文档介绍：The Governess
The Governess
By Sarah Fielding
1
The Governess
There lived in the northern parts of England, a gentlewoman who
undertook the education of young ladies; and this trust she endeavoured
faithfully to discharge, by instructing mitted to her care in
reading, writing, working, and in all proper forms of behaviour. And
though her principal aim was to improve their minds in all useful
knowledge; to render them obedient to their superiors, and gentle, kind,
and affectionate to each other; yet did she not omit teaching them an exact
neatness in their persons and dress, and a perfect gentility in their whole
carriage.
This gentlewoman, whose name was Teachum, was the widow of a
clergyman, with whom she had lived nine years in all the harmony and
concord which forms the only satisfactory happiness in the married state.
Two little girls (the youngest of which was born before the second year of
their marriage was expired) took up a great part of their thoughts; and it
was their mutual design to spare no pains or trouble in their education.
Mr. Teachum was a very sensible man, and took great delight in
improving his wife; as she also placed her chief pleasure in receiving his
instructions. One of his constant subjects of discourse to her was
concerning the education of children: so that, when in his last illness his
physicians pronounced him beyond the power of their art to relieve him,
he expressed great satisfaction in the thought of leaving his children to the
care of so prudent a mother.
Mrs. Teachum, though exceedingly afflicted by such a loss, yet
thought it her duty to call forth all her resolutions to conquer her grief, in
order to apply herself to the care of these her dear husband's children.
But her misfortunes were not here to end: for within a twelvemonth after
the death of her husband, she was deprived of both her children by a
violent fever that then raged in the country; and, about the same time, by
the unforese