Jane Talbot | Page 4

him were such as parental foresight
and discretion commonly dictate. He wished him to acquire all possible
advantages of education, and then to betake himself to some liberal
profession, in which he might obtain honour as well as riches. This
sober scheme by no means suited the restless temper of the youth. It

was his maxim that all restraints were unworthy of a lad of spirit, and
that it was far more wise to spend freely what his father had painfully
acquired, than, by the same plodding and toilsome arts, to add to the
heap.
I scarcely know how to describe my feelings in relation to this young
man. My affection for him was certainly without that tenderness which
a good brother is sure to excite. I do not remember a single direct
kindness that I ever received from him; but I remember innumerable ill
offices and contempts. Still, there was some inexplicable charm in the
mere tie of kindred, which made me more deplore his errors, exult in
his talents, rejoice in his success, and take a deeper interest in his
concerns than in those of any other person.
As he advanced in age, I had new cause for my zeal in his behalf. My
father's temper was easy and flexible; my brother was at once vehement
and artful. Frank's arguments and upbraidings created in his father an
unnatural awe, an apprehension and diffidence in thwarting his wishes
and giving advice, which usually distinguish the filial character. The
youth perceived his advantages, and employed them in carrying every
point on which his inclination was set.
For a long time this absurd indulgence was shown in allowing his son
to employ his time as he pleased, in refraining from all animadversions
on his idleness and dissipation, and supplying him with a generous
allowance of pocket-money. This allowance required now and then to
be increased. Every year and every month, by adding new sources of
expense, added something to the stipend.
My father's revenue was adequate to a very splendid establishment; but
he was accustomed to live frugally, and thought it wise to add his
savings to the principal of his estate. These savings gradually grew less
and less, till at length my brother's numerous excursions, a French girl
whom he maintained in expensive lodgings, his horses, dogs, and
friends, consumed the whole of it.
I never met my brother but by accident. These interviews were, for the
most part, momentary, either in the street or at my father's house; but I

was too much interested in all that befell him, not to make myself, by
various means, thoroughly acquainted with his situation.
I had no power to remedy the evil: as my elder brother, and as a man,
he thought himself entitled to govern and despise me. He always
treated me as a frivolous girl, with whom it was waste of time to
converse, and never spoke to me at all except to direct or admonish.
Hence I could do nothing but regret his habits. Their consequences to
himself it was beyond my power to prevent.
For a long time I was totally unaware of the tendencies of this mode of
life. I did not suspect that a brother's passions would carry him beyond
the bound of vulgar prudence, or induce him to encroach on those funds
from which his present enjoyments were derived. I knew him to be
endowed with an acute understanding, and imagined that this would
point out, with sufficient clearness, the wisdom of limiting his expenses
to his income.
In my daily conversations with my father, I never voluntarily
introduced Frank as our topic, unless by the harmless and trite
questions of "When was he here?" "Where has he gone?" and the like.
We met only by accident, at his lodgings; when I entered the room
where he was, he never thought of bestowing more than a transient look
on me, just to know who it was that approached. Circumstances at
length, however, occurred, which put an end to this state of neutrality.
I heard, twice or thrice a year, from my cousin Risberg. One day a letter
arrived in which he obscurely intimated that the failure of remittances
from my father, for more than half a year, had reduced him to great
distress. My father had always taught him to regard himself as entitled
to all the privileges of a son; had sent him to Europe under express
conditions of supplying him with a reasonable stipend, till he should
come of age, at which period it was concerted that Risberg should
return and receive a portion with me, enabling him to enter
advantageously on the profession of the law, to which he was now
training. This stipend was far from being extravagant, or more than
sufficient for