The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Governess, by Sarah Fielding

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Title: The Governess
The Little Female Academy

Author: Sarah Fielding

Posting Date: October 10, 2008 [EBook #1905]
Release Date: September, 1999

Language: English

Character set encoding: ASCII

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THE GOVERNESS;

OR, THE LITTLE FEMALE ACADEMY (1749)

by Sarah Fielding

There lived in the northern parts of England, a gentlewoman who
undertook the education of young ladies; and this trust she endeavoured
faithfully to discharge, by instructing those committed to her care in
reading, writing, working, and in all proper forms of behaviour. And
though her principal aim was to improve their minds in all useful
knowledge; to render them obedient to their superiors, and gentle, kind,
and affectionate to each other; yet did she not omit teaching them an
exact neatness in their persons and dress, and a perfect gentility in
their whole carriage.

This gentlewoman, whose name was Teachum, was the widow of a clergyman,
with whom she had lived nine years in all the harmony and concord which
forms the only satisfactory happiness in the married state. Two little
girls (the youngest of which was born before the second year of their
marriage was expired) took up a great part of their thoughts; and it was
their mutual design to spare no pains or trouble in their education.

Mr. Teachum was a very sensible man, and took great delight in improving
his wife; as she also placed her chief pleasure in receiving his
instructions. One of his constant subjects of discourse to her was
concerning the education of children: so that, when in his last illness
his physicians pronounced him beyond the power of their art to relieve
him, he expressed great satisfaction in the thought of leaving his
children to the care of so prudent a mother.

Mrs. Teachum, though exceedingly afflicted by such a loss, yet thought
it her duty to call forth all her resolutions to conquer her grief, in
order to apply herself to the care of these her dear husband's children.
But her misfortunes were not here to end: for within a twelve