The Governess; or, Little Female Academy

I lost; and in this unhappy condition I lived, till I came to school, and here I found that other misses wanted to have their humours as well as myself.

sweetness, mildness, modesty and good nature

In short, Mrs. Teachum's school was always mentioned throughout the country, as an example of peace and harmony; and also by the daily improvement of all her girls, it plainly appeared how early young people might attain great knowledge, if their minds were free from foolish

Miss Polly Suckling was just turned of eight years old, but so short of her age, that few people took her to be above five.

I learnt anything, my comfort was to laugh at him because he could not learn so fast; by which means I got a good deal of learning, but never minded what I learnt, nor took any pains to keep it

Miss Henny Fret was turned of nine years old.

After Kitty's death, I lived tolerably easy, till I came to school. Then the same desire of beauty returned, and I hated all the misses who were handsomer than myself, as much as I had before hated my sister, and always took every opportunity of quarrelling with them

Miss Betty Ford was of the same age with Miss Nanny Spruce, and much of the same height, and might be called the plainest girl in the school

but as soon as I came to school, where other misses were as fine as myself, and some finer, I grew very miserable.

she had little limbs, little features, and such a compactness in her form, that she was often called the little fairy.