ABSTRACT
The children not coming down to breakfast one morning at the usual time, Mrs Mason went herself to enquire the reason; and as she entered the apartment, heard Mary say to the maid who assisted her, I wonder at your impertinence, to talk thus to me - do you know who you are speaking to? - she was going on, but Mrs Mason interrupted her, and answered the question - to a little girl, who is only assisted because she is weak. Mary shrunk back abashed, and Mrs Mason continued: / as you have treated Betty, who is ten years older than yourself, improperly, you must now1[] do everything for yourself; and, as you will be some time about it, Caroline and I will eat our breakfast, and visit Mrs 2[Trueman]. By the time we return, you may perhaps 3[have recollected] that children are inferior to servants, 4[who] act from the dictates of reason, and 5[whose understandings are arrived at some degree of] maturity, while children must be governed and directed till their’s gains strength to work by itself: 6[for] it is the proper exercise of our reason that makes us in any degree independent.
