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of seeing almost every day of my life at home； you would
allow that 'to torment' and 'to instruct' might sometimes
be used as synonymous words。〃
〃Very probably。 But historians are not accountable
for the difficulty of learning to read； and even you yourself；
who do not altogether seem particularly friendly to
very severe； very intense application； may perhaps be
brought to acknowledge that it is very well worth…while
to be tormented for two or three years of one's life；
for the sake of being able to read all the rest of it。
Considerif reading had not been taught； Mrs。 Radcliffe
would have written in vainor perhaps might not have
written at all。〃
Catherine assentedand a very warm panegyric
from her on that lady's merits closed the subject。
The Tilneys were soon engaged in another on which she
had nothing to say。 They were viewing the country with
the eyes of persons accustomed to drawing； and decided on
its capability of being formed into pictures； with all the
eagerness of real taste。 Here Catherine was quite lost。
She knew nothing of drawingnothing of taste： and she
listened to them with an attention which brought her
little profit； for they talked in phrases which conveyed
scarcely any idea to her。 The little which she could
understand； however； appeared to contradict the very few
notions she had entertained on the matter before。
It seemed as if a good view were no longer to be taken
from the top of an high hill； and that a clear blue
sky was no longer a proof of a fine day。 She was
heartily ashamed of her ignorance。 A misplaced shame。
Where people wish to attach； they should always be ignorant。
To come with a well…informed mind is to come with an
inability of administering to the vanity of others；
which a sensible person would always wish to avoid。
A woman especially； if she have the misfortune
of knowing anything； should conceal it as well as she can。
The advantages of natural folly in a beautiful
girl have been already set forth by the capital pen
of a sister author； and to her treatment of the subject
I will only add； in justice to men； that though to the
larger and more trifling part of the sex； imbecility in
females is a great enhancement of their personal charms；
there is a portion of them too reasonable and too well
informed themselves to desire anything more in woman
than ignorance。 But Catherine did not know her own
advantagesdid not know that a good…looking girl； with an
affectionate heart and a very ignorant mind； cannot fail
of attracting a clever young man； unless circumstances
are particularly untoward。 In the present instance；
she confessed and lamented her want of knowledge； declared that
she would give anything in the world to be able to draw；
and a lecture on the picturesque immediately followed；
in which his instructions were so clear that she soon
began to see beauty in everything admired by him；
and her attention was so earnest that he became perfectly
satisfied of her having a great deal of natural taste。
He talked of foregrounds； distances； and second
distancesside…screens and perspectiveslights and shades；
and Catherine was so hopeful a scholar that when they gained
the top of Beechen Cliff； she voluntarily rejected the whole
city of Bath as unworthy to make part of a landscape。
Delighted with her progress； and fearful of wearying her with
too much wisdom at once； Henry suffered the subject to decline；
and by an easy transition from a piece of rocky fragment
and the withered oak which he had placed near its summit；
to oaks in general； to forests； the enclosure of them；
waste lands； crown lands and government； he shortly
found himself arrived at politics； and from politics；
it was an easy step to silence。 The general pause
which succeeded his short disquisition on the state of
the nation was put an end to by Catherine； who； in rather
a solemn tone of voice； uttered these words； 〃I have
heard that something very shocking indeed will soon
come out in London。〃
Miss Tilney； to whom this was chiefly addressed；
was startled； and hastily replied； 〃Indeed！ And of
what nature？〃 〃That I do not know； nor who is the author。
I have only heard that it is to be more horrible than
anything we have met with yet。〃
〃Good heaven！ Where could you hear of such a thing？〃
〃A particular friend of mine had an account of it in a
letter from London yesterday。 It is to be uncommonly dreadful。
I shall expect murder and everything of the kind。〃
〃You speak with astonishing composure！ But I hope
your friend's accounts have been exaggerated； and if such a
design is known beforehand； proper measures will undoubtedly
be taken by government to prevent its coming to effect。〃
〃Government；〃 said Henry； endeavouring not to smile；
〃neither desires nor dares to interfere in such matters。
There must be murder； and government cares not how much。〃
The ladies stared。 He laughed； and added；
〃Come； shall I make you understand each other； or leave
you to puzzle out an explanation as you can？ NoI will
be noble。 I will prove myself a man； no less by the
generosity of my soul than the clearness of my head。
I have no patience with such of my sex as disdain to let
themselves sometimes down to the comprehension of yours。
Perhaps the abilities of women are neither sound nor
acuteneither vigorous nor keen。 Perhaps they may
want observation； discernment； judgment； fire； genius； and wit。〃
〃Miss Morland； do not mind what he says； but have
the goodness to satisfy me as to this dreadful riot。〃
〃Riot！ What riot？〃
〃My dear Eleanor； the riot is only in your own brain。
The confusion there is scandalous。 Miss Morland has been
talking of nothing more dreadful than a new publication
which is shortly to come out； in three duodecimo volumes；
two hundred and seventy…six pages in each； with a frontispiece
to the first； of two tombstones and a lanterndo you
understand？ And you； Miss Morlandmy stupid sister has
mistaken all your clearest expressions。 You talked
of expected horrors in Londonand instead of instantly
conceiving； as any rational creature would have done；
that such words could relate only to a circulating library；
she immediately pictured to herself a mob of three thousand
men assembling in St。 George's Fields； the Bank attacked；
the Tower threatened； the streets of London flowing