. Thackerayana;. THE RAMBLER. By DR. SAMUEL JOHNSON, 1., 1750. To the Rambler. 1 Sir,—As you seem to have devoted your labours to virtue, Icannot forbear to inform you of one species of cruelty with whichthe life of a man of letters perhaps does not often make himacquainted, and which, as it seems to produce no other advantageto those that practise it than a short gratification of thoughtless 376 THA CKERA YANA. vanity, may become less common when it has been once exposedin its various forms, and in full magnitude. I am the daughter of a country gentleman, whose family isnumerous, and
. Thackerayana;. THE RAMBLER. By DR. SAMUEL JOHNSON, 1., 1750. To the Rambler. 1 Sir,—As you seem to have devoted your labours to virtue, Icannot forbear to inform you of one species of cruelty with whichthe life of a man of letters perhaps does not often make himacquainted, and which, as it seems to produce no other advantageto those that practise it than a short gratification of thoughtless 376 THA CKERA YANA. vanity, may become less common when it has been once exposedin its various forms, and in full magnitude. I am the daughter of a country gentleman, whose family isnumerous, and whose state, not at first sufficient to supply us withaffluence, has been lately so impaired by an unsuccessful lawsuit,that all the younger children are obliged to try such means as. their education affords them for procuring the necessaries of and curiosity concurred to bring me to London, where Iwas received by a relation with the coldness which misfortunegenerally finds. A week—a long week—I lived with my cousinbefore the most vigilant inquiry could procure us the least hopesof a place, in which time I was much better qualified to bear allthe vexations of servitude. The first two days she was content topity me, and only wished I had not been quite so well bred ; butpeople must comply with their circumstances. This lenity, how- THE RAMBLER? 377 ever, was soon at an end, and for the remaining part of the weekI heard every hour of the pride of the family, the obstinacy of myfather, and of people better born than myself that were commonservants. 1 At last, on Saturday noon, she told me, with very visiblesatisfaction, that Mrs. Bombasine, the great silk-mercers lady,wanted a maid, and a fine place it would be, for there would benothing to do but to
Size: 1393px × 1794px
Photo credit: © Reading Room 2020 / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1870, bookidthackerayana, bookyear1875
