Women -- Social conditions -- 19th century -- Fiction
The emigrant's calculations were just. His distinguished countryman
exerted himself to enable the young man to obtain a subsistence. He
established him in a school, and gave him his best counsels how to
proceed. Whitelock thanked him; commenced the most odious task of
initiating the young Americans in the rudiments of knowledge, and sought
meanwhile to amuse himself to the best of his power. Fitzhenry's house
he first made his resort. He was not to be baffled by the reserved
courtesy of his host. The comfort and English appearance of the exile's
dwelling were charming to him; and while he could hear himself talk, he
fancied that every one about him must be satisfied. Fitzhenry was
excessively annoyed. There was an innate vulgarity in his visitant, and
an unlicensed familiarity that jarred painfully with the refined habits
of his sensitive nature. Still, in America he had been forced to
tolerate even worse than this, and he bore Whitelock's intrusions as
well as he could, seeking only to put such obstacles in the way of his
too frequent visits, as would best serve to curtail them. Whitelock's
chief merit was his talent; he had a real eye for the outward forms of
nature, for the tints in which she loves to robe herself, and the beauty
in which she is for ever invested. He occupied himself by sketching the
surrounding scenery, and gave life and interest to many a savage glade
and solitary nook, which, till he came, had not been discovered to be
picturesque. Ethel regarded his drawings with wonder and delight, and
easily obtained permission from her father to take lessons in the
captivating art. Fitzhenry thought that of all occupations, that of the
pencil, if pursued earnestly and with real taste, most conduced to the
student's happiness. Its scope is not personal display, as is the case
most usually with music, and yet it has a visible result which satisfies
the mind that something has been done. It does not fatigue the attention
like the study of languages, yet it suffices to call forth the powers,
and to fill the mind with pleasurable sensations. It is a most feminine
occupation, well replacing, on a more liberal and rational scale, the
tapestry of our grandmothers. Ethel had already shown a great
inclination for design, and her father was glad of so favourable an
opportunity for cultivating it. A few difficulties presented themselves.
Whitelock had brought his own materials with him, but he possessed no
superfluity--and they were not to be procured at the settlement. The
artist offered to transfer them all for Ethel's convenience to her own
abode, so that he might have free leave to occupy himself there also.
Fitzhenry saw all the annoyances consequent on this plan, and it was
finally arranged that his daughter should, three or four times a week,
visit the school-house, and in a little room, built apart for her
especial use, pursue her study.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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