A DESCRIPTION OF MILLENIUM HALL
AND THE COUNTRY ADJACENT
Together with the
CHARACTERS OF THE INHABITANTS
And such Historical
ANECDOTES AND REFLECTIONS
AS
May excite in the READER proper Sentiments of Humanity, and lead the Mind to the Love of
VIRTUE
BY
'A GENTLEMAN ON HIS TRAVELS'
SARAH SCOTT
Based on a reprint of the edition published in Great Britain by J. Newbury, 1762
A DESCRIPTION OF MILLENIUM HALL
Dear Sir,
Though, when I left London, I promised to write to you as soon as I had reached my northern retreat, yet, I believe, you little expected instead of a letter to receive a volume; but I should not stand excused to myself, were I to fail communicating to you the pleasure I received in my road hither, from the sight of a society whose acquaintance I owe to one of those fortunate, though in appearance trifling, accidents, from which sometimes arise the most pleasing circumstances of our lives; for as such I must ever esteem the acquaintance of that amiable family, who have fixed their abode at a place which I shall nominate Millenium Hall, as the best adapted to the lives of the inhabitants, and to avoid giving the real name, fearing to offend that modesty which has induced them to conceal their virtues in retirement.
In giving you a very circumstantial account of this society, I confess I have a view beyond the pleasure which a mind like yours must receive from the contemplation of so much virtue. Your constant endeavours have been to inculcate the best principles into youthful minds, the only probable means of mending mankind; for the foundation of most of our virtues, or our vices, are laid in that season of life when we are most susceptible of impression, and when on our minds, as on a sheet of white paper, any characters may be engraven; these laudable endeavours, by which we may reasonably expect the rising generation will be greatly improved, render particularly due to you, any examples which may teach those virtues that are not easily learnt by precept and shew the facility of what, in mere speculation, might appear surrounded with a discouraging impracticability: you are the best judge, whether, by being made public, they may be conducive to your great end of benefiting the world. I therefore submit the future fate of the following sheets entirely to you, and shall not think any prefatory apology for the publication at all requisite; for though a man who supposes his own life and actions deserve universal notice, or can be of general use, may be liable to the imputation of vanity, yet, as I have no other share than that of a spectator, and auditor, in what I purpose to relate, I presume no apology can be required; for my vanity must rather be mortified than flattered in the description of such virtues as will continually accuse me of my own deficiencies, and lead me to make a humiliating comparison between these excellent ladies and myself.
Table of contents (by pages)
- 1: A Description of Millenium Hall by Sarah Scott
- 2: Mr Lamont and I walked towards an avenue of oaks
- 3: Were defended with roses and sweetbriars
- 4: We guessed to be the housekeeper
- 5: Miss Selvyn can scarcely be called tall
- 6: Painted in crayons by Miss Mancel
- 7: Behind the shrubbery is a little wood
- 8: So she spins clothes for Rachel
- 9: Lamont was much surprised at this piece of information
- 10: We found ourselves in a most beautiful grotto
- 11: But is not almost every man a Procrustes
- 12: With which these people beheld their benefactresses
- 13: There was in the church an old gallery
- 14: Mr Hintman asking the reason of those appearances of sorrow
- 15: That Mr Hintman would not immediately interrupt her
- 16: In pursuance of the resolution Mr Hintman had taken
- 17: Any more than in the rest of her behaviour
- 18: And appeared so tenderly attached to her that Miss Melvyn
- 19: And who was much pleased with Miss Melvyn's behaviour
- 20: Lady Melvyn was void of delicacy
- 21: But received some return from Mr Hintman
- 22: As soon as Mr Hintman left her
- 23: 'As Miss Melvyn felt her little friend's reproach
- 24: By little presents which Miss Mancel frequently made them
- 25: Till Miss Mancel reached her fifteenth year
- 26: And usual conduct of Mr Hintman
- 27: That Mr Hintman observed the alteration
- 28: This gentleman proceeded to inform Miss Melvyn
- 29: And almost as inconsistent with morality as with religion
- 30: Where Miss Mancel might lodge conveniently
- 31: Lady Melvyn was as industriously laying schemes that
- 32: Miss Melvyn was accordingly called in
- 33: Till a more convenient opportunity
- 34: And a continual fear of being supplanted
- 35: Miss Mancel is certainly very deep in this knowledge
- 36: Mrs Maynard said that if she did not satisfy my inquiries
- 37: They must conform to very regular hours
- 38: All burdensome forms are expelled
- 39: They have laid aside a fund sufficient to discharge it
- 40: Miss Melvyn was almost distracted
- 41: Miss Melvyn had a very strong dislike to Mr Morgan
- 42: With this Sir Charles acquainted Miss Melvyn
- 43: Especially as Lady Melvyn would infallibly
- 44: Miss Mancel was suffered to come to the house
- 45: They foresaw no end to this cruel separation
- 46: Lady Melvyn found her incapable of consolation
- 47: Wherein Mr Morgan readily joined
- 48: She had no reason to decline so obliging an offer
- 49: Lady Lambton came herself to fetch Miss Mancel home
- 50: And endeavoured to prevail on Lady Lambton to part with her
- 51: These were deeply engaged to Lady Lambton
- 52: This letter gave Miss Mancel much satisfaction
- 53: Perhaps Lady Lambton would have subscribed to his opinion
- 54: Miss Mancel was dressed with care
- 55: Louisa raised her from the ground
- 56: Mrs Thornby set out for England
- 57: Mrs Thornby grew every day more delighted with her daughter
- 58: Frequent were his expressions of regret for his own rashness
- 59: And communicated them to Mrs Thornby
- 60: Mrs Morgan saw no means of redress
- 61: When Miss Mancel heard of his deplorable situation
- 62: To which place Miss Mancel accompanied her
- 63: Except during that dull period of confinement
- 64: The bridegroom was a well looking young man
- 65: It would confine matrimony to the lower rank of people
- 66: By being dissipated themselves
- 67: 'Lamont thought Miss Mancel too severe in her doctrine
- 68: As much as the bee does the common butterfly
- 69: With a good person and infinite vivacity
- 70: The charm of innocence accompanied her vivacity
- 71: Mr Lenman was certainly sufficiently tormented
- 72: Lady Sheerness was but very little hurt
- 73: She conceived a horror at this action
- 74: And Lady Sheerness rendered her house so agreeable
- 75: She was not at all disconcerted with this tete a tete
- 76: She hazarded no improper expression
- 77: 'that by depriving him of his hopes
- 78: Cards even employed the morning
- 79: And Lady Sheerness had kept up the quarrel
- 80: She received a message from Lady Brumpton
- 81: Lady Mary took her advice and read some moral essays
- 82: She had done some things commendable
- 83: All dressed with the same exact neatness as herself
- 84: Clad in a very neat uniform and perfectly clean
- 85: THE HISTORY OF Miss SELVYN Mr Selvyn
- 86: He avoided the subject with Miss Selvyn
- 87: This gentleman's great recreation was visiting Mr Selvyn
- 88: She had the misfortune to lose Mr Selvyn
- 89: The latter motive was sufficient to influence Miss Selvyn
- 90: Miss Selvyn shewed the uselessness of this question
- 91: Levity of conduct we are apt to look upon as an invitation
- 92: When taking Miss Selvyn in her arms
- 93: As Lord Peyton was an accepted lover
- 94: 'I soon acquainted Lord Peyton with this resolution
- 95: As Mr Selvyn afterwards informed me
- 96: Our attachment was settled into the tenderest friendship
- 97: Lamont was much struck with the conduct of Lady Emilia
- 98: They sent to the old gentleman's nephew
- 99: I could not help observing the various fate of this mansion
- 100: And Mr Trentham survived his wife but eight years
- 101: Mrs Alworth was extremely fond of them all
- 102: Thus beloved by her grandmother and Mr Alworth
- 103: Mr Alworth continued abroad two years
- 104: Every one talked of their mutual passion
- 105: Miss Melman was a complete coquette
- 106: While Miss Melman totally engrossed the other
- 107: Now became the confidante of Mr Alworth
- 108: But could not be prevailed with to leave old Mrs Alworth
- 109: And attempted to teach Mrs Alworth to think
- 110: Mr Alworth found them infectious
- 111: Mrs Alworth wrote her husband word of Harriot's illness
- 112: Who I ought to begin to call Miss Trentham
- 113: Employed in the various parts of the manufacture
- 114: All the luxuries that can be included among them
- 115: However innocent in its own nature
- 116: Where the case requires such extraordinary assistance