按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
Tales for Fifteen： or； Imagination and Heart
by James Fenimore Cooper （writing under the
pseudonym of 〃Jane Morgan〃）
NEW…YORK
C。 WILEY； 3 WALL STREET
J。 Seymour； printer
1823
Southern District of New…York ss。
BE IT REMEMBERED； That on the thirteenth day of
June； in the forty…seventh year of the Independence
of the United States of America； Charles Wiley； of
the said District； hath deposited in this office the
title of a Book； the right whereof he claims as
proprietor； in the words and figures following； to
wit：
〃Tales for Fifteen； or Imagination and Heart。
By Jane Morgan。〃
In conformity with the Act of Congress of the
United States entitled； 〃An Act for the
encouragement of Learning； by securing the copies
of Maps； Charts； and Books； to the authors and
proprietors of such copies； during the times herein
mentioned。〃 And also to an Act； entitled； 〃an Act；
supplementary to an Act； for the encouragement of
Learning； by securing the copies of Maps； Charts；
and Books； to the authors and proprietors of such
copies； during the times herein mentioned； and
extending the benefits thereof to the arts of
designing； engraving； and etching historical and
other prints。〃
JAMES DILL；
Clerk of the Southern District of New…York
PREFACE
WHEN the author of these little tales commenced
them； it was her intention to form a short series of
such stories as； it was hoped； might not be entirely
without moral advantage； but unforeseen
circumstances have prevented their completion；
and； unwilling to delay the publication any longer；
she commits them to the world in their present
unfinished state； without any flattering
anticipations of their reception。 They are intended
for the perusal of young women； at that tender age
when the feelings of their nature begin to act on
them most insidiously； and when their minds are
least prepared by reason and experience to contend
with their passions。
〃Heart〃 was intended for a much longer tale； and is
unavoidably incomplete； but it is unnecessary to
point out defects that even the juvenile reader will
soon detect。 The author only hopes that if they do
no good； her tales will； at least； do no harm。
IMAGINATION。
…oOo…
I pray thee； gentle mortal； sing again：
Mine ear is much enamoured of thy note；
So is mine eye enthralled to thy shape；
And thy fair virtue's force perforce doth move me；
On the first view； to say； to swear； I love thee。
MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM
｛Shakespeare； 〃A Midsummer Night's Dream〃 Act
III； Scene 1； lines 137…141｝
〃DOwrite to me often； my dear Anna！〃 said the
weeping Julia Warren； on parting； for the first time
since their acquaintance； with the young lady whom
she had honoured with the highest place in her
affections。 〃Think how dreadfully solitary and
miserable I shall be here； without a single
companion； or a soul to converse with； now you are
to be removed two hundred miles into the
wilderness。〃
〃Oh！ trust me； my love； I shall not forget you now
or ever；〃 replied her friend； embracing the other
slightly； and； perhaps； rather hastily for so tender
an adieu； at the same time glancing her eye on the
figure of a youth； who stood in silent contemplation
of the scene。 〃And doubt not but I shall soon tire
you with my correspondence； especially as I more
than suspect it will be subjected to the criticisms of
Mr。 Charles Weston。〃 As she concluded； the young
lady curtisied to the youth in a manner that
contradicted； by its flattery； the forced irony of her
remark。
〃Never； my dear girl！〃 exclaimed Miss Warren with
extreme fervour。 〃The confidence of our friendship
is sacred with me； and nothing； no； nothing； could
ever tempt me to violate such a trust。 Charles is
very kind and very indulgent to all my whims； but
he never could obtain such an influence over me as
to become the depositary of my secrets。 Nothing
but a friend； like yourself； can do that； my dear
Anna。〃
〃Never！ Miss Warren；〃 said the youth with a lip that
betrayed by its tremulous motion the interest he
took in her speech〃never includes a long period of
time。 But；〃 he added with a smile of good…
humoured pleasantry； 〃if admitted to such a
distinction； I should not feel myself competent to
the task of commenting on so much innocence and
purity； as I know I should find in your
correspondence。〃
〃Yes；〃 said Anna； with a little of the energy of her
friend's manner； 〃you may with truth say so； Mr。
Weston。 The imagination of my Julia is as pure as
as…〃 but turning her eyes from the countenance
of Julia to that of the youth； rather suddenly； the
animated pleasure she saw delineated in his
expressive； though plain features； drove the
remainder of the speech from her recollection。
〃As her heart！〃 cried Charles Weston with
emphasis。
〃As her heart； Sir；〃 repeated the young lady coldly。
The last adieus were hastily exchanged； and Anna
Miller was handed into her father's gig by Charles
Weston in profound silence。 Miss Emmerson； the
maiden aunt of Julia； withdrew from the door；
where she had been conversing with Mr。 Miller； and
the travellers departed。 Julia followed the vehicle
with her eyes until it was hid by the trees and
shrubbery that covered the lawn； and then withdrew
to her room to give vent to a sorrow that had
sensibly touched her affectionate heart； and in no
trifling degree haunted her lively imagination。
As Miss Emmerson by no means held the good
qualities of the guest； who had just left them； in so
high an estimation as did her niece； she proceeded
quietly and with great composure in the exercise of
her daily duties； not in the least suspecting the
real distress that； from a variety of causes； this
sudden separation had caused to her ward。
The only sister of this good lady had died in giving
birth to a female infant； and the fever of 1805 had；
within a very few years of the death of the mother；
deprived the youthful orphan of her remaining
parent。 Her father was a merchant； just
commencing the foundations of what would； in
time； have been a large estate； and as both Miss
Emmerson and her sister were possessed of genteel
independencies； and the aunt had long declared her
intention of remaining single； the fortune of Julia； if
not brilliant； was thought rather large than
otherwise。 Miss Emmerson had been educated
immediately after the war of the revolution； and at
a time when the intellect of the women of this
country by no means received that attention it is
thought necessary to bestow on the minds of the
future mothers of our families at the present hour；
and when； indeed； the country itself required too
much of the care of her rulers and patriots to admit
of the consideration of lesser objects。 With the
best of hearts and affections devoted to the
welfare of her niece； Miss Emmerson had early
discovered her own incompetency to the labour of
fitting Julia for the world in which she was to live；
and shrunk with timid modesty from the arduous
task of preparing herself； by application and study；
for this sacred duty。 The fashions of the day were
rapidly running into the attainment of
accomplishments among the young of her own sex；
and the piano forte was already sending forth its
sonorous harmony from one end of the Union to the
other； while the glittering usefulness of the
tambour…frame was discarded for the pallet and
brush。 The walls of our mansions were beginning to
groan with the sickly green of imaginary fields； that
caricatured the beauties of nature； and skies of
sunny brightness； that mocked the golden hues of
even an American sun。 The experience of Miss
Emmerson went no further than the simple
evolutions of the country dance； or the deliberate
and dignified procession of the minuet。 No wonder；
therefore； that her faculties were bewildered by the
complex movements of the cotillion： and； in short；
as the good lady daily contemplated the
improvements of the female youth around her； she
became each hour more convinced of her own
inability to control； or in any manner to
superintend； the education of her orphan niece。
Julia was； consequently； entrusted to the
government of a select boarding…school； and； as
even the morals of the day were； in some degree；
tinctured with the existing fashions； her mind as
well as her manners were absolutely submitted to
the discretion of an hireling。 Notwithstanding this
willing concession of power on the part of Miss
Emmerson； there was no deficiency in ability to
judge between right and wrong in her character； but
the homely nature of her good sense； unassisted by
any confidence in her own powers； was unable to
compete with the dazzling display of
accomplishments which met her in every house
where she visited； and if she sometimes thought
that she could not always discover much of the
useful amid this excess of the agreeable； she rather
attributed the deficiency to her own ignorance than
to any error in the new system of instruction。 From
the age of six to that of sixteen； Julia had no other
communications with Miss Emmerson than those
endearments which neither could suppress； and a
constant and assiduous attention on the part of the
aunt to the health and attire o