as to indulge me (and please himself) sometimes
with a short lesson on the violin, when my mother was either in
good humor or out of the way. Though I have often felt myself
exceedingly at a loss for the want of those few accomplishments of
which I was thus, by an erroneous though well-meant opinion of my
mother, deprived, I could not help thinking but that she had cause
for wishing me not to know more than was necessary for being useful
in the family; for it was her certain belief that my brother WILLIAM
would have returned to his country, and my eldest brother not have
looked so high, if they had had a little less learning.

* * * * *

But sometimes I found it scarcely possible to get through with the
work required, and felt very unhappy that no time at all was left
for improving myself in music or fancy work, in which I had an
opportunity of receiving some instruction from an ingenious young
woman whose parents lived in the same house with us. But the time
wanted for spending a few hours together could only be obtained by
our meeting at daybreak, because by the time of the family's rising
at seven, I was obliged to be at my daily business. Though I had
neither time nor means for producing anything immediately either for
show or use, I was content with keeping samples of all possible
patterns in needlework, beads, bugles, horse-hair, etc., for I could
not help feeling troubled sometimes about my future destiny; yet I
could not bear the idea of being turned into an Abigail or
housemaid, and thought that with the above and such like
acquirements, with a little notion of music, I might obtain a place
as governess in some family where the want of a knowledge of French
would be no objection."

A change was soon to come in her life too; her brother WILLIAM wrote
to propose that she should join him at Bath--

. . . "to make the trial, if, by his instruction, I might not become
a useful singer for his winter concerts and oratorios; he advised my
brother JACOB to give me some lessons by way of beginning; but that
if, after a trial of two years, we should not find it answer our
expectation, he would bring me back again. This at first seemed to
be agreeable to all parties, but by the time I had set my heart upon
this change in my situation, JACOB began to turn th