Camilla; or, A Picture of Youth — John Stuart Mill — John Shaqi
Camilla; or, A Picture of Youth
John Stuart Mill · en
He then desired the opinion of Mr. Tyrold what step he should take to
prevent the arrival of Clermont Lynmere, whom, he said, he dreaded to
see, being determined to have no more little boys about him for some
time to come.
Mr. Tyrold recommended re-settling him at Eton: but Sir Hugh declared he
could not possibly do that, because the poor little fellow had written
him word he was glad to leave school. 'And I don't doubt,' he added,
'but he'll make the best figure of us all; because I had him put in the
right mode from the first; though, I must needs own, I had as lieve see
him a mere dunce all his life, supposing I should live so long, which
God forbid in regard to his dying, as have him turn out a mere coxcomb
of a pedant, laughing and grinning at everybody that can't spell a Greek
noun.'
Mr. Tyrold promised to take the matter into consideration; but early the
next morning, the baronet again summoned him, and joyfully made known,
that a scheme had come into his own head, which answered all purposes.
In the first place, he said, he had really taken so prodigious a dislike
to learning, that he was determined to send Clermont over the seas, to
finish his Greek and Latin; not because he was fond of foreign parts,
but for fear, if he should let him come to Cleves, the great distaste he
had now conceived against those sort of languages, might disgust the
poor boy from his book. And he had most luckily recollected, in the
middle of the night, that he had a dear friend, one Mr. Westwyn, who was
going the very next month to carry his own son to Leipsic; which was
just what had put the thought into his head; because, by that means,
Clermont might be removed from one studying place to t'other, without
loss of time.
'But for all that,' he continued, 'as this good gentleman here has been
doing no harm, I won't have him become a sufferer for my changing my
mind: and so, not to affront him by giving him nothing to do, which
would be like saying, "You may go your ways," I intend he should try
Indiana.'
Observing Mr. Tyrold now look with the extremest surprise, he added; 'To
be sure, being a girl, it is rather out of the way; but as there is
never another boy, what can I do? Besides I shan't so much mind her
getting a little learning, because she's not likely to make much hand of
it. And this one thing, I can tell you, which I have learnt of my own
accord; I'll never press a person to set about studying at my time of
life as long as I live, knowing what a plague it is.'
Lionel returned to Etherington with his father, and the rest of the
scheme was put into execution without delay. Mr. Westwyn conveyed
Clermont from Eton to Leipsic, where he settled him with the preceptor
and masters appointed for his own son; and Dr. Orkborne was desired to
become the tutor of Indiana.