$2 Mary Somerville. 



Every Saturday afternoon all the scholars, both boys 

 and girls, met to practise in the public assembly 

 rooms in George's Street. It was a handsome large 

 ball with benches rising like an amphitheatre. 

 Some of the elder girls were very pretty, and 

 danced well, so these practisings became a lounge for 

 officers from the Castle, and other young men. We 

 used always to go in full evening dress. We learnt 

 the minuet de la cour, reels and country dances. 

 Our partners used to give us gingerbread and 

 oranges. Dancing before so many people was quite 

 an exhibition, and I was greatly mortified one day 

 when ready to begin a minuet, by the dancing- 

 master shaking me roughly and making me hold 

 out my frock properly. 



Though kind in the main, my uncle and his wife 

 were rather sarcastic and severe, and kept me down 

 a good deal, which I felt keenly, but said nothing. I 

 was not a favourite with my family at that period 

 of my life, because I was reserved and unexpansive, 

 in consequence of the silence I was obliged to observe 

 on the subjects which interested me. Three Miss 

 Melvilles, friends, or perhaps relatives, of Mrs. 

 Charters, were always held up to me as models of 

 perfection, to be imitated in everything, and I 

 wearied of hearing them constantly praised at my 

 expense. 



