Memoirs of Emma Courtney

on various topics. At length he grew captious, disputatious, gloomy, and imperious-the more I studied to please him, the less I succeeded. He disapproved my conduct, my opinions, my

ing eye, to search only for my errors-errors, into which I was but too easily b

r early, fraternal, affection and intimacy, while I felt a secret pride in introducing to his acquaintance a man so accomplished and respectable as Mr Harley. We were little aware of the changes which time and different situations produce on the character, and, with hearts and minds full of the frank, lively, affectionate, youth, from whom we had pa

ed the impotence of wealth and the real superiority of his guest. We were introduced by our stately relation to his wife, the lady of the mansion, a young woman whom he had accidentally met with in a party of pleasure at Jamaica, whither she had attended a family in the humble office of companion or chief attendant to t

an of fashon and gallantry who had been the antagonist of Mr Francis, at the table of my father. He had lately (we were informed by our host) been to Jamaica, to take possession of an estate bequeathed to

th, on whom he lavished a profusion of compliments, to grace their encampment, which was to be

ly with, expressing, in tones of affected soft

d circumstance

, turning to me, 'that soldiers are the mos

urder, and their trappings, in my eyes, a

rs in the world, and there always must be: but surely you would not confound the brave fellows, wh

do himself right, and through this terrible and pitiable mistake destroys the life or the property of a fellow being-The others, wan

Pemberton, did you ever he

think, Madam, your name is! The daughter of an old friend of mine, if I am not mistak

had in them too much of the destructive sp

ly admired the soldiers because they are so brave and so polite; besides, the military dress i

compliment, made an animated eulogium

seemed to pique her, and whose notice she was determined to attract, 'are you

st excuse me from entering into such nice distinctio

ep the slaves in subordination, who, since absurd notions of liberty had been put into their heads, were grown ver

he sister of her husband, 'Mr Melmoth and I have been in England but a mont

ter; servants, here, will not submit to

by such low, ignorant, creatures. How should they know what is r

igh, 'they should happen to thin

oth, with an exulting laugh, 'what have

n the ladies-how would the elegant and tasteful arrangement o

nk only about their dress, and I have no objectio

some of the gentlemen, present, should object to a woman's exercising her discrimin

on, affectedly bending his body, 'would almost induce one to adopt t

, does not feel himself in

happy m

erely a rat

severe; of all things

lf-preservation-nature provides wea

mporary mischiefs which might ensue, in case of an abolition, to the planters, landholders, traders, &c. Augustus explained, by contending only for the gradual emancipation, after their minds had been previously prepared, of the oppressed Africans. The conversation grew interesting. Pemberton was not devoid of talents when he laid aside his affectation; the subject was examined both in a moral and a political point of view. I listened with delight, wh

d the adjournment of the ladies into the drawing-room, whither I was compelled, by a barbarous and odious

'How could I be so severe upon the

ideots was no real compliment, and that the men who condescend to

, and in consulting her taste on the important question-whether blue or violet colour was the most becoming to a brunette complexion? The gentlemen joined us, to our great relief, at the tea-table:-other company dropped in,

, my cousin, and myself, respecting the company we had quitted. I expressed my

d after one model. It was both amusing, and instructive, to contemplate varieties of character.

o say truth, vexation and disappointment, rather than reason, had broken and subdued my spirit. Mrs Denbeigh, perceiving I was pained, kindly endeavoured to give a turn

he is fond of her-she is a fine woman-there is n

s, then, affection so capricious a sentime

lers can give no serious occasion for uneasiness:-the humo

perfection of reason, it is a quality whic

o my thoughts.-Again I expressed a solicitude to be informed of the real state of his heart, of the nature of those mysterious obstacles, to which, when clearly ascertained, I was ready to submit.-'Had he, or had he not, an attachment, that looked to, as its end, a serious and legal engagem