There Was a Fine Gentleman and a Fine Lady, and They Lived in a Fine House; and They Were

READING FOR WEEK 4

Extract from Jane Johnson, “A very pretty story to tell children when they are about five or six years of age” (1744)

There was a fine gentleman and a fine lady, and they lived in a fine house; and they were called Mr and Mrs Alworthy. They had one little boy and one little girl; the little boy’s name was George, and the little girl’s name was Bab,[1] and Mr and Mrs Alworthy were vastly[2] fond of them both, and loved them dearly because they were both good-humoured,[3] and did everything in their power to oblige[4] their father and mother, and everybody else. And they used every day to have a little miss and master[5] of their own age come to play with them.

This miss and master that came every day to play with them lived in the same town, and their names were Miss Lucy Manly and Master Thomas Manly. These four pretty children were so fond of one another that they were never so well pleased as when they were together, and were constantly trying which could oblige each other the most,[6] and instead of crying for one another’s playthings,[7] and fighting, and hurting one another, as most children do that are so often together, they would part with anything they had if the other had a mind to it.[8] And Master George and Miss Bab would ask Mrs Alworthy when she gave them sugar-plums,[9] or plum-cake,[10] or anything else that was good, to give Miss Lucy and Master Tommy some, and if Mrs Alworthy had none to give them, Master George and Miss Bab would give Miss Lucy and Master Tommy half theirs; and thus they went on for three or four years, and all four learned to dance together, and were always trying which could hold up their heads the best, and which could turn out their toes the most; and they all learned to read their books together, which they took so much pleasure in,[11] and read so well that they were the admiration of[12] all the gentlemen and ladies that lived near them in the country.

And whenever Mrs Alworthy went a-visiting[13] she took one or two of them in the coach[14] with her, and left the rest at home. Sometimes she would take only Miss Bab, and sometimes only Master George, and whenever she came to tell Miss Bab or Master George they should go out with her, they used to say, “Thank you, madam, we will wait on you[15] with a great deal of pleasure; but if Master Tommy or Miss Lucy choose to go, we had rather stay at home than they should be uneasy,[16] and we will go with you next time.” And Miss Lucy and Master Tommy would desire them to go at that time, and tell them they should be to the full as[17] well pleased to go next time as then; and thus they were always pleased by endeavouring to please one another.

But when Master Tommy and Miss Lucy Manly were about eight or nine years old, their father and mother were both taken sick of a fever, and died within a few hours of one another. This was a great concern to Miss Lucy and Master Tommy, and what made it still the greater, all the fortune[18] that they had was left in the hands of an uncle that ran away with it, and cheated them of all.[19] So poor Miss Lucy and Master Tommy were left without a farthing[20] in the world, or anybody to take care of them. And one day they came as usual to play with Miss Bab and Master George Alworthy, and they both cried as if they would break their hearts.

“What makes you cry so sadly?” says Miss Bab. “Indeed, you should not cry so,[21] I know your father and mother are both dead, but it is very wrong to cry so, though they are dead; for you know they are gone to Heaven, and that is better for them, than if they were here still. Besides, you know Miss Lucy that we were all born to die, and in a few years you, and your brother, and I, and all of us shall die too, and go to Heaven, and be with them again; so, pray,[22] don’t cry so.”

“Indeed,” says Miss Lucy, “I am very sorry I have lost my dear father and mother, but,” says she, “I know they are gone to Heaven, and are much happier than they could be in this world, therefore I don’t cry so much for that, but I cry because my Uncle Manly has taken away all my brother’s and my money, and we have not a farthing in the world to buy us clothes, and when these clothes we have on are worn to rags we must not come[23] and play with you, and I don’t know where we must go, nor what we must do.”

[1] Bab is short for Barbara (a common girl’s name).

[2] Vastly = very, exceedingly.

[3] Good-humoured = good natured.

[4] Oblige = please.

[5] Miss and master = girl and boy.

[6] Trying which could oblige each other the most = attempting to be the one who was the kindest to the other members of the group.

[7] Playthings = toys.

[8] If the other had a mind to it = if another (of the children) wanted it.

[9] Sugar-plums = sweets, candies.

[10] Plum-cake = fruit cake.

[11] Took so much pleasure in = enjoyed so much.

[12] They were the admiration of = they were greatly admired by.

[13] A-visiting = out visiting (friends and neighbours).

[14] The coach = a private carriage pulled by horses.

[15] Wait on you = go with you, join you.

[16] Uneasy = unhappy (with the arrangement).

[17] To the full as = just as.

[18] The fortune = the money left to them by their parents.

[19] Of all = of everything (all the money).

[20] Farthing = the smallest value British coin.

[21] So = in this way.

[22] Pray = please.

[23] We must not come = we will not be able to come (to such a respectable house as yours).