England -- Social life and customs -- 18th century -- Fiction; Epistolary fiction; Essays
This mighty affair is now happily over, and my Girls _are out_. As the
moment approached for our departure, you can have no idea how the sweet
Creatures trembled with fear and expectation. Before the Carriage drove
to the door, I called them into my dressing-room, and as soon as they
were seated thus addressed them. “My dear Girls the moment is now
arrived when I am to reap the rewards of all my Anxieties and Labours
towards you during your Education. You are this Evening to enter a
World in which you will meet with many wonderfull Things; Yet let me
warn you against suffering yourselves to be meanly swayed by the
Follies and Vices of others, for beleive me my beloved Children that if
you do—I shall be very sorry for it.” They both assured me that they
would ever remember my advice with Gratitude, and follow it with
attention; That they were prepared to find a World full of things to
amaze and to shock them: but that they trusted their behaviour would
never give me reason to repent the Watchful Care with which I had
presided over their infancy and formed their Minds—” “With such
expectations and such intentions (cried I) I can have nothing to fear
from you—and can chearfully conduct you to Mrs Cope’s without a fear of
your being seduced by her Example, or contaminated by her Follies.
Come, then my Children (added I) the Carriage is driving to the door,
and I will not a moment delay the happiness you are so impatient to
enjoy.” When we arrived at Warleigh, poor Augusta could scarcely
breathe, while Margaret was all Life and Rapture. “The long-expected
Moment is now arrived (said she) and we shall soon be in the World.”—In
a few Moments we were in Mrs Cope’s parlour, where with her daughter
she sate ready to receive us. I observed with delight the impression my
Children made on them—. They were indeed two sweet, elegant-looking
Girls, and tho’ somewhat abashed from the peculiarity of their
situation, yet there was an ease in their Manners and address which
could not fail of pleasing—. Imagine my dear Madam how delighted I must
have been in beholding as I did, how attentively they observed every
object they saw, how disgusted with some Things, how enchanted with
others, how astonished at all! On the whole however they returned in
raptures with the World, its Inhabitants, and Manners.
Yrs Ever—A. F.
LETTER the SECOND
From a YOUNG LADY crossed in Love to her freind
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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