Camilla; or, A Picture of Youth — John Stuart Mill — John Shaqi
Camilla; or, A Picture of Youth
John Stuart Mill · en
Even Mr. Tyrold, notwithstanding his fondness for Camilla, remonstrated
against a partiality so injurious to his nephew and niece, as well as to
the rest of his family. And Mrs. Tyrold, though her secret heart
subscribed, without wonder, to a predilection in favour of Camilla, was
maternally disturbed for her other children, and felt her justice
sensibly shocked at a blight so unmerited to the hopes cherished by
Indiana and Clermont Lynmere: for though the fruits of this change of
plan would be reaped by her little darling, they were robbed of all
their sweetness to a mind so correct, by their undeserved bitterness
towards the first expectants.
Sir Hugh, however, was immoveable; he would provide handsomely, he said,
for Indiana and Clermont, by settling a thousand pounds a year between
them; and he would bequeath capital legacies amongst the rest of his
nephews and nieces: but as to the bulk of his fortune, it should all go
to Camilla; for how else could he make her amends for having amused him?
or how, when he was gone, should he prove to her he loved her the best?
Sir Hugh could keep nothing secret; Camilla was soon informed of the
riches she was destined to inherit; and servants, who now with added
respect attended her, took frequent opportunities of impressing her with
the expectation, by the favours they begged from her in reversion.
The happy young heiress heard them with little concern: interest and
ambition could find no room in a mind, which to dance, sing, and play
could enliven to rapture. Yet the continued repetition of requests soon
made the idea of patronage familiar to her, and though wholly uninfected
with one thought of power or consequence, she sometimes regaled her
fancy with the presents she should make amongst her friends; designing a
coach for her mamma, that she might oftener go abroad; an horse for her
brother Lionel, which she knew to be his most passionate wish; a new
bureau, with a lock and key, for her eldest sister Lavinia; innumerable
trinkets for her cousin Indiana; dolls and toys without end for her
little sister Eugenia; and a new library of new books, finely bound and
gilt, for her papa. But these munificent donations looked forward to no
other date than the anticipation of womanhood. If an hint were surmised
of her surviving her uncle, an impetuous shower of tears dampt all her
gay schemes, deluged every airy castle, and shewed the instinctive
gratitude which kindness can awaken, even in the unthinking period of
earliest youth, in those bosoms it has ever the power to animate.