CHAP, i.] Early Recollections. 21 



no time at all was left for improving myself in music or 

 fancy-work, in which I had an opportunity of receiving 

 some instruction from an ingenious 3*oung woman whose 

 parents lived in the same house with us. But the time 

 wanted for spending a few hours together could only be 

 obtained bj r our meeting at daybreak, because by the time 

 of the family's rising at seven, I was obliged to be at my 

 daily business. But during the summer months of 1766 

 very few mornings passed without our spending a few hours 

 together, to which I was called by my friend's loud cough 

 at her window by way of notice that she was jjeady for me 

 [she could not sleep, and was glad of ni} r company. I lost 

 her soon after, for she died of consumption]. Though 

 I had neither time nor means for producing anything im- 

 mediately either for show or use, I was content with keep- 

 ing samples of all possible patterns in needlework, beads, 

 bugles, horsehair, &c., for I could not help feeling troubled 

 sometimes about my future destiny ; yet I could net bear 

 the idea of being turned into an Abigail or housemaid, and 

 thought that with the above and such like acquirements 

 with a little notion of Music, I might obtain a place as 

 governess in some family where the want of a know- 

 ledge of French would be no objection." 



It was with the same object of fitting herself to 

 earn her bread that, after her father's death, she 

 obtained permission to go for a month or two to learn 

 millinery and dress-making ; her eldest brother Jacob, 

 before leaving them to join William at Bath, having 

 graciously given his consent, " if it was only meant 

 to learn to make my own things, but positively for- 

 bidding it for any other purpose." The following 



