Maria; Or, The Wrongs of Woman

have an opportunity of instructing you, many observations will probably flo

which is meant rather to exercise than influence your mind.-Death may snatch me from you, before you can weigh my advice, or enter into my reasoning: I would then, with fond anxiety, lead you very early in life to form your grand principle of action, to save you from the vain regret of having, through irresolution, let the spring-tide of existence pass away, unimproved, unenjoyed.-Gain experience-ah! gain it-while experience is worth having, and acquire sufficient fortitude to pursue your own happiness; it inclu

r the varying charms of nature is the first sentiment I recollect; or rather it

if to man the shrouds, or mount aloft in an elemental strife, big with life or death. He was to be instantaneously obeyed, especially by my mother, whom he very benevolently married for love; but took care to remind her of the obligation, when she dared, in the slightest instance, to question his absolute authority. My eldest brother, it is true, as he grew up, was treated with more respect by my father; and became in due form the deputy-tyrant of the house. The representative of my father, a being privil

trivial matters; unconditional submission to orders, which, as a mere child, I soon discovered to be unreasonable, because inconsiste

ding remembrance of newborn delight, than you, my child, could feel in the perusal, I will not entice you to stray with me into the verdant meadow, to searc

t truly be termed the idol of his parents, and the torment of the rest of the family. Such indeed is the

ur fireside, where we were often obliged to sit three or four hours together, without daring to utter a word, when my father was out of humour, from want of employment, or of a variety of boisterous amusement. I had however one advantage, an instructor, the brother of my father, who, intended for the church, had of course received a l

d court in their turn his alliance, and all the blandishments of taste would grace the triumph of love.-While he basked in the warm sunshine of love, friendship also promised to shed its dewy freshness; for a friend, whom he loved next to his mistress, was the confident, who forwarded the letters from one to the other, to elude the observation of prying relations. A friend false in s

and returning on the wings of love, lost in the most enchanting reveries, to

st violent effect on my uncle's health and spirits. His native country, the world! lately a garden of blooming sweets, blasted by treachery, seemed changed into a parched desert, the abode of hissing serpents. Disapp

ndness, became a favourite; and endeavouring to enlarge and strengthen my mind, I grew dear to him in proportion as I imbibed his sentiments. He had a forcible manner of speaking, rendered more so by a certain impressive wildness of look and gesture, calculated to engage the attention of a young and ardent mind. It is not then surprising that I quickly

tures of his own feelings, rendered permanent by disappointment, as imprinted the sentiments strongly on my heart, and animated my imagi

me books, for which I had a passion, and they conspired with his conversation, to make me form an ideal picture of life. I shall pass over the tyranny of my father, much as I su

urday, to astonish my mother by exhibiting his attainments, he gradually assumed a right of directing the whole family, not excepting my father. He seemed to take a peculiar pleasure in tor

ions were very different, and all of a pleasurable kind. I longed to see new characters, to break the tedious monotony of my life; and to find a friend, such as fancy had pourtrayed. I cannot then describe the emotion I felt, the Sunday they made their appearance at church. My eyes were r

ing his attainments and manners superior to those of the young men of the village, I began to imagine him superior to the rest of mankind. Had my

t experience, to enable him to conduct their affairs on the same prudential plan, his father had invariably pursued. Indeed, he had laboured to throw off his authority, having despised his narrow plans

his father lavished on his conduct, and, poor mistaken man! on his principles, contrasted with his brother's, rendered the notice he took of me peculiarly flattering. Without any fixed design, as I am now convinced, he continued to single me out at the dance, press my hand at parting, and utter expressions of unmeaning passion, to which I gave a meaning naturally suggested by the romantic turn of my thoughts. His stay in the country was short; his manners did not ent

sister, lived with her, till her husband, becoming a mate in a West-Indian trader, got a little before-hand in the world. He wrote to his wife from the first port in the Channel, after his most successful voyage, to request her to come to London to meet him; he even wished her to determine

A common misfortune prevented her, and the poor are bound to suffer for th

to have gone with her to Sadler's Wells, and Westminster Abbey, and to many sights, which he knew she never heard of in the country. Peggy too was thrifty, and how could she manage to put his plan in execu

e recounted to him each night the pretty speeches of the day. Some stories, however, were stored up-and Jacky could say papa with such a sweet voice, it must delight his heart. Yet when she came, and found no Daniel to greet her, when Jacky calle

tle market town, nearly three miles from our village. She did not like to go to service, to be snubbed about, after being her own mistress. To put her chi

hildren clean, and she loved to see them clean; so she took in washing, and altogether made a shift to earn bread for her children, still weeping for Daniel, when Jacky's arch looks made her think of his father.-It was pleasant to work for her children.-'Yes; from morning till

A recruiting party, as she supposed, passing through, made free with a large was

and promised to pay two shillings a week till all was cleared; so she did not lose her employment. This two shillings a week, and the buy

r. Many houses in this town, producing a borough-interest, were included in the estate purchased by Mr. Ven

w that I was good-natured-right charitable, yet not liking to ask for more than needs must, she scorned to petition while people could any how be made to wait. But now, should she be turned out of doors, she m

st lie on the ground? My mother would be angry, but I could conceal it till my uncle came

I discovering, at the same time, that one blanket would serve me till winter, could I persuade my sister, who slept with me, to keep my secret. She entering in the midst of the package, I gave

ed purpose, I grasped her hand with weeping eyes, assuring her that my uncle would screen me from blame, when he was once more in the country, describing,

ntimidate me; but, imagining that Peggy must be mistaken, and that no man could turn a deaf ear to such a tale of complicated distress, I d

! Every bird that twittered in a bush, every flower that enlivened the hedge, seemed placed there to awaken me to rapture-yes; to rapture. The

omplexion, the blush of seventeen, or that, in a world where humanity to women is the characteristic of advancing civilization, the beauty of a young girl was so much more interesting than the distress of an old one. Pressing my hand, he

from my father, towards re-clothing the poor children of my care, and prevailed on my mo

s cruelly distressed by the disappointment-I scarcely could remain on my chair; and, could I have got out of the room unperceived, I should have flown home, as if to run away from myself. After several vain attempts to rise, I leaned my head against the marble chimney-piece, and gazing on the ev

el the guinea; and its magic touch invested my hero with more than mortal beauty. My fancy had found a basis to erect its model of perfection on; and quickly went to work, with all the happy credulity of youth, to consider that