her father had gone in the vain hope of restoring his broken health,
offered many advantages to our young German mistress. She had had a good
solid education. Her father, who was a scholar, had taught her, and had
taught her well, so that besides her own language, she was able to teach
Latin and French, and to instruct, as the advertisements say, "in the
usual branches of English education." She was musical, had a fine ear
and correct taste, and accordingly met with pupils without much
difficulty. In the summer months especially she was fully employed.
Families who came for relaxation were, nevertheless, glad to have their
daughters taught for a few hours in the week; and you may suppose that
Emilie Schomberg did not lead an idle life. For remuneration she fared,
as alas teachers do fare, but ill. The sum which many a gentleman freely
gives to his butler or valet, is thought exorbitant, nay, is rarely
given to a governess, and Emilie, as a daily governess, was but poorly
paid.

The expenses of her father's long illness and funeral were heavy, and
she was only just out of debt; therefore, with the honesty and
independence of spirit that marked her, she lived carefully and frugally
at the little rooms of Miss Webster, the straw bonnet maker, in High
Street.

From what I have told you already, you will easily perceive that Emilie
was accustomed to command her temper; she had been trained to do this
early in life. Her father, who foresaw for his child a life dependent on
her character and exertion, a life of labour in teaching and governing
others, taught Emilie to govern herself. Never was an only child less
spoiled than she; but she was ruled in love. She knew but one law, that
of kindness, and it made her a good subject.