her grandson and strong prejudices against schools, from a belief
that boys acquire there more vice than learning, had determined on a
private education. She therefore provided a tutor for him before he was
seven years old; a man of learning and sense, with a great deal of
religion and good humour and who was very attentive to the employment
for which he had been chosen.

Master Alworth, by being thus kept at home, had frequent opportunities
of observing the malice of his sister and Miss Denham against Harriot
and never failed exposing their practices to his grandmother; who from
thence learnt to suspect their reports about things which passed in his
absence and consequently could not be cleared up by him. His fondness
for Harriot soon made him beloved by her, and as she found little
pleasure in the society of her other cousins, she sought his company,
but as he was much engaged by his studies she seldom found him at
leisure to play. The tutor, greatly delighted with her, tried to awaken
in her mind a desire of improvement and found it an easy task; she was
inclined to learn and capable of doing it with great quickness. Mrs
Alworth readily entered into the good man's views, and was pleased with
the eagerness of Harriot's application. Master Alworth was far enough
advanced in learning to assist his favourite, and from him she received
instruction with double pleasure and more easily comprehended his
explanations than those of their tutor, who found it difficult to divest
himself sufficiently of scientific terms, which greatly retard the
increase of knowledge in a youthful mind.

Thus beloved by her grandmother and Mr Alworth, and hated and traduced
by her female cousins, Harriot lived till she was sixteen. Years had
still improved her person and she had made considerable progress in
learning, when Mrs Alworth judged it proper that her grandson should go
abroad to complete an education which she flattered herself was hitherto
faultless. He had no objection to the scheme but what arose from his
unwillingness to leave Harriot, who saw his departure approach with
great concern. She loved and respected her grandmother, but Mr Alworth
was the only person whom she could look upon in the tender and equal
light of a friend. To be deprived of his society was losing the chief
pleasure of her life and her best guardian against her enemies.

Mrs Alworth was pleased with the affection which so evidently appeared
between these two y