gmas. Show thy decisive judgement on the side of established power, or
thy enthusiasm in the rebel ranks, if it must be so; but be firm. Waver
not. If women could tolerate waverings and weakness, and did not rush to
the adoration of decision of mind, we should not behold them turning
contemptuously from philosophers in their agony, to find refuge in the
arms of smirking orthodoxy. I do not say that Mr. Barrett ventured to
play the intelligent Cornelia like a fish; but such a fish was best
secured by the method he adopted: that of giving her signal victory in
trifles, while on vital matters he held his own.

Very pleasant evenings now passed at Brookfield, which were not at all
disturbed by the wonder expressed from time to time by Mr. Pole, that he
had not heard from Martha, meaning Mrs. Chump. "You have Emilia," the
ladies said; this being equivalent to "She is one of that sort;" and Mr.
Pole understood it so, and fastened Emilia in one arm, with "Now, a kiss,
my dear, and then a toon." Emilia readily gave both. As often as he heard
instances of her want of ladylike training, he would say, "Keep her here;
we'll better her." Mr. Barrett assisted the ladies to see that there was
more in Emilia than even Mr. Pericles had perceived. Her story had become
partially known to them; and with two friendly dependents of the
household, one a gentleman and the other a genius, they felt that they
had really attained a certain eminence, which is a thing to be felt only
when we have something under our feet. Flying about with a desperate grip
on the extreme skirts of aristocracy, the ladies knew to be the elevation
of dependency, not true eminence; and though they admired the kite, they
by no means wished to form a part of its tail. They had brains. A circle
was what they wanted, and they had not to learn that this is to be found
or made only in the liberally-educated class, into the atmosphere of
which they pressed like dungeoned plants. The parasite completes the
animal, and a dependent assures us of our position. The ladies of
Brookfield, therefore, let Emilia cling to them, remarking, that it
seemed to be their papa's settled wish that she should reside among them
for a time. Consequently, if the indulgence had ever to be regretted,
they would not be to blame. In their hearts they were aware that it was
Emilia who had obtained for them their first invitation to Lady
Gosstre's. Gratitude was not a part of their policy, but when it as