Theworstofitwasthatshehadnoaptitudeforliterature。Shedidnotlikephrases。Shehadevensomenaturalantipathytothatprocessofself-examination，thatperpetualefforttounderstandone\'sownfeeling，andexpressitbeautifully，fitly，orenergeticallyinlanguage，whichconstitutedsogreatapartofhermother\'sexistence。
Shewas，onthecontrary，inclinedtobesilent；sheshrankfromexpressingherselfevenintalk，letaloneinwriting。Asthisdispositionwashighlyconvenientinafamilymuchgiventothemanufactureofphrases，andseemedtoargueacorrespondingcapacityforaction，shewas，fromherchildhoodeven，putinchargeofhouseholdaffairs。Shehadthereputation，whichnothinginhermannercontradicted，ofbeingthemostpracticalofpeople。Orderingmeals，directingservants，payingbills，andsocontrivingthateveryclocktickedmoreorlessaccuratelyintime，andanumberofvaseswerealwaysfulloffreshflowerswassupposedtobeanaturalendowmentofhers，and，indeed，Mrs。Hilberyoftenobservedthatitwaspoetrythewrongsideout。Fromaveryearlyage，too，shehadtoexertherselfinanothercapacity；shehadtocounselandhelpandgenerallysustainhermother。Mrs。Hilberywouldhavebeenperfectlywellabletosustainherselfiftheworldhadbeenwhattheworldisnot。Shewasbeautifullyadaptedforlifeinanotherplanet。Butthenaturalgeniusshehadforconductingaffairstherewasofnorealusetoherhere。
Herwatch，forexample，wasaconstantsourceofsurprisetoher，andattheageofsixty-fiveshewasstillamazedattheascendancywhichrulesandreasonsexertedoverthelivesofotherpeople。Shehadneverlearntherlesson，andhadconstantlytobepunishedforherignorance。Butasthatignorancewascombinedwithafinenaturalinsightwhichsawdeepwheneveritsawatall，itwasnotpossibletowriteMrs。Hilberyoffamongthedunces；onthecontrary，shehadawayofseemingthewisestpersonintheroom。But，onthewhole，shefounditverynecessarytoseeksupportinherdaughter。
Katharine，thus，wasamemberofaverygreatprofessionwhichhas，asyet，notitleandverylittlerecognition，althoughthelaborofmillandfactoryis，perhaps，nomoresevereandtheresultsoflessbenefittotheworld。Shelivedathome。Shediditverywell，too。
AnyonecomingtothehouseinCheyneWalkfeltthatherewasanorderlyplace，shapely，controlled——aplacewherelifehadbeentrainedtoshowtothebestadvantage，and，thoughcomposedofdifferentelements，madetoappearharmoniousandwithacharacterofitsown。PerhapsitwasthechieftriumphofKatharine\'sartthatMrs。