. Some famous women . , and lookedafter the dairy. She did not care for dolls, and had noone to play with her, for her only brother was someyears older; but she Avas very happy in the garden, andloved to Avatch the birds and learnt to knoAv them bytheir flight. When her father came home from sea, he Avas shockedto find Mary, Avho Avas then nearly nine years old, sucha savage. She had not yet been taught to Avrite, butshe used to read the Arabian Nights, RobinsonCrusoe, and the PilgrinTs Progress. He Av\as horrifiedtoo at her strong Scotch accent, and made her readaloud to him that he might cor
. Some famous women . , and lookedafter the dairy. She did not care for dolls, and had noone to play with her, for her only brother was someyears older; but she Avas very happy in the garden, andloved to Avatch the birds and learnt to knoAv them bytheir flight. When her father came home from sea, he Avas shockedto find Mary, Avho Avas then nearly nine years old, sucha savage. She had not yet been taught to Avrite, butshe used to read the Arabian Nights, RobinsonCrusoe, and the PilgrinTs Progress. He Av\as horrifiedtoo at her strong Scotch accent, and made her readaloud to him that he might correct it. This she found MARY SOMERVILLE 99 a great trial, but she delighted in helping her father inthe care of his garden, to which he was devoted. He at. £ Photo: Emery Walker. Mary Somerville. last felt that something more must be done to educateher, and said to her mother : Mary must at least knowhow to write and keep accounts. So at ten years old 100 SOME FAMOUS WOMEN she was sent to a boardinsr school. The chancre fromher wild, free life made her wretched, and she spenther days in tears. They Avere very particular in thosedays that a girls figure should be straight, and usedstrange means to ensure this. Mary was perfectlystraight Oijid well-made, but she was enclosed in stiffstays with a steel busk; bands were fastened over herfrock to make her shoulder-blades meet at the back,and a sort of steel collar Avas put under her chin,supported on a rod which was fastened to the busk inher stays. Under these uncomfortable conditions, sheand the other girls of her age had to do their lessons were far from interesting. The chiefthing she had to do was to learn by heart a page ofJohnsons Dictionary, so as to be able, not only t
Size: 1325px × 1886px
Photo credit: © Reading Room 2020 / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: ., boo, bookcentury1900, bookdecade1900, bookpublisherlondonlongmans
