Jemima Placid; or, The Advantage of Good-Nature

by Mary Ann Kilner

Miss Piners, who were in as great a hurry with their preparations as Jemima, behaved with less composure on the occasion: they tossed every thing out of their drawers in search of such toys as they could possibly take with them, and wanted to pack up their whole stock of play-things (which, indeed, was a very large one), and then as fast as Dinah put what they desired into their trunk, Ellen snatched it out if it belonged to her sister; and Sally did the same unless it happened to be her own. So that, quite tired with their teazing, naughty behaviour, she turned it topsy-turvy, and declared she would not put up any one thing except their clothes; and added, She wished they were gone, with all her heart.

I shall not take up your time with any account of their journey, nor endeavour to describe the places which they passed through in their way to Smiledale, whither they arrived about five o'clock in the afternoon. Jemima ran to her mamma with a degree of rapture which evinced the sincerity of her joy, in returning to her embraces, as soon as her brothers would permit her to disengage herself from their caresses; for as they knew the day which was fixed for their return, and could nearly guess at the time she would arrive, they had taken their stand at the very place where they had parted with her; and as soon as the carriage came in sight, they ran with their utmost speed to meet it, and came back again, jumping by the side, and when the coach stopped, were so eager to welcome their sister, that they would scarcely leave room for her to get out, and they were in such a hurry to show her every new acquisition they had made since her departure, that they would not allow her time to speak to any body but themselves.

Charles wanted her to go into the hall to look at his linnet; and William was as earnest to take her to his rabbits; while Jemima, who was equally ready to oblige them both, stood still, without knowing which she should first consent to follow; till Mr. Placid, taking hold of her hand, thus moderated the impatience of his sons:—My dear boys, I am much delighted to see your mutual affection for each other, and the pleasure you express at your sister's return; but do not be in such a hurry to show her those things which she will to-morrow have sufficient time to inspect. We all wish at present to enjoy her company, and therefore defer your intention of taking her from us to-night, as I hope you will have no occasion to fear a speedy separation; besides, I think you are a little wanting in politeness, not to take notice of your cousins.

Charles said he did not know them; and William declared he did not want them; and both acknowledged they had nothing to say to them.

Mrs. Placid blamed them for the rudeness of such declarations, and took the young ladies and Jemima up stairs to their apartment, while tea was getting ready. During this interval, William climbed upon his father's knee, and as Mr. Placid was holding both his hands while he leaned back his head till it nearly touched the ground, he pulled him up, and kissing him, said, I am surprised, my boys, that you have not more politeness, than to neglect Miss Piners in such a manner, and endeavour to excuse it by further rudeness. Why, I do not want them, replied William, and must not I speak the truth? You always tell me that the naughtiest thing I can do, is to tell lies; and, I am sure, I am very sorry they are come, for I like to have Jemima to ourselves; so pray, Sir, what would you choose I should do? I would have you, my dear, returned his papa, always endeavour to behave with good-nature and politeness. You cannot think how much it will recommend you to general approbation; nor of how great importance an attention to the trifling graces of your conduct will prove in future life. And although you, William, may not be glad of your cousins' company (which, in my opinion, is rather a churlish speech), yet you might have behaved with civility; might have inquired after your uncle and aunt, have reached them each a chair to sit down upon, and if you had not (as you cannot do it with truth) said you was glad to see them; yet you might have taken such notice, by speaking kindly to them, as to vindicate yourself from the charge of rudeness and ill-manners, which you have now incurred.—But as we are boys, Sir, said Charles, such a neglect is not so bad in us, as it does not so much signify. We are not, you know, expected to sit prim all the day, as the girls do, and play the lady. O! how I should hate to sit with my hands before me, bridling like them for a whole afternoon together, without moving any more than my stick when I put it up in the corner! I would not be a girl to go into company in such a manner for the world!—I am glad to see you satisfied with your destination, replied Mr. Placid; but you are much mistaken, I assure you, if you think the study of politeness is unnecessary to a man; and however you may flatter yourselves with an exemption from those more confined rules of behaviour which young ladies are expected to observe, yet I would advise you to remember, that a constant attention to your carriage is at all times necessary, if you would wish to be loved and esteemed, or to meet with success in your undertakings.—You, Charles, have frequently remarked the amazing difference which is visible between Colonel Armstrong, and Sir Hugh Forester, though the one is a man of more sense, of larger fortune, and equally worthy as the other; yet, you regard the Colonel with admiration, and are too apt to treat the Baronet with ridicule and contempt; so great are the advantages of that polish, which can only be acquired in early youth by diligent and constant attention: for if you accustom yourself to lounge about, to eat with your fingers, or hold your knife and fork so low that they scarcely save them from the grease; if you slovenly dirt your clothes, either omit to bow at all or else bend your body as aukwardly as Jack Carter, the plough-boy; in short, if by any such trifling neglect you acquire a habit of clownish ill-manners, you will fail to gain that respect which is only paid to true merit, when accompanied by the graces. Custom has made it necessary for you to be particularly attentive to the wants of those with whom you are in company: you should use yourselves to watch when a lady's cup is empty, that you may be ready to take it from her; or any thing has fallen down by accident, that you may with briskness pick it up; when a chair is wanting, to fetch it; or to give any assistance in your power in those trifles which occur every day; and which, by attending to, you will learn a habit of doing, as it were, mechanically; that is, without the trouble of thinking about it, in the same manner as you eat your dinner, without reflecting all the time what you are doing.—I confess, said Charles, that Colonel Armstrong has always struck me as the most agreeable man I ever saw; but he does not seem to take any peculiar trouble to behave better than other people. On the contrary, I have heard my mamma say, that he is more easy in his manners than Sir Hugh, who labours to be polite, without in the least looking like a gentleman.—That ease which you mention, said his father, is the degree of perfection which I am so solicitous to have you acquire, and which is the most difficult thing to attain, though it appears to be exercised without trouble or attention. You must therefore endeavour, by the influence of custom, to gain those natural advantages, which can only be learned in the early season of youth, and to the neglect of which it is to be ascribed, that so few men (comparatively speaking) are either polite or graceful.

Tea being now ready, Mrs. Placid and the young ladies made their appearance; and Master Placids, to show they had profited by their papa's advice, both ran to fetch a chair for Miss Sally, and reaching it at the same time, pushed with such force against each other, that Charles hurt William's forehead, and very nearly threw him down; at which he expressing great sorrow, declared the accident was by no means intended.—I wish I had not been so polite! said William, rubbing the place; but I know, brother, you would not hurt me designedly, so pray do not say any more about it, for I do not mind such a trifle.—I hope not, said his papa, and I would not have you discouraged at the effects of your aukwardness; for, my dear boy, it is to that, rather than your politeness, that this terrible disaster is owing; for had you minded where you were going, you would not so violently have encountered each other; and either of you might, unhurt, have carried the chair to your cousin, who has been waiting all this time without one. And this is a proof of what I just now mentioned, that the grace which you admire in Colonel Armstrong, will not be easily obtained, unless you be careful to attend to what you are doing.—As Mr. Placid concluded this sentence, he was interrupted by the entrance of Master Wagstaff, a young gentleman of about thirteen, who had been for some years at Eaton, but was then returned for the vacation. His father was a near neighbour to the vicar, and had sent his son to invite the family to dine with him the next day; to which Mr. and Mrs. Placid consented; and at the time appointed, they set out for the Grove, which was the name of Mr. Wagstaff's house. On their arrival, they found the company walking before dinner in the garden. The party consisted of Mr., Mrs., and Miss Wagstaff, and an old gentleman of the name of Crossly, and a young lady who was his niece. She was just turned of fifteen, was very pretty and genteel, but extremely affected in her manner and conversation; pretended to be afraid of animals and insects, and tossed herself into a thousand ridiculous attitudes at the sight of a spider, an earwig, or a wasp. They were soon joined by Master Wagstaff and one of his school-fellows, who was on a visit to him during the holidays; he was about the same age, and was called Bob Sprightly.