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 was not long before he procured this Italian master for Miss
Mancel; nor did she delay making use of his instructions; but I shall
not describe her progress in the acquisition of this, any more than her
other accomplishments, in all of which she excelled to a surprising
degree; nor did Miss Melvyn fall very short of her, though she was at
such disadvantage in her method of learning many of them, not having the
assistance of a master. Their time was so entirely engrossed by these
employments, that they had little leisure, and still less desire, to
keep company with the rest of the school; but they saved themselves from
the dislike which might naturally have arisen in the minds of the other
scholars, from being thus neglected, by little presents which Miss
Mancel frequently made them.
These two young ladies were very early risers, and the time which was
not taken up by Miss Mancel's masters, and that wherein it was requisite
to practise what they taught her, they employed in reading, wherein Mr
d'Avora, their Italian master, often accompanied them.
Mr d'Avora was a man of excellent understanding, and had an incomparable
heart. Misfortunes had softened common humanity into a most tender
disposition; and had given him a thorough knowledge of mankind without
lessening his benevolence for individuals; though such as learn it by
adversity, the surest school for that science, seldom see them in an
amiable light.
Mr d'Avora was not less acquainted with particular nations than with
mankind in general; he had travelled through all the countries in
Europe, some parts of Asia and Africa, and having traversed them with
discernment and the curiosity of wisdom, not of impertinence, he
received such improvement of understanding, as few travellers can boast.
He had an affection for Miss Melvyn, both for her own merits and the
obligations he had to her family, and a very short acquaintance with
Miss Mancel made him extremely fond of her. He took great pleasure in
assisting them in the improvement they so industriously laboured for,
and as he was a man of universal knowledge, he was capable of being very
useful to them in that respect. For this purpose he often read with
them, and by explaining many books on abstruse subjects, rendered
several authors intelligible to them, who, without his assistance, would
have been too obscure for persons of their age. He had very few
scholars, therefore had much leisure, and with great satisfaction
dedicated part of it to our young ladies, as he saw he thereby gave them
a very sincere pleasure; and he was much gratified with thinking that by
his care and instruction of Miss Melvyn, he made some return for the
friendship he had received from her family; and that could her mother be
sensible of his attendance on her much-loved and now neglected daughter,
it would be highly agreeable to her.