Memoir of Miss Margaret Mercer (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1848 edition. Excerpt: ...but expand, and the heart find improvement from the objects by which it was surrounded. But in the year 1834 the growth of her brother's family, who resided with her, and her desire to promote their comfort, induced Miss Mercer to change her residence. The only alternative was to dismiss her train of teachers, limit exceedingly the number of her pupils, and thus diminish the extent of her usefulness, and abandon the pursuit to which she had consecrated her life, and devoted her energies. For a short time she removed to Franklin, in the vicinity of Baltimore, under the impression that in the neighbourhood of that city she should secure more competent assistance in some branches of education, and therefore obtain a still larger amount of patronage. In these expectations she was disappointed, and she found that whilst her expenses were much increased, there was not a corresponding increase in the number of her pupils, and she shortly transferred her establishment to Belmont, near Leesburg, in Virginia, where she purchased a dilapidated mansion, in a secluded position, and had it fitted up with every convenience for her purpose. The neighbourhood was one which possessed no attractions. Far removed from any persons of cultivated mind or congenial feelings, nearly six miles from any place of public worship, her only near neighbours persons of limited intelligence, and destitute of any sympathy with her views and efforts for their benefit, no situation could have presented fewer points of attraction. It was the autumn when she entered upon its occupation, with a very limited number of pupils, and under circumstances calculated to damp the ardour of the most energetic. One of the assistants, in referring to it afterward, remarked, " That was...