and never will open a book unless she is obliged; she shows no taste
for any thing but making doll's clothes and spinning a top."
At this moment a hearty laugh from little Fanny, who had set herself to
play behind the curtain, drew my attention towards her. She was twice as
big as my companion on the window-seat, though but a few months older;
her broad, flat face, showed like the moon in its zenith, set in thin,
silky hair: and with eyes as pretty as they could be, expressing neither
thought nor feeling, but abundance of mirth and good-humor. The coloring
of her cheek was beautiful; but one wished it gone sometimes, were it
only for the pleasure of seeing it come again. The increasing
seriousness of the conversation recalled my attention.
"I am surprised," Mrs. W. was saying, "at your wishes on the subject. I
am persuaded a woman of great talent is neither so happy, so useful, nor
so much beloved, as one or more ordinary powers."
"I should like to know why you think this," rejoined her friend; "it
appears to me she should be much more so."
"My view of it is this," Mrs. W. replied: "a woman's sphere of
usefulness, of happiness, and of affection, is a domestic circle; and
even beyond it, all her task of life is to please and to be useful."
"In this we are quite agreed," said Mrs. A.; "but, since we are well set
for an argument, let us have a little method in it. You would have your
child useful, happy, and beloved, and so would I; but you think the
means to this end, is to leave her mind uncultivated, narrow, and empty,
and consequently weak."
"This, is not my meaning," replied Mrs. W.; "there are many steps
between stupidity and talent, ignorance and learning. I will suppose my
child what I wish her to be, about as much taught as women in general,
who are esteemed clever, well-mannered, and well-accomplished. I think
it is all that can contribute to her happiness. If her mind is occupied,
as you will say, with little things, those little things are sufficient
to its enjoyment, and much more likely to be within her reach than the
greater matters that fill greater minds. My less accomplished character
will enjoy herself where your superior woman would go to sleep, or
hopelessly wish she might. In short, she will find fellowship and
reciprocation in every little mind she meets with, while yours is left
to pine in the solitude of her own greatness."
At the close of this speech, I felt quite determined that I w
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