Sentence:  When it came to his turn to mention Sir John Sparkle, he represented him as a man of an immense estate and narrow disposition, who <WSD>mewed</WSD> up his only child, a fine young lady, from the conversation of mankind, under the strict watch and inspection of an old governante, who was either so honest, envious, or insatiable, that nobody had been as yet able to make her a friend, or get access to her charge, though numbers attempted it every day ... 
Meaning of the word marked with <WSD> tags:  To shut away, confine, lock up.