ge in which she addressed her pupils, though simple and
unpretending, was never trite or dry; she did not speak from routine
formulas--she made her own phrases as she went on, and very nervous
and impressive phrases they frequently were; often, when elucidating
favourite points of history, or geography, she would wax genuinely
eloquent in her earnestness. Her pupils, or at least the elder and more
intelligent amongst them, recognized well the language of a superior
mind; they felt too, and some of them received the impression of
elevated sentiments; there was little fondling between mistress and
girls, but some of Frances' pupils in time learnt to love her sincerely,
all of them beheld her with respect; her general demeanour towards
them was serious; sometimes benignant when they pleased her with their
progress and attention, always scrupulously refined and considerate.
In cases where reproof or punishment was called for she was usually
forbearing enough; but if any took advantage of that forbearance, which
sometimes happened, a sharp, sudden and lightning-like severity taught
the culprit the extent of the mistake committed. Sometimes a gleam of
tenderness softened her eyes and manner, but this was rare; only when
a pupil was sick, or when it pined after home, or in the case of some
little motherless child, or of one much poorer than its companions,
whose scanty wardrobe and mean appointments brought on it the contempt
of the jewelled young countesses and silk-clad misses. Over such feeble
fledglings the directress spread a wing of kindliest protection: it was
to their bedside she came at night to tuck them warmly in; it was after
them she looked in winter to see that they always had a comfortable seat
by the stove; it was they who by turns were summoned to the salon to
receive some little dole of cake or fruit--to sit on a footstool at
the fireside--to enjoy home comforts, and almost home liberty, for
an evening together--to be spoken to gently and softly, comforted,
encouraged, cherished--and when bedtime came, dismissed with a kiss
of true tenderness. As to Julia and Georgiana G----, daughters of an
English baronet, as to Mdlle. Mathilde de ----, heiress of a Belgian
count, and sundry other children of patrician race, the directress was
careful of them as of the others, anxious for their progress, as for
that of the rest--but it never seemed to enter her head to distinguish
them by a mark of preference; one girl of nob