Page:Maria, or, The wanderer reclaim'd.pdf/5

Rh indulged in any of thoſe pleaſures which were agreeable to my ſex and age; and if indulged, ſure to ſuffer for it, by ſo ſtrict a ſcrutiny into my conduct, as no child’s conduct perhaps would bear; as well as by ſuch remonſtrances and taſks, as (I am ſorry to ſay it) rendered my father of all objects the moſt fearful and unpleaſing to me; I grew up to my ſixteenth year (fatal æra of my ſorrows) inheriting ſtrong paſſions from both my parents; aadand [sic] with little hopes of properly gratifying that, which in lively young girls, of my age, is generally moft predominant. My Mother, whom I tenderly loved, and with the juſteſt reaſon, was no leſs afraid of my father than myſelf: ſhe lived under an iron-rule indeed; but had ſenſe enough, and meekneſs enough, to diſcern and conform herſelf to my father’s temper, ſo that ſhe feldom contradicted him; and proved but a ſorry advocate for her daughter, when under the harrow, as was almoſt every day the case. And as ſhe was a breeding women, her attention was a good deal taken up by the little ones, as nurſing was my moſt agreeable entertainment. But this alone was not ſufficient: I was led therefore to frequent the kitchen upon all occaſions; and the converſations of the ſervants became moſt agreeable to me. For they would often flatter my vanity, audand [sic] ſpeak well of my perſon; and one of the maids in