They are afraid to meet her, if they have missed the church; but then they are more afraid to see her, if they are not laced as straight as they can possibly be.
She often shews them her own picture, which was taken when their father fell in love with her. She tells them how distracted he was with passion at the first sight of her; and that she had never had so fine a complexion, but for the diligence of her good mother, who took exceeding care of it.
The children see so plainly the temper of their mother, that they affect to be more pleased with dress, than they really are.
They saw their eldest sister once brought to her tears, and her perverseness severely reprimanded, for presuming to say, that she thought it was better to cover the neck, than to go so far naked as the modern dress requires.
7. She stints them in their meals, and is very scrupulous of what they eat and drink, and tells them how many fine shapes she has seen spoiled in her time for want of such care.
Whenever they begin to look sanguine and healthful, she calls in the assistance of the doctor; and if physic, or issues, will keep the complexion from inclining to coarse or ruddy, she thinks them well employed.
By this means they are poor, pale, sickly, infirm creatures, vapoured through want of spirits, crying at the smallest accidents, swooning away at any thing that frights them, and hardly able to bear the weight of their best cloaths.
The eldest daughter lived as long as she could under this discipline, and died in the twentieth year of her age.
When her body was opened, it appeared that her ribs had grown into her liver, and that her other entrails were much hurt, by being crushed together with her stays; which her mother had ordered to be twitched so strait, that it has often brought tears into her eyes, whilst the maid was dressing her.
Her youngest daughter is run away with a gamester, a man of great beauty, who in dressing and dancing has no superior.