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to be as forward and quick at learning as yourself."

"But, aunt, she is really so very ignorant!--Do you know,
we asked her last night which way she would go to get
to Ireland; and she said, she should cross to the Isle
of Wight. She thinks of nothing but the Isle of Wight,
and she calls it _the_ _Island_, as if there were no
other island in the world. I am sure I should have been
ashamed of myself, if I had not known better long before I
was so old as she is. I cannot remember the time when I
did not know a great deal that she has not the least
notion of yet. How long ago it is, aunt, since we used
to repeat the chronological order of the kings of England,
with the dates of their accession, and most of the principal
events of their reigns!"

"Yes," added the other; "and of the Roman emperors
as low as Severus; besides a great deal of the heathen
mythology, and all the metals, semi-metals, planets,
and distinguished philosophers."

"Very true indeed, my dears, but you are blessed with
wonderful memories, and your poor cousin has probably none
at all. There is a vast deal of difference in memories,
as well as in everything else, and therefore you must
make allowance for your cousin, and pity her deficiency.
And remember that, if you are ever so forward and clever
yourselves, you should always be modest; for, much as you
know already, there is a great deal more for you to learn."

"Yes, I know there is, till I am seventeen. But I must
tell you another thing of Fanny, so odd and so stupid.
Do you know, she says she does not want to learn either
music or drawing."

"To be sure, my dear, that is very stupid indeed,
and shows a great want of genius and emulation.
But, all things considered, I do not know whether it is
not as well that it should be so, for, though you know
(owing to me) your papa and mama are so good as to bring
her up with you, it is not at all necessary that she
should be as accomplished as you are;--on the contrary,
it is much more desirable that there should be a difference."

Such were the counsels by which Mrs. Norris assisted to form
her nieces' minds; and it is not very wonderful that,
with all their promising talents and early information,
they should be entirely deficient in the less common
acquirements of self-knowledge, generosity and humility.
In everything but disposition they were admirably taught.
Sir Thomas did not know what was wanting, because, though a
truly anxious father, he was not outwardly affectionate,
and the reserve of his manner repressed all the flow of their
spirits before him.

To the education of her daughters Lady Bertram paid not
the smallest attention. She had not time for such cares.
She was a woman who spent her days in sitting, nicely dressed,
on a sofa, doing some long piece of needlework, of little use
and no beauty, thinking more of her pug than her children,
but very indulgent to the latter when it did not put
herself to inconvenience, guided in everything important

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