ge Thrum's
academy. "A good musician, madam," says he to the mother of a new pupil,
"should not only have a fine ear, a good voice, and an indomitable
industry, but, above all, a faultless character--faultless, that is, as
far as our poor nature will permit. And you will remark that those young
persons with whom your lovely daughter, Miss Smith, will pursue her
musical studies, are all, in a moral point of view, as spotless as that
charming young lady. How should it be otherwise? I have been myself the
father of a family; I have been honoured with the intimacy of the wisest
and best of kings, my late sovereign George III., and I can proudly show
an example of decorum to my pupils in my Sophia. Mrs. Smith, I have the
honour of introducing to you my Lady Thrum."

The old lady would rise at this, and make a gigantic curtsey, such a
one as had begun the minuet at Ranelagh fifty years ago; and, the
introduction ended, Mrs. Smith would retire, after having seen the
portraits of the princes, his late Majesty's snuff-box, and a piece of
music which he used to play, noted by himself--Mrs. Smith, I say, would
drive back to Baker Street, delighted to think that her Frederica had
secured so eligible and respectable a master. I forgot to say that,
during the interview between Mrs. Smith and Sir George, the latter would
be called out of his study by his black servant, and my Lady Thrum would
take that opportunity of mentioning when he was knighted, and how he
got his foreign order, and deploring the sad condition of OTHER musical
professors, and the dreadful immorality which sometimes arose in
consequence of their laxness. Sir George was a good deal engaged to
dinners in the season, and if invited to dine with a nobleman, as he
might possibly be on the day when Mrs. Smith requested the honour of
his company, he would write back "that he should have had the sincerest
happiness in waiting upon Mrs. Smith in Baker Street, if, previously, my
Lord Tweedledale had not been so kind as to engage him." This letter,
of course, shown by Mrs. Smith to her friends, was received by them with
proper respect; and thus, in spite of age and new fashions, Sir George
still reigned pre-eminent for a mile round Cavendish Square. By the
young pupils of the academy he was called Sir Charles Grandison;
and, indeed, fully deserved this title on account of the indomitable
respectability of his whole actions.

It was under this gentleman that Morgiana made her