From early childhood she has been determined to obtain an
education, and to attain to a certain standard. Where persons are
determined to be anything, they will be. I think, for this reason, she
will make a first-rate character. Such are my companions. We spend our
time in school during the day, and in studying in the evening. My plan
of study is to read rhetoric and prepare exercises for my class the
first half hour in the evening; after that the rest of the evening is
divided between French and Italian. Thus you see the plan of my
employment and the character of my immediate companions. Besides
these, there are others among the teachers and scholars who must exert
an influence over my character. Miss Degan, whose constant occupation
it is to make others laugh; Mrs. Gamage, her room-mate, a steady,
devoted, sincere Christian. . . . Little things have great power over
me, and if I meet with the least thing that crosses my feelings, I am
often rendered unhappy for days and weeks. . . . I wish I could bring
myself to feel perfectly indifferent to the opinions of others. I
believe that there never was a person more dependent on the good and
evil opinions of those around than I am. This desire to be loved
forms, I fear, the great motive for all my actions. . . . I have been
reading carefully the book of Job, and I do not think that it contains
the views of God which you presented to me.
Pages:
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70