But still I practised regularly, and so, I suppose, did Rose; and
gradually her reproaches diminished, and she grew more contented with
me; and we both persevered, till she said that really, after all, I
seemed to have a good ear, and to be likely to make a very respectable
player.

'But you know it all depends upon yourself, Seraphina; your present
improvement is the result of pains and practice. Pains and practice will
do any thing.'

It was fortunate for me that I had so careful a superintendent as Rose;
for unless she had kept a constant watch over me, there is no saying
how many awkward habits I might unconsciously have contracted. But she
cured me of poking my head forward, of standing on one leg, of tilting
my chair, of meddling with things that were not my own, of leaning
against the furniture while I was speaking, of putting my elbows on the
table, of biting my nails, of spilling my tea, and of making crumbs on
the floor.

I cannot say I was myself aware either of the faults or their cure; but
I think one seldom does notice one's own faults, and therefore it is a
great advantage to have kind friends who will point them out to us. I
believed Rose when she told me of mine; so I had a right to believe her
when she gave me the agreeable assurance of their cure, and to indulge
the hope that I was becoming a pleasing, well-bred little doll.

On one mortifying occasion, however, I must own that Rose's anxiety for
my always following in her steps was the cause of a serious injury to
me. She remarked that I had got into a horrid way of kicking off my
shoes while I was learning my poetry; and she thought the best cure
would be to make me wear sandals. I observed that she was sewing sandals
to her own shoes at the time, and she consulted Willy about some means
of doing the same by mine. Willy held me head downwards, and examined my
feet. My shoes were painted, therefore sewing was out of the question.
He advised glue. This was tried, but it came through the thin narrow
ribbon of which my sandals were to be made, and looked very dirty. They
were taken off; but the operation had spoilt the delicacy of my white
stockings, and Rose said it was impossible to let me go such an untidy
figure; we must try some other way. She asked Willy to lend her a
gimlet, that she might bore holes at the sides of my feet, and glue the
ribbon into them, so as not to show the glue. Willy said she was welcome
to the gimlet, but that he advi