Tales and Novels — Volume 01: Moral TalesEdgeworth, Maria
General
Tales and Novels — Volume 01: Moral Tales
Edgeworth, Maria
Fiction
There was a large table in the middle of this long room, and several
glass retorts, and other chemical vessels, were ranged upon shelves;
wooden benches were placed on each side of the table. The grandmother,
to whom the little girl had referred for a clear explanation, could
not, however, tell Forester very exactly the use of the retorts; but she
informed him that many of the manufacturers in Edinburgh sent their sons
hither twice a-week; and Dr. Campbell, and Mr. Henry Campbell, and some
other gentlemen, came by turns to instruct them. Forester recollected
now that he once heard Henry talking to his father about a scheme for
teaching the children of the manufacturers of Edinburgh some knowledge
of chemistry, such as they might afterwards apply advantageously to the
arts and every-day business of life.
"I have formed projects, but what good have I ever actually done to my
fellow-creatures?" said Forester to himself. With melancholy steps he
walked to examine every thing in the room. "Dr. Campbell sits in this
arm-chair, does not he? And where does Henry sit?" The old woman placed
the chairs for him as they usually were placed. Upon one of the shelves
there was a slate, which, as it had been written upon, the little girl
had put by very carefully; there were some calculations upon the weight
of different gases, and the figures Forester knew to be Henry's: he
looked at every thing that was Henry's with pleasure. "Because I used to
be so rough in my manner to him," said Forester to himself, "I dare say
that he thinks I have no feeling, and I suppose he has forgotten me by
this time: I deserve, indeed, to be forgotten by every body! How could
I leave such friends!" On the other side of the slate poor Forester saw
his own name written several times over, in his friend's hand-writing,
and he read two lines of his own poetry, which he remembered to have
repeated to Henry the day that they walked to Arthur's Seat. Forester
felt much pleasure from this little proof of his friend's affection.
"Now won't you look at our nice rooms?" said the child, who had waited
with some patience till he had done pondering upon the slate.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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