A Description of Millenium Hall: And the Country Adjacent Together with the Characters of the Inhabitants and Such Historical Anecdotes and Reflections As May Excite in the Reader Proper Sentiments of Humanity, and Lead the Mind to the Love of Virtue
John Stuart Mill · en
The next morning I called up Lamont very early and reminded the
housekeeper of her promise of shewing us the schools; which she readily
performing, conducted us first to a very large cottage or rather five or
six cottages laid together. Here we found about fifty girls, clad in a
very neat uniform and perfectly clean, already seated at their
respective businesses. Some writing, others casting accounts, some
learning lessons by heart, several employed in various sorts of
needlework, a few spinning and others knitting, with two
schoolmistresses to inspect them. The schoolroom was very large and
perfectly clean, the forms and chairs they sat on were of wood as white
as possible; on shelves were wooden bowls and trenchers equally white,
and shining pewter and brass seemed the ornaments of one side of the
room; while pieces of the children's work of various kinds decorated the
other; little samples of their performances being thus exhibited as
encouragement to their ingenuity.
I asked many questions as to their education and learnt that they are
bred up in the strictest piety; the ladies by various schemes and many
little compositions of their own endeavour to inculcate the purest
principles in their tender minds. They all by turns exercise themselves
in the several employments which we saw going forward, that they may
have various means of gaining their subsistence in case any accident
should deprive them of the power of pursuing any particular part of
their business. The ladies watch their geniuses with great care; and
breed them up to those things which seem most suitable to the turn of
their minds. When any are designed for service, they are taught the
business of the place they are best fitted for by coming down to the
hall and performing the necessary offices under the direction of the
excellent servants there.
A very large kitchen garden belongs to the house, which is divided into
as many parts as there are scholars; to weed and keep this in order is
made their principal recreation; and by the notice taken of it they are
taught to vie with each other which shall best acquit themselves, so
that perhaps never was a garden so neat. They likewise have no small
share in keeping those at the hall in order; and the grotto and seats
are chiefly their workmanship.