Susan. Very soon after her ladyship arrived from India, she and her sister, the colonel's lady, came to see me, and often returned. Every time they came, they questioned, and cross-questioned me about the way I brought up my children, and when satisfied, Lady M. proposed to take Theresa, Lady L.'s name-daughter, into her nursery.

Lizzy. Many's the question Lady M. put to me about the way you brought up your little ones; for her ladyship said, if you were negligent or harsh, your daughters would be the same, as nursery maids; but if they had from their mother the constant example of care, tenderness, and pa tience, it might be expected that habit would make Theresa a valuable nurse.

Susan. When Theresa is fourteen, if Lady M. is still willing to receive her, she will be at her ladyship's service; but till that age, however pure her principles may be, I could not depend upon her habits, though since she was three months old, and ever after, it has been the study of my life to keep her from bad customs.

*

Betty. How do you contrive to keep a school, and to make such an endless fuss about keeping your little ones from ill customs.

Susan. I believe you know I had four children in America; two girls and two boys; and I then had no charge but my children. My husband too, looked over them a good deal, till our dear master's health gave way. I gained considerably by working at needlework; but I never allowed the greed for a penny to take up the attention necessary in curbing the first appearance of evil in my infants. My girl, therefore, was of no small advantage to her brother and her younger sister; and these three brought up under constant, but gentle restraint, gave good example and advice to the rest. I had my fifth child on the passage home, and young as Theresa was, she proved a willing attendant.

on

on me and her disabled father. When we both took up school, we resolved, in earning bread for our little ones, not to lose sight of what was of more importance than food or raiment-their morals. We kept them with ourselves in either of the schools, and they gave very little interruption; for children that are treated mildly, will be mild and tractable.

Betty. Yet Lizzy, when I staid a few days with you last year, you woudn't stir off your stool to please your darling boy; and you spoke to him as if he were ten years

of age.

Lizzy. Though he did not understand my words; yet, as Lady L. often said to me, the tone of the voice affects a child's feelings, and you saw that the calm authority I expressed soon composed him. If I had humoured him in getting up, or in giving him the things he cried for, he would always roar and murmur when he wished for dandling or playthings; but finding nothing was to be gained by anger or whimpering, he gave it up ;-and surely it was better to curb his passions, and form his habits in that manner, than to indulge him for a year or two, till he became perverse and obstinate; and then to beat him for faults I might have prevented.

Dick. Better to take Lizzy's way than to be forced to shake and slap a poor dear when his mammy is not in humour for his vagaries.

Susan. I have had nine children, but I never gave a shake or a slap to one of them, neither as a nursery-maid or mother; and yet, before my little ones could speak one word, they had learnt to obey, because I never gave way to them in any improper demand.

Roger. Yet you nursed twins, taught a school, and kept your house so clean and orderly, that the wisest mothers held you up as a pattern to the girls they sent to

learn.

learn sewing with you, and begged you would also give them lessons in housekeeping.

Susan. I owed that credit to my dutiful children. To be sure I took great pains in teaching them such work as their little hands could accomplish, but richly have they paid me. Early in the morning they get up at the first call, for I never awoke them roughly. It is hurtful both to the health and temper of young creatures, to startle them from their sweet sleep by an angry boisterous voice: and love, and a wish to help a kind mother, is a stronger motive than even fear, as I have found to my great happiness;-for, at the first word, my girls are out of bedthey dress as fast as possible, and every one tries to assist in arranging matters for the day. All that can be done or settled, we take care to have prepared over night; so we are never greatly hurried in the morning, though I must be ready to go into the school by seven o'clock. Then the children all must go to the school-room; some to work, and some to take care of the very little ones, in turns; for though I have great dependance on the good intentions of these poor things, I never allow them to go in the way of temptation.

Betty. How can all these flim flams come into your head?

Roger. Susan was always ready to listen to good advice; she had a worthy well-informed mistress when she was young; yet she did not disdain to give great attention to Lady L's. books of instruction, which were gifted to every family on my lord's property, and to many besides. Terence had a copy, and his wife will tell you it was her favourite study, and of great use to her.

Betty. When you have brought up half-a-score, or halfa-dozen of children, Roger, you may speak; but till then I'll seek counsel from such as Terence and his wife, whose boys

boys and girls shew what may be done by good rearing. Susan. I must in justice confess, I got many good maxims from Roger. My husband and I were strangers to what might exactly suit the customs of this country, and Roger was our counsellor.

Roger. I have but one child of my own, 'tis true, but I have heard, seen, and reflected on the treatment of youth, more than many hoary-headed fathers of a numerous race. My father-in-law was confessedly one of the most sagacious, well-informed, and worthy of his rank in the country. His wife was Lady L's. pupil, and had few equals in her station, for understanding, intelligence, and that heartfelt piety, which shines forth in strict integrity.

This worthy couple had hard struggles to maintain and educate thirteen children; but in all their difficulties it was their first care to form the morals, and to cultivate the rational faculties of their offspring. I was a wretched infant when placed under their protection; and they treated me as if I had been their own.. They had then only a son and daughter, so I was older than eleven of my foster brothers and sisters; and not being able for the sports in which other youngsters delighted, my adopted parents led me to console myself by attending to my better part, which I verily believe contributed largely to invigorate my decrepid body. The energy and enlargement my mind acquired, animated me to exertions of my physical strength. I attempted to keep pace with lads twice my bulk, and I did not attempt in vain to work as much as they. But I required more rest, and instead of running, leaping, or wrestling with my foster-father's sons and apprentices, I took my book as a recreation, after the day's labour was over; or I conversed with William and his wife, who were generally occupied by some subject connected with the improvement of their family; and we never sat down to a meal

that

that they did not turn the conversation so as without seeming to dictate to us the subject, it inculcated truths of unspeakable advantage to our principles and opinions. In short, before I was seventeen, I was convinced that the tuition of infancy and childhood was the most important business of human life; and fond as I was of my trade as a gardener, I was not less anxious in collecting facts that might elucidate the most efficacious means for influencing the sentiments of youth.

Lizzy. Let me assure you, Betty, you need not disdain to take a hint from Roger, Lady L. herself bore testimony to his penetration and judgement respecting the management of little ones. In her last illness, her ladyship made painful exertions to prepare a second edition of her simple, but most beneficial, work on Cottage Education. She removed to the villa near those nurseries that were directed by William Stevenson. People in general supposed Lady L. went there for change of air; but I soon saw her chief object was in conversing with William Stevenson and his wife, to draw from their experience many facts which her exalted condition kept from her view. William said that Roger was a more correct registrator than he or his wife, and my lady after some discourse with him allowed he had such a lively way of explaining her remarks, that it cost very little trouble to set them down.

Betty. Alack a-day! such a fuss about making poor folks children good and knowing! Better for them to learn to gain a morsel for their teeth.

Terence. But they will gain that morsel with more certainty, and relish it infinitely more, if they have been taught to be good and knowing.

Dick. I am a poor hand to speak about books, that can hardly spell my own name. More the shame to me, for in the ould lady's time I mought'a laarnt a little if I

hadn't