Cecilia; Or, Memoirs of an Heiress — Volume 1Burney, Fanny
General
Cecilia; Or, Memoirs of an Heiress — Volume 1
Burney, Fanny
England -- Fiction; Inheritance and succession -- Fiction; Love stories; Young women -- Fiction
“I am but an indifferent chronologer of the modes,” he answered, “but
I know it has been long enough to raise just expectations that some new
folly will be started soon, by which the present race of INSENSIBLISTS
may be driven out. Mr Meadows is now at the head of this sect, as Miss
Larolles is of the VOLUBLE, and Miss Leeson of the SUPERCILIOUS. But
this way comes another, who, though in a different manner, labours
with the same view, and aspires at the same reward, which stimulate
the ambition of this happy _Triplet_, that of exciting wonder by
peculiarity, and envy by wonder.”
This description announced Captain Aresby; who, advancing from the
fire-place, told Cecilia how much he rejoiced in seeing her, said he had
been _reduced to despair_ by so long missing that honour, and that he
had feared she _made it a principle_ to avoid coming in public, having
sought her in vain _partout_.
He then smiled, and strolled on to another party.
“And pray of what sect,” said Cecilia, “is this gentleman?”
“Of the sect of JARGONISTS,” answered Mr Gosport; “he has not an
ambition beyond paying a passing compliment, nor a word to make use of
that he has not picked up at public places. Yet this dearth of language,
however you may despise it, is not merely owing to a narrow capacity:
foppery and conceit have their share in the limitation, for though his
phrases are almost always ridiculous or misapplied, they are selected
with much study, and introduced with infinite pains.”
“Poor man!” cried Cecilia, “is it possible it can cost him any trouble
to render himself so completely absurd?”
“Yes; but not more than it costs his neighbours to keep him in
countenance. Miss Leeson, since she has presided over the sect of the
SUPERCILIOUS, spends at least half her life in wishing the annihilation
of the other half; for as she must only speak in her own Coterie, she
is compelled to be frequently silent, and therefore, having nothing to
think of, she is commonly gnawn with self-denial, and soured with want
of amusement: Miss Larolles, indeed, is better off, for in talking
faster than she thinks, she has but followed the natural bent of her
disposition: as to this poor JARGONIST, he has, I must own, rather a
hard task, from the continual restraint of speaking only out of his
own [Lilliputian] vocabulary, and denying himself the relief of ever
uttering one word by the call of occasion but what hardship is that,
compared with what is borne by Mr Meadows? who, since he commenced
INSENSIBLIST, has never once dared to be pleased, nor ventured for a
moment to look in good humour!”
“Surely, then,” said Cecilia, “in a short time, the punishment of this
affectation will bring its cure.”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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