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Title: The works of Mary Robinson Volume 8
Author / Visual Creator: Robinson, Mary
Publisher: Pickering & Chatto
Published date: 2010
SBN / SSN No: 9781851969548
Pages: pp175-178
Course of study: English with Creative Writing/ English with
Media Studies
Unit code: ENG180
Scan authorised by: Chris Dobson
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grO_cnyhaddsscsndsd tO lavOur thclOcs OlashOn's vOtarcs: but1wassOOn
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dcnOmnatcd aOad-catcr!'havctOund thssgcccsOlrst:/s namOst cvcry
mznsOn Ol grOb_acy and grOmsOn. 1 havc sccn thcr smcs at thc tabcs Ol
cxatcd dugcs; havc hcard thcm whsgcr thcarran_cmcntOl an int:1gus tO a
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rOustabcOl a man Ol rank whchc sctdcd anass_natOn lOr thc lavOurtcOl
hs gcasurcs, wth a nOcssdstn_ushcdsnamrat! AtOthcr gcrOds havc
knOwn h carryn_ On an ct ntcrcOursc wth alrcnds wlc, wnnn_ hs
mOncy ata_amn_tabc,rdcun_hsgrOd_aty,cOndcmnn_hslascgrdc,
znd grOcamn_hs _nOrancc, cvcn n thc grcscncc Ol hs mOst ntmatc assO-
catcs: at thc samc tmc that hc smcd nhs lacc, and, wth td ccss than thc
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and cstccm such bcn_s, n grclcrcncc tO thc mOrc cn_htcncd and candd Ol
dscx, whchnaturcdcstncdtOadOrcthcm.
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snjmcnts.
1st no sucb mcn |c trustcd,`` tbcy arc' thc subttc mschcts whcb undcrmtnc
tbc tOundatOn Ot dOmcstc haQQncss. tcy arc tbc smOOtb bOncycd QOsOns,
wbtcb cOntamtnatc tbc cuQ Ot human tclcQ. tcy arc tbc dctamcrs Ot tbc duQcs
thcy tccd On; and arc Ony scrvccablc tO tbc dcQravcd and scnsual. btact, thcy
atc tbc |acKal tO thc lOn; tbc clOwn U hts mOtcy assOcatc; tbc mOnkcy, whO
sKQs and Qlays abOut hts lOhy dtOmcdary; tbc trumQctcr tO tbc rarcs-sbo Ot
tasbtOn; tbc mtrrOr n wbtcb Fo/( sccs hcr Own lKcncss; thc lacQucy, whO watts
On tbc vccs Ot hs mastcr; tbc hattcrcr Ot hs ndscrctOns, tbc sycOQbant Ot hs
wcaKncss; tbc Qant varnsbcr Ot tbat clay wbtcb naturc stamQcd wtb duncss
and nsQtdty; tbc scduccr Ot hs hcnds wttc; thc Qandcr Ot bts trcnd's mspcss,
thc Qcst Ot sOctcty, and tbc dsgtacc Ot human naturc!
1 Ordcr tO cxcmQlt[ tbs OQntOn, sball at sOmc Dturc QcrtOd gvc yOu
a mnutc dcscrQtOn Ot such Oad-catcrs, wtb tbctr QatrOns and QattOncsscs,
as havc alrcady mct wtb tn sOctcty; n Ordcr tbat tbc Qrudcnt may avOtd, thc
ratOnal dcsQtsc, and tbc lbcral abhOt tbcm. I shall alsO, tn anOmcr QaQcr, gvc
a QOrtratt Ot a mOdcO Bsar-hadcr, QcrhaQs bcttcr KnOwn tO yOur un/asb/ona|k
rcadcrs by tbc namc Ot a Trau/ing Tutor, tOr, . 1dttOr, durtng my cOntncn-
tal rcscarchcs," Ihavc hcQucntly mct wttb sucb cbaractcrs, and tbcy havc ncvcr
talcd tO cxcttc thc scOrn, Or tbc tndtgattOn, Ot yOur Obscrvtng'
5YYtL.
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M8. O1TQ8,
mAY^L n my last QaQcr gvcn yOu a sKctch Ot tbc dOmcstc aQQcndagc
h_ ltc, cOmmOnly dcnOmnatcd a 7oad-satsr, nOw bcg lcavc tO maKc sOmc
cOmmcnts On tbat nO lcss suQcrhca and dcgradcd QcrsOnagc, gcncrally dstn-
gutshcd as a wOman Ot cmi-ton.` tc sOrt Ot cbaractcr wsh tO dcscrtbc s LL
bc mct wtb n cvcty sccnc Ot sccOndratc sOctcty, tbOugb sbc s rarcly, tt cvcr,
tOund n thc ctrclcs Ot rcally mcntal Or QcrsOnal mQOrtancc.
A wOman Ot smi-ton s nO lcss rcmarKablc tOr bcr lOvc Ot nOtOtcty, tban
tOr thc QrOmncnt Bgurc sbc s ambttOus Ot maKng, wbcrcvcr shc mccts thc
cyc Ot Qubc ObscrvatOn. ba small ctcc Ot nttmatc trtcnds, sbc ncvcr tatls L
taKc tbc lcad tn cOnvcrsattOn - tO ntOnn thc attcntvc grOuQ Ot bsr OQnOns on
mattcrs Ot tashOnablc, as wcll as Ot QOlttcal tmQOrt. `s Jalways say, and `t s
my OQntOn, arc thc QrctatOry scntcnccs tO cvcry QOtnt Ot bcr dscOutsc; whlc
'my |udgmcnt ts ncvcr QucsttOncd, Or, 'my trcnds dO mc tbc bOnOur tO cOn:ult
mc On mOst OccasOns, ts tbc unvarytng cQtlOguc tO cvcry rbaQsOdy Ot tOlly and
sct-mQOrtancc.
1/e,q6m I7
m a cartagc, a wOman Ot sm/-ton sts grOmncnty cOnsgcuOus; at thc
hcatrc shc takcs thc ccntrc scat Ot a trOnt rOw, whcrc shc annOys thc actOrs,
and dsturbs thc audcncc by' hcr vugar and nudcOus rcmarks; whIc, at hc-
Qucnt ntcrvas, shc OOks wstmy arOund tOr attcntOn Or tOr aggrObanOn. m
thc
chOcc Ot drcss" shc s mOrc gaudy than tastcm, mOrc grOmsc than clcgant;
yct t s aways outr/" n ts tashOn, and ahcr-datc n ts grOgrcty.
P wOman Ot smi-ton, bcng gcncray a gcrsOn Ot vugar cXtractOn, and nO
css vugar mnd, dsdans tO assOcatc with thOsc casscs Ot gcOgc, wth whOm
shc was by naturc tOrmcd tO gass hcr days. hc crclcs Ot nObty, thc abOdcs Ot
thc cnghtcncd, arc cOscd aganst such a cOmganOn; shc has thcrctOrc Ony tO
mx wth mcn Ot rank, by bccOmng thc dcgcndant, and thc hattcrcr Ot dcgradcd
bcauty. Jhc hOusc Ot a grOtcsscd tcmac gamcstcr, Or thc caragc Ot a st@atscd
wOman Ot Quaty, arc thc sccncs Ot hcr subOrdinarc trumghs; whc thc Onc,
n rcturn tOr hcr cOuntcnancc and hcr ganygcrIc, day rcgcnshcs hcr trggcry
wardtObc: and thc Othcr gants a nObcmans carragc at hcr dOOr cvcry mOrnng,
[ @vc hcr a knd Ot tnsc sgcndOur, whcncvcr shc s ncbncd tO rcccvc hcr
gOOr rcatOns, Or to |s at boms tO hcr Orgnal cass Ot ntmatc assOcatcs.
P wOman Ot smi-ton s Oud and nccssant n hcr cOnvcrsatOn. 5hc arrcsts
thc strOngcst tdc Ot cOQucncc by thc OQuacty Ot hcr tOnguc, and thc mgOs-
ng cdrOntcry Ot hcr tcaturcs. 5hc adccts an amost unvcrsa knOwcdgc. 5hc s
ctItIc by habt, thOugh hcr crudtOn' swms, kc a gaudy wccd, On thc rOugh
strcam Ot an unQuct tancy. 5hc rcads thc gubcatOns Ot thc day, mcrcy tO havc
OggOrtumty tO ccnsurc; and shc kccgs a cOmmOn-gacc bOOk. as an ncxhaust-
bc mnd tOr hcr day cOnvcrsatOn. mcr habtatOn s ikc hcrsct, an cXhbtOn
Ot usccss and tastccss trggcry; and hcr drawng-rOOm s drcsscd, Kc a arsan
|out/qus m |qoux. wth thc rcmsc Ot auctOn-rOOms, thc rcwards Ot hattcry,
and thc trumgcry Ot Od-tashOncd cagrccs; whlc hcr tabc s scanuy grOvIdcd,
and hcr garsmOny cXtcnds cvcn tO thc grvatOn Ot cOmtort, ncatncss, and dcb-
cacy.
P wOman Ot smi-ton s aways ucatcd tO gubc gaccs; shc s gartcuary
tOnd Ot attcndng thOsc whOm shc makcs hcr dugcs tO thcr mOrnng shOg ram
bcs, whcrc shc nstructs thcm n gutchasng bargans, at thc samc mOmcnt that
shc tastcns (wth Tynx-bes gcnctratIOn] On such artclcs Ot drcss as shc mcans
tO acccgt hOm hcr crcduOus cOmganOn. 5hc vsts gcrgctualy, but at hOmc,
cxccgtng durng thc tOrcnOOn, shc s gcncray nvsbc. In hcr chmncy arc
hcs Ot vstng-cards, wth thc namcs Ot gcrsOns tO whOm shc s tOtay unknOwn,
gckcd ug n hcr mOrnng gcrambuatOns, Or ngcnOusy wrttcn by hcrscJ tO
@vc hcr a knd Ot dOmcstc cOnscQucncc. Pt a [Onccrt, Or a 5ubscrgtOn Ual,
shc s thc cadng chatactcr; hcr gtOtcsQuc hncry cXctcs nOticc; hcr lOud-tOncd
v0cc arrcsts attcntOn; and a sort Ot dumb astOnshmcnt, vcr@ng On cOntcmgt,
b by hcr mstakcn tOr thc vcry ragturc Ot aduatOn.
1r Hm m.g 0tn+0n, Kmm8
ft a atcrn_-Qacc bc rcdc n an Obcurc Odgn_; but at a Lrcuaq
1brary, Or a bUc bOQ, bc tbc vcry Ou Ol nOtOrcty. bbc tbcrc makc bcr
arcatc cOmmcnt wtbOut ssnss, but O rcQctc wtb sund, tbat bcr
bcarcr

wOndcr wbc tbcy avOd bcr. a Qrzc Ol cbancc bc' _ancd, bc admrc, _az,
_b, wbc t bad bccn bcr, and Omctmc, by bcr nucndOc, rcay
makc
t
O. bbc ncvcr la tO attcnd tbc Qubc Ua; but away hnd an 0
xcuc
V dcQart,
bclOrc tbc Aatcr Ol LcrcmOnc rcccvc tbc cmOumcnt Ol b abOur
: and,
tO cOmQctc tbc Ourncy Ol dcccQtvc mQOrtancc, bc rcturn tO tbc mcttOQO
n a ta_c-cOacb, tO tc!! a! bcr acQuantancc bOw Qcnddy bc ba Qacd tbc
ummcr.
1 ba cOncudc my QaQcr," wtb tb btcl admOnttOn; Rtbc cbdrcn Ol
CN1US Or Ol SQ88QW, tbc nOby mndcd, tbc hncy lccn_, and tbc bcray
n_cnuOu, travcrc a tbc Qatb tbrOu_b wbcb bOQc may cad U cOnOatOn;
but ncvcr ct ucb bcn_ cxQcct kndnc, lrcndbQ, ymQatby, Or QbantbrOQy,
lrOm a wOman Ol sm/-ton.
bucb tbc advcc Ol tbc watcbh: and nd_nant'
bYl111.
!o. VII'
m8. O1TQ8,
P8QNISTO, n a lOrmcr QaQcr, tbat wOud gvc yOu a kctcb Ol a mOdcrn
Bsar-Lsadsr, a QcrOna_c _cncra!y knOwn, n tbc crcc Ol tbc baut tn, as a
travcn_ QrcccQtOr. 1t ba bccn wtb nO c atOnbmcnt tban nd_natOn, tbat
bavc cOntcmQatcd a var0ty Ol tbcc cbaractcr, durn_ my acra h_bt Ovcr tbc
LOntncnt; and yOu wQrObaby bc nO c amazcd tban wa, wbcn nlOrm
yOu tbat 1 bavc lrcQucnty cncOuntcrcd tbcm n tbc vcry Owct ccnc Ol tbc
mOt QrOh_atc dcbacmcnt.
LutOm, tbat OmnQOtcnt rucr Ol buy lc, bas On_ Ordancd tbat OuI
yOun_cr mac brancbc Ol Obty bOud travc, tO cxQOrc tbc manncr, and
mbbc tbc vcc Ol lOrc_n cmc, bclOrc tbcy arc ntatcd n tbOc Ol tbct
natvc cOuntry. Or th QurQOc tbc uvcnc ccr, Or tbc d@cd LOmmOncr, t
cmancQatcd hOm tbc lOtbc wa!s Ol Lr On LO!c_c, Or tbc muty cbambcr OI
an unvcrty, tO hy, On tbc wn_ Ol cxQcctant dQatOn, Ovcr tbc rcb vac and
uxurant mOuntan Ol rancc and 1ta!y. Uut as tbs b@s q tbs mq UC yOun_
tO Quruc b |Ourncy wtbOut a mOntOr, a man Ol cndcr crudtOn, nvncbc
chrOntcry, and Qant mOra, clcctcd a tbc NcntOr and tbc aQQcnda_c Ol b
Qcrc_rnatOn.
bc brt Obcct Ol ucb a dcQcndant cl-ntcrct. 1Ow bc tO makc bU
cl uc! tO b yOun_ QuQ; tO cnbancc b cam On b QrOtcctOn; tO ccurc
b hcndbQ; and tO ncrcac b lOrtunc: Uy tbc art f /as/ng! tbat art O