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TITLE: TALES AND NOVELS, VOL. III
AUTHOR: MARIA EDGEWORTH
EBOOK: E06270 (O'Briens Book Cellar)
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

TALES AND NOVELS, VOL. III

BELINDA.

BY

MARIA EDGEWORTH.

IN TEN VOLUMES. WITH ENGRAVINGS ON STEEL.

1857.

CONTENTS.

I. Characters

II. Masks

III. Lady Delacour's History

IV. The same continued

V. Birthday Dresses

VI. Ways and Means

VII. The Serpentine River

VIII. A Family Party

IX. Advice

X. The Mysterious Boudoir

XI. Difficulties

XII. The Macaw

XIII. Sortes Virgilianae

XIV. The Exhibition

XV. Jealousy

XVI. Domestic Happiness

XVII. Rights of Woman

XVIII. A Declaration

XIX. A Wedding

XX. Reconciliation

XXI. Helena

XXII. A Spectre

XXIII. The Chaplain

XXIV. Peu a peu

XXV. Love me, love my dog

XXVI. Virginia

XXVII. A Discovery

XXVIII. E O

XXIX. A Jew

XXX. News

XXXI. The Denouement

BELINDA

CHAPTER I.

CHARACTERS.

Mrs. Stanhope, a well-bred woman, accomplished in that branch of knowledge
which is called the art of rising in the world, had, with but a small
fortune, contrived to live in the highest company. She prided herself upon
having established half a dozen nieces most happily, that is to say, upon
having married them to men of fortunes far superior to their own. One
niece still remained unmarried--Belinda Portman, of whom she was
determined to get rid with all convenient expedition. Belinda was
handsome, graceful, sprightly, and highly accomplished; her aunt had
endeavoured to teach her that a young lady's chief business is to please
in society, that all her charms and accomplishments should be invariably
subservient to one grand object--the establishing herself in the world:

    "For this, hands, lips, and eyes were put to school,
    And each instructed feature had its rule."

Mrs. Stanhope did not find Belinda such a docile pupil as her other
nieces, for she had been educated chiefly in the country; she had early
been inspired with a taste for domestic pleasures; she was fond of
reading, and disposed to conduct herself with prudence and integrity. Her
character, however, was yet to be developed by circumstances.

Mrs. Stanhope lived at Bath, where she had opportunities of showing her
niece off, as she thought, to advantage; but as her health began to
decline, she could not go out with her as much as she wished. After
manoeuvring with more than her usual art, she succeeded in fastening
Belinda upon the fashionable Lady Delacour for the season. Her ladyship
was so much pleased by Miss Portman's accomplishments and vivacity, as to
invite her to spend the winter with her in London. Soon after her arrival
in town, Belinda received the following letter from her aunt Stanhope.

"Crescent, Bath.

"After searching every place I could think of, Anne found your bracelet in
your dressing-table, amongst a heap of odd things, which you left behind
you to be thrown away: I have sent it to you by a young gentleman, who
came to Bath (unluckily) the very day you left me--Mr. Clarence Hervey--an
acquaintance, and great admirer of my Lady Delacour. He is really an
uncommonly pleasant young man, is highly connected, and has a fine
independent fortune. Besides, he is a man of wit and gallantry, quite a
connoisseur in female grace and beauty--just the man to bring a new face
into fashion: so, my dear Belinda, I make it a point--look well when he is
introduced to you, and remember, what I have so often told you, that
nobody _can_ look well without taking some pains to please.

"I see--or at least when I went out more than my health will at present
permit--I used to see multitudes of silly girls, seemingly all cut out
upon the same pattern, who frequented public places day after day, and
year after year, without any idea farther than that of diverting
themselves, or of obtaining transient admiration. How I have pitied and
despised the giddy creatures, whilst I have observed them playing off
their unmeaning airs, vying with one another in the most _obvious_, and
consequently the most ridiculous manner, so as to expose themselves before
the very men they would attract: chattering, tittering, and flirting; full
of the present moment, never reflecting upon the future; quite satisfied
if they got a partner at a hall, without ever thinking of a partner for
life! I have often asked myself, what is to become of such girls when they
grow old or ugly, or when the public eye grows tired of them? If they have
large fortunes, it is all very well; they can afford to divert themselves
for a season or two, without doubt; they are sure to be sought after and
followed, not by mere danglers, but by men of suitable views and
pretensions: but nothing to my mind can be more miserable than the
situation of a poor girl, who, after spending not only the interest, but
the solid capital of her small fortune in dress, and frivolous
extravagance, fails in her matrimonial expectations (as many do merely
from not beginning to speculate in time). She finds herself at five or
six-and-thirty a burden to her friends, destitute of the means of
rendering herself independent (for the girls I speak of never think of
_learning_ to play cards), _de trop_ in society, yet obliged to hang upon
all her acquaintance, who wish her in heaven, because she is unqualified
to make the _expected_ return for civilities, having no home, I mean no
establishment, no house, &c. fit for the reception of company of a certain
rank.--My dearest Belinda, may this never be your case!--You have every
possible advantage, my love: no pains have been spared in your education,
and (which is the essential point) I have taken care that this should be
known--so that you have _the name_ of being perfectly accomplished. You
will also have the name of being very fashionable, if you go much into
public, as doubtless you will with Lady Delacour.--Your own good sense
must make you aware, my dear, that from her ladyship's situation and
knowledge of the world, it will always be proper, upon all subjects of
conversation, for her to lead and you to follow: it would be very unfit
for a young girl like you to suffer yourself to stand in competition with
Lady Delacour, whose high pretensions to wit and beauty are
_indisputable_. I need say no more to you upon this subject, my dear. Even
with your limited experience, you must have observed how foolish young
people offend those who are the most necessary to their interests, by an
imprudent indulgence of their vanity.

"Lady Delacour has an incomparable taste in dress: consult her, my dear,
and do not, by an ill-judged economy, counteract my views--apropos, I have
no objection to your being presented at court. You will, of course, have
credit with all her ladyship's tradespeople, if you manage properly. To
know how and when to lay out money is highly commendable, for in some
situations, people judge of what one can afford by what one actually
spends.--I know of no law which compels a young lady to tell what her age
or her fortune may be. You have no occasion for caution yet on one of
these points.

"I have covered my old carpet with a handsome green baize, and every
stranger who comes to see me, I observe, takes it for granted that I have
a rich carpet under it. Say every thing that is proper, in your best
manner, for me to Lady Delacour.

"Adieu, my dear Belinda,

"Yours, very sincerely,

"SELINA STANHOPE."

It is sometimes fortunate, that the means which are taken to produce
certain effects upon the mind have a tendency directly opposite to what is
expected. Mrs. Stanhope's perpetual anxiety about her niece's appearance,
manners, and establishment, had completely worn out Belinda's patience;
she had become more insensible to the praises of her personal charms and
accomplishments than young women of her age usually are, because she had

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