SuchwerethecounselsbywhichMrs。Norrisassistedtoformhernieces’minds；anditisnotverywonderfulthat，withalltheirpromisingtalentsandearlyinformation，theyshouldbeentirelydeficientinthelesscommonacquirementsofself-knowledge，generosityandhumility。
　　Ineverythingbutdispositiontheywereadmirablytaught。
　　SirThomasdidnotknowwhatwaswanting，because，thoughatrulyanxiousfather，hewasnotoutwardlyaffectionate，andthereserveofhismannerrepressedalltheflowoftheirspiritsbeforehim。
　　TotheeducationofherdaughtersLadyBertrampaidnotthesmallestattention。Shehadnottimeforsuchcares。
　　Shewasawomanwhospentherdaysinsitting，nicelydressed，onasofa，doingsomelongpieceofneedlework，oflittleuseandnobeauty，thinkingmoreofherpugthanherchildren，butveryindulgenttothelatterwhenitdidnotputherselftoinconvenience，guidedineverythingimportantbySirThomas，andinsmallerconcernsbyhersister。
　　Hadshepossessedgreaterleisurefortheserviceofhergirls，shewouldprobablyhavesupposeditunnecessary，fortheywereunderthecareofagoverness，withpropermasters，andcouldwantnothingmore。AsforFanny’sbeingstupidatlearning，“shecouldonlysayitwasveryunlucky，butsomepeople_were_stupid，andFannymusttakemorepains：
　　shedidnotknowwhatelsewastobedone；and，exceptherbeingsodull，shemustaddshesawnoharminthepoorlittlething，andalwaysfoundherveryhandyandquickincarryingmessages，andfetching，whatshewanted。“
　　Fanny，withallherfaultsofignoranceandtimidity，wasfixedatMansfieldPark，andlearningtotransferinitsfavourmuchofherattachmenttoherformerhome，grewuptherenotunhappilyamonghercousins。Therewasnopositiveill-natureinMariaorJulia；andthoughFannywasoftenmortifiedbytheirtreatmentofher，shethoughttoolowlyofherownclaimstofeelinjuredbyit。
　　Fromaboutthetimeofherenteringthefamily，LadyBertram，inconsequenceofalittleill-health，andagreatdealofindolence，gaveupthehouseintown，whichshehadbeenusedtooccupyeveryspring，andremainedwhollyinthecountry，leavingSirThomastoattendhisdutyinParliament，withwhateverincreaseordiminutionofcomfortmightarisefromherabsence。
　　Inthecountry，therefore，theMissBertramscontinuedtoexercisetheirmemories，practisetheirduets，andgrowtallandwomanly：andtheirfathersawthembecominginperson，manner，andaccomplishments，everythingthatcouldsatisfyhisanxiety。Hiseldestsonwascarelessandextravagant，andhadalreadygivenhimmuchuneasiness；
　　buthisotherchildrenpromisedhimnothingbutgood。
　　Hisdaughters，hefelt，whiletheyretainedthenameofBertram，mustbegivingitnewgrace，andinquittingit，hetrusted，wouldextenditsrespectablealliances；
　　andthecharacterofEdmund，hisstronggoodsenseanduprightnessofmind，bidmostfairlyforutility，honour，andhappinesstohimselfandallhisconnexions。
　　Hewastobeaclergyman。
　　Amidthecaresandthecomplacencywhichhisownchildrensuggested，SirThomasdidnotforgettodowhathecouldforthechildrenofMrs。Price：heassistedherliberallyintheeducationanddisposalofhersonsastheybecameoldenoughforadeterminatepursuit；
　　andFanny，thoughalmosttotallyseparatedfromherfamily，wassensibleofthetruestsatisfactioninhearingofanykindnesstowardsthem，orofanythingatallpromisingintheirsituationorconduct。Once，andonceonly，inthecourseofmanyyears，hadshethehappinessofbeingwithWilliam。Oftherestshesawnothing：
　　nobodyseemedtothinkofherevergoingamongstthemagain，evenforavisit，nobodyathomeseemedtowanther；
　　butWilliamdetermining，soonafterherremoval，tobeasailor，wasinvitedtospendaweekwithhissisterinNorthamptonshirebeforehewenttosea。
　　Theireageraffectioninmeeting，theirexquisitedelightinbeingtogether，theirhoursofhappymirth，andmomentsofseriousconference，maybeimagined；
　　aswellasthesanguineviewsandspiritsoftheboyeventothelast，andthemiseryofthegirlwhenhelefther。
　　LuckilythevisithappenedintheChristmasholidays，whenshecoulddirectlylookforcomforttohercousinEdmund；
　　andhetoldhersuchcharmingthingsofwhatWilliamwastodo，andbehereafter，inconsequenceofhisprofession，asmadehergraduallyadmitthattheseparationmighthavesomeuse。Edmund’sfriendshipneverfailedher：
　　hisleavingEtonforOxfordmadenochangeinhiskinddispositions，andonlyaffordedmorefrequentopportunitiesofprovingthem。Withoutanydisplayofdoingmorethantherest，oranyfearofdoingtoomuch，hewasalwaystruetoherinterests，andconsiderateofherfeelings，tryingtomakehergoodqualitiesunderstood，andtoconquerthediffidencewhichpreventedtheirbeingmoreapparent；
　　givingheradvice，consolation，andencouragement。
　　Keptbackasshewasbyeverybodyelse，hissinglesupportcouldnotbringherforward；buthisattentionswereotherwiseofthehighestimportanceinassistingtheimprovementofhermind，andextendingitspleasures。Heknewhertobeclever，tohaveaquickapprehensionaswellasgoodsense，andafondnessforreading，which，properlydirected，mustbeaneducationinitself。MissLeetaughtherFrench，andheardherreadthedailyportionofhistory；butherecommendedthebookswhichcharmedherleisurehours，heencouragedhertaste，andcorrectedherjudgment：
　　hemadereadingusefulbytalkingtoherofwhatsheread，andheighteneditsattractionbyjudiciouspraise。
　　InreturnforsuchservicesshelovedhimbetterthananybodyintheworldexceptWilliam：herheartwasdividedbetweenthetwo。
　　ThefirsteventofanyimportanceinthefamilywasthedeathofMr。Norris，whichhappenedwhenFannywasaboutfifteen，andnecessarilyintroducedalterationsandnovelties。Mrs。Norris，onquittingtheParsonage，removedfirsttothePark，andafterwardstoasmallhouseofSirThomas’sinthevillage，andconsoledherselfforthelossofherhusbandbyconsideringthatshecoulddoverywellwithouthim；andforherreductionofincomebytheevidentnecessityofstrictereconomy。
　　ThelivingwashereafterforEdmund；and，hadhisunclediedafewyearssooner，itwouldhavebeendulygiventosomefriendtoholdtillhewereoldenoughfororders。
　　ButTom’sextravagancehad，previoustothatevent，beensogreatastorenderadifferentdisposalofthenextpresentationnecessary，andtheyoungerbrothermusthelptopayforthepleasuresoftheelder。
　　TherewasanotherfamilylivingactuallyheldforEdmund；
　　butthoughthiscircumstancehadmadethearrangementsomewhateasiertoSirThomas’sconscience，hecouldnotbutfeelittobeanactofinjustice，andheearnestlytriedtoimpresshiseldestsonwiththesameconviction，inthehopeofitsproducingabettereffectthananythinghehadyetbeenabletosayordo。
　　“Iblushforyou，Tom，“saidhe，inhismostdignifiedmanner；
　　“IblushfortheexpedientwhichIamdrivenon，andItrustImaypityyourfeelingsasabrotherontheoccasion。
　　YouhaverobbedEdmundforten，twenty，thirtyyears，perhapsforlife，ofmorethanhalftheincomewhichoughttobehis。Itmayhereafterbeinmypower，orinyoursIhopeitwill，toprocurehimbetterpreferment；
　　butitmustnotbeforgottenthatnobenefitofthatsortwouldhavebeenbeyondhisnaturalclaimsonus，andthatnothingcan，infact，beanequivalentforthecertainadvantagewhichheisnowobligedtoforegothroughtheurgencyofyourdebts。“
　　Tomlistenedwithsomeshameandsomesorrow；
　　butescapingasquicklyaspossible，couldsoonwithcheerfulselfishnessreflect，firstly，thathehadnotbeenhalfsomuchindebtassomeofhisfriends；
　　secondly，thathisfatherhadmadeamosttiresomepieceofworkofit；and，thirdly，thatthefutureincumbent，whoeverhemightbe，would，inallprobability，dieverysoon。
　　OnMr。Norris’sdeaththepresentationbecametherightofaDr。Grant，whocameconsequentlytoresideatMansfield；
　　andonprovingtobeaheartymanofforty-five，seemedlikelytodisappointMr。Bertram’scalculations。
　　But“no，hewasashort-necked，apoplecticsortoffellow，and，pliedwellwithgoodthings，wouldsoonpopoff。“
　　Hehadawifeaboutfifteenyearshisjunior，butnochildren；
　　andtheyenteredtheneighbourhoodwiththeusualfairreportofbeingveryrespectable，agreeablepeople。
　　ThetimewasnowcomewhenSirThomasexpectedhissister-in-lawtoclaimhershareintheirniece，thechangeinMrs。Norris’ssituation，andtheimprovementinFanny’sage，seemingnotmerelytodoawayanyformerobjectiontotheirlivingtogether，buteventogiveitthemostdecidedeligibility；andashisowncircumstanceswererenderedlessfairthanheretofore，bysomerecentlossesonhisWestIndiaestate，inadditiontohiseldestson’sextravagance，itbecamenotundesirabletohimselftoberelievedfromtheexpenseofhersupport，andtheobligationofherfutureprovision。Inthefullnessofhisbeliefthatsuchathingmustbe，hementioneditsprobabilitytohiswife；andthefirsttimeofthesubject’soccurringtoheragainhappeningtobewhenFannywaspresent，shecalmlyobservedtoher，“So，Fanny，youaregoingtoleaveus，andlivewithmysister。Howshallyoulikeit？“
　　Fannywastoomuchsurprisedtodomorethanrepeatheraunt’swords，“Goingtoleaveyou？“
　　“Yes，mydear；whyshouldyoubeastonished？
　　Youhavebeenfiveyearswithus，andmysisteralwaysmeanttotakeyouwhenMr。Norrisdied。
　　Butyoumustcomeupandtackonmypatternsallthesame。“
　　ThenewswasasdisagreeabletoFannyasithadbeenunexpected。
　　ShehadneverreceivedkindnessfromherauntNorris，andcouldnotloveher。
　　“Ishallbeverysorrytogoaway，“saidshe，withafalteringvoice。
　　“Yes，Idaresayyouwill；_that’s_naturalenough。