Book contents
- Frontmatter
- CONTENTS
- Acknowledgements
- Introduction
- Select Bibliography
- Note on the Text
- The Histories of Some of the Penitents in the Magdalen-House, as Supposed to be related by Themselves (1760)
- Preface
- Chap. I
- Chap. II
- Chap. III
- Chap. IV
- Chap. V
- Chap. VI
- Chap. VII
- Chap. VIII
- Chap. IX
- Chap. X
- Chap. XI
- Chap. XII
- Chap. XIII
- Chap. XIV
- Chap. XV
- Chap. XVI
- Chap. XVII
- Chap. XVIII
- Chap. XIX
- Chap. XX
- Chap. XXI
- Chap. XXII
- The Histories of Some of the Penitents in the Magdalen-House, as Supposed to be related by Themselves (1760)
- Endnotes
Chap. III
from The Histories of Some of the Penitents in the Magdalen-House, as Supposed to be related by Themselves (1760)
- Frontmatter
- CONTENTS
- Acknowledgements
- Introduction
- Select Bibliography
- Note on the Text
- The Histories of Some of the Penitents in the Magdalen-House, as Supposed to be related by Themselves (1760)
- Preface
- Chap. I
- Chap. II
- Chap. III
- Chap. IV
- Chap. V
- Chap. VI
- Chap. VII
- Chap. VIII
- Chap. IX
- Chap. X
- Chap. XI
- Chap. XII
- Chap. XIII
- Chap. XIV
- Chap. XV
- Chap. XVI
- Chap. XVII
- Chap. XVIII
- Chap. XIX
- Chap. XX
- Chap. XXI
- Chap. XXII
- The Histories of Some of the Penitents in the Magdalen-House, as Supposed to be related by Themselves (1760)
- Endnotes
Summary
Love gives esteem, and then he gives desert;
He either finds equality, or makes it:
Like death, he knows no difference in degrees,
But plains and levels all.
Dryden.My Lady was very good-natured and indulgent to all her servants, and to me among the rest; tho’ I had no hopes of becoming a favourite, when I saw, by her house-keeper's practice, how much she loved flattery. She would often say, when I omitted an opportunity of imitating her, that I was dull; and sometimes, that she fancied I could think nothing commendable in any one but myself; but all this without any bitterness.
I seldom saw Sir George, but in his Lady's presence; he would often talk to me and compliment me, called me Lady Markland's Venus; and when I entered the room, would cry, Here comes your goddess, my dear; but all with so much mirth, and so little design, that in time I learnt not to mind it, and answered to the name of Venus, as readily as to that of Emily.
Mr. Markland was much less free, but more attentive; he treated me with such respect, that his mother would sometimes tell him, she believed he thought I was a goddess in reality. He would answer, that a fine woman was a better thing; that no situation in life should make a man fail in politeness to one of the other sex; and that really there was a modesty in my appearance, which was truly respectable. These sort of compliments he would make me before his parents; and often gave the conversation such a turn, as afforded him opportunities of applying others to me by his eyes, which were unobserved by every one else. He found excuses to come into the house-keeper's room, where he would rally her and her lover on their mutual passion, taking occasion from it to vent some libertine sentiments, wherein they were sure to second him; and sometimes to behave with a tenderness and gallantry to me, which I ought with shame to say, rather alarmed than offended me; so little was I the better for my sister's good advice.
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- Publisher: Pickering & ChattoFirst published in: 2014