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He is forever finding fault with me； for some incorrectness
of language； and now he is taking the same liberty with you。
The word 'nicest；' as you used it； did not suit him；
and you had better change it as soon as you can； or we
shall be overpowered with Johnson and Blair all the rest
of the way。〃
〃I am sure；〃 cried Catherine； 〃I did not mean
to say anything wrong； but it is a nice book； and why
should not I call it so？〃
〃Very true；〃 said Henry； 〃and this is a very nice day；
and we are taking a very nice walk； and you are two
very nice young ladies。 Oh！ It is a very nice word
indeed！ It does for everything。 Originally perhaps it
was applied only to express neatness； propriety； delicacy；
or refinementpeople were nice in their dress；
in their sentiments； or their choice。 But now every
commendation on every subject is comprised in that one word。〃
〃While； in fact；〃 cried his sister； 〃it ought only
to be applied to you； without any commendation at all。
You are more nice than wise。 Come； Miss Morland；
let us leave him to meditate over our faults in the utmost
propriety of diction； while we praise Udolpho in whatever
terms we like best。 It is a most interesting work。
You are fond of that kind of reading？〃
〃To say the truth； I do not much like any other。〃
〃Indeed！〃
〃That is； I can read poetry and plays； and things
of that sort； and do not dislike travels。 But history；
real solemn history； I cannot be interested in。
Can you？〃
〃Yes； I am fond of history。〃
〃I wish I were too。 I read it a little as a duty；
but it tells me nothing that does not either vex or weary me。
The quarrels of popes and kings； with wars or pestilences；
in every page； the men all so good for nothing；
and hardly any women at allit is very tiresome：
and yet I often think it odd that it should be so dull；
for a great deal of it must be invention。 The speeches
that are put into the heroes' mouths； their thoughts
and designsthe chief of all this must be invention；
and invention is what delights me in other books。〃
〃Historians； you think；〃 said Miss Tilney； 〃are not
happy in their flights of fancy。 They display imagination
without raising interest。 I am fond of historyand am
very well contented to take the false with the true。
In the principal facts they have sources of intelligence
in former histories and records； which may be as much
depended on； I conclude； as anything that does not actually
pass under one's own observation； and as for the little
embellishments you speak of； they are embellishments；
and I like them as such。 If a speech be well drawn up；
I read it with pleasure； by whomsoever it may be madeand
probably with much greater； if the production of Mr。 Hume
or Mr。 Robertson； than if the genuine words of Caractacus；
Agricola； or Alfred the Great。〃
〃You are fond of history！ And so are Mr。 Allen and
my father； and I have two brothers who do not dislike it。
So many instances within my small circle of friends is
remarkable！ At this rate； I shall not pity the writers
of history any longer。 If people like to read their books；
it is all very well； but to be at so much trouble in filling
great volumes； which； as I used to think； nobody would
willingly ever look into； to be labouring only for the torment
of little boys and girls； always struck me as a hard fate；
and though I know it is all very right and necessary；
I have often wondered at the person's courage that could
sit down on purpose to do it。〃
〃That little boys and girls should be tormented；〃
said Henry； 〃is what no one at all acquainted with human
nature in a civilized state can deny； but in behalf
of our most distinguished historians； I must observe
that they might well be offended at being supposed to
have no higher aim； and that by their method and style；
they are perfectly well qualified to torment readers
of the most advanced reason and mature time of life。
I use the verb 'to torment；' as I observed to be your
own method； instead of 'to instruct；' supposing them to be
now admitted as synonymous。〃
〃You think me foolish to call instruction a torment；
but if you had been as much used as myself to hear poor
little children first learning their letters and then
learning to spell； if you had ever seen how stupid they
they can be for a whole morning together； and how tired
my poor mother is at the end of it； as I am in the habit
of seeing almost every day of my life at home； you would
allow that 'to torment' and 'to instruct' might sometimes
be used as synonymous words。〃
〃Very probably。 But historians are not accountable
for the difficulty of learning to read； and even you yourself；
who do not altogether seem particularly friendly to
very severe； very intense application； may perhaps be
brought to acknowledge that it is very well worth…while
to be tormented for two or three years of one's life；
for the sake of being able to read all the rest of it。
Considerif reading had not been taught； Mrs。 Radcliffe
would have written in vainor perhaps might not have
written at all。〃
Catherine assentedand a very warm panegyric
from her on that lady's merits closed the subject。
The Tilneys were soon engaged in another on which she
had nothing to say。 They were viewing the country with
the eyes of persons accustomed to drawing； and decided on
its capability of being formed into pictures； with all the
eagerness of real taste。 Here Catherine was quite lost。
She knew nothing of drawingnothing of taste： and she
listened to them with an attention which brought her
little profit； for they talked in phrases which conveyed
scarcely any idea to her。 The little which she could
understand； however； appeared to contradict the very few
notions she had entertained on the matter before。
It seemed as if a good view were no longer to be taken
from the top of an high hill； and that a clear blue
sky was no longer a proof of a fine day。 She was
heartily ashamed of her ignorance。 A misplaced shame。
Where people wish to attach； they should always be ignorant。
To come with a well…informed mind is to come with an
inability of administering to the vanity of others；
which a sensible person would always wish to avoid。
A woman especially； if she have the misfortune
of knowing anything； should conceal it as well as she can。
The advantages of natural folly in a beautiful
girl have been already set forth by the capital pen
of a sister author； and to her treatment of the subject
I will only add； in justice to men； that though to the
larger and more trifling part of the sex； imbecility in
females is a great enhancement of their personal charms；
there is a portion of them too reasonable and too well
informed themselves to desire anything more in woman
than ignorance。 But Catherine did not know her own
advantagesdid not know that a good…looking girl； with an
affectionate heart and a very ignorant mind； cannot fail
of attracting a clever young man； unless circumstances
are particularly untoward。 In the present instance；
she confessed and lamented her want of knowledge； declared that
she would give anything in the world to be able to draw；
and a lecture on the picturesque immediately followed；
in which his instructions were so clear that she soon
began to see beauty in everything admired by him；
and her attention was so earnest that he became perfectly
satisfied of her having a great deal of natural taste。
He talked of foregrounds； distances； and second
distancesside…screens and perspectiveslights and shades；
and Catherine was so hopeful a scholar that when they gained
the top of Beechen Cliff； she voluntarily rejected the whole
city of Bath as unworthy to make part of a landscape。
Delighted with her progress； and fearful of wearying her with
too much wisdom at once； Henry suffered the subject to decline；
and by an easy transition from a piece of rocky fragment
and the withered oak which he had placed near its summit；
to oaks in general； to forests； the enclosure of them；
waste lands； crown lands and government； he shortly
found himself arrived at politics； and from politics；
it was an easy step to s