Tales and Novels — Volume 01: Moral Tales — John Shaqi
Tales and Novels — Volume 01: Moral TalesEdgeworth, Maria
General
Tales and Novels — Volume 01: Moral Tales
Edgeworth, Maria
Fiction
Dr. Campbell, who plainly saw both the defects and the excellent
qualities of his young ward, hoped that, by playful raillery, and by
well-timed reasoning, he might mix a sufficient portion of good sense
with Forester's enthusiasm, might induce him gradually to sympathize in
the pleasures of cultivated society, and might convince him that virtue
is not confined to any particular class of men; that education, in the
enlarged sense of the word, creates the difference between individuals
more than riches or poverty. He foresaw that Forester would form a
friendship with his son, and that this attachment would cure him of his
prejudices against _gentlemen_, and would prevent him from indulging his
taste for vulgar company. Henry Campbell had more useful energy,
though less apparent enthusiasm, than his new companion: he was always
employed; he was really independent, because he had learned how to
support himself either by the labours of his head or of his hands; but
his independence did not render him unsociable; he was always ready
to sympathize with the pleasures of his friends, and therefore he was
beloved: following his father's example, he did all the good in his
power to those who were in distress; but he did not imagine that
he could reform every abuse in society, or that he could instantly
new-model the universe. Forester became, in a few days, fond of
conversing, or rather of holding long arguments, with Henry; but his
dislike to the young laird, Archibald Mackenzie, hourly increased.
Archibald and his mother, Lady Catherine Mackenzie, were relations
to Mrs. Campbell, and they were now upon a visit at her house. Lady
Catherine, a shrewd woman, fond of precedence, and fully sensible of the
importance that wealth can bestow, had sedulously inculcated into the
mind of her son all the maxims of worldly wisdom which she had collected
in her intercourse with society; she had inspired him with family pride,
but at the same time had taught him to pay obsequious court to his
superiors in rank or fortune: the art of rising in the world, she knew,
did not entirely depend upon virtue or ability; she was consequently
more solicitous about her son's manners than his morals, and was more
anxious that he should form high connexions, than that he should apply
to the severe studies of a profession. Archibald was nearly what might
be expected from his education, alternately supple to his superiors, and
insolent to his inferiors: to insinuate himself into the favour of young
men of rank and fortune, he affected to admire extravagance; but his
secret maxims of parsimony operated even in the midst of dissipation.
Meanness and pride usually go together. It is not to be supposed that
young Forester had such quick penetration, that he could discover the
whole of the artful Archibald's character in the course of a few days'
acquaintance; but he disliked him for good reasons, because he was a
laird, because he had laughed at his first entrée, and because he was
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