the diseases of infancy, two beautiful beings soon lay like sculptured marble. With the assiduous care of the mother, the result might indeed have been the same, and yet it was a touching and mournful thought at this time of sorrow, that it had been a principal object, ever since their birth, to have them kept out of the way. And now they had gone to return no more.

But will He who gave us our children, justify us in devising means to have them put out of our way? Was it to be supposed that the mother, on whose bosom he laid them, would be mainly anxious to escape from their care? that she should find her nerves so much injured by their merry voices, their healthful play, or their active curiosity, as to be willing to endanger their wellbeing, if they might only be removed from her presence?

I am aware that these thoughts on domestic education may be deemed prolix. And yet it would be easier to apologize for saying so much, than to satisfy the conscience for having said so little so important is it, that mothers be aroused to do more for the true welfare of their children than they have hitherto done. "No instruction," says an eloquent French writer, "will throw deep roots into a country, unless it reach children through the mother, and men through women. The public instructor is only a dry instrument,

who teaches the alphabet; the mother of a family is a moral power, ripening thought, at the same time that she opens hearts to love, and souls to charity."

It is not to be expected, that all who might desire it, are so situated as to be able to take charge of the education of their children. Still there are many whom fortune favours, who have "no heart for the matter." It would seem the duty of those mothers to attempt it, who are relieved from the necessity of labour for their subsistence, who have comfortable health, a competent share of knowledge, and minds open to improvement, especially if they have a rural situation, where their little pupils can enjoy free exercise, a room which can be devoted exclusively to their instruction, and in the family a sister, friend, or welltrained dependent, capable of acting as assistant or substitute.

Let us keep our children for our own, during their earlier years. The world will have them long enough afterwards.

LETTER XI.

IDIOM OF CHARACTER.

ONE striking advantage of a system of education conducted at home, is, that it may be adapted to the different dispositions of its subjects. In a school, this is almost impossible. Had the teacher the tact to discover the nameless idiosyncracies of those under his care, the very nature of his office would preclude him from thoroughly availing himself of that knowledge. His code of laws cannot bend to the differing taste, and construction of his pupils. How can he turn aside from the labours of scholastick culture, to study the end less variety of character, and to inquire whose feeble virtue needs a prop, or whose timid intellect, encouragement.

This knowledge of the varying nature of her children, is almost intuitive to a discerning mother. Those who have reared large families, assert that there are no two alike. The self-confidence of one requires restraint, and the diffidence of another seeks a sheltering kindness; one is controuled through the affections, another, by arguments

addressed to the understanding; to one, the reproof of the eye brings tears; another must have the induction of particulars, and the poignancy of remonstrance, or of suffering, to produce contrition. The evil of subjecting all to the same discipline, must be obvious. Yet, where they are cultivated in masses, it seems inevitable. Some are so utterly confounded by the presence of superiors, as never to do themselves justice; others with a reckless hardihood pass on, disguising both superficial attainment and defective principle. Some Cowper may shrink and agonize, unpitied; some Benedict Arnold wear his traitor's mask undetected; some Buonaparte enact on a miniature scale, schemes of latent ambition, or of petty tyranny.

These elements of character, the mother has the means of discovering, and should attempt the task to rectify. She would blame the folly of the gardener, who should plunge the amaryllis in dry sand, or shelter the arctic pine in his green-house: let her avoid similar errors in the nurture of plants that are to exist forever.

Home-education is often a source of great happiness to its subjects. An instance of it is thus described by a father, who, with the assistance of the mother, took charge of his son's intellectual culture, from his earliest years, and found it an employment imparting perpetual delight:

"His first perceivable inclination, was for draw

ing, in which he engaged when almost an infant. While occupied in this favourite amusement, a dissected alphabet was placed before him, and so great was his desire to furnish his little drawings with suitable titles, that he soon made himself master of it.

"Now, a new field of pleasure was opened for him to range in, and from the productions of the pencil, his mind was turned to the various arrangements, and combinations of these letters. So, that, at an age, when many children have scarcely learned their names, he was forming them into short sentences, not only of a playful, but of a devotional cast. This not only ascertained the growth of his intellectual powers, but gave satisfactory assurance to his affectionate parents, that their pious instructions had not been lost upon his tender heart.

"As the higher branches of knowledge allured him, he devoted himself assiduously to their acquisition. He was cheerfully prepared for every necessary exercise, and always inclined rather to exceed, than to fall short of his appointed task. He complained of no difficulty, he solicited no help. He considered the little labours of every day, as a reasonable service, and readily, on all occasions, submitted his will to that of his father. During his studies, his sweet and placid disposition was constantly displaying itself.