Camilla; or, A Picture of Youth — John Stuart Mill — John Shaqi
Camilla; or, A Picture of Youth
John Stuart Mill · en
The house was now examined; the fair little Indiana took possession of
her apartment; Miss Margland was satisfied with the attention that had
been paid her; and Sir Hugh was rejoiced to find a room for Clermont
that had no window but a skylight, by which means his studies, he
observed, would receive no interruption from gaping and staring about
him. And, when the night advanced, Mr. Tyrold had the happiness of
leaving him with some prospect of recovering his spirits.
The revival, however, lasted but during the novelty of the scene;
depression returned with the feelings of ill health; and the happier lot
of his brother, though born to almost nothing, filled him with incessent
repentance of his own mismanagement.
In some measure to atone for this, he resolved to collect himself a
family in his own house; and the young Camilla, whose dawning archness
of expression had instinctively caught him, he now demanded of her
parents, to come and reside with him and Indiana at Cleves; 'for
certainly,' he said, 'for such a young little thing, she looks full of
amusement.'
Mrs. Tyrold objected against reposing a trust so precious where its
value could so ill be appreciated. Camilla was, in secret, the fondest
hope of her mother, though the rigour of her justice scarce permitted
the partiality to beat even in her own breast. Nor did the happy little
person need the avowed distinction. The tide of youthful glee flowed
jocund from her heart, and the transparency of her fine blue veins
almost shewed the velocity of its current. Every look was a smile, every
step was a spring, every thought was a hope, every feeling was joy! and
the early felicity of her mind was without allay. O blissful state of
innocence, purity, and delight, why must it fleet so fast? why scarcely
but by retrospection is its happiness known?