load her poor boy's memory, by making him get a deal by heart. "When I first got the multiplication-table by heart,' said Mr. Flint, who generally falls in the rear of conversation, it was a plaguy troublesome job; but now that I am master of it, I don't perceive that it loads my memory at all.' "Learned men have remarked,' said Miss Juliana, that it is not the getting by heart that is censurable, but the getting by rote, as one does one's catechism.' "There she goes, the travelled lady,' cried the Captain; she must always have a fling at her catechism.' "Mr. Winterbottom,' replied Miss Juliana with exceeding dignity, you wrong me much; I am sure, that I should be the last woman alive to say any thing, especially in mixed companies, to the disparagement of the religion of the state, which I have always considered as the great lyeng [lien] of society.' "You have always considered religion as great lying! and who taught you that, sister Juddy? your godfathers and your godmothers! No, sure.' "Here I was laid under the necessity of interposing, and of assuring Captain Winterbottom, that he mistook his sister, and that she had inadvertently used a French word to express her own idea, that religion was the great tie of society.' Perhaps I prevaricated a little in my office of interpreter. ( 6 "Well, well,' said the Captain, if her tongue was tied, society would be no loser.' "To divert the storm which seemed gathering, I spoke of my purpose to explain the tenth satire of Juvenal, a poem, for method, composition, and animated language, universally admired. 'What does that Juvenal write about?' said Miss Juliana: I am not acquainted with his works: was he a member of the French academy?'-' Perhaps,' replied I smiling,' he would be no favourite with you, Miss Juliana; he has been very severe upon the Roman ladies :' "Ay, they were Papists,' said Captain Winterbottom, and they are all wh- .'- Give me leave to tell you,' cried Miss Juliana, in a higher key, 'when I was abroad, I had the honour of being known to several ladies of the Roman persuasion, and they were persons of the strictest virtue.' "I suppose you asked them whether they were wh--, and they said they were not. Poor sister Juddy! It is true, I never was in the galleys at Nice, as you have been; but I have touched at Marseilles, and have laid close off the mole of Genoa, and that is further than ever you travelled; and I say they are all wh "How this wonderful controversy would have ended, I know not; but happily we were called to coffee, which separated the combatants. "I was now pretty well acquainted with the ways of a house, in which ignorance, self-conceit, and illiberality of sentiment and manners, had fixed their residence. It was agreed, that on the Monday following I should begin my lessons. Appearances, I must acknowledge, were not very favourable. My pupil had been generally present at the conversations of which I have given you a specimen; and, indeed, they were not such as could either enlarge his mind, or improve his understanding. I flattered myself, however, that he would be left to prosecute his studies under my direction, and that every new acquisition in knowledge would increase his love for letters. "In what way our studies were conducted, will best appear from a faithful journal of the progress which we made during the first week. But of this Meanwhile hereafter. 66 SIR, " I NOW send you a faithful narrative of the progress of our studies in Mr. Flint's family, from Monday morning to Saturday at bed-time, carefully distinguishing the proficiency made in each day. MONDAY. "Mrs. Flint had previously informed me, that her son's constitution did not agree with much study before breakfast, and that, whenever he read on an empty stomach, he was apt to be disturbed with uneasy yawnings; we therefore resolved that he should have a short lesson only at eight in the morning. "After waiting in the parlour till within a quarter of nine, I learned from Mrs. Flint, that her son had been observed to turn himself twice or thrice during the night, and that he seemed to be threatened with a sort of stuffing and wheezing; and that by way of prevention, she judged it best to give him a little senna, and confine him to his chamber for a few hours; but that in the evening, we might prosecute our studies without further interruption. "Accordingly, at six, my pupil and I prepared to read the tenth satire of Juvenal. After having explained to him the general scope and method of the satirist, I began, Omnibus in terris quæ sunt a Gadibus usque At that moment I heard a gentle tap at the door, and then entered Miss Juliana and her sister, with Mr. Flint and the Captain a little behind, and walking on tiptoe. You must pardon our femelle curiosité,' said Miss Juliana; we come to see Jemmy take his first lesson from you. What have you got here? I fancy, from my knowledge of French, that I could pick out the meaning of some part of it. Oh! I understand; there is auroram, does not that mean, break of day? Que l'aurore Nous trouve encore. 'I learned it in a French chansong a boar.'-'What is that boar song?' demanded Captain Winterbottom; ' is it a hunting one?'-' Oh fy, no,' said Miss Juliana, it is a drinking song.'-' And who taught you drinking songs, sister Juddy; did you learn them from your outlandish ladies of honour?' A tremendous assault on the knocker announced the approach of a person of quality. The Countess of -.' On this joyful news the ladies hurried to the drawing-room. 6 "Mrs. Flint presently returned. 'I must make an apology,' said she, for thus interrupting the course of my son's studies; but the Countess has made a flying visit to tell me, that there is a meet ing of young people at her house this evening, and that there will be a dance and a little supper, and she insists to have Jemmy of the party; but I would not engage for any thing, without asking your leave, as you have the whole charge of his education. There will be many rich folks, and many fine folks; and there will be Miss Punaise, the great heiress; she has a vast improveable estate, hard by the borough of Ayno, and who can tell -The good woman was busy in weaving the web of futurities, when I reminded her that her son had taken medicine that morning, and that possibly he might catch cold. At another time the mention of 'catch cold' would have awakened all her feelings; but, at present, Mrs. Flint was elevated above the region of alarms. 'Never fear,' said she, we are going to a close warm house, without a breath of air in it. Come away, Jemmy, and put on a pair of white silk stockings as fast as you can; the Countess waits us.' TUESDAY. My pupil had been kept out of bed so much beyond his usual hour, that he did not make his appearance till after breakfast. Cheer up, my boy,' cried Mrs. Flint; you look as if you had been dreaming all night of your partner, Miss Punaise : come, let us take an airing, and refresh ourselves after the fatigues of the ball. These late sittings don't answer with my old bones. You see, Mr. that I have been as good as my word, and that Jemmy, poor man, has caught no cold. You shall go along with us on our airing; there is room for you in Mr. Flint's carriage and six, and you may talk over your lessons by the way; for you will find the carriage quite easy.' Nothing indeed |