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 — John Shaqi
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
Mr Hintman replied, that he should have great reason to reproach himself
if with the ample fortune he enjoyed, and having no children or family
to partake of it, he should suffer another to take that charge, to whom
it could not be so convenient; he therefore would immediately receive
her as his child; and see her educated in all accomplishments proper for
a young person of fashion and fortune; as he should be able to supply
all deficiency, if necessary, in the latter particular.
The old man was very glad to have the child better established than with
him; though he had for some hours looked with so much pleasure on her as
his adopted daughter, that no consideration, but the prospect of her
greater advantage, could have reconciled him to parting with her.
In pursuance of the resolution Mr Hintman had taken, he carried Miss
Mancel to a French boarding school which he had heard commended; very
prudently judging that his house was not a proper place for education,
having there no one fit to take care of a young person.
Louisa was so oppressed by the forlornness of her situation that she
felt none of that reluctance to going amongst strangers, so usual with
children of her age. All the world was equally unknown to her, therefore
she was indifferent where she was carried, only she rather wished not to
have been taken from the good old man whose venerable aspect, and
compassionate behaviour, had in some degree attached her to him; but she
felt the generosity of Mr Hintman's declared intentions; and, young as
she was, had too much delicacy to appear ungrateful by shewing an
unwillingness to accompany him. Mademoiselle d'Avaux, the mistress of
the school, was pleased with the appearance of her young scholar, whose
tears had ceased for some time; and her face bore no disfiguring signs
of sorrow; the dejection which overspread it giving charms equal to
those of which it robbed it.
Mr Hintman desired Mademoiselle d'Avaux to take the trouble of providing
Miss Mancel with all things requisite, and to put her in proper
mourning; those minute feminine details being things of which he was too
ignorant to acquit himself well; and gave strict charge that her mind
should be cultivated with the greatest care, and no accomplishment
omitted which she was capable of acquiring.
What contributed much towards gratifying this wish of Mr Hintman's was
Mademoiselle d'Avaux's house being so full, that there was no room for
Louisa, but a share of the apartment which Miss Melvyn had hitherto
enjoyed alone, and of which she could not willingly have admitted any
one to partake but the lovely child who was presented to her for this
purpose. Her beautiful form prejudiced everyone in her favour; but the
distress and sorrow which were impressed on her countenance, at an age
generally too volatile and thoughtless to be deeply affected, could not
fail of exciting a tender sensibility in the heart of a person of Miss
Melvyn's disposition.