No More Learning

283
Emily, natural and unembarrassed, was
an object, both in person and manner,
that could not fail to excite admiration
and interest: but to make anv arrange-
ment for this was impossible, as neither
the hour nor day of his arrival could be
ascertained, and she dreaded, yet expect-
ed, his sudden appearance. Chance,
however, is frequently more favourable
to our wishes than design. Mr. Bland-
ford arrived while Emily was taking a
walk with Isabel and Rose. His extreme
agitation at seeing Mrs. Sydney made her
rejoice that his daughter was not present
to witness the unbounded effusions of his
feelings. She sought to tranquilize them
by reminding him of the effect they might
produce upon Emily 5 and represented
to him her apprehensions and inquietudes.
He promised to make an effort at compo^
sure, examined her drawings, turned
over her books, and read with delight
some of her marginal observations; look-
ed repeatedly at his watch, then from the
window; walked up and down the room }
and at length, impatient at her delay, re-
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? 284 ROSE AS(R) EMILY; OR,
quested Mrs. Sydney would send a ser-
vant to inform her of his arrival. "They
are coining," she replied.
He was rushing out of the room, but'
Mrs. Sydney again intreated him to com-
mand himself, and observe her as she ap-
proached. "Which is my child, which
is Emily? " he hastily enquired. "The
tallest. " "She has her mother's figure,"
he replied, and sunk down in a chair.
"My dear Sir," said Mrs. Sydney ear-
nestly and emphatically, "unless you
overcome the violence of these emotions,
what must you expect from your daugh-
ter? " "I would not have her calm,"
he answered. Mrs. Sydney retired from
the window, and was silent. "Forgive
my impetuosity," he exclaimed, " forgive
my impatience and agitation; I will
be composed, and again look at her. "
He seated himself by the side of the win-
dow, which was shaded by the mingled
branches of a vine and clematis; and,
unseen by her, gazed at her as she ap-
proached: her bonnet was thrown back;
her dark hair was partly blown from her ,
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? SKETCHES OF YOUTH. 285
? white and open forehead, and the glow
of health and exercise had tinged her
cheek with its liveliest carnation. The
? little party had been botanizing, and Rose
carried in a basket, the treasures of the
fields and hedges. Emily had in her
hand a beautiful branch of the wild-rose,
and some woodbine, which she had ga-
thered for Mrs. Sydney. Seeing her at
the window, she held them up with a
smile, which gave an added charm to her
countenance, and Mr. Blandford heard
the sweet and cheerful accents of her"
voice, as, speaking to her young friends,
she entered the little court. "Inform
her that I am here,' said he, " and I will
wait as patiently as I can. '
Mrs. Sydney performed her office so as
best to moderate the transports of the
father and daughter; transports that she
knew,
"Were bliss but to a certain bound;
Beyond was agony. "
Tears mingled with their mutual ca-
resses; but they were tears of controuled
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? 286 ROSE AND EMILY } OR,
emotion, of softened rapture. He gazed
at her with all a father's pride, a father's
joy; and as he murmured her praises, and
his affection, she hung round his neck,
smiled at his encomiums, and no longer
feared he would not love her.
To Mrs. Sydney his gratitude knew no
bounds, and to her daughters he shewed
a father's kindness. For his little friend
Rose, who had been the instrument of
their introduction to each other, he re-
tained all the partiality he had formerly
felt. The pretty, playful, and engaging
child, was now the beautiful, lovely, and
interesting girl of fifteen; her sweetly-
modulated voice faithfully revealed every
movement of her mind, every emotion of
her heart; and her eye sparkled with the
purest rays of intelligence and genius.
This evening was given to the pleasures
of friendship and affection; but the joy
of having his daughter restored to him all
he wished to find her, was, in Mr. Bland-
ford's bosom, the predominant sentiment.
Though he still retained that quickness
of feeling, and enthusiasm of" character,
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? SKETCHES OF YOUTH. 287
which had formerly distinguished him;
yet he seemed to have acquired more
settled principles, more established ha-
bits; to discriminate with more perspi-
cuity, and to decide with more judgment.
On him depended the happiness or mi-
sery of his daughter, and he seriously re-
flected upon the important trust which
now would delegate to him; and deter-
mined to adapt his plans and his conduct
solely to this one vpoint. His future
establishment was discussed with Mrs.
Sydney, and arrangements made for the
introduction of Emily into the world ; for
though he dreaded to open to her its
temptations, he yet longed, with parental
pride, to introduce her to its notice; and
wished her to obtain its advantages.
Dr. Blake was dead, and the new in-
cumbent, who, though a young man, was
properly impressed with a sense of the sa- *
cred duties he had pledged himself to
fulfil, intended to reside at the parson-
age. A new habitation was therefore to
be sought for; for Mrs. Sydney, though she
had permission from the present rector,
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? 288 ROSE AND EMILY } OR,
to remain there till she could conve-
niently remove j but while he occupied
a lodging in the villige, she was uneasy
a; i eing a resident in his house. Mr.
Blandford propose her removing to Lon-
don, and still continuing the guide of
Emily; but to this proposal she'gave a
decided negative. Her ignorance of fa-
shionable life, customs, and places, ren-
dered her a very unfit person to introduce
an heiress into life; and she, laughingly,
told Mr. Blandford she herself would re-
quire a chaperon, instead of being one.
She recommended h;s engaging, for the
companion of his daughter, some lady
whose moral character would stand the
test of the strictest scrutiny; whose man?
ners might be held up as a model to
Emily, and whose knowledge of the world
might be her guide.
Averse as Mr. Blandford felt to sepa-
rate her from Mrs. Sydney, and still ap-
prehensive of the contamination of evil
example, he promised to follow her ad-
vice. "I trust, my good friend," said
Mrs. Sydney, "you need not fear the
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? SKETCHES OF YOUTH. . 2S3
perversion of Emily's morals, even if she
Avere to be led into the vortex of ill ex-
example. Principles of virtue, when
founded on religion, and confirmed by
practice, are not easily shaken; and
though I would not carelessly or confi-
dently expose a young person to the al-
lurements of vice; yet, I should hope, if
vice approached under its most specious
form, a mind so fortified would be able to
resist all its attractions; and, under any
disguise it might assume, to find it,
'A monster of such frightful mien.
As to be hated,. needs but to be seen. '
But, my dear Sir, whoever may have the
happiness of being selected as the com-
panion of your daughter, your of course,
will be with her; and, under a father's
protection, there can be little to fear. "
While Mr. Blandford was in quest of a
proper person to introduce Emily, she
still remained with her beloved friends at
the parsonage. whose society became
every hour more dear, as she reflected
upon the little time that, probably, would
o
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? 290 ROSE AND EMILY; OR,
be allowed her to enjoy it: she constantly
hung on the arm of Rose or Isabel, and
scarcely could leave the side of Mrs. Syd-
ney for a moment; she would look at
them in silence, till the tears swelled in
her eyes; and then hastily leave the room
to recover her composure.
At this time a letter arrived, which an-
nounced the long-wished-for intelligence,
that Mr. and Mrs. Falkland and Fanny
intended paying the promised visit at the
parsonage; every heart was gladdened;
ev^ry hand was busy: the happy day at
length dawned, and the friends were wel-
comed. For a week all was joy; but at
the end of that period, the parting hour
came, and sunk them in sorrow and de-
jection. The visit was, however, to be
returned in the spring, when Mrs. Sydney
and her daughters? would be introduced to
Mr. and Mrs. Belmont; and this hope,
though viewed through a distant perspec-
tive, revivedtheir drooping spirits.
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? SKETCHES OF YOUTH. ' 291
CHAP. XIX.
After several months spent in unavail-
ing enquiries for a person qualified to act
as chaperon to Emily, and such a one as
Mr. Blandfbrd approved, the wife of an
officer, then absent in the service of his
country, was introduced to him at a party.
The elegance of her manner, the grace-
fulness with which she performed the most
trivial acts, the modesty which marked
her whole demeanor, and the discrimi-
nating force of her remarks, made him re-
gard her as the very person under whose
auspices he should wish to introduce his
daughter. She had just attained that pe-
riod of life when the person derives its
greatest lustre from the emanations of the
mind ; and the manner its greatest charm
from the kindness of the heart.
o2
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? 292 ROSE AND EMILY; OR,
Mr. Blandford was informed, that she
had, early in life, married Captain Neville,
and had one son, who was lately entered
at College; that, sacrificing her own in-
dulgences to his advantages, from the
judicious management of a limited in-
come, she made him a liberal allowance;
that her connections were not only of the
first rank, but of the first respectability:
and though she had resigned the more
brilliant circles of fashion, she was always
to be met with in its select societies.
A mutual friend represented to Mrs.
Neville the wishes of Mr. Blandford re-
specting his daughter,. and the arrange-
ment was soon made, that she should be
her chaperon for the winter.
To leave a spot which,for six years, had
been her home, (and indeed the only
settled home she had ever known) deeply
and painfully affected Emily. To be se-
parated from Mrs. Sydney, from whom
she had experienced the tenderness and
solicitude of a mother, and whom she
laved as such ; and from Isabel and Rosej;
who were dear to her as sisters, was
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? SKETCHES OF YOUTH. 293
agonizing to her heart; even the good
Phoebe was numbered among the objects? '
of her early attachment, and had a share
of regrets. "The world was all before
her," and though she had a father's hand
to direct her through its perilous paths,
yet, for this' world,1 she must quit her
Eden! She could not think of its novel-
ties as allurements; or its pleasures as
comparable to those she had known at
the parsonage; and hope was lost in ap-
prehension. ? Isabel was urged to accom-
pany her. For a long time Mrs. Sydney
withstood all the solicitations of Mr.
Blandford, but she could not resist the
tears' of Emily. Dreading to be parted
at once from the friends of her youth,
those who had for so many years shared
her confidence and affection, she? im-
plored Mrs; Sydney not to suffer her to go
to a land of strangers, without one " dear
familiar face," for her eyes to rest upon,
Or "one tried bosom in which she could
repose her thoughts; and, influenced by
these considerations for the comfort of
. Emily, Mm, Sydney consented that Isa-
O3
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? 294 KOSE AND EMILY; OR,
bel should accompany her for a few weeks
to London.
Mr. Blandford not only honourably
performed every promise he had made to
Mrs. Sydney, but realized every expecta-
tion he might have raised in her mind,
when she engaged in the education of
his daughter.
He justly considered the
extent of the obligation he owed her, and
that no pecuniary recompence could alone
testify his sense of it; this was merely
discharging a common debt: but when
he promised that Emily should spend two
months every summer with her. and her
family, he felt that he was evincing his gra-
titude by conferring a kindness: " they
who have trained the plant," he said,_
ought to partake of the fruit. "
His choice of Mrs. Neville as the . cha-
peron of his daughter, proved fortunate
and judicious. Young, innocent, and
lovely, wherever she appeared, the pride
of the father was gratified by the. admira-
tion she excited.
Shrinking from observation, and little
amused by the gaities of London, Isabel,
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? SKETCHES OP YOUTH* 295
though she parted from her friend with
sorrow, was' rejoiced when the day ar-
rived for her return home; though, alas!
not that home which she had left! Mrs.
Sydney had removed into a small house in
the vicinity of the village, on one of the
most beautiful windings of the Derwent,
and Mr. Seymour, the new rector, h<id
taken possession of the parsonage. A
removal from this happy home for ever,
was attended by many agonizing emo-
tions; but, suppressing all selfish mur-
muring to her daughters, Mrs. Sydney
only dwelt on the beauties and advantages
of their new situation, which the taste of
Rose, and the industry of Phcebe, in a
short time rendered every thing they
wished; and its approximation to the
spot so dear to them all, gave it another
charm to their hearts.
The gentle manners,and retiring graces
of Isabel, soon attracted the admiration of
Mr, Seymour, and when he found the
mind within" still. lovelier than the
person, affection quickly followed admi-
ration, and Mrs. . Sydney had the joy of
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? ? ?
296 ROSE AND EMILY; OR,
seeing her the happy wife of an amiable
man, and under the same roof where she
had known years of blessing. It now
again appeared her home, for it was her
daughter's; and the very short distance
that divided them from each other, per-
mitted a daily intercourse; and* thus
united, they still seemed but one family.
The fate of Emily was not long unde-1
termined; and when Mr. Blandford pre- ?
sented the hand of his daughter to the*
man of their mutual choice, he said--
"To me she only owes her existence^*
but to Mrs. Sydney all that renders that ?
existence estimable. " When Emily be-
came a wife, attachment and gratitude to
her earliest and dearest friends,'still fixed
her summer residence near them. Rose,
the child. of genius and talent, lively, ar-
dent, and tender-hearted, was ever the
entertaining companion, and the affec-
tionate daughter. Though her mind
strengthened in'judgment, it abated no-
thing of its fancy and enthusiasm. As
she bounded over her native hills', warbi1
ling her " wood notes wiid," the powers
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? SKETCHES OF YOUTH.
297
of her imagination created worlds of her
own, and for her no solitude existed.
In the happiness of her children, Mrs.
Sydney found her own; and from their
virtues derived her blessing and consola-
tion. In the consciousness of a life spent,
as far as was in her power, in the perfor-
mance of every social and christian duty,
she experienced a sweet reward for all
her labours; and while she looked for-
ward to a still more glorious and eternal
recompence, she acknowledged, with a
grateful heart, that, even in this life,
"the righteous will not be forsaken, nor
his seed begging their bread. "
FINIS.
E. Blackader, Printer, 1
look's Court, Clmncery. Iane, Loudon. \
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? ERRATA.
Page 45 line 16 for " begun" read beg<<.
__ 48--7 --" as let me stay" --a&fo let stay.
_ 97 _ 20 -- " ob that it was' -- were.
-- 98 -- 12 -- " children! ** --children'! .
--105 -- 18 -- " either" -- whether.
--215 --? 21 -- " essensial" -- essential.
--- 216 -- 9 -- "are" <<-- w;
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? .
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