with my kindest love, and tell her that 
 I am not much hurt.'* To her great alarm, 
 Helen found that Marianne was unahle to rise. 
 For one moment she left her not so much for 
 the sake of conveying her present to Catharine 
 though she had but the length of the passage to 
 reach her, as to entreat Mrs. Gilbert to hasten to 
 her assistance. It was a moment of confusion. 
 The attention of Mrs. Gilbert and the medical 
 gentleman was engrossed in hurrying off the travel- 
 lers, and securing them against injury from delay 
 at the moment of starting, and Catharine's inqui- 
 ries and Helen's entreaties were alike unheeded. 
 Happily for Catharine, she knew no more than that 
 her friend had slipped down, but was not much 
 hurt. Had she suspected the extent of the in- 
 jury, it would have altogether imbittered her jour- 
 ney. As it was, she frequently reverted to the 
 circumstance, with an anxious expression of hope 
 that dear Marianne had not hurt herself more than 
 she was aware of, and of additional regret that the 
 accident should have occurred in connexion with 
 a kind effort to serve and gratify her. 
 
 It was scarcely the work of a minute to hurry 
 Catharine into the chaise, and, the same instant in 
 which the first roll of the wheels was heard, brought 
 Mrs. Gilbert and her medical friend to the stairs- 
 foot, to inquire into the cause of Helen's alarm. 
 Helen was already there, supporting the head of 
 her friend, who had fainted with pain. On ex- 
 amination, it was found that her leg was fractured 
 
112 EARLY FRIENDSHIPS. 
 
 just above the ancle. The sufferer was quickly 
 placed in bed, and the limb set. The surgeon, 
 from the first, encouraged the hope of a favourable 
 progress towards recovery ; but, at the same time, 
 stated that the fracture was in a very bad part, 
 and that the most absolute stillness, for a very 
 long time, was indispensable to the least chance 
 of freedom from lameness for life. Violent pain 
 is a great trial of patience and fortitude; but 
 those who have not experienced it, or at least wit- 
 nessed it, in those very dear to them, can form no 
 idea how much more trying it is to be entirely 
 confined to one position, night and day, sleeping 
 and waking, and that for weeks, or perhaps months 
 together, sometimes in conjunction with excruciat- 
 ing pain sometimes in comparative ease but 
 in a state of constant weariness. Such a trial en- 
 hances and displays the value of " a meek and 
 quiet spirit," and the exercise of self-possession, 
 grounded on true Christian principles those of 
 submission to the will of an unerring and gracious 
 Heavenly Parent desire to profit by His dispen- 
 sations and humble appropriation of the supports 
 and consolations whch his word reveals and pro- 
 mises. Happily for Marianne Armstrong, these 
 were exercises of mind to which she was no 
 stranger. She was enabled, b) divine grace, in 
 her patience to possess her soul, humbling herself 
 under the mighty hand of God, who had seen fit 
 thus to afflict her, and gently submitting to pain, 
 privation, and restriction. Such a spirit, while it 
 endears the sufferer to all around, and greatly 
 
EARLY FRIENDSHIPS. 113 
 
 alleviates the task of the attendants, tends equally to 
 alleviate the sufferings and to promote the recovery 
 of the individual. Patience and quietness in suf- 
 fering do much to avert fever and nervous irrita- 
 tion, which, it is well known, in many instances 
 aggravate danger and retard recovery, if not occa- 
 sion death, from accidents not in themselves very 
 formidable. In Miss Armstrong's case, everything 
 was in her favour. Neither her physical nor her 
 mental frame were of an irritable, excitable, cast; 
 and then, she enjoyed the superadded advantages 
 of habitual self-government, and the influence of 
 religious principles. Instead of being " filled with 
 tossings to and fro, until the dawning of the day," 
 which, in circumstances like those of Marianne, is 
 often occasioned by the mere consciousness of 
 being prohibited to move at all, it was her wisdom 
 and her privilege to " commune with her own heart 
 upon her bed, and be still." She was tranquil 
 when in solitude, and grateful for the sympathiz- 
 ing attentions and cheerful, yet quiet society of 
 her friends. It will readily be supposed that 
 Helen was not an indifferent or inactive spectator, 
 or that her sympathies were confined to pitying 
 expressions and kind inquiries. The thoughtful, 
 steady, active spirit of kindness, rendered her at- 
 tentions a real solace to her suffering friend, and 
 a truly valuable assistance to her anxious gover- 
 ness. For the first few days, while any apprehen- 
 sions of fever were entertained, conversation was 
 forbidden, and Helen, at each interval of her school 
 duties, merely stole in to look at her friend, and, 
 L 2 
 
114 EARLY FRIENDSHIPS. 
 
 by the gentle pressure of her hand, to convey an 
 assurance of her sympathy. But, as all went on 
 favourably, the restriction was gradually taken off, 
 and Helen, whose discretion had won the entire 
 confidence both of her governess and of the sur- 
 geon, was permitted, ad libitum, to spend her lei- 
 sure time in the sick chamber, conversing, read- 
 ing, or otherwise entertaining her friend. The 
 services of a professed nurse, obtained from the 
 county hospital, were soon dispensed with. The 
 retiring disposition of the young lady rendered 
 it disagreeable to her to have a stranger constantly 
 present, and almost persecuting her with well- 
 meant assiduities, which her few and simple re- 
 quirements, and her scrupulous and determined 
 adherence to the directions of the surgeon, ren- 
 dered quite unnecessary. In less than a week 
 after the accident happened, as Mrs. Gilbert sat by 
 the bedside of her pupil, inquiring if there was 
 anything by which her comfort might be promoted, 
 Miss Armstrong replied, " Yes, ma'am there is 
 one thing that would be a very great comfort to 
 me : it is, if you would allow me to be left with- 
 out a constant attendant. The nurse is very kind 
 and careful, but her presence is rather an annoy- 
 ance to me. She wishes me to take food when I 
 do not require it ; in the day time, she endeavours 
 to divert me with conversation in which I have no 
 interest, and at night she keeps me awake by her 
 snoring. If I might be permitted to pass the 
 night alone, I should sleep quietly, and want no 
 attention, and, in the day time, I should enjoy 
 
EARLY FRIENDSHIPS. 115 
 
 . solitude, while you are all engaged ; and a call 
 from you, or dear Helen, when quite convenient, 
 would give me as much society as I desire. I 
 assure you I feel very well in health, not at all 
 depressed in spirits, and, having no occasion for 
 nourishment more frequently than if I were about, 
 as usual, why should a person be kept constantly 
 employed in waiting on me?" 
 
 " I should be very happy, my love, to meet 
 your wishes ; but, at present, it would be hardly 
 proper for you to be left to the occasional attend- 
 ance, which is all that Helen or myself can render 
 you. Besides, it is requisite that the person who 
 arranges your bed, should possess that peculiar 
 aptitude which is only to be acquired by expe- 
 rience. It was on that ground particularly, that we 
 were desirous of securing one of the most skilful 
 and experienced nurses, and one who had been 
 accustomed to wait upon patients with fractured 
 limbs. I assure you it requires quite a different 
 kind of movement, in adjusting the bed, which a 
 person accustomed only to nursing people in or- 
 dinary sickness would scarcely acquire. I really 
 should be afraid to trust myself to attempt it. 
 Only suppose that one inadvertent movement 
 should displace the fractured bone!" 
 
 " Well, ma'am, if it is necessary that the nurse 
 should remain, it is my duty to submit to it, and 
 to be thankful for having such assistance?" 
 
 After this, Marianne was not heard to utter 
 another complaint, or express another wish on the 
 subject. It is probable, from the habitual serenity 
 
116 EARLY FRIENDSHIPS. 
 
 and cheerfulness she discovered, that she did not 
 indulge her thoughts in roving upon it. She had 
 philosophy enough to enter into the wise saying of 
 the ancients, " It is a disease of the mind, to desire 
 that which is unattainable," and Christianity 
 enough to submit herself in trifles, as well as in 
 great matters, to those who were placed in autho- 
 rity over her. A few days later, her wishes were 
 fulfilled without any interference of her own. The 
 nurse, who was in high request at the hospital, 
 received an intimation that she was much wanted 
 there, and the surgeon was of opinion, that so do- 
 cile a patient as Miss Armstrong might be safely 
 left in the care of the intelligent household of 
 which she was a member. Mrs. Gilbert made 
 arrangements for such additional help in the 
 kitchen as would leave one trusty servant at 
 liberty to attend upon Miss Armstrong, whenever 
 she might require her services, without obtruding 
 her presence whether or not she was wanted. 
 Helen readily undertook to devote all her leisure 
 to the comfort of her friend, in any way that 
 would be most gratifying to her feelings ; and, as 
 both Helen and Martha (the servant) had more 
 than once assisted the nurse in adjusting the bed, 
 and were very observant of her methods, there 
 was no doubt that, under the direction of the sur- 
 geon, everything would be done quite as much to 
 the comfort, and still more to the satisfaction, of 
 the young lady. Helen was exceedingly desirous 
 of being permitted to take Miss Millman's place in 
 the chamber at night ; but to this neither Mrs. 
 
EARLY FRIENDSHIPS. ll? 
 
 Gilbert, nor even Marianne herself, would by any 
 means consent, lest her health should suffer from 
 interrupted rest, or from being confined to a room 
 so constantly occupied. Martha, who slept in an 
 adjoining room, was charged with any requisite 
 attention in the course of the night. She was, 
 however, scarcely ever called upon. The young 
 lady found it such a relief to be free from an in- 
 mate in her chamber, that, after taking refreshment 
 before the family retired, she generally remained 
 perfectly quiet till morning, when Helen paid her 
 an early visit, and, through the day, only left her 
 for the purposes of study, meals, and exercise. 
 Helen was quick in her perceptions, and quiet in 
 her movements, and, like Miss Armstrong herself, 
 a lover of order. She seemed intuitively to un- 
 derstand the wishes of her friend. She brought 
 her what she desired, without displacing anything 
 else, and kept the room not merely in neat order, 
 aut in the same order as that in which it had be- 
 fore been kept. To a person confined day after 
 day to the one contracted prospect of their own 
 chamber, and when every article becomes an 
 object of observation, it is a gratification to see 
 all just in their regular places. If one or more be 
 absent or displaced, it often occasions a painful 
 scene of deficiency or disorder; and, however 
 tranquil may be the ordinary state of the temper, 
 nerves, and spirits, it is scarcely possible that very 
 long confinement should fail to excite some degree 
 of irritability ; at least, those concerned in attend- 
 ance on the sick ought to be carefully observant 
 
118 EARLY FRIENDSHIPS. 
 
 to avoid anything that might be likely to provoke 
 it. Happily for Marianne Armstrong, she was 
 unusually free from this sort of painful excite- 
 ment; and, thanks to the promptness and con- 
 sideration of her young attendant, there was, in 
 surrounding circumstances, as little as possible 
 that could occasion it. Every time that Helen 
 entered the apartment, her quick eye ran around, 
 and, without noise or bustle, everything was 
 quickly placed just in the order that she knew 
 would be most agreeable to the feelings of her 
 friend. When the room was thus nicely arranged, 
 as a matter of preliminary comfort, Helen some- 
 times read to her friend sometimes talked with 
 her sometimes wrote a letter from her dictation, 
 to her aunts, or to Catharine, or to her still earlier 
 friend, Miss Jennings. All these exercises, while 
 they tended to promote intimacy and endearment, 
 tended also to mutual improvement. Helen, to 
 the present day, often refers with interest and 
 pleasure to a book perused, a study pursued, or 
 an interesting narrative related to her, in Miss 
 Armstrong's sick chamber. When Helen was 
 obliged to leave her friend, she placed within her 
 reach her small Bible, and any other book she 
 might choose, or a packet of old letters letters 
 which, not being filled with mere empty compli- 
 ments and nonsense, but with something really 
 interesting and worth reading at first, were found 
 capable of awakening new interest and gratifica- 
 tion, on a second reading. She was also furnished 
 with a sheet of ass's skin, and a pencil, to mark 
 
EARLY FRIENDSHIPS. 119 
 
 down anything that might occur to her as matter 
 of conversation or reading, when Helen should 
 return. There was one errand on which Helen, 
 with peculiar gladness, hastened to the sick room. 
 It was when the postman had brought a letter; 
 which she knew was, to Marianne, one of the most 
 welcome variations of her solitude. If friends in 
 the enjoyment of health and liberty were fully 
 aware how great solace is afforded by a sensible, 
 affectionate letter to the prisoner of Providence, 
 who languishes and pines in the solitude of a sick 
 * chamber, they would be inclined to regard it as an 
 act of duty to render it ; and, if an hour for that 
 purpose were not otherwise at their command, it 
 would be ransomed by the sacrifice of unnecessary 
 repose, or personal decoration, or visiting. The 
 gratification might be considerably extended, and 
 rendered more valuable, by an arrangement among 
 several friends, for the division of this labour of 
 love ; so that, neither should the sick person be 
 satiated by an accumulation of letters coming 
 together, and all, perhaps, bringing nearly the 
 same intelligence, nor yet kept long in destitution 
 of one of these friendly tokens of remembrance. 
 Such an arrangement was entered into among the 
 correspondents of Miss Armstrong, and their well- 
 distributed favours shed a cheerful gleam over her 
 days of darkness. In these letters Helen was not 
 forgotten. Mrs. Gilbert, in her letters to the aunts 
 of Marianne, which, however short, were sent 
 daily, to report the state of the case, had, more 
 than once, mentioned the kind attentions of Helen, 
 
120 EARLY FRIENDSHIPS. 
 
 as at once a great source of consolation and enjoy- 
 ment to the object of their solicitude, and a great 
 alleviation of her own fatigues and anxieties ; and 
 to Catharine and Miss Jennings, Helen had heen 
 herself employed to communicate the intelligence ; 
 and, after the first few days, when Miss Armstrong 
 was allowed to converse, she became her amanu- 
 ensis in all her correspondence, and was, of course, 
 mentioned with gratitude and attachment in the 
 several replies. Helen felt unconscious of having 
 done anything to merit all the kind things that 
 were said of her and to her ; yet she was not in- 
 sensible to them. In being beloved, she realized 
 the natural consequence and just reward of having 
 rendered herself amiable. Happy are those young 
 people whose dispositions, principles, and habits, 
 render feelings and acts of benevolence delightfully 
 natural to them ; and, cause have they for grati- 
 tude, more than they can well conceive, to those 
 whose judicious early training, in the first few 
 months of their existence for the lesson is 
 scarcely ever, with complete success, imparted at 
 a later period taught them to know the sweets of 
 kindness. 
 
 Several days in December had passed away, and 
 the young ladies were all busy in completing their 
 various performances for the breaking up, which 
 was to take place on the 19th. It now became a 
 matter of anxious consideration with all parties, to 
 provide an agreeable companion for Miss Arm- 
 strong during the vacation. She had never herself 
 expressed any anxiety or even inquiry on the 
 
EARLY FRIENDSHIPS. 121 
 
 subject; though, when receiving the tender and 
 sisterly assistance of her young friend, there was 
 sometimes, mingled with her affectionate thanks, a 
 suppressed indication of anxiety, that seemed to 
 say, * What shall I do when I have lost you?* 
 Neither had Mrs. Gilbert and Helen conversed on 
 the subject, although both of them thought of it 
 with much concern ; and it was indeed the only 
 subject connected with the comfort and welfare of 
 the patient, of which they did not speak freely. 
 Helen knew that it was Mrs. Gilbert's intention to 
 take the young ladies to London, and remain 
 there the first three weeks of the holidays, and 
 that she had made arrangements for spending that 
 time with friends who would be greatly disap- 
 pointed by any alteration in her plans. Besides, 
 though Mrs. Gilbert was exceedingly beloved by 
 her pupils, and although Miss Armstrong, as the 
 senior pupil, and a parlour boarder, was on a foot- 
 ing of somewhat greater freedom and intimacy 
 than the pupils in general, it could not be sup- 
 posed but that the multitude of various cases 
 pressing on the mind of the governess, on the one 
 hand, and, on the other, the habit of respectful 
 distance properly observed by a pupil, would pre- 
 vent that minute attention to little things, and that 
 intimate familiarity, which had been so conducive 
 to the comfort and cheerfulness of the sufferer. 
 Helen had now acquired such an aptitude in sup- 
 porting Marianne to receive her food, that a regu- 
 lar understanding seemed to be established, that, 
 on such occasions, her presence and assistance 
 
 M 
 
122 EARLY FRIENDSHIPS. 
 
 were necessary. She usually assisted Martha in 
 arranging Miss Armstrong's bed, and giving her 
 her breakfast, and then took her own with Mrs. 
 Gilbert. On entering the parlour one morning, 
 she found Mrs. Gilbert in tears, and with an ex- 
 pression of great anxiety on her countenance, 
 holding a letter in her hand. She felt herself an 
 intruder, and attempted to retreat unobserved ; but 
 Mrs. Gilbert desired her to take her place at the 
 table. 
 
 " I have just received a perplexing disappoint- 
 ment," said Mrs. Gilbert. " I was hoping that my 
 dear niece, Sophia Jennings, might have been able to 
 spend the first part of the vacation here, as a com- 
 panion to Miss Armstrong; but it cannot possibly 
 be arranged for her to do so." 
 
 " I am very sorry to hear it, ma'am. It would 
 have been so delightful for Miss Armstrong to 
 have had her old friend with her. I have been 
 quite hoping that it might be so." 
 
 " Yes it would have been a mutual comfort to 
 them. However, it is one mercy to know, that 
 all these lesser matters, as well as the greatest, are 
 overruled by our heavenly Father, who does not 
 afflict willingly, nor grieve the children of men. 
 He who * wings an angel, and guides a sparrow,' 
 permitted the fall which has occasioned our dear 
 girl so much suffering. He has mercifully directed 
 many alleviating circumstances, and has been es- 
 pecially gracious in enabling her to exercise so 
 sweet a spirit of meekness and satisfaction. This 
 will be a great trial to her ; but I trust she will be 
 
EARLY FRIENDSHIPS. 123 
 
 enabled to reconcile her mind to it. Do you know 
 whether she has depended much on having Sophia 
 with her ?" 
 
 " No, ma'am : Miss Armstrong has scarcely 
 mentioned the subject to me. She has merely, 
 once or twice, said that, by the commencement of 
 the holidays, she hoped she might be allowed to 
 sit up a little, that she might amuse herself with 
 needlework or knitting ; and she has mentioned 
 several books which she intended to procure for 
 reading in the vacation." 
 
 " Dear girl! I dare say she is planning full em- 
 ployment for herself, in the expectation of being 
 left in solitude : but this must not be. Although, 
 considering her circumstances, she has been all 
 along astonishingly well, and free from fever or 
 any unfavourable symptoms, it is impossible that, 
 through so long a confinement to one spot, she 
 should retain her full health and vigour, either of 
 body or spirits; and, without cheerful society, 
 both would sink. Indeed, Mr. Evans has more 
 than once observed, that he considered Miss Arm- 
 strong's unusually favourable progress to be, in a 
 great measure, ascribed to her having just a due 
 proportion of quiet repose and agreeable society. 
 He says that patients at home, surrounded with 
 numerous relatives and friends, often suffer from 
 over excitement, by seeing and conversing with 
 too many persons ; while those in hospitals are 
 equally injured by the depressing influence of 
 solitude, or, what is nearly equal to it, separation 
 from all they know and love. I think, Helen, 
 
124 EARLY FRIENDSHIPS. 
 
 you have the satisfaction of having contributed, in 
 no ordinary degree, to the tranquillity and cheer- 
 fulness of your friend, and, consequently, to her 
 speedy recovery." 
 
 " I am very glad, ma'am, if I have been at all use- 
 ful ; and I wish I mean, I am very glad that my 
 dear mamma has taught all of us to like to do any- 
 thing we can for those who are ill." 
 
 " It is, indeed, my dear, one of the many causes 
 you have for thankfulness the instructions you 
 have received, and the habits to which you have 
 been formed, under the direction of an excellent 
 mother. I trust that you, and each one of the 
 family, may grow up to be comforts to her, as great 
 as her tender and judicious care of you may justly 
 lead her to expect. Have you written your letter, 
 love ?" 
 
 " No, ma'am I reserved it for to-day, being 
 half holiday. If you please, I can do it in Miss 
 Armstrong's room." 
 
 " Do, my dear. I want, this afternoon, to go 
 into the town on business ; and it will be a satisfac- 
 tion to know that you are spending the afternoon 
 in Miss Armstrong's room, without interference 
 with your own plans and purposes." 
 
 " Shall I keep my letter, ma'am, till you return 
 in the evening?" 
 
 " No, my dear, there is no occasion : I am not 
 afraid of your sending away false spelling or 
 grammar. Do not forget to present my kindest 
 respects to your papa and mamma. I must now 
 go and see Miss Armstrong before school com- 
 
EARLY FRIENDSHIPS. 125 
 
 menccs, and talk to her about this letter: and do, 
 my dear girl, take a brisk run in the play-ground, 
 as the morning is so fine, or exercise yourself 
 with your skipping-rope." 
 
 On visiting the sick chamber at noon, Helen 
 observed an unusual pensiveness on the counte- 
 nance of her friend, which she naturally attributed 
 to the communication made to her by Mrs. Gilbert. 
 She soon, however, resumed her wonted placidity, 
 and, in the friendly attentions and cheerful con- 
 versation of Helen, seemed to have forgotten 
 her cause of trouble, whatever it might be. In the 
 afternoon Helen wrote and despatched her letter, 
 and then sat down to needlework. The topic of 
 Sophia's letter was soon brought up. 
 
 " I suppose, Helen," said Miss Armstrong, 
 " Mrs. Gilbert told you about it?" 
 
 " Yes, she did and I am very sorry to hear 
 that Miss Jennings cannot spend the holidays with 
 you. Her company would have been so very 
 delightful for you." 
 
 " Yes, it would ; but I could not expect to enjoy 
 it. It was by an arrangement with one of her 
 fellow- teachers, that she was permitted to spend 
 the whole of the summer vacation with me at my 
 aunts', with an understanding that she should give 
 up the whole of the Christmas vacation instead. 
 I enjoyed the pleasure of her society then, and it 
 would be abominably selfish to think of interfering 
 with the just claims of another now. I am sure 
 Mrs. Gilbert could not have distinctly understood 
 
 M2 
 
126 EARLY FRIENDSHIPS 
 
 the arrangement, or she would not have asked for 
 Sophia here." 
 
 " Mrs. Gilbert hoped that Miss Jennings might 
 be able to make a similar arrangement with ano- 
 ther of the teachers." 
 
 " It was exceedingly kind of her to make the 
 proposal, but, for my own part, I never had any 
 expectation of it; therefore, it is no disappoint- 
 ment to me. I have all along calculated on being 
 left alone for the vacation, and have laid my plans 
 accordingly. Mrs. Gilbert has very kindly pro- 
 posed to give up her own engagements, and 
 merely go to London with the young ladies, and 
 return the next day; but I begged her not to 
 think of doing so. I am sure she needs the re- 
 creation of the holidays as much as any one, and 
 I could not bear for her to confine herself on my 
 account : she would never sustain the fatigues of 
 the next half year." 
 
 " But you would not like to be left quite alone, 
 would you?" 
 
 " After enjoying so long your kindness, and 
 that of Mrs. Gilbert, it would be ridiculous and 
 ungrateful to say that I should like to be left 
 alone. Of course, I should not prefer it ; but I 
 have quite made up my mind to it. You know 
 Martha is very kind and attentive, and, in the 
 holidays, she will be quite at leisure, and able to do 
 for me everything that I shall need ; and then, by a 
 constant succession of employment, I can surely 
 keep up my spirits : besides, my friends will often 
 
EARLY FRIENDSHIPS. 127 
 
 indulge me with a letter, each of which will cheer 
 me for two or three days. You will write to me, 
 Helen will you not?" 
 
 " Yes, surely I will, if you please ; hut do not 
 let us talk ahout your heing left alone just yet. 
 There is a fortnight still to come, and we do not 
 know what may happen in a fortnight * Sufficient 
 unto the day is the evil thereof.' It is a folly to 
 distress ourselves ahout what may never happen." 
 
 " Yes, dear Helen, it would he foolish and 
 wrong to do so ; but I can assure you, that though 
 I cannot say I never think ahout being left alone, 
 or that I think about it with indifference, it would 
 distress me much more to think of imposing on the 
 kindness of my friends, by keeping Mrs. Gilbert, or 
 any other friend, to share my imprisonment. It is 
 not as if the accident had happened the day before 
 all were leaving : it would then have been necessary 
 for some one to stay, or more than one. What 
 should I have done at first, dear, without you, and 
 Mrs. Gilbert, and Martha, and even the old snor- 
 ing nurse, whom I was so glad to get rid of? O 
 Helen, you have been a dear kind friend to me 
 I shall never be able to requite your kindness!" 
 
 " Dear Miss Armstrong, do not say so. What 
 have I done more than I ought to have done for 
 any one in suffering, even if I had not loved them ? 
 And then, think how very kind you have been 
 to me, even when I was almost a stranger. I am 
 sure I may thank you for standing where I do 
 in the school and, what is more, for having gained 
 in the time more real improvement than I could 
 
128 EARLY FRIENDSHIPS. 
 
 have done without your assistance. And now, if 
 you feel able, I should be much obliged to you to 
 glance your eye over this Italian exercise, and 
 point out any faults." 
 
 The exercise was correctly done: but Miss 
 Armstrong suggested two or three slight alterations, 
 by which the translation would be rendered more 
 elegant, and not less exact. Such assistance from 
 an elder to a junior student is truly valuable. 
 Widely different from the help that encourages 
 indolence by furnishing a proxy in the labour of 
 learning, this species of help promotes real im- 
 provement, by assisting the learner to proceed more 
 intelligently, and by awakening a nicer percep- 
 tion of the minutest points of propriety and ele- 
 gance ; which, without such assistance, is not 
 easily acquired, and, if not possessed, leaves a 
 clumsiness of style, that depreciates the perform- 
 ances even of the most diligent and accurate pupil. 
 On the present occasion, Helen's chief object 
 was to divert the attention of her friend from the 
 prospect of their separation. The effort succeeded 
 the evening was spent cheerfully, and no far- 
 ther allusion was made to the holidays. On part- 
 ing for the night, Miss Armstrong observed that 
 she hoped for a letter the next morning from her 
 aunts. No letter, however, arrived; and, for the 
 first time since Marianne's accident, Helen,when she 
 brought up her breakfast, was the bearer of a mes- 
 sage of disappointment. The disappointment was 
 not of long duration : though no letter was addressed 
 to Miss Armstrong, there was one to Mrs. Gilbert, 
 
EARLY FRIENDSHIPS. 129 
 
 the contents of which were speedily communicated. 
 Its chief object was to consult Mrs. Gilbert as to the 
 practicability of removing Miss Arm strong, or, if that 
 could not be effected with safety, the arrangement of 
 some plan for the vacation. One of the elder Misser 
 Armstrong was a constant invalid, and her sister 
 could not satisfactorily leave her for any length 
 of time, especially in the winter season, or she 
 would gladly have visited her afflicted niece, and 
 remained with her when she should be deprived 
 of the society of her excellent governess, and her 
 estimable young friend Miss Somers. But it was 
 proposed by the ladies to send their own per- 
 sonal domestic, to remain with Marianne until 
 she was sufficiently recovered to bear the journey 
 home. They hoped this arrangement, which was 
 the best they could suggest, might meet the con- 
 venience of Mrs. Gilbert, and the wishes of Mari- 
 anne. A letter to Marianne herself was reserved 
 for enclosure in a package then on the road. In 
 the course of the morning the said package arrived. 
 It was found to contain, addressed to Miss Somers, 
 an elegant portable desk, and an equally elegant 
 and complete work-box, accompanied by a note 
 from each of the Misses Armstrong, expressing 
 their warm thanks for her kind and valuable at- 
 tentions to their beloved niece, and desiring her to 
 accept the accompanying tokens of their friendly 
 and grateful regard, and their wish for a personal 
 acquaintance. There were also liberal presents for 
 the servants, and for all who had in any way con- 
 tributed to the comfort of Marianne. 
 
130 EARLY FRIENDSHIPS. 
 
 While Helen could scarcely set bounds to her 
 expressions of astonishment and gratitude, Mari- 
 anne simply observed, she was glad her aunts had 
 done so it was quite what she expected and 
 wished ; " but do not, my dear Helen," added 
 she, " suppose that they intend it as a recompense 
 for your kindness : it is but an acknowledgment 
 and they meant it as such. They feel with me, 
 that kindness can be returned only in kind and 
 your kindness, my dear girl, in this time of need, 
 the friendship of a life can barely requite." Helen 
 made no reply, but mused in wonder at the high 
 value set on acts of real kindness. She could not 
 help contrasting in her own mind the passionate ex- 
 pressions of friendship of Charlotte Harrington 
 which proved as short-lived as it was groundless 
 with the steady, growing, and deep-felt attach- 
 ment of Catharine and Marianne, grounded and 
 sustained by mutual esteem, and growing on acts 
 of reciprocal kindness ; and she came, in her own 
 mind, to the pleasing conclusion " Then I really 
 have two friends friends not hastily chosen 
 friends who are able and inclined to improve my 
 character and friends whom I may hope to re- 
 tain in future life. I am glad my dear mamma 
 conversed with me on the subject before I left 
 home : but for her kind advice, I might have be- 
 come intimate with girls who would have done me 
 injury rather than good; and, if they had been my 
 chosen companions, I should never have been 
 noticed by those who are now my friends. They 
 were not hasty in bestowing their friendship but 
 
EARLY FRIENDSHIPS. 131 
 
 it is worth having, now it is possessed." Such 
 was the strain of Helen's revery, from which 
 she was roused by Marianne entering into con- 
 versation about the contents of her aunts' letter, 
 and their proposed plan for the holidays. 
 
 " It is exceedingly kind of my aunts to offer to 
 send Sutton ; but I cannot think of depriving them 
 of her services. I cannot imagine what they would 
 do without her, especially if my aunt Rachel 
 should have one of her attacks and she scarcely 
 ever passes a winter without. Sutton is then as 
 essential to her comfort as you, dear Helen, have 
 been to mine. Besides, much as I respect Sutton, 
 I should really be more comfortable without her. 
 Martha has now become so used to do things for 
 me, that no one could do more nicely than she, in 
 that respect; and when she has done what I re- 
 quire, she leaves the room: but Sutton, as an old 
 attached servant, who has been used to me from 
 my infancy, and coming here on purpose to attend 
 me, might often be inclined to remain when I 
 should prefer being alone. You know my plan is 
 laid for solitary employment, and my mind is quite 
 made up to it." 
 
 The conversation was broken off by the entrance 
 of Mrs. Gilbert with the surgeon, who had appointed 
 on that day to loosen the splints, and examine the 
 progress of the fractured limb towards soundness. 
 The result of the examination was most satisfactory. 
 The surgeon expressed himself perfectly astonished. 
 
 " I kn'ownot," said he, " whether this young lady 
 is naturally blessed with an unusual degree of firm- 
 
132 EARLY FRIENDSHIPS. 
 
 ness and tranquillity of spirit, or whether she is in- 
 debted to the instructions and discipline of her 
 present excellent governess, or of some earlier pre- 
 ceptress, for her high attainments in the diffi- 
 cult art of self-government; but assuredly to 
 that, under the blessing of God, is mainly to be 
 ascribed the extraordinary rapidity of the cure. I 
 never saw anything progress so favourably. At 
 the present time, I have under my care a patient 
 equally healthy, who met with a somewhat similar 
 accident about a fortnight before Miss Armstrong's. 
 The case was, in itself, less serious than this. To all 
 human appearance he was likely to be well first ; 
 but, on the contrary, he is at least a month back- 
 ward, owing, I firmly believe, to no other cause than 
 his own irritable, impatient, and self-willed temper." 
 From this time Marianne was permitted to sit 
 up in bed. Nothing but experience can give an 
 adequate idea of the sensation of actual pleasure 
 attendant on change of position, after long restric- 
 tion from that privilege. On experiencing it, Ma- 
 rianne's heart overflowed with joy and gratitude. 
 Her first use of an erect position was to read the 
 hundred-and-third Psalm, which fully expressed 
 the feelings of her mind. In an entirely recumbent 
 posture, it is almost impossible to read continu- 
 ously. Hitherto, though Marianne had been sur- 
 rounded with books, she could do no more than 
 glance for a minute or two over a few lines. It 
 was delightful to her to find herself able to hold a 
 book right before, and read page after page at 
 Dleasure ; and then, too, she could at pleasure vary 
 
EARLY FRIENDSHIPS. 133 
 
 her employment by needlework or knitting. She 
 felt assured that she should be at no loss for 
 amusement in solitude, and her mind was fully 
 made up, that it would be quite unnecessary for 
 any of her friends to disarrange their plans on 
 her account. She spoke with composure of the 
 time when Mrs. Gilbert and Helen should leave 
 her of the manner in which she should employ 
 herself during their absence and of the pleasure 
 with which she should welcome their return. 
 Helen said very little in reply to these proposals, 
 but rather endeavoured to waive the subject, and 
 direct the attention of her friend to something 
 else. 
 
 The next morning, when Helen, as usual, joined 
 Mrs. Gilbert at the breakfast-table, " My dear girl," 
 said Mrs. Gilbert, "is it possible that you have 
 requested the permission of your parents to remain 
 here during the vacation?" 
 
 " Yes, ma'am: I did say to my mamma, that if 
 they would allow me to remain, and if I could be 
 of any service to Miss Armstrong, I should like to 
 remain; and I begged mamma, if she thought 
 proper, to propose it to you. Pray, ma'am, have 
 you heard from my parents?" 
 
 " Yes, my dear I have just received a letter." 
 
 " Are they all well at home, ma'am?" 
 
 "Yes; and desire to be very affectionately 
 remembered to you." 
 
 " May I ask, ma'am, if papa and mamma are 
 willing for me to stay ?" 
 
 " They leave the matter entirely in your own 
 
134 EARLY FRIENDSHIPS. 
 
 hands, and wish you to decide for yourself. It 
 will, of course, be a great privation to your dear 
 parents, and a great disappointment to the younger 
 members of the family, not to see you at home, as 
 they had anticipated; but your motive in making 
 *he proposal is appreciated and honoured: and if, 
 on mature deliberation, you resolve to make the 
 sacrifice, your papa and mamma wish me to ex- 
 press to you their consent that you should do so. 
 Perhaps, as Miss Armstrong is likely to have some 
 one from home to attend her, you will not now 
 consider it necessary." 
 
 " Perhaps, ma'am, not altogether necessary : 
 but Miss Armstrong thinks the servant cannot be 
 spared without inconvenience : besides, I think she 
 requires a companion still more than a nurse." 
 
 " Yes, my dear ; nothing, I am persuaded, could 
 conduce more to her comfort than your remaining 
 with her ; but it really is too great a sacrifice for 
 you to make." 
 
 " No, ma'am if it can be of any use, I ought 
 to be willing to do it; Miss Armstrong has done 
 many kindnesses for me, and, if I were suffering 
 as she is, she would do still more. If I were only 
 to stay with her the time that you are absent, it 
 might be of some use, and then it would be only 
 a small sacrifice, to be at home a fortnight instead 
 of five weeks." 
 
 " Your mamma mentions that idea of yours, 
 but thinks, that for so short a time it would not be 
 worth the expense and hazard of a journey, at this 
 unfavourable season of the year. They therefore 
 
EARLY FRIENDSHIPS. 135 
 
 wish you to decide either upon going home, as 
 usual, or remaining at school the whole of the vaca- 
 tion. It is not absolutely necessary to reply by 
 return of post you had better take a day to con- 
 sider of it." 
 
 " If you please, ma'am, I should prefer its being 
 settled at once. If you, ma'am, and my dear 
 parents, will allow me to stay, and Miss Armstrong 
 will accept my company, my mind is quite made 
 up." 
 
 " Well, love, I hope you will never regret your 
 generous decision." 
 
 Helen was not the first to announce to her 
 friend the sacrifice she had resolved upon, for her 
 comfort. Mrs. Gilbert communicated it to Mari- 
 anne, and allowed herself to speak of that particu- 
 lar action, and of Helen's disposition and conduct 
 in general, more freely than she would have judged 
 it safe to do in her presence. On Miss Armstrong 
 hesitating to accept the kindness which she could 
 not but acknowledge would be most acceptable, 
 but which she saw must involve a great sacrifice 
 both to Helen and her family, Mrs. Gilbert replied 
 " Yes, it must indeed be a sacrifice for the 
 parents to forego a meeting with such an amiable 
 generous, and high-principled child, and a sacri- 
 fice to her to relinquish the prospect of a happy 
 month with so affectionate a family; but both 
 parties are prepared cheerfully and voluntarily to 
 yield it; Helen, from the simple preference of 
 benevolent usefulness to personal gratification; 
 and her parents, from generous and exalted plea- 
 
136 EARLY FRIENDSHIPS. 
 
 sure in possessing a child capable of spontaneously 
 devising such an act of disinterested kindness. 
 Dear child ! with her to say, ' I think I can be 
 useful/ seems perfectly synonymous with saying, 
 'I know I can be happy.'- The same impulse 
 that prompts young people in general to seek their 
 own gratification, impels her to look round for 
 some opportunity of serving others; and all is 
 done with such sweet simplicity such a perfect 
 freedom from anything like effort, self-consequence, 
 or display, as enhances the action and exalts the 
 character. Without partiality, I really look upon 
 Helen Somers as a gem among my pupils ; and, 
 should I be spared to see the development of her 
 character in future life, I have no doubt it will be 
 with feelings of exultation in having been honoured 
 with the charge of her education and yet, but a 
 very small portion of the honour would be due to 
 me. Helen's character was formed before she came 
 to school. Her mother, whom I have never seen, 
 must, I am sure, be a most excellent and judicious 
 woman. Oh, Marianne, to you I may say for 
 you know that the remark cannot be personal 
 my spirits are often depressed, and my energies 
 wasted, by the vain effort radically to improve a 
 girl whose early years have been passed with an 
 empty, frivolous, capricious, pleasure-loving mo- 
 ther. We sometimes read stories of the children 
 of foolish and unprincipled parents proving models 
 of wisdom and excellence ; but, in real life, I be- 
 lieve it has never occurred, that such habits and 
 such a character as those of Helen Somers, have 
 
EARLY FRIENDSHIPS. 137 
 
 been, or could have been formed, tinder the tuition 
 and example of an inferior or of an ordinary mother." 
 
 The entrance of the dear girl in question put an 
 end to the conversation. An affectionate grasp of 
 the hand from Marianne, while the tears stood in 
 her eyes, told Helen that her offer had been com- 
 municated, and that it was accepted. Little more 
 was said about it; but Helen's first use of her 
 writing-desk was to inform her parents of her de- 
 termination, with their permission, to remain the 
 holidays. The sheet was then handed over to 
 Mrs. Gilbert, who wished to add a few lines ; and 
 Helen wrote a letter of thanks for the handsome 
 present she had received. The same time was 
 employed by Marianne in pencilling a few lines to 
 her aunts, informing them of Helen's kind engage- 
 ment, and declining their offer of sending Sutton. 
 The matter was now thoroughly settled and under- 
 stood by all parties, and all anxiety on the subject 
 was dismissed. A still warmer pressure of the 
 hand, and a yet more tender kiss than heretofore, 
 expressed Marianne's consciousness of a new claim 
 on he"r gratitude ; and Helen pursued her several 
 engagements, both in the school-room and in the 
 sick chamber, just as contentedly as if she had 
 never entertained a thought of going home. 
 
 A few days later, so decided and rapid an im- 
 provement had taken place in the adherence of the 
 fractured limb, that it was considered safe to re- 
 move the patient to a sofa placed beside the bed, 
 and then drawn to another part of the room. This 
 movement was borne so well, and proved so in- 
 
 N2 
 
138 EARLY FRIENDSHIPS. 
 
 vigorating in its results, that hopes were encou- 
 raged of Marianne being ahle, in less than a 
 month, to bear the journey, if the weather 
 should prove favourable, to the residence of her 
 aunts. This cheering intelligence soon followed 
 the announcement of Helen's intention to remain 
 as Marianne's companion through the vacation. 
 It was joyfully received by the ladies, and an 
 earnest invitation quickly sent for Helen to ac- 
 company her. To this her parents gave their 
 consent; and, early in January, the weather 
 being unusually clear and mild for the season, 
 the carriage of the Misses Armstrong, fitted up 
 with every convenience for repose, was sent to 
 convey their niece and her friend, with Sutton to 
 attend them on their journey. They were received 
 with a most cordial and joyful welcome, and Helen 
 spent nearly three weeks, much to her satisfaction 
 and improvement, in the society of the excellent 
 and accomplished proprietors of Fairfield Lodge. 
 
 Home, however, was not forgotten. Many a 
 fond recollection and conjecture passed through 
 the mind of Helen, daily, as to the growth of the 
 little ones, and the probable pursuits and engage- 
 ments of every individual of that beloved circle. 
 To each she wrote a letter of affectionate remem- 
 brance, with some suitable present of her own 
 workmanship, entreating the elder branches of the 
 family not to let the younger forget that they had 
 a sister Helen, and anticipating, with lively de- 
 light, a happy meeting at Midsummer, after their 
 long, long separation. 
 
EARLY FRIENDSHIPS. 139 
 
 With true parental vigilance over their daugh- 
 ter's best interests, Mr. and M/s. Somers had con- 
 versed together on the danger to which Helen 
 might be exposed, by being thrown into a class of 
 society and a style of living above that to which 
 she was accustomed. Is she likely to be injured 
 by it? Will she be flattered by the expressions 
 of approbation she receives? Will she imbibe 
 lofty notions, and expensive tastes ? Will she be- 
 come dissatisfied with the humble pleasures of 
 home ? Will she sigh after indulgences which we 
 cannot, or do not think proper to afford her? or 
 will the principles we have endeavoured to instil 
 into her mind exert sufficient influence to enable 
 her to bear with equabililty the gratification of a 
 temporary change, and to return with uninjured 
 feelings and habits to her wonted pursuits and 
 circumstances?" Many such inquiries were 
 prompted by parental solicitude, and many a fer- 
 vent prayer ascended, that their beloved child 
 might be kept in the way in which she should go, 
 improved by all surrounding circumstances, and 
 injured by none, and, in due time, brought again 
 to her father's house in peace. 
 
 Should it be asked whether Helen's parents did 
 not admonish her of the dangers to which they 
 thought she might be exposed, it must be replied, 
 that they did not. Before they consented to her 
 making the visit, they were fully satisfied of the 
 character of the parties who invited her. They 
 apprehended no danger from the examples with 
 which she should come in contact, but quite the 
 
140 EARLY FRIENDSHIPS. 
 
 reverse. It was not a temptation (in the worst 
 sense of the word) to which she was exposed, but 
 a trial a miniature trial of character, by a little 
 variety of outward circumstances, which would be 
 carried on, on a larger scale, in all the vicissitudes 
 of future life. They therefore thought it better to 
 leave her to think and act for herself, and try the 
 strength and adaptation of her principles. Pa- 
 rental restraint, in this or that particular instance,, 
 does not necessarily impart wisdom and caution 
 for the guidance of future life. It is like the lead- 
 ing-strings formerly employed in teaching children 
 to walk : while the nurse held them with a tight 
 hand, they might prevent a tumble, but they did 
 nothing towards correcting that heedlessness and 
 self-will by which, when the restraint was removed, 
 the child was exposed to serious, perhaps fatal in- 
 jury. A child who had thus learnt to walk, if the 
 nurse's eye was averted, would heedlessly run to 
 the edge of a flight of stairs, and precipitate itself 
 to the bottom. The wise mother now places her 
 little one on the carpet removes from its reach 
 everything really dangerous watches and encou- 
 rages its efforts to raise itself by some solid sub- 
 stance, and its attempts to investigate the proper- 
 ties of the different objects by which it is sur- 
 rounded. By this method the child is every day 
 acquiring skill, experience, courage, and caution. 
 It will not venture upon what it does not under- 
 stand, but will advance with firmness, just as far 
 as it knows its own capabilities and the nature of 
 its path. Instead of depending on the nurse's care 
 
EARLY FRIENDSHIPS. 141 
 
 to preserve it from falling down stairs, it will set 
 itself to learn how to go up and down with ease 
 and safety. The early inculcation of sound and 
 judicious principles, and the formation of a habit 
 of applying those principles to the little round of 
 circumstances and experience in infant life, im- 
 parts a similar kind of moral firmness, prompti- 
 tude, and discretion. The child is accustomed to 
 look at the circumstances that surround his path, 
 and consider where he ought to step, and then 
 steps with firmness, and proceeds with vigour. 
 
 As Helen's parents were conversing about her, 
 her youngest brother, just able to run alone, threw 
 his straw ball between the chair and the wall. 
 His father was rising to reach it for him. " Stop !" 
 said the mother, " let him find out for himself how 
 to push away the chair, and get behind to reach 
 the ball." The little one paused a moment, then 
 put forth all his skill and strength, effected the 
 movement, brought out the ball, and placed it on 
 his mother's lap, with a crow of joy and triumph. 
 " I see, my dear," said the delighted father, " of 
 how much real pleasure and improvement I should 
 have deprived the boy, if I had made myself his 
 picking-up machine; and I suppose you wish to 
 act in a similar manner by Helen. While we 
 maintain sufficient watchfulness over her to assure 
 ourselves that she does not run into real danger, 
 it is better that she should learn to think and act 
 for herself, and apply principles to circumstances, 
 than that all her safety should consist in doing as 
 we bid her, from thing to thing." 
 
142 EARLY FRIENDSHIPS. 
 
 The communications received from Helen, almost 
 immediately after this conversation, convinced her 
 parents that their judgment in this particular was 
 not incorrect, nor their confidence misplaced. Helen 
 wrote not as one elated with pleasure and advance- 
 ment, but in her sober, thoughtful, affectionate 
 style. She spoke not of the elegance of the man- 
 sion, furniture, and equipage the number of the 
 servants, or the flattering attentions paid to herself 
 but of the amiable manners and improving con- 
 versation of the ladies of their excellent library, 
 their benevolent engagements, and the admirable 
 regulations of their family of the progress of Miss 
 Armstrong towards recovery of the good accounts 
 received of Mips Millman and her cousins of the 
 prospect of returning to her duties at school 
 and the delightful, though distant prospect, of re- 
 visiting home for the summer vacation. It was 
 evident that Helen was satisfied and happy, not 
 because she was on a visit to people in compara- 
 tively high life, but because she was among the 
 excellent of the earth, and in the way of her duty, 
 and that home was still to her the dearest, love- 
 liest, spot on earth. Happy pledge ! this charac- 
 ter at least is not deteriorating. 
 
 It happened, very shortly after this, that Mr. 
 Somers had an opportunity of confirming, by per- 
 sonal observation, the pleasing sentiments arising 
 out of Helen's communication. He was unex- 
 pectedly called to London on business, and, father 
 like, travelled all night, and despatched his busi- 
 ness as quickly as possible, that he might be ei 
 
EARLY FRIENDSHIPS. 143 
 
 abled to indulge himself with a transient peep at 
 his child. His arrival at Fairfield was altogether 
 unexpected, and he found at home only the inva- 
 lid aunt and her invalid niece. Helen was gone 
 with Miss Lucy Armstrong, on one of her tours 
 of benevolence, and they were not expected to 
 return for an hour or more. Mr. Somers's stay 
 was limited to two hours, as he had to return to 
 London, and take his place in the mail. He was 
 received with unfeigned cordiality, and the first 
 hour was pleasingly occupied in hearing the grateful 
 and yet judicious commendations of his daughter, 
 in which both the elder and the younger lady 
 united. It was not the language of adulation, but 
 the sober approbation of real goodness the ac- 
 knowledgment of services really valuable and 
 the affectionate desire to cherish and to witness 
 progressive improvement. The father was not dis- 
 tressed and alarmed by hearing his daughter spo- 
 ken of as a perfect angel; but was delighted to 
 find that she had established for herself the cha- 
 racter of an amiable, well-principled, promising 
 girl. The ladies were seated, or rather recumbent, 
 in the library. That room was occupied as the 
 family living room, on account of its being adja- 
 cent to Marianne's bed-chamber: for, although 
 she was now able, with the assistance of crutches, 
 to move a little on level ground, she could not yet 
 encounter the stairs. A good library and a mutual 
 friend furnish, even to personal strangers, if in- 
 telligent and polite, ample matter of agreeable con- 
 versation for a longer time than that which elapsed 
 
144 EARLY FRIENDSHIPS. 
 
 before the carriage was heard coming up the 
 avenue ; and, almost in an instant, Helen was in her 
 father's arms. 
 
 " Dear papa!" she exclaimed, " is anything the 
 matter? Mamma and the children are they all 
 well?" 
 
 " Yes, simpleton; if they were otherwise, do 
 you think I should have left home to come and 
 tell you?" 
 
 " You must, dear sir," said Miss Rachel Arm- 
 strong "excuse a little perturbation at so unexpected 
 a meeting, and a temporary suspension of Helen's 
 sober powers of calculation; and now, while my 
 young friend recovers herself, allow me to avail 
 myself of the privilege of prior acquaintance, and 
 introduce to you my sister Miss Lucy Armstrong 
 Mr. Somers. I regret to say, my dear sister, that 
 unless we can devise some plan to induce Mr. 
 Somers to forego his intention of returning to 
 town, a very short opportunity is afforded you for 
 cultivating the acquaintance so agreeably com- 
 menced. 1 have, therefore, ordered dinner im- 
 mediately." 
 
 A very few words between the two ladies, and 
 a reference to the county map, suggested and con- 
 firmed the idea that the mail passed within five 
 miles of Fairfield, and that, by conveying Mr. So- 
 mers across, his return to London would be ren- 
 dered needless, and his company might be enjoyed 
 by the little society there, for three hours longer 
 than had been calculated on. A carriage and ser- 
 vant were ordered to be in readiness at the proper 
 
EARLY FRIENDSHIPS. 145 
 
 time, and Mr. Somers having no positive occasion 
 to return to town, consented to remain. The hours 
 passed with delightful rapidity, yet left on the 
 minds of all the party traces of real interest and 
 settled esteem. The evening was moonlight, and 
 Helen accompanied her father in the carriage, to 
 meet the mail. 
 
 " Dear papa," said she, as she parted with him, 
 " give my dearest love to mamma, and Anna, and 
 Rosa, and all of them, and tell them that, now T 
 have seen you, and heard all about them, I am 
 quite satisfied. It has made up for all the disap- 
 pointment of not going home I mean, together 
 with the kindness of the Misses Armstrong, and 
 the pleasure of having been useful to Marianne; 
 but I hope, if my life is spared, to come at Mid- 
 summer and see them all. I am very happy in 
 my visit, but home is home." 
 
 " Yes," rejoined her father, " be it ever so 
 homely. Retain your love of home, and then you 
 will not be injured by going abroad. Farewell, 
 my precious child. May Heaven still bless and 
 preserve you!" 
 
 Helen's solitary ride in returning to Fairfield 
 was occupied in tender recollections and anticipa- 
 tions, and in fervent prayers for the preservation of 
 her beloved father on his journey. The placid, yet 
 somewhat pensive expression of countenance with 
 which she joined the evening party in the library, 
 was observed and honoured, and met with delicate 
 sympathy. There was no jesting accusation of 
 
M6 EARLY FRIENDS HITS 
 
 " home sickness," or " father sickness," by which 
 the best feelings of childhood are often blunted, and 
 a false shame is excited, which connects an idea of 
 disgrace with that of filial tenderness ; on the con- 
 trary, such a direction was intentionally, yet im- 
 perceptibly, given to the conversation, as would at 
 once soothe and cherish the feelings which had 
 been excited by the unexpected visit; and Helen 
 retired to her chamber more than ever tenderly 
 attached to her own family, and more highly ad- 
 miring and esteeming that in which she was visiting. 
 The vacation was drawing to its close. Mari- 
 anne, of course, was not to return to Holly Grove 
 for the present: and, as her father was expected 
 to return to England in the course of the year, it 
 was probable she would not return at all. It was 
 under discussion whether Helen should be con- 
 ducted to London to meet the teacher and go down 
 with her, or whether she should be sent across in 
 the carriage, as Miss Armstrong had usually been. 
 The pupils were to meet at Holly Grove on the 
 following Tuesday, when Marianne received a 
 letter from her friend, Miss Jennings, saying, that 
 the head of their establishment, having returned 
 rather earlier than was expected, had offered her a 
 few days of recreation ; that, in consequence, her 
 time was at her own disposal till the Thursday 
 following. She had just called on Miss Millman, 
 whom she found perfectly restored to health, and 
 pleasing herself with the hope, before her return 
 to school, of spending a day with Miss Armstrong, 
 
EARLY FRIENDSHIPS. 1-iJ 
 
 her father having engaged, if business permitted, 
 to drive her down on Saturday, and back on 
 Monday morning. He had kindly offered Sophia 
 a seat in the chaise, which she proposed accepting, 
 if there were no circumstance that would render 
 the visit inconvenient to the family at Fairfield. 
 This intimation was received on Friday, and an 
 answer promptly returned, falling in with the de- 
 sign, but requesting Mr. Millman to come prepared 
 to take leave of his daughter at Fairfield the 
 Misses Armstrong offering the use of their carriage 
 to convey Helen and Catharine to school, with 
 Sophia to accompany them, spend one night with 
 her aunt, and return to Fairfield in the carriage 
 on Wednesday. 
 
 1 This happy arrangement afforded the young 
 people an agreeable interview, and crowned the 
 pleasure of the holidays. Thus Sophia and Helen 
 were introduced to each other's acquaintance. 
 Catharine and Marianne had an opportunity of 
 conversing together about their recent afflictions, 
 and the mercy displayed in their restoration to 
 health ; and all combined in suggesting ideas, and 
 establishing purposes of personal and mutual im- 
 provement, and maintaining friendly intercourse 
 in future. Helen took leave of her hospitable 
 friends at the Lodge, with feelings of lively grati- 
 tude and affection, and received, nothing loth, the 
 assurance that a repetition of her visit, when her 
 parents could spare her, would be cordially 
 welcome. 
 
148 EARLY FRIENDSHIPS. 
 
 " We must not expect you next summer," said 
 Miss Lucy, " for home will unquestionably have 
 the first claim, and the first attraction ; hut, if our 
 lives are spared, we should like you to come in a 
 season favourable to your enjr*vment of the garden 
 and country when we may hope that my dear 
 sister will he able to venture abroad with you, and 
 dear Marianne will move about as actively as 
 yourself." 
 
 The invalids each sighed, as if they thought it 
 was too much to hope for, but concurred in say- 
 ing, that, whether in winter or summer, Helen 
 would always be a welcome visitor, to share their 
 pleasures, or to soothe and enliven their confine- 
 ment. 
 
 The carriage party arrived at Holly Grove an 
 hour or two earlier than the stage-coach, The 
 sight of her niece was as unexpected a pleasure to 
 Mrs. Gilbert as that of her father had been to 
 Helen; and, before the bustle of the arrival of the 
 teacher with her numerous party, a quiet oppor- 
 tunity was afforded to the select few, who took tea 
 with Mrs. Gilbert, to answer all her kind inquiries 
 about the health of Miss Armstrong, and the Misses 
 Lloyd, and the several circles and pursuits in 
 which her young friends had been engaged during 
 the vacation. Mrs. Gilbert herself had been visit- 
 ing among the families of her former pupils two 
 of whom were recently married, and others were 
 already surrounded with interesting little families, 
 and shedding over them the benign influence 
 
EARLY 1'lUENDSIlirS. 149 
 
 which can be diffused in the domestic circle, only 
 by a well- principled and well-educated mother. 
 A visit to such scenes is one of the sweetest plea- 
 sures that a faithful and diligent instructress of 
 youth can enjoy. It requites her past assiduities 
 on behalf of the individuals whom she thus beholds 
 fitted to adorn and bless the domestic and social 
 circle, and it stimulates and encourages her with 
 unwearied zeal to pursue her labour of love on 
 behalf of her present charge to " be steadfast and 
 unmoveable, always abounding in the work of 
 the Lord; forasmuch as she knows that her la- 
 bour is not in vain in the Lord." With peculiar 
 complacency Mrs. Gilbert looked around on the 
 three buds of promise now before her ; for in each 
 she beheld decided evidence of sterling worth of 
 character, which is the best preparative for, and 
 the surest prognostic of, growing excellence and 
 usefulness. 
 
 It was with no small satisfaction the young 
 people heard that no alteration in the arrangement 
 of their bed-rooms was to take place at present. 
 Miss Armstrong possibly might return for a short 
 time in spring ; the room, therefore, was to be left 
 undisturbed to Catharine, for the present, unless 
 some unusual press of inmates should render it 
 necessary for some one temporarily to share it; 
 and the Misses Lloyd were again to be placed with 
 Helen. Each congratulated herself on not being 
 compelled to receive a new associate. 
 
 When the stage-coach party arrived, after the 
 o2 
 
150 EARLY FRIENDSHIPS. 
 
 first salutations, while they were taking tea, Helen 
 and Catharine withdrew, to dispose of their own 
 packages and those of the Misses Lloyd. It was 
 then that Helen observed a small deal case with 
 her direction. On opening it, it was found to 
 contain a neat set of portable book-shelves, and 
 about a dozen volumes, handsomely bound, con- 
 taining the works of Milton, Young, Thomson, 
 Cowper, Montgomery, and some other select 
 poets, accompanied by a note, requesting her ac- 
 ceptance of them, as a memorial of grateful and 
 affectionate friendship, with an earnest desire that 
 it might be perpetuated through life signed 
 Marianne Armstrong. It will be supposed that 
 this fresh and valuable token of friendship was 
 not received with insensibility, but that Sophia 
 was the bearer, on her return the next day, of a 
 few simple lines, expressive of Helen's genuine 
 feelings of gratitude and pleasure, and her hope of 
 deriving real improvement from this valuable ac- 
 cession to her library. 
 
 Another day or two brought in most of the remain- 
 ing stragglers to the school, and, by the close of 
 the week, all had settled down into their regular 
 order. Among all Mrs. Gilbert's pupils, none 
 were more assiduous and persevering than Helen 
 and Catharine, and their progress was proportion- 
 ably satisfactory. Meanwhile, by mutual assist- 
 ance in their studies, and by intercourse with 
 their common friends, their feelings and interests 
 were becoming more and more intertwined and 
 
EARLY FRIENDSHIPS. 151 
 
 identified. Their souls were knit together as the 
 souls of David and Jonathan in Scripture. 
 
 Time rolled on. The summer vacation arrived, 
 and Helen with delight revisited her paternal 
 home, and was received with correspondent delight 
 by all the dear ones there. Catharine spent a 
 part of the vacation with her aunt at Chesterfield. 
 During her visit there, she was invited by Mr. 
 and Mrs. Somers to spend a few days with Helen ; 
 and, at the close of the vacation, Helen was con- 
 veyed to Chesterfield, and thence the friends pro- 
 ceeded together on their return to school. The 
 Lloyds again passed the holidays at school. 
 
 Miss Armstrong, now entirely restored to health 
 and soundness, was travelling with her father, with 
 a view of selecting a spot for their country resi- 
 dence. Passing near Holly Grove, on their 
 return to London, Mr. Armstrong yielded to the 
 wish of his daughter to remain a few days in the 
 neighbourhood, to visit her much esteemed pre- 
 ceptress, and her beloved young friends. Sophia 
 Jennings was now settled with her aunt as an 
 assistant in the labours of the school. Marianne's 
 visit, therefore, brought the four young people 
 again into contact, and renewed and strengthened 
 their attachment. The young sisters, Maria and 
 Fanny Lloyd, were not excluded from the circle 
 of friendship. Their grateful, affectionate, and 
 unassuming dispositions, rendered them very ami- 
 ble; and their docility and diligence had pro- 
 gressed in a measure highly creditable to them- 
 
152 EARLY FRIENDSHIPS. 
 
 selves, and surpassing that of some of their fellow- 
 pupils of longer standing and brighter natural 
 abilities. Marianne, Catharine, and Helen, had 
 all contributed to their advancement in learning, 
 and, of course, took a lively pleasure in it ; and, 
 for their sakes, as well as the innate disposition of 
 the good, to approve and advance merit, Miss Jen- 
 nings, now a young lady of the first attainments 
 in female accomplishments, took extraordinary 
 pains in assisting the progress of the little Welch 
 girls, who were intended, like herself, to be trained 
 to the work of education. So well had they im- 
 proved their advantages, that when the eldest was 
 not more than ten years old, Mrs. Gilbert admit- 
 ted them both on the footing of articled pupils, 
 and found them capable of greater degrees of use- 
 fulness, both in domestic activity, and in imparting 
 the rudiments of knowledge, than some whom she 
 had received in the same capacity at thirteen or 
 fourteen years of age. Poor Louisa Ellis, though 
 several years older, was very far behind them, and 
 was often glad to avail herself of their assistance 
 in getting through a difficulty. Poor girl ! while 
 she regarded her lessons as difficulties to be got 
 through, instead of steps in the acquisition of valu- 
 able and delightful knowledge, there was little 
 reason to expect that she would improve ; and in 
 that false sentiment she was fostered by her 
 treacherous friend, Charlotte Harrington, who, 
 whenever it suited her interest to do so, again 
 professed great kindness for Louisa sometimes 
 
EARLY FRIENDSHIPS. 153 
 
 assisting her herself, and sometimes referring hei 
 to the industrious little Lloyds, scornfully observ- 
 ing, " They must apply to learning, for they have 
 to get their living by it ; but you, without fagging 
 yourself to death, will have quite accomplishments 
 enough for a lady." 
 
 How little do young people know of their fu- 
 ture destination in life, and how extreme is the 
 folly of neglecting opportunities of improve- 
 ment, under the idea that wealth, rank, finery, 
 or gay connexions, can form any substitute for the 
 resources of a well-cultivated mind, and an apti- 
 tude for pursuits of usefulness ! When Louisa was 
 about fourteen years of age, her mother died sud- 
 denly. She had a handsome annuity for life, but 
 her gay and expensive habits had more than con- 
 sumed* it. She had accustomed herself to rely on 
 her wealthy brother to assist her with costly pre- 
 sents ; and, if ever she thought of the possibility of 
 her death, she flattered herself that Louisa would 
 be taken care of by her uncle. But when that 
 event actually took place, the uncle was married, 
 and had to support a gay lady, and an expensive 
 establishment of his own, and was little disposed 
 to take the additional burden of a niece. His 
 lady suggested that Louisa was old enough, and, 
 as she had been several years a pupil of Mrs. Gil- 
 bert's, she was, no doubt, accomplished enough, to 
 take a situation as teacher in a school. With 
 heartfelt regret Mrs. Gilbert was constrained to 
 express her real opinion, that the young lady had 
 
154 EARLY FRIENDSHIPS. 
 
 been so extremely negligent in self-improvement, 
 as to render her wholly incompetent to attempt the 
 task of instructing others, even on the very lowest 
 scale. The poor girl appeared in some measure 
 roused to a sense of her situation ; and, through the 
 intercession of Mrs. Gilbert, her uncle consented 
 to her remaining in the school one year longer. 
 The period was afterwards extended to two years. 
 This change in outward circumstances seemed to 
 be the turning-point in Louisa's character. With 
 diligence unknown before, she set herself, as much 
 as possible, to make up for past neglects, and to 
 improve present advantages. Those friends, whose 
 kindness she had formerly forfeited, were still dis- 
 posed to assist and encourage her; and, at the 
 expiration of the two years, she was qualified to 
 take a respectable, though subordinate station in 
 a school, to which she was recommended by Mrs. 
 Gilbert. 
 
 About the time that Louisa lost her mother, 
 Charlotte Harrington was removed from the school. 
 She had, more than once, been detected in artful dis- 
 obedience to the rules of the house : at length, such a 
 course of deception came to light, connected with 
 the Misses Gray, whom she had both imposed upon 
 and corrupted, that Mrs. Gilbert was compelled to 
 request her friends to remove her. Her removal was 
 a great blessing to the younger pupils, especially 
 to those whose injudicious supply of pocket-money, 
 and other indulgences, rendered them a fit prey 
 for the selfish and designing. 
 
EARLY FRIENDSHIPS. 155 
 
 In the several vacations that occurred while 
 Helen and Catharine remained with Mrs. Gilbert, 
 there was generally some plan for a meeting of 
 the friends to take place, for a few days at least, 
 at one or other of their homes. Once the visit 
 was to Hampshire, the country residence of Mr. 
 Armstrong and his daughter, where, also, the 
 elder Misses Armstrong were spending the summer ; 
 once a few days were spent in London Helen's 
 first visit to the great metropolis ; and, a second 
 time, Catharine, Helen, and the two Lloyds met in 
 Derbyshire. 
 
 Catharine left school half a year earlier than 
 Helen, and entered on the arduous task of educat- 
 ing her younger sisters, and becoming the domes- 
 tic manager and associate of her widowed father 
 and her brothers. This important station she 
 filled with uncommon dignity, propriety, and 
 success. The character of a sister an elder sis- 
 ter is at all times highly important in its influ- 
 ence on the family in general ; pre-eminently so, 
 when she becomes the substitute of a departed 
 mother. Catharine entered on her duties with a 
 deep sense of her responsibility, with a con- 
 sciousness of her own weakness and inability to 
 discharge them aright, and with humble yet firm 
 reliance on the strength of divine grace, which is 
 promised to the sincere Christian, in a measure 
 adequate to every duty and every need. Thus 
 was she enabled to be faithful to her trust. She 
 became the centre of enjoyment in the family cir- 
 
156 EARLY FRIENDSHIPS. 
 
 cle the solace of her father the ministering spi- 
 rit of her brothers the instructress and exem- 
 plar of her sisters and the admiration of her 
 friends. 
 
 Six months later, Helen left school, and, after 
 the vacation, her place was filled by a younger 
 sister three of whom, in succession, experienced 
 from the Misses Lloyd similar protection, kind- 
 ness, and assistance, to that which they had for- 
 merly received from Helen; whose kindness to 
 comparative strangers was thus requited to those 
 most dear to her. 
 
 Not long after Helen's removal from school, she 
 received a pressing invitation to attend the mar- 
 riage of her friend Miss Armstrong. It was to 
 take place in London ; and it was the particular 
 wish of the bride elect, on that occasion to enjoy 
 the company of her three young friends, Sophia, 
 Catharine, and Helen. It was much to the 
 honour of these three young persons, that each was 
 of so much importance in her several sphere, that 
 there was some difficulty in making arrangements 
 for sparing her. As, however, all who laid claim 
 to the services of the young people were fully dis- 
 posed to meet their wishes, and grant them the 
 indulgence they so well deserved, by good con- 
 trivance the matter was adjusted. Mrs. Somers, 
 who had lately been confined, detained her nurse 
 to assist her in the care of the younger children 
 during Helen's absence, and engaged a young 
 person in the neighbourhood, on whose principles 
 
EARLY FRIENDSHIPS. 157 
 
 she could rely, to fill Helen's place in needlework 
 and instructing the elder children ; for she was not 
 yet strong enough to bear that fatigue. Helen 
 went up a week before the wedding, to assist 
 her friend in the preparations. As it was in the 
 midst of the school session, Sophia could only be 
 spared for the important day. She went up the 
 day previous, taking with her Maria Lloyd, whom 
 Mrs. Gilbert kindly spared to take Catharine's 
 place with her sisters, and returned the next after- 
 noon. 
 
 After the ceremony, the new married pair, ac- 
 companied by Catharine and Helen, set off on a 
 tour of the lakes in Westmoreland and Cumber- 
 land the elder Misses Armstrong remaining in 
 town to superintend the necessary preparations in 
 the house of Mr. and Mrs. Grenville, against their 
 return. The weather proved favourable, all cir- 
 cumstances propitious, and the happy party en- 
 joyed a delightful tour expanding their minds 
 and gratifying their taste by contemplating the 
 beauties and wonders of creation, with a relish 
 heightened by the accompanying sweets of friend- 
 ship, love, and intellectual society. On their re- 
 turn, the party visited Matlock, the Peak, and 
 other attractions of Derbyshire, and then left 
 Helen at home. Catharine accompanied her 
 friends to London, and remained a short time with 
 the bride, during the ceremony of receiving visits 
 it need scarcely be said, taking frequent oppor- 
 tunities of looking after the welfare of her own 
 
158 EARLY FRIENDSHIPS. 
 
 proper charge at home, which she found going on 
 satisfactorily, under the care of a faithful and 
 affectionate young deputy. 
 
 Within a fortnight of their return to town, Mr. 
 and Mrs. Grenville repaired to their country re- 
 sidence in Hampshire, where they intended prin- 
 cipally to reside, both on account of their decided 
 preference for the country, and of the vicinage of 
 Marianne's honoured father, to whose comfort the 
 society of his darling and only child was every day 
 becoming more and more indispensable. Mr. 
 Armstrong's health was much enfeebled by re- 
 sidence in a warm climate. He was, however, 
 spared several years to witness the happiness of 
 his daughter, and to see her surrounded by a 
 lovely group of little ones. 
 
 The views of Mr. and Mrs. Grenville, on the 
 management and education of children, were not 
 precisely on a level with those of the generality of 
 parents. They attached a vast, but not undue 
 importance, to the very earliest training, and the 
 most minute circumstances bearing upon the tem- 
 pers and habits of children. They entered on the 
 parental relation with a firm conviction of the ab- 
 solute and untransferable duty of constant parental 
 attention and direction to their charge, and re- 
 solved to depend as little as possible on the assist- 
 ance of others in the nursery, and to secure, in 
 what assistance they did employ, co-operation 
 with, and subserviency to, their own views and 
 principles. The circumstances of Mr. and Mrs. 
 
EARLY FRIENDSHIPS. 159 
 
 Grenville certainly put it in their power, as far as 
 the command of time and pecuniary resources were 
 concerned, to make and execute their own ar- 
 rangements. Perhaps parents in circumstances 
 much less favourable might do more than they 
 generally do. The ignorant helplessness of some 
 young mothers often exposes them and their in- 
 fant treasures to the mischievous dominion and 
 superstitious quackery of uneducated and often 
 unprincipled nurses ; and, too often, the mother's 
 thirst after company and pleasure, incompatible 
 with personal attendance on the care of her off- 
 spring, leads her to devolve upon hirelings that 
 trust which can only be properly executed by 
 herself. To guard against these evils, Mrs. Gren- 
 ville conscientiously and assiduously set herself to 
 acquire such a knowledge of the duties of a mo- 
 ther, and the principles of judicious management 
 of children, as should render her competent, from 
 the very first, to maintain her just supremacy as 
 to what was to be done for her child. She re- 
 solved also entirely to devote herself to the impor- 
 tant charge, and to suffer no engagement of com- 
 pany, or any other pursuit, to interfere with the 
 personal discharge of her maternal duties. She 
 determined that her child should be always in her 
 presence, and almost always in her arms during 
 its infancy, and under her tuition, as it became 
 capable of being taught. Some assistance she 
 probably would require, but she wanted neither an 
 ignorant drudge, nor an upstart, conceited nurse. 
 
160 EARLY FRIENDSHIPS. 
 
 She wanted some one who could enter into her 
 views, and assist her in carrying out her plans. 
 " The education of a child," said Mr. Grenville, 
 " is necessarily coeval with its birth. How pre- 
 posterous, then, is it to commit the first three, 
 four, or five years to the keeping of ignorance and 
 prejudice, and then seek for an enlightened and 
 well-educated governess to try her skill first, in 
 eradicating the mischiefs of the former system, and 
 then, to begin again the work which ought to have 
 been progressing from the very birth of the child ! 
 No if a governess is to do any good, let her 
 begin when education begins. We will engage a 
 well-educated young person to be your assistant, 
 my dear Marianne, from the birth of an expected^ 
 little one; and she who would despise the work ^ 
 of training a rational and immortal creature, from 
 its earliest existence, proves that she is unfit to 
 undertake the work of education at any age." 
 
 Maria Lloyd's term with Mrs. Gilbert was on 
 the eve of expiring; and, from her own former 
 observations, and the testimony of those who 
 had been with her subsequently, Mrs. Grenville 
 thought of her as a suitable person to assist her 
 in the care of her tender charge. She gladly ac- 
 cepted the situation, and found herself happy with 
 a comfortable home, a liberal salary, cultivated 
 society, cordial and delicate kindness, and abun- 
 dant opportunities for keeping up and improving 
 her own acquirements, with a view to their future 
 employment. She entered upon her work with 
 
EARLY FRIENDSHIPS. 161 
 
 spirit, and found it no ignoble task. By watching 
 and training the propensities of her infant charge, 
 she found that she was qualifying herself to im- 
 part, and it to receive, knowledge of every kind, 
 as the mind and faculties should expand. Mrs. 
 Grenville and her young assistant entirely nursed 
 a family of seven children formed the habits of 
 the boys, and imparted to them the rudiments of 
 learning, and carried on the education of the girls 
 it need scarcely be added, much to their physical, 
 intellectual, and moral advantage. 
 
 After living many years in the family of Mr. 
 Grenville, Miss Lloyd became the invaluable wife 
 of a widower with a young family a relation in 
 which she has done all that woman could do, to 
 secure and cement to herself the affections of a 
 grateful family, and to pour contempt on the vul- 
 gar prejudice against step-mothers. Her sister 
 Fanny, on the completion of her pupilage, re- 
 mained with Mrs. Gilbert as an assistant, and 
 proved herself so truly estimable and efficient, 
 that when that lady retired from her arduous 
 and honourable toils, the name of Miss Lloyd was 
 associated with that of Miss Jennings, as successors 
 tj Mrs. Gilbert. Under their superintendence the 
 establishment continues to merit and to receive a 
 large measure of public confidence and support,, 
 and has sent forth many well-principled and well- 
 ecmcated young females, fitted to fill their various 
 stations in life in an honourable, acceptable, and 
 useful manner. The attachment of the young 
 * p2 
 
162 EARLY FRIENDSHIPS. 
 
 governesses and their early friends has proved 
 steady and abiding, as well as ardent and sincere. 
 An affectionate intercourse is constantly kept up ; 
 every opportunity of promoting each other's in- 
 terest is gladly embraced, and an alternate claim 
 is laid by the distant friends, for a visit in each 
 vacation. 
 
 There has, however, been one valued link broken 
 from the circle of friendship, not by inconstancy or 
 alienation, but by death. The lovely Catharine, at 
 the age of twenty-four, fell a victim to the insi- 
 dious disease that had deprived her of her beloved 
 mother. Catharine was universally admired, for 
 the beauty of her person and the elegance of her 
 manners. She was deservedly the darling of her 
 family, for those sterling, quiet virtues which 
 most adorn and bless the fireside circle. She had 
 long been the sweet soother of her father's pensive 
 hours, and the sharer of his anxieties, which, at 
 one time, were very heavy, on account of losses in 
 business, and depression in circumstances, which 
 speedily followed on the loss of his beloved part- 
 ner. These she had assisted him in bearing, and 
 had seen him happily surmount. The smiles of Hea- 
 ven had again crowned his endeavours. His circum- 
 stances were become easy and prosperous, and the 
 prospects of his family hopeful. Satisfied with a 
 sufficiency, Mr. Millman was not disposed eagerly to 
 grasp after the accumulation of wealth ; but, hav- 
 ing secured a moderate provision for each of his 
 children, he resolved to retire, hoping to spend the 
 
EARLY FRIENDSHIPS. 163 
 
 evening of his days in domestic repose and bene- 
 volent usefulness. His eldest son, a highly 
 talented and excellent young man, in connexion 
 with his cousin, Lewis Hollingsby, was established 
 in an extensive line, in one of the great manufac- 
 turing districts, where talent, industry, and enter- 
 prise, combined with propriety of deportment, 
 rarely fail of success. Hollingsby and Millman, 
 though young men, had already attained eminence 
 in their profession, for the correctness, elegance, 
 and appropriateness of their plans and designs, and 
 for their promptness and punctuality in trans- 
 acting business. The young men had erected a 
 neat and elegant structure, consisting of offices in 
 the centre, and each wing a commodious dwelling- 
 house, which they hoped respectively to occupy, 
 in conjunction with a beloved female partner. 
 One peculiarly cherished feature in the contem- 
 plated connexion was, that they were to bring 
 together, as sisters and neighbours, the cherished 
 friends of youth. Helen Somers was the intended 
 bride of Alfred Millman, and Catharine of her 
 cousin Lewis Hollingsby. 
 
 It was during the removal of Mr. Millman and 
 his family to their country retreat, that Catharine 
 first awakened the anxieties of her tender father, 
 by a little tickling cough. But it was supposed 
 to be the result of a slight cold and fatigue, and 
 passed over without any great alarm. The removal 
 of the family to their new abode took place early 
 in the spring. As soon as they were settled, Ca- 
 
16'4 EARLY FRIENDSHIPS. 
 
 tharine, while carrying on the little preparations 
 for her own intended change, was careful to see her 
 succeeding sister gradually initiated into the entire 
 charge of housekeeping, as she already was in 
 most of its details. 
 
 The country air and advancing spring, which 
 was a peculiarly favourable one, seemed to pro- 
 duce a beneficial effect on Catharine's health. 
 The cough nearly disappeared, and her appetite, 
 which had been failing, returned. The hope was 
 fondly cherished by her affectionate friends, that 
 the cause of her indisposition had been but casual 
 and superficial, and was entirely removed, and 
 that she would be long spared to bless the new 
 connexion on which she was about to enter. 
 Still there was a drawback on the confidence of 
 this expectation, especially in the minds of those 
 friends who, being somewhat farther removed from 
 immediate contact with the object, could observe 
 with a less impassioned eye, and form a more 
 accurate, though less flattering judgment. Among 
 these, especially, were the Misses Armstrong, in 
 whose neighbourhood Catharine and her family 
 were come to reside. They observed about her a 
 degree of languor, interchanged with occasional 
 excitement, a flushed cheek, and a brilliant eye, 
 that seemed to mark her the lovely victim of con- 
 sumption. An eminent physician was consulted. 
 He confessed that he saw grounds for apprehen- 
 sion, but yet encouraged a hope that the incipient 
 disease might be arrested in its progress, and, 
 
EARXY FRIENDSHIPS. 165 
 
 perhaps, together with exercise and medicine, al- 
 together averted. He recommended travelling 
 and cheerful society. The Misses Armstrong were 
 fcbout to visit their brother and niece in Hamp- 
 shire, and invited Catharine to accompany them. 
 No prescription could possibly have been more 
 congenial with the feelings of the patient, than a 
 visit to the friend of her youth, especially in the 
 prospect of being soon fixed in a domestic circle 
 of her own. Mrs. Grenville, who had not seen 
 Catharine for a considerable time, was, at first, 
 much shocked at her altered appearance, but, 
 during her stay, a daily improvement was ob- 
 served, and she returned, assuring her friends, and 
 believing herself, that she was quite well. The 
 friendship of Marianne and Catharine was of too 
 long standing, and too unreserved, and founded on 
 principles too sacred and sublime, to require or to 
 warrant the world's false delicacy, that forbids 
 allusion to the possible tendency of disease towards 
 dissolution. Catharine herself sometimes spoke 
 of the uncertainty that clouded her most cherished 
 prospects for this life, and the probability that she 
 should follow her beloved mother to an early- 
 tomb ; and her friend did not check the surmise, 
 though, at the same time, she encouraged the che- 
 rishing of every reasonable ground of hope, and 
 the use of every rational measure of precau- 
 tion or remedy. To those who most tenderly 
 loved Catharine, and most earnestly desired the 
 prolongation of her life, it was an unspeakable con- 
 
166 EARLY FRIENDSHIPS. 
 
 solation to find that she could think of death with- 
 out dismay that she was enabled, in a sweet 
 spirit of resignation, to surrender life, and all its 
 tender ties and delightful anticipations, to the 
 Divine will, and, exercising a humble confidence 
 in the merits and sufferings of an all-sufficient 
 Saviour, to say, "To me to live is Christ, and to 
 die is gain." The sweet savour of these conver- 
 sations was no alloy to the cheerfulness of re- 
 turning health, and the fulfilment of anticipated 
 engagements. 
 
 During Catharine's stay in Hampshire, she 
 received a visit from her dearest friend, who be- 
 held, with exulting delight, her improved state of 
 health, and gained her consent that their intended 
 marriage should take place at the same time, 
 though not in the same place, with that of Alfred 
 and Helen. It was arranged that each wedding 
 should be celebrated in the parish of the respective 
 brides, and that the two new married couples, each 
 accompanied by a sister of the bride, should meet 
 at the residence of their common relatives in 
 Chesterfield, and thence proceed to their destined 
 home. These arrangements were happily carried 
 into effect in the course of the autumn, and, for a 
 few months, the young architects and their ami- 
 able partners were permitted to enjoy the sweet 
 fulne v ss of domestic bliss and intimate friendship. 
 At Christmas all the five parents met at the abode 
 of their happy children, and mingled their feelings 
 of delight and congratulation. Catharine's late 
 
EARLY FRIENDSHIPS. 167 
 
 indisposition was almost forgotten, except so far 
 as to keep up due caution in point of exposure to 
 night air, thin clothing, or any other of the excit- 
 ing causes of latent consumption. All went on fa- 
 vourably, till the keen winds of March excited 
 a painful renewal of the cough and palpitations, and 
 fresh anxiety was awakened in the minds of her 
 affectionate friends. Some feared that the danger 
 was aggravated by the prospect of her becoming a 
 mother others flattered the anxious husband that 
 this circumstance was favourable, and would issue 
 in renewed degrees of health and strength. The 
 crisis passed favourably, and Lewis and Catharine 
 became the delighted parents of a little daughter, 
 so plump and healthy as to exceed in size the little 
 one of Helen, which was already five weeks old. 
 It may be supposed that Helen, who had been an 
 anxious sharer in the apprehensions entertained 
 for her beloved sister and friend, was not an un- 
 concerned spectator of her joy 'and gratitude. 
 Both the little families seemed now to have their 
 happiness complete, as far as completion can be- 
 long to earth and time. 
 
 But the cheerful scene was soon overclouded. 
 The strength of the young mother did not rally 
 she was unable to nourish her babe ; that charge 
 was promptly undertaken by Helen, whose vigor- 
 ous constitution and abundant supply of the pre- 
 cious balm of infant life, enabled her, without in- 
 jury, to afford sustenance to the two children. 
 This relieved the tender mother of distressing 
 
168 EARLY FRIENDSHIPS. 
 
 apprehensions, on account of her babe being 
 deprived of its natural nourishment, or consigned 
 to the bosom of a hireling, and seemed to 
 afford a last hope for the recovery of her own 
 strength ; but hope was of short duration. Her 
 cough returned with distressing violence, disease 
 made rapid progress on her lovely frame, and, 
 in little more than a year after her marriage, 
 the beautiful and beloved Catharine was num- 
 bered with the dead leaving, however, a delight- 
 ful and consolatory testimony in the minds of her 
 sorrowing friends, that her happy spirit had joined 
 those of the just made perfect. 
 
 The little motherless babe throve delightfully, 
 under the fostering care of Helen, and the sorrows 
 of the desolate widower were soothed by the 
 affectionate tenderness of his sympathizing rela- 
 tives, and the smiles of his lovely child. About 
 two years after the death of Catharine, Helen's 
 sister, Anna, paid her a visit on occasion of the 
 birth of a second child, to assist in the care of the 
 elder one and its foster-sister. This circumstance 
 led to the formation of an attachment which once 
 more shed the light of conjugal enjoyment over 
 the long solitary dwelling of Lewis Hollingsby. 
 Anna Somers replenished the void made by 
 the death of his beloved Catharine. The little 
 Catharine was then transferred to her maternal 
 care, and now mingles with a numerous family of 
 her own, not one of whom has been conscious of a 
 feeling of jealousy, or has excited one of partiality in 
 
EARLY FRIENDSHIPS. 
 
 169 
 
 either parent. Helen, also, had a numerous 
 train of healthy, well-managed children, who are 
 indebted, in no small degree, for the advantages 
 they enjoy, under the care of an excellent mother, 
 first, to that mother's judicious maternal train- 
 ing, and, next, to the influence of early, virtuous 
 friendship. 
 
170 
 
 MEMOIRS OF A BUTTERFLY. 
 
 BY MISS JEWSBURY. 
 
 " 'Tis greatly- wise to talk with our past hours." 
 
 THE approach of autumn, and the conviction that 
 I shall not survive the first sharp frost, would fill 
 me with dismay did I not belong to the educated 
 class of butterflies. I can submit to the laws of 
 nature, and die ; I cannot submit to die and leave 
 no record of my existence : but I am not called to 
 this trial ; my friend, the gadfly, promises to take 
 charge of these memoirs when completed, and to 
 trumpet their praises throughout the insect world. 
 That world is hastening to its end ; but, doubtless, 
 the next generation, and especially that of but- 
 terflies, will hold my name in estimation ; I shall 
 certainly be regarded as their standard author. 
 Unquestionably I should like to live to hear my 
 own praises; but one cannot have everything, 
 so I must be satisfied with deserving them, and 
 commence my history. 
 
 Of my infancy I remember nothing, except, in- 
 deed, that it was said, I was a remarkably fine 
 caterpillar ; but my own recollections begin at the 
 moment when I burst from my cone, and found 
 
MEMOIRS OF A BUTTERFLY. 171 
 
 myself a butterfly ! I belong to that splendid tribe 
 called the Atalanta, and, when in my prime, I was 
 one of its chief ornaments, my wings being glossy 
 black, edged with the richest carmine. How well 
 do I remember the morning of my first flight! 
 From being shut up in a dusky prison, I suddenly 
 found myself at large, fluttering among flowers 
 that I continually mistook for brother butterflies 
 the glorious sun shining in the heavens without a 
 cloud and thousands of insects sporting, like 
 myself, in his golden beams! How many friend- 
 ships did I form on that happy day ! How sweet 
 were my slumbers, when at night I folded my 
 wings in a rose that was sheltered from the dew by 
 a laurel branch that hung over it ! From that day 
 it was evident that nature designed me for the poet 
 of my tribe ; doubtless, circumstances were highly 
 favourable, but I think that 1 must, even in my 
 caterpillar state, have possessed the organs of 
 fancy and imagination. 
 
 I will now describe my way of life. In a few 
 days, my rose-tree became the resort of a selection 
 from the most approved species of butterfly. The 
 swallow-tailed, the peacock, the buck-thorn, and 
 the atalanta kind, took the lead, on account of 
 the splendour of their attire: the inferior orders 
 were only bowed to at a distance, and, of course, 
 every insect that was not a butterfly, was regarded 
 with the utmost horror. The gadfly, the wasp, 
 and the bee, were exceptions ; the first was neces- 
 sary as a newsmonger, and, as all three carried 
 
172 MEMOIRS OF A BUTTERFLY, 
 
 stings, it was not safe to despise them. Every 
 day the coterie on the rose-tree formed a party 
 of pleasure to visit a different spot of the garden, 
 which, as belonging to a nobleman, and being 
 extremely retired, was a most fitting residence for 
 butterflies of fashion. Sometimes we danced quad- 
 rilles in the air, then rested on a woodbine, and 
 returned home in the cool of the evening. Some- 
 times we formed a party for conversation beneath 
 the shade of a myrtle tree ; at which times I was 
 expected to furnish a song or a tale, invariably in 
 honour of some one belonging to our own body. 
 Occasionally, for the sake of the honey he con- 
 tributed, we invited an old bee to join our pic-nics ; 
 but, so much did we fear that he might presume 
 upon the honour, and join us when it might be 
 unpleasant to recognize him, that I do not think 
 we invited him more than twice. This delightful 
 kind of life lasted for about a month ; towards 
 the close of that period something like weariness 
 stole over us ; pleasure was the sole object of our 
 search, and, having exhausted all we knew, the 
 inquiry was, what should be done next? Labour 
 was out of the question ; our high birth, and re- 
 fined habits, equally forbade us to enjoy vulgar 
 excitements; we had, therefore, no resource but 
 to quarrel amongst ourselves. We did so. Jea- 
 lousies, rivalries, and bickerings, now disturbed the 
 tranquil rose-tree. A swallow-tailed beau chal- 
 lenged a peacock dandy : they met ; one got his 
 beautiful coat (yellow, laced with black.) covered 
 
MEMOIRS OF A BUTTERFLY. ?73 
 
 with dust, and the other received a wound in one 
 foot, which occasioned him to limp ever afterwards. 
 The ladies of the respective combatants, of course, 
 took part in the quarrel, and scandalized each other 
 without mercy. For myself, I made satirical verses 
 on all parties ; but I was so really vexed at the dis- 
 turbed state of our politics, that I contrived to make 
 myself the head of a party, whom I drew off and 
 established on the myrtle tree before alluded to. 
 Unalloyed felicity is not, however, destined to be 
 the fate of butterflies. Soon after our removal, two 
 of the party met with an untimely death ; one was 
 crushed by a little ruffian of a schoolboy, and the 
 other, a particular friend of my own, took cold 
 from incautiously venturing into a damp lily. I 
 honoured each with an elegy, and the occupation 
 somewhat soothed my grief. 
 
 For the last fortnight my troubles have been of 
 a personal nature. I feel the approaches of old 
 age : I do not enjoy company as I once did, nei- 
 ther can I fly so briskly ; grave thoughts will ob- 
 trude upon my mind ; and, on my reviewing my 
 past life, I almost suspect that the despised ant 
 and bee have been more Honourable insects than 
 myself, because more useful. To be sure, I have 
 enjoyed much pleasure ; but then it is over, and 
 the recollection of it is but cold comfort; and, if 
 I have been greatly admired, I am not sure that 
 I was ever loved. I cannot help wishing I had a 
 few good actions to remember a few benevolent 
 sentiments ; but I cannot call any to my mind. I 
 Q2 
 
174 
 
 MEMOIRS OF A BUTTERFLY. 
 
 certainly once felt ashamed of my party for scoff- 
 ing at a poor black beetle (it could not help its 
 ugliness) but then I did not use my influence to 
 protect it. I did certainly once wish to relieve 
 the anguish of a dying moth, by lifting it from the 
 gravel-walk to a rose leaf; but then I abstained, 
 for fear of soiling my wings. Well, if I might 
 again emerge from my chrysalis, I would live a 
 very different life ; but, as I cannot, I must hope 
 that the posterity of butterflies, to whom 1 dedi- 
 cate these memoirs, will profit by my experience 
 and my regrets ! 
 
175 
 
 HYMN FOR SABBATH MORNING. 
 
 BY THE ETTRICK SHEPHERD. 
 
 T LOVE, O Lord! this holy day, 
 
 In mercy sent to me 
 A day the youthful heart to sway 
 
 With thankfulness to thee. 
 
 On it this world at first was made 
 
 By thy creative might, 
 The ample heavens ahove it spread, 
 
 The day form'd, and the night. 
 
 This day the earth arose from night, 
 
 With spirit unendued; 
 A second time to glorious light 
 
 It rose hy grace renew'd. 
 
 In shadow'd and in douhtful faith, 
 
 Of life we groped the way ; 
 But Jesus burst the bonds of death 
 
 And darkness fled away. 
 
 O, blessed day ! sent from above, 
 
 Despondence to control 
 The beacon of redeeming love, 
 
 The rainbow of the soul ! 
 
176 HYMN FOR SABBATH MDRNINQ. 
 
 For the return of this, thy day, 
 O Lord ! I bless thy name ; 
 
 Lead me unto thy house to pray, 
 With heart in praying frame. 
 
 And never may this blessed day 
 Dawn o'er the eastern sea, 
 
 On which I do not kneel and pray 
 With grateful heart to thee ! 
 
 Father of Life, do thou approve, 
 
 And my Redeemer dear, 
 And Spirit of Grace, bow down in love, 
 
 A. simple child to hear ' 
 
85, Queen-street) Cheapside. 
 
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