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。