Cecilia; Or, Memoirs of an Heiress — Volume 1 by Fanny Burney
page 56 of 433 (12%)
page 56 of 433 (12%)
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"These three topics," he continued, "are to answer three purposes,
since there are no less than three causes from which the silence of young ladies may proceed: sorrow, affectation, and stupidity." "Do you, then," cried Cecilia, "give nothing at all to modesty?" "I give much to it," he answered, "as an excuse, nay almost as an equivalent for wit; but for that sullen silence which resists all encouragement, modesty is a mere pretence, not a cause." "You must, however, be somewhat more explicit, if you mean that I should benefit from your instructions." "Well, then," he answered, "I will briefly enumerate the three causes, with directions for the three methods of cure. To begin with sorrow. The taciturnity which really results from that is attended with an incurable absence of mind, and a total unconsciousness of the observation which it excites; upon this occasion, public places may sometimes be tried in vain, and even dress may fail; but love--" "Are you sure, then," said Cecilia, with a laugh, "that sorrow has but that one source?" "By no means," answered he, "for perhaps papa may have been angry, or mama may have been cross; a milliner may have sent a wrong pompoon, or a chaperon to an assembly may have been taken ill--" "Bitter subjects of affliction, indeed! And are these all you allow us?" |
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