Pickwick Abroad: A Companion to the Pickwick Papers — page 238: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

10 the presence of The Great Lexicographer, and the patronage of the admirable Mrs. Chapone. In leaving the Mall, Miss Ame- lia carries with her the hearts of her*com- panions, and the affectionate regards of her mistress, who has the honor to subscribe herself, ‘ Madam, ‘¢ Your most obliged humble servant, ‘‘ BARBARA PINKERTON. ‘“P.S. Miss Sharp accompanies Miss Sedley. It is particularly requested that Miss Sharp’s stay in Russell Square may not exceed ten days. The family of dis- tinction with whom she is engaged, desire. to avail themselves of her services as soon ‘as possible.” This letter completed, Miss Pinkerton proceeded to write her own name, and Miss Sedley’s, in the fly-leaf of a Johnson’s Dic- tionary—the interesting work which she in- variably presented to her scholars, on their departure from the Mall. On the cover ‘was inserted a copy of ‘*‘ Lines addressed to a young lady on quitting Miss Pinkerton’s school, at the Mall; by the late revered Doctor Samuel Johnson.” In fact, the Lexicographer’s name was always on the lips of this majestic woman, and a visit he had paid to her was the cause of her repu- tation and her fortune. Being commanded by her elder sister to get ‘‘the Dictionary” from the cupboard, Miss Jemima had extracted two copies of the book from the receptacle in question. When Miss Pinkerton had finished the in- scription in the first, Jemima, with rather a dubious and timid air, handed her the sec- ond. ‘¢ For whom is this, Miss Jemima?” said Miss Pinkerton, with awful coldness. ‘For Becky Sharp,” answered Jemima, trembling very much, and blushing over her withered face and neck, as she turned her back on her sister. “For Becky Sharp: she’s going too.’ “MISS SEMIMA ! ‘2 Pinkerton, in the largest capitals. ‘ Are you in your senses! Replace the Dixonary in the closet, and never venture to take such a liberty in future.” “Well, sister, it’s only two-and-nine- pence, and poor Becky will be miserable if she don’t get one.” ‘¢Send Miss Sedley instantly to me,” said Miss Pinkerton. And so, venturing not to say another word, poor Jemima trotted off, exceedingly flurried and nervous. Miss Sedley’s papa was a merchant in London, and a man of some wealth; where- as Miss Sharp was an articled pupil, for whom Miss Pinkerton had done, as she thought, quite enough, without conferring exclaimed Miss VANITY FAIR. Although schoolmistresses’ letters are to be trusted no more nor less than church- yard epitaphs; yet, as it sometimes hap- pens that a person departs this life, who is really deserving of all the praises the stone- ¥ cutter carves over his bones; who is a good Christian, a good parent, child, wife or hus- band; who actually does leave a disconsolate family to mourn his loss; so in academies of the male and female sex it occurs every now and then, that the pupil is fully worthy of the praises bestowed by the disinterested mstructor. Now, Miss Amelia Sedley was a young lady of this singular species, and deserved not only all that Miss Pinkerton said in her praise, but had many charming qualities which that pompous old Minerva of a woman could not see, from the differ- ences of rank and age between her pupil and herself. For she could not only sing like a lark, or a Miss Billington, and dance like Hillisberg or Parisot; and embroider beautifully ; and spell as well as the Dixonary itself; but she had such a kindly, smiling, tender, gentle, generous heart of her own, as won the love of every body who came near her, from Minerva herself,down to the poor girl in the scullery, and the one-eyed tartwoman’s daughter, who was permitted to vend her wares once a week to the young ladies in the Mall. She had twelve intimate and bosom friends out of the twenty-four young ladies. Even envious Miss Briggs never spoke ill of her: high and mighty Miss Sal- tire (Lord Dexter’s grand-daughter) allowed that her figure was genteel: and as for Miss Swartz, the rich woolly-haired mulatto from St. Kitt’s, on the day Amelia went away, she was in such a passion of tears, that they were obliged to send for Dr. Floss, and half tipsify her with sal volatile. Miss Pinker- ton’s attachment was as may be supposed, from the high position and eminent virtues of that lady, calm and dignified; but Miss Jemima had already blubbered several times at the idea of Amelia’s departure; and, but for fear of her sister, would have gone off in downright hysterics, like the heiress (who paid double) of St. Kitt’s. Such luxury of grief, however, is only allowed to parlor- boarders. Honest Jemima had all the bills, and the washing, and the mending, and the puddings, and the plate and crockery, and the servants to superintend. But why speak about her? It is probable that we shall not hear of her again from this moment to the end of time, and that when the great filligree iron gates are once closed on her, she and her awful sister will never issue therefrom into this little world of history. But as we are to see a great deal of Ame- lia, there is no harm in saying at the outset of our acquaintance, that she was one of the upon her, at parting, the high honor of the | best and dearest creatures that ever lived ; Dixonary. ’ " | and a great mercy it is, both in life and in COMME! OC) <S (E(©)