CHAP	O
.	O

I.	O
Mary	O
,	O
the	O
heroine	O
of	O
this	O
fiction	O
,	O
was	O
the	O
daughter	O
of	O
Edward	O
,	O
who	O
married	EVENT
Eliza	O
,	O
a	O
gentle	O
,	O
fashionable	O
girl	O
,	O
with	O
a	O
kind	O
of	O
indolence	O
in	O
her	O
temper	O
,	O
which	O
might	O
be	O
termed	O
negative	O
good-nature	O
:	O
her	O
virtues	O
,	O
indeed	O
,	O
were	O
all	O
of	O
that	O
stamp	O
.	O

She	O
carefully	O
attended	O
to	O
the	O
_	O
shews	O
_	O
of	O
things	O
,	O
and	O
her	O
opinions	O
,	O
I	O
should	O
have	O
said	O
prejudices	O
,	O
were	O
such	O
as	O
the	O
generality	O
approved	O
of	O
.	O

She	O
was	O
educated	O
with	O
the	O
expectation	O
of	O
a	O
large	O
fortune	O
,	O
of	O
course	O
became	O
a	O
mere	O
machine	O
:	O
the	O
homage	O
of	O
her	O
attendants	O
made	O
a	O
great	O
part	O
of	O
her	O
puerile	O
amusements	O
,	O
and	O
she	O
never	O
imagined	O
there	O
were	O
any	O
relative	O
duties	O
for	O
her	O
to	O
fulfil	O
:	O
notions	O
of	O
her	O
own	O
consequence	O
,	O
by	O
these	O
means	O
,	O
were	O
interwoven	O
in	O
her	O
mind	O
,	O
and	O
the	O
years	O
of	O
youth	O
spent	O
in	O
acquiring	O
a	O
few	O
superficial	O
accomplishments	O
,	O
without	O
having	O
any	O
taste	O
for	O
them	O
.	O

When	O
she	O
was	O
first	O
introduced	EVENT
into	O
the	O
polite	O
circle	O
,	O
she	O
danced	EVENT
with	O
an	O
officer	O
,	O
whom	O
she	O
faintly	O
wished	O
to	O
be	O
united	O
to	O
;	O
but	O
her	O
father	O
soon	O
after	O
recommending	EVENT
another	O
in	O
a	O
more	O
distinguished	O
rank	O
of	O
life	O
,	O
she	O
readily	O
submitted	EVENT
to	O
his	O
will	O
,	O
and	O
promised	EVENT
to	O
love	O
,	O
honour	O
,	O
and	O
obey	O
,	O
(	O
a	O
vicious	O
fool	O
,	O
)	O
as	O
in	O
duty	O
bound	O
.	O

While	O
they	O
resided	O
in	O
London	O
,	O
they	O
lived	O
in	O
the	O
usual	O
fashionable	O
style	O
,	O
and	O
seldom	O
saw	O
each	O
other	O
;	O
nor	O
were	O
they	O
much	O
more	O
sociable	O
when	O
they	O
wooed	O
rural	O
felicity	O
for	O
more	O
than	O
half	O
the	O
year	O
,	O
in	O
a	O
delightful	O
country	O
,	O
where	O
Nature	O
,	O
with	O
lavish	O
hand	O
,	O
had	O
scattered	O
beauties	O
around	O
;	O
for	O
the	O
master	O
,	O
with	O
brute	O
,	O
unconscious	O
gaze	O
,	O
passed	O
them	O
by	O
unobserved	O
,	O
and	O
sought	O
amusement	O
in	O
country	O
sports	O
.	O

He	O
hunted	O
in	O
the	O
morning	O
,	O
and	O
after	O
eating	O
an	O
immoderate	O
dinner	O
,	O
generally	O
fell	O
asleep	O
:	O
this	O
seasonable	O
rest	O
enabled	O
him	O
to	O
digest	O
the	O
cumbrous	O
load	O
;	O
he	O
would	O
then	O
visit	O
some	O
of	O
his	O
pretty	O
tenants	O
;	O
and	O
when	O
he	O
compared	O
their	O
ruddy	O
glow	O
of	O
health	O
with	O
his	O
wife	O
's	O
countenance	O
,	O
which	O
even	O
rouge	O
could	O
not	O
enliven	O
,	O
it	O
is	O
not	O
necessary	O
to	O
say	O
which	O
a	O
_	O
gourmand	O
_	O
would	O
give	O
the	O
preference	O
to	O
.	O

Their	O
vulgar	O
dance	O
of	O
spirits	O
were	O
infinitely	O
more	O
agreeable	O
to	O
his	O
fancy	O
than	O
her	O
sickly	O
,	O
die-away	O
languor	O
.	O

Her	O
voice	O
was	O
but	O
the	O
shadow	O
of	O
a	O
sound	O
,	O
and	O
she	O
had	O
,	O
to	O
complete	O
her	O
delicacy	O
,	O
so	O
relaxed	O
her	O
nerves	O
,	O
that	O
she	O
became	O
a	O
mere	O
nothing	O
.	O

Many	O
such	O
noughts	O
are	O
there	O
in	O
the	O
female	O
world	O
!	O

yet	O
she	O
had	O
a	O
good	O
opinion	O
of	O
her	O
own	O
merit	O
,	O
--	O
truly	O
,	O
she	O
said	O
long	O
prayers	O
,	O
--	O
and	O
sometimes	O
read	O
her	O
Week	O
's	O
Preparation	O
:	O
she	O
dreaded	O
that	O
horrid	O
place	O
vulgarly	O
called	O
_	O
hell	O
_	O
,	O
the	O
regions	O
below	O
;	O
but	O
whether	O
her	O
's	O
was	O
a	O
mounting	O
spirit	O
,	O
I	O
can	O
not	O
pretend	O
to	O
determine	O
;	O
or	O
what	O
sort	O
of	O
a	O
planet	O
would	O
have	O
been	O
proper	O
for	O
her	O
,	O
when	O
she	O
left	O
her	O
_	O
material	O
_	O
part	O
in	O
this	O
world	O
,	O
let	O
metaphysicians	O
settle	O
;	O
I	O
have	O
nothing	O
to	O
say	O
to	O
her	O
unclothed	O
spirit	O
.	O

As	O
she	O
was	O
sometimes	O
obliged	O
to	O
be	O
alone	O
,	O
or	O
only	O
with	O
her	O
French	O
waiting-maid	O
,	O
she	O
sent	O
to	O
the	O
metropolis	O
for	O
all	O
the	O
new	O
publications	O
,	O
and	O
while	O
she	O
was	O
dressing	O
her	O
hair	O
,	O
and	O
she	O
could	O
turn	O
her	O
eyes	O
from	O
the	O
glass	O
,	O
she	O
ran	O
over	O
those	O
most	O
delightful	O
substitutes	O
for	O
bodily	O
dissipation	O
,	O
novels	O
.	O

I	O
say	O
bodily	O
,	O
or	O
the	O
animal	O
soul	O
,	O
for	O
a	O
rational	O
one	O
can	O
find	O
no	O
employment	O
in	O
polite	O
circles	O
.	O

The	O
glare	O
of	O
lights	O
,	O
the	O
studied	O
inelegancies	O
of	O
dress	O
,	O
and	O
the	O
compliments	O
offered	O
up	O
at	O
the	O
shrine	O
of	O
false	O
beauty	O
,	O
are	O
all	O
equally	O
addressed	O
to	O
the	O
senses	O
.	O

When	O
she	O
could	O
not	O
any	O
longer	O
indulge	O
the	O
caprices	O
of	O
fancy	O
one	O
way	O
,	O
she	O
tried	O
another	O
.	O

The	O
Platonic	O
Marriage	O
,	O
Eliza	O
Warwick	O
,	O
and	O
some	O
other	O
interesting	O
tales	O
were	O
perused	O
with	O
eagerness	O
.	O

Nothing	O
could	O
be	O
more	O
natural	O
than	O
the	O
developement	O
of	O
the	O
passions	O
,	O
nor	O
more	O
striking	O
than	O
the	O
views	O
of	O
the	O
human	O
heart	O
.	O

What	O
delicate	O
struggles	O
!	O

and	O
uncommonly	O
pretty	O
turns	O
of	O
thought	O
!	O

The	O
picture	O
that	O
was	O
found	EVENT
on	O
a	O
bramble-bush	O
,	O
the	O
new	O
sensitive-plant	O
,	O
or	O
tree	O
,	O
which	O
caught	EVENT
the	O
swain	O
by	O
the	O
upper-garment	O
,	O
and	O
presented	EVENT
to	O
his	O
ravished	O
eyes	O
a	O
portrait	O
.	O

--	O
Fatal	O
image	O
!	O

--	O
It	O
planted	EVENT
a	O
thorn	O
in	O
a	O
till	O
then	O
insensible	O
heart	O
,	O
and	O
sent	EVENT
a	O
new	O
kind	O
of	O
a	O
knight-errant	O
into	O
the	O
world	O
.	O

But	O
even	O
this	O
was	O
nothing	O
to	O
the	O
catastrophe	EVENT
,	O
and	O
the	O
circumstance	EVENT
on	O
which	O
it	O
hung	O
,	O
the	O
hornet	O
settling	EVENT
on	O
the	O
sleeping	O
lover	O
's	O
face	O
.	O

What	O
a	O
_	O
heart-rending	O
_	O
accident	EVENT
!	O

She	O
planted	EVENT
,	O
in	O
imitation	EVENT
of	O
those	O
susceptible	O
souls	O
,	O
a	O
rose	O
bush	O
;	O
but	O
there	O
was	O
not	O
a	O
lover	O
to	O
weep	O
in	O
concert	O
with	O
her	O
,	O
when	O
she	O
watered	EVENT
it	O
with	O
her	O
tears	EVENT
.	O

--	O
Alas	O
!	O

Alas	O
!	O

If	O
my	O
readers	O
would	O
excuse	O
the	O
sportiveness	O
of	O
fancy	O
,	O
and	O
give	O
me	O
credit	O
for	O
genius	O
,	O
I	O
would	O
go	O
on	O
and	O
tell	O
them	O
such	O
tales	O
as	O
would	O
force	O
the	O
sweet	O
tears	O
of	O
sensibility	O
to	O
flow	O
in	O
copious	O
showers	O
down	O
beautiful	O
cheeks	O
,	O
to	O
the	O
discomposure	O
of	O
rouge	O
,	O
&	O
c.	O
&	O
c.	O
Nay	O
,	O
I	O
would	O
make	O
it	O
so	O
interesting	O
,	O
that	O
the	O
fair	O
peruser	O
should	O
beg	O
the	O
hair-dresser	O
to	O
settle	O
the	O
curls	O
himself	O
,	O
and	O
not	O
interrupt	O
her	O
.	O

She	O
had	O
besides	O
another	O
resource	O
,	O
two	O
most	O
beautiful	O
dogs	O
,	O
who	O
shared	O
her	O
bed	O
,	O
and	O
reclined	O
on	O
cushions	O
near	O
her	O
all	O
the	O
day	O
.	O

These	O
she	O
watched	O
with	O
the	O
most	O
assiduous	O
care	O
,	O
and	O
bestowed	O
on	O
them	O
the	O
warmest	O
caresses	O
.	O

This	O
fondness	O
for	O
animals	O
was	O
not	O
that	O
kind	O
of	O
_	O
attendrissement	O
_	O
which	O
makes	O
a	O
person	O
take	O
pleasure	O
in	O
providing	O
for	O
the	O
subsistence	O
and	O
comfort	O
of	O
a	O
living	O
creature	O
;	O
but	O
it	O
proceeded	O
from	O
vanity	O
,	O
it	O
gave	O
her	O
an	O
opportunity	O
of	O
lisping	O
out	O
the	O
prettiest	O
French	O
expressions	O
of	O
ecstatic	O
fondness	O
,	O
in	O
accents	O
that	O
had	O
never	O
been	O
attuned	O
by	O
tenderness	O
.	O

She	O
was	O
chaste	O
,	O
according	O
to	O
the	O
vulgar	O
acceptation	O
of	O
the	O
word	O
,	O
that	O
is	O
,	O
she	O
did	O
not	O
make	O
any	O
actual	O
_	O
faux	O
pas	O
_	O
;	O
she	O
feared	O
the	O
world	O
,	O
and	O
was	O
indolent	O
;	O
but	O
then	O
,	O
to	O
make	O
amends	O
for	O
this	O
seeming	O
self-denial	O
,	O
she	O
read	O
all	O
the	O
sentimental	O
novels	O
,	O
dwelt	O
on	O
the	O
love-scenes	O
,	O
and	O
,	O
had	O
she	O
thought	O
while	O
she	O
read	O
,	O
her	O
mind	O
would	O
have	O
been	O
contaminated	O
;	O
as	O
she	O
accompanied	O
the	O
lovers	O
to	O
the	O
lonely	O
arbors	O
,	O
and	O
would	O
walk	O
with	O
them	O
by	O
the	O
clear	O
light	O
of	O
the	O
moon	O
.	O

She	O
wondered	O
her	O
husband	O
did	O
not	O
stay	O
at	O
home	O
.	O

She	O
was	O
jealous	O
--	O
why	O
did	O
he	O
not	O
love	O
her	O
,	O
sit	O
by	O
her	O
side	O
,	O
squeeze	O
her	O
hand	O
,	O
and	O
look	O
unutterable	O
things	O
?	O

Gentle	O
reader	O
,	O
I	O
will	O
tell	O
thee	O
;	O
they	O
neither	O
of	O
them	O
felt	O
what	O
they	O
could	O
not	O
utter	O
.	O

I	O
will	O
not	O
pretend	O
to	O
say	O
that	O
they	O
always	O
annexed	O
an	O
idea	O
to	O
a	O
word	O
;	O
but	O
they	O
had	O
none	O
of	O
those	O
feelings	O
which	O
are	O
not	O
easily	O
analyzed	O
.	O

CHAP	O
.	O

II	O
.	O

In	O
due	O
time	O
she	O
brought	EVENT
forth	O
a	O
son	O
,	O
a	O
feeble	O
babe	O
;	O
and	O
the	O
following	O
year	O
a	O
daughter	O
.	O

After	O
the	O
mother	O
's	O
throes	O
she	O
felt	O
very	O
few	O
sentiments	O
of	O
maternal	O
tenderness	O
:	O
the	O
children	O
were	O
given	EVENT
to	O
nurses	O
,	O
and	O
she	O
played	O
with	O
her	O
dogs	O
.	O

Want	O
of	O
exercise	O
prevented	O
the	O
least	O
chance	O
of	O
her	O
recovering	O
strength	O
;	O
and	O
two	O
or	O
three	O
milk-fevers	O
brought	O
on	O
a	O
consumption	O
,	O
to	O
which	O
her	O
constitution	O
tended	O
.	O

Her	O
children	O
all	O
died	EVENT
in	O
their	O
infancy	O
,	O
except	O
the	O
two	O
first	O
,	O
and	O
she	O
began	O
to	O
grow	O
fond	O
of	O
the	O
son	O
,	O
as	O
he	O
was	O
remarkably	O
handsome	O
.	O

For	O
years	O
she	O
divided	O
her	O
time	O
between	O
the	O
sofa	O
,	O
and	O
the	O
card-table	O
.	O

She	O
thought	O
not	O
of	O
death	O
,	O
though	O
on	O
the	O
borders	O
of	O
the	O
grave	O
;	O
nor	O
did	O
any	O
of	O
the	O
duties	O
of	O
her	O
station	O
occur	O
to	O
her	O
as	O
necessary	O
.	O

Her	O
children	O
were	O
left	O
in	O
the	O
nursery	O
;	O
and	O
when	O
Mary	O
,	O
the	O
little	O
blushing	O
girl	O
,	O
appeared	O
,	O
she	O
would	O
send	O
the	O
awkward	O
thing	O
away	O
.	O

To	O
own	O
the	O
truth	O
,	O
she	O
was	O
awkward	O
enough	O
,	O
in	O
a	O
house	O
without	O
any	O
play-mates	O
;	O
for	O
her	O
brother	O
had	O
been	O
sent	O
to	O
school	O
,	O
and	O
she	O
scarcely	O
knew	O
how	O
to	O
employ	O
herself	O
;	O
she	O
would	O
ramble	O
about	O
the	O
garden	O
,	O
admire	O
the	O
flowers	O
,	O
and	O
play	O
with	O
the	O
dogs	O
.	O

An	O
old	O
house-keeper	O
told	O
her	O
stories	O
,	O
read	O
to	O
her	O
,	O
and	O
,	O
at	O
last	O
,	O
taught	O
her	O
to	O
read	O
.	O

Her	O
mother	O
talked	O
of	O
enquiring	O
for	O
a	O
governess	O
when	O
her	O
health	O
would	O
permit	O
;	O
and	O
,	O
in	O
the	O
interim	O
desired	O
her	O
own	O
maid	O
to	O
teach	O
her	O
French	O
.	O

As	O
she	O
had	O
learned	O
to	O
read	O
,	O
she	O
perused	O
with	O
avidity	O
every	O
book	O
that	O
came	O
in	O
her	O
way	O
.	O

Neglected	O
in	O
every	O
respect	O
,	O
and	O
left	O
to	O
the	O
operations	O
of	O
her	O
own	O
mind	O
,	O
she	O
considered	O
every	O
thing	O
that	O
came	O
under	O
her	O
inspection	O
,	O
and	O
learned	O
to	O
think	O
.	O

She	O
had	O
heard	O
of	O
a	O
separate	O
state	O
,	O
and	O
that	O
angels	O
sometimes	O
visited	O
this	O
earth	O
.	O

She	O
would	O
sit	O
in	O
a	O
thick	O
wood	O
in	O
the	O
park	O
,	O
and	O
talk	O
to	O
them	O
;	O
make	O
little	O
songs	O
addressed	O
to	O
them	O
,	O
and	O
sing	O
them	O
to	O
tunes	O
of	O
her	O
own	O
composing	O
;	O
and	O
her	O
native	O
wood	O
notes	O
wild	O
were	O
sweet	O
and	O
touching	O
.	O

Her	O
father	O
always	O
exclaimed	O
against	O
female	O
acquirements	O
,	O
and	O
was	O
glad	O
that	O
his	O
wife	O
's	O
indolence	O
and	O
ill	O
health	O
made	O
her	O
not	O
trouble	O
herself	O
about	O
them	O
.	O

She	O
had	O
besides	O
another	O
reason	O
,	O
she	O
did	O
not	O
wish	O
to	O
have	O
a	O
fine	O
tall	O
girl	O
brought	O
forward	O
into	O
notice	O
as	O
her	O
daughter	O
;	O
she	O
still	O
expected	O
to	O
recover	O
,	O
and	O
figure	O
away	O
in	O
the	O
gay	O
world	O
.	O

Her	O
husband	O
was	O
very	O
tyrannical	O
and	O
passionate	O
;	O
indeed	O
so	O
very	O
easily	O
irritated	O
when	O
inebriated	O
,	O
that	O
Mary	O
was	O
continually	O
in	O
dread	O
lest	O
he	O
should	O
frighten	O
her	O
mother	O
to	O
death	O
;	O
her	O
sickness	O
called	O
forth	O
all	O
Mary	O
's	O
tenderness	O
,	O
and	O
exercised	O
her	O
compassion	O
so	O
continually	O
,	O
that	O
it	O
became	O
more	O
than	O
a	O
match	O
for	O
self-love	O
,	O
and	O
was	O
the	O
governing	O
propensity	O
of	O
her	O
heart	O
through	O
life	O
.	O

She	O
was	O
violent	O
in	O
her	O
temper	O
;	O
but	O
she	O
saw	O
her	O
father	O
's	O
faults	O
,	O
and	O
would	O
weep	O
when	O
obliged	O
to	O
compare	O
his	O
temper	O
with	O
her	O
own	O
.	O

--	O
She	O
did	O
more	O
;	O
artless	O
prayers	O
rose	O
to	O
Heaven	O
for	O
pardon	O
,	O
when	O
she	O
was	O
conscious	O
of	O
having	O
erred	O
;	O
and	O
her	O
contrition	O
was	O
so	O
exceedingly	O
painful	O
,	O
that	O
she	O
watched	O
diligently	O
the	O
first	O
movements	O
of	O
anger	O
and	O
impatience	O
,	O
to	O
save	O
herself	O
this	O
cruel	O
remorse	O
.	O

Sublime	O
ideas	O
filled	O
her	O
young	O
mind	O
--	O
always	O
connected	O
with	O
devotional	O
sentiments	O
;	O
extemporary	O
effusions	O
of	O
gratitude	O
,	O
and	O
rhapsodies	O
of	O
praise	O
would	O
burst	O
often	O
from	O
her	O
,	O
when	O
she	O
listened	O
to	O
the	O
birds	O
,	O
or	O
pursued	O
the	O
deer	O
.	O

She	O
would	O
gaze	O
on	O
the	O
moon	O
,	O
and	O
ramble	O
through	O
the	O
gloomy	O
path	O
,	O
observing	O
the	O
various	O
shapes	O
the	O
clouds	O
assumed	O
,	O
and	O
listen	O
to	O
the	O
sea	O
that	O
was	O
not	O
far	O
distant	O
.	O

The	O
wandering	O
spirits	O
,	O
which	O
she	O
imagined	O
inhabited	O
every	O
part	O
of	O
nature	O
,	O
were	O
her	O
constant	O
friends	O
and	O
confidants	O
.	O

She	O
began	O
to	O
consider	O
the	O
Great	O
First	O
Cause	O
,	O
formed	O
just	O
notions	O
of	O
his	O
attributes	O
,	O
and	O
,	O
in	O
particular	O
,	O
dwelt	O
on	O
his	O
wisdom	O
and	O
goodness	O
.	O

Could	O
she	O
have	O
loved	O
her	O
father	O
or	O
mother	O
,	O
had	O
they	O
returned	O
her	O
affection	O
,	O
she	O
would	O
not	O
so	O
soon	O
,	O
perhaps	O
,	O
have	O
sought	O
out	O
a	O
new	O
world	O
.	O

Her	O
sensibility	O
prompted	O
her	O
to	O
search	O
for	O
an	O
object	O
to	O
love	O
;	O
on	O
earth	O
it	O
was	O
not	O
to	O
be	O
found	O
:	O
her	O
mother	O
had	O
often	O
disappointed	O
her	O
,	O
and	O
the	O
apparent	O
partiality	O
she	O
shewed	O
to	O
her	O
brother	O
gave	O
her	O
exquisite	O
pain	O
--	O
produced	O
a	O
kind	O
of	O
habitual	O
melancholy	O
,	O
led	O
her	O
into	O
a	O
fondness	O
for	O
reading	O
tales	O
of	O
woe	O
,	O
and	O
made	O
her	O
almost	O
realize	O
the	O
fictitious	O
distress	O
.	O