The Bracelets

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The Bracelets

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Title: The Bracelets
Author: Maria Edgeworth
Release Date: February 17, 2004 [EBook #11121]
Language: English
Character set encoding: ASCII
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BRACELETS ***

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[Illustration: The Bracelets. Edgeworth.]
[Illustration]

THE BRACELETS;
OR, AMIABILITY AND INDUSTRY REWARDED.
BY MARIA EDGEWORTH,
AUTHOR OF "POPULAR TALES," "MORAL TALES," ETC. ETC.
With Illustrations from Original Designs.

1850.

THE BRACELETS.
* * * * *
In a beautiful and retired part of England lived Mrs. Villars, a lady
whose accurate understanding, benevolent heart, and steady temper,
peculiarly fitted her for the most difficult, as well as most important of
all occupations--the education of youth. This task she had undertaken;
and twenty young persons were put under her care, with the perfect
confidence of their parents. No young people could be happier; they
were good and gay, emulous, but not envious of each other; for Mrs.
Villars was impartially just. Her praise they felt to be the reward of
merit, and her blame they knew to be the necessary consequence of ill
conduct; to the one, therefore, they patiently submitted, and in the other
consciously rejoiced. They rose with fresh cheerfulness in the morning,
eager to pursue their various occupations; they returned in the evening
with renewed ardour to their amusements, and retired to rest satisfied
with themselves and pleased with each other.
Nothing so much contributed to preserve a spirit of emulation in this
little society as a small honorary distinction given annually, as the prize
of successful application. The prize this year was peculiarly dear to
each individual, as it was the picture of a friend whom they all dearly

loved--it was the picture of Mrs. Villars in a small bracelet. It wanted
neither gold, pearls, nor precious stones, to give it value.
The two foremost candidates for the prize were Cecilia and Leonora.
Cecilia was the most intimate friend of Leonora, but Leonora was only
the favourite companion of Cecilia.
Cecilia was of an active, ambitious, enterprising disposition; more
eager in the pursuit than happy in the enjoyment of her wishes. Leonora
was of a contented, unaspiring, temperate character, not easily roused
to action, but indefatigable when once excited. Leonora was proud,
Cecilia was vain. Her vanity made her more dependent upon the
approbation of others, and therefore more anxious to please, than
Leonora; but that very vanity made her, at the same time, more apt to
offend. In short, Leonora was the most anxious to avoid what was
wrong, Cecilia the most ambitious to do what was right. Few of their
companions loved, but many were led by Cecilia, for she was often
successful; many loved Leonora, but none were ever governed by her,
for she was too indolent to govern.
On the first day of May, about six o'clock in the evening, a great bell
rang, to summon this little society into a hall, where the prize was to be
decided. A number of small tables were placed in a circle in the middle
of the hall; seats for the young competitors were raised one above
another, in a semicircle, some yards distant from the table; and the
judges' chairs, under canopies of lilacs and luburnums, forming another
semicircle, closed the amphitheatre. Every one put their writings, their
drawings, their works of various kinds, upon the tables appropriated for
each. How unsteady were the last steps to these tables! How each little
hand trembled as it laid down its claims! Till this moment every one
thought herself secure of success, but now each felt an equal certainty
of being excelled; and the heart which a few minutes before exulted
with hope, now palpitated with fear.
The works were examined, the preference adjudged; and the prize was
declared to be the happy Cecilia's. Mrs. Villars came forward smiling,
with the bracelet in her hand. Cecilia was behind her companions, on
the highest row; all the others gave way, and she was on the floor in an

instant. Mrs. Villars clasped the bracelet on her arm; the clasp was
heard through the whole hall, and a universal smile of congratulation
followed. Mrs. Villars kissed Cecilia's little hand; and "now," said she,
"go and rejoice with your companions; the remainder of the day is
yours."
Oh! you whose hearts are elated with