the governess-第4章

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eats；　and　played　round　their　heads；　of　which　they　gathered　nosegays　to　present　each　other　with。　　They　now　enjoyed　all　the　pleasure　and　happiness　that　attend　those　who　are　innocent　and　good。

Miss　Jenny；　with　her　heart　overflowing　with　joy　at　this　happy　change；　said；　'Now；　my　dear　companions；　that　you　may　be　convinced　what　I　have　said　and　done　was　not　occasioned　by　any　desire　of　proving　myself　wiser　than　you；　as　Miss　Sukey　hinted　while　she　was　yet　in　her　anger；　I　will；　if　you　please；　relate　to　you　the　history　of　my　past　life；　by　which　you　will　see　in　what　manner　I　came　by　this　way　of　thinking；　and　as　you　will　perceive　it　was　chiefly　owing　to　the　instructions　of　a　kind　mamma；　you　may　all　likewise　reap　the　same　advantage　under　good　Mrs。　Teachum；　if　you　will　obey　her　commands；　and　attend　to　her　precepts。　　And　after　I　have　given　you　the　particulars　of　my　life；　I　must　beg　that　every　one　of　you　will；　some　day　or　other；　when　you　have　reflected　upon　it；　declare　all　that　you　can　remember　of　your　own；　for；　should　you　not　be　able　to　relate　anything　worth　remembering　as　an　example；　yet　there　is　nothing　more　likely　to　amend　the　future　part　of　anyone's　life；　than　the　recollecting　and　confessing　the　faults　of　the　past。'

All　our　little　company　highly　approved　of　Miss　Jenny's　proposal；　and　promised；　in　their　turns；　to　relate　their　own　lives；　and　Miss　Polly　Suckling　cried　out；　'Yes　indeed；　Miss　Jenny；　I'll　tell　all　when　it　comes　to　my　turn；　so　pray　begin；　for　I　long　to　hear　what　you　did；　when　you　was　no　bigger　than　I　am　now。'　　Miss　Jenny　then　kissed　little　Polly；　and　said　she　would　instantly　begin。

But　as　in　the　reading　of　any　one's　story；　it　is　an　additional　pleasure　to　have　some　acquaintance　with　their　persons；　and　as　I　delight　in　giving　my　little　readers　every　pleasure　that　is　in　my　power；　I　shall　endeavour；　as　justly　as　I　can；　by　description；　to　set　before　their　eyes　the　picture　of　this　good　young　creature：　　and　in　the　same　of　every　one　of　our　young　company；　as　they　begin　their　lives。


THE　DESCRIPTION　OF　MISS　JENNY　PEACE。

Miss　Jenny　Peace　was　just　turned　of　fourteen；　and　could　be　called　neither　tall　nor　short　of　her　age；　but　her　whole　person　was　the　most　agreeable　that　can　be　imagined。　　She　had　an　exceeding　fine　complexion；　with　as　much　colour　in　her　cheeks　as　is　the　natural　effect　of　perfect　health。　　Her　hair　was　light　brown；　and　curled　in　so　regular　and　yet　easy　a　manner；　as　never　to　want　any　assistance　from　art。　　Her　eyebrows　（which　were　not　of　that　correct　turn　as　to　look　as　if　they　were　drawn　with　a　pencil）　and　her　eyelashes　were　both　darker　than　her　hair；　and　the　latter　being　very　long；　gave　such　a　shade　to　her　eyes　as　made　them　often　mistaken　for　black；　though　they　were　only　a　dark　hazel。　　To　give　any　description　of　her　eyes　beyond　the　colour　and　size；　which　was　perfectly　the　medium；　would　be　impossible；　except　by　saying　they　were　expressive　of　everything　that　is　amiable　and　good；　for　through　them　might　be　read　every　single　thought　of　the　mind；　from　whence　they　had　such　a　brightness　and　cheerfulness；　as　seemed　to　cast　a　lustre　over　her　whole　face。　　She　had　fine　teeth；　and　a　mouth　answering　to　the　most　correct　rules　of　beauty；　and　when　she　spoke　（though　you　were　at　too　great　a　distance　to　hear　what　she　said）　there　appeared　so　much　sweetness；　mildness；　modesty　and　good　nature；　that　you　found　yourself　filled　more　with　pleasure　than　admiration　in　beholding　her。　　The　delight　which　everyone　took　in　looking　on　Miss　Jenny　was　evident　in　this；　that　though　Miss　Sukey　Jennett　and　Miss　Patty　Lockit　were　both　what　may　be　called　handsomer　girls　（and　if　you　asked　any　persons　in　company　their　opinion；　they　would　tell　you　so）　yet　their　eyes　were　a　direct　contradiction　to　their　tongues；　by　being　continually　fixed　on　Miss　Jenny；　for；　while　she　was　in　the　room；　it　was　impossible　to　fix　them　anywhere　else。　　She　had　a　natural　ease　and　gentility　in　her　shape；　and　all　her　motions　were　more　pleasing；　though　less　striking　than　what　is　commonly　acquired　by　the　instruction　of　dancing　masters。

Such　was　the　agreeable　person　of　Miss　Jenny　Peace；　who；　in　her　usual　obliging　manner；　and　with　an　air　pleasing　beyond　my　power　to　express；　at　the　request　of　her　companions　began　to　relate　the　history　of　her　life；　as　follows：

THE　LIFE　OF　MISS　JENNY　PEACE。

'My　father　dying　when　I　was　but　half　a　year　old；　I　was　left　to　the　care　of　my　mamma；　who　was　the　best　woman　in　the　world；　and　to　whose　memory　I　shall　ever　pay　the　most　grateful　honour。　　From　the　time　she　had　any　children；　she　made　it　the　whole　study　of　her　life　to　promote　their　welfare；　and　form　their　minds　in　the　manner　she　thought　would　best　answer　her　purpose　of　making　them　both　good　and　happy；　for　it　was　her　constant　maxim；　that　goodness　and　happiness　dwelt　in　the　same　bosoms；　and　were　generally　found　to　life　so　much　together；　that　they　could　not　easily　be　separated。

'My　mother　had　six　children　born　alive；　but　could　preserve　none　beyond　the　first　year；　except　my　brother；　Harry　Peace；　and　myself。　　She　made　it　one　of　her　chief　cares　to　cultivate　and　preserve　the　most　perfect　love　and　harmony　between　us。　　My　brother　is　but　a　twelvemonth　older　than　I；　so　that；　till　I　was　six　years　old　（for　seven　was　the　age　in　which　he　was　sent　to　school）　he　remained　at　home　with　me；　in　which　time　we　often　had　little　childish　quarrels；　but　my　mother　always　took　care　to　convince　us　of　our　error　in　wrangling　and　fighting　about　nothing；　and　to　teach　us　how　much　more　pleasure　we　enjoyed　whilst　we　agreed。　　She　showed　no　partiality　to　either；　but　endeavoured　to　make　us　equal　in　all　things；　any　otherwise　than　that　she　taught　me　I　owed　a　respect　to　my　brother　as　the　eldest。

'Before　my　brother　went　to　school；　we　had　set　hours　appointed　us；　in　which　we　regularly　attended　to　learn　whatever　was　thought　necessary　for　our　improvement；　my　mamma　herself　daily　watching　the　opening　of　our　minds；　and　taking　great　care　to　instruct　us　in　what　manner　to　make　the　best　use　of　the　knowledge　we　attained。　　Whatever　we　read　she　explained　to　us；　and　made　us　understand；　that　we　might　be　the　better　for　our　lessons。　　When　we　were　capable　of　thinking；　we　made　it　so　much　a　rule　to　obey　our　parent；　the　moment　she　signified　her　pleasure；　that　by　that　means　we　avoided　many　accidents　and　misfortunes；　for　example：　　my　brother　was　running　one　day　giddily　round　the　brink　of　a　well；　and　if　he　had　made　the　least　false　step；　he　must　have　fallen　to　the　bottom；　and　been　drowned；　my　mamma；　by　a　sign　with　her　finger　that　called　him　to　her；　preserved　him　from　the　imminent　danger　he　was　in　of　losing　his　life；　and　then　she　took　care　that　we　should　both　be　the　better　for　this　little　incident；　by　laying　before　us　how　much　our　safety　and　happiness；　as　well　as　our　duty；　were　concerned　in　being　obedient。

'My　brother　and　I　once　had　a　quarrel　about　something　as　trifling　as　your　apple　of　contention；　and；　though　we　both　heartily　wished　to　be　reconciled　to　each　other；　yet　did　our　little　hearts　swell　so　much　with　stubbornness　and　pride；　that　neither　of　us　would　speak　first；　by　which　means　we　were　so　silly　as　to　be　both　uneasy；　and　yet　would　not　use　the　remedy　that　was　in　our　own　power　to　remove　that　uneasiness。　　My　mamma　found　it　out；　and　sent　for　me　into　her　closet；　and　said；　〃She　was　sorry　to　see　her　instructions　had　no　better　effect　on　me；　for；〃　continued　she；　〃indeed；　Jenny；　I　am　ashamed　of　your　folly；　as　well　as　wickedness；　in　thus　contending　with　your　brother〃　　A　tear；　which　I　believe　flowed　from　shame；　started　from　my　eyes　at　this　reproof；　and　I　fixed　them　on　the　ground；　being　too　much　overwhelmed　with　confusion　to　dare　to　lift　them　up　on　mamma。　　On　which　she　kindly　said；　〃She　hoped　my　confusion　was　a　sign　of　my　amendment。　　That　she　might　indeed　have　used　another　method；　by　commanding　me　to　seek　a　reconciliation　with　my　brother；　for　she　did　not　imagine　I　was　already　so　far　gone　in　perverseness；　as　not　to　hold　her　commands　as　inviolable；　but　she　was　willing；　for　my　good；　first　to　convince　me　of　my　folly。〃　　As　soon　as　my　confusion　would　give　me　leave　to　speak；　on　my　knees　I　gave　her　a　thousand　thanks　for　her　goodness；　and　went　immediately　to　seek　my　brother。　　He　joyfully　embraced　the　first　opportunity　of　being　reconciled　to　me；　and　this　was　one　of　the　pleasantest　hours　of