her, adhering as well as I could to old Anne's advice, to say nothing while I was angry. I was rewarded for my forbearance, as a new object of interest withdrew her attention from me.

Her father had received a letter, which (unlike the usual habit of the family, read aloud or left lying about,) was silently pored over and then buttoned up safe in his pocket. She might have lost sight of this unusual circumstance, but her father desired her mother's presence in his private study, and as the door shut upon them, she saw him drawing the mysterious letter from his pocket.

This caused her energies to be wholly employed in discovering the secret; so that I became no longer an object of interest. As I do not remember whether she was successful or not, I conclude she found other matters on which to interest herself, as she was never either quiet or idle.

However, if a thing was to be done, and done quickly and well, Georgina was the person em

ployed: thus proving to me, another of old Anne's sayings, "None are so bad, but they have some virtue, and perhaps what you have not." I, therefore, bore patiently the worry she sometimes occasioned me, all the more from feeling I never would have troubled myself about others as she did.

Between her and her eldest sister, there was incessant war. The pain and amazement this caused me, can only be realised by those who, having passed a lonely childhood, are unaccustomed to the jars and discord of family circles. Or those, who still more like me, never heard so much as an angry expression.

There are people who may, perhaps, advocate that such scenes and struggles are not without their use; and domestic turmoils are but so much training for the wider area of the world. Forbearance and experience are thus learnt in the nursery. But to me, it has ever seemed that each quarrel brought forth more ill-will, and a deterioration of character ensued. Georgina,

after each conflict, was more obstinate, while Isabel's temper was blown into a gust with half a word. At first, I made rash attempts to mediate and soothe, the unwonted sight calling forth the tears, that seldom flowed even on the greatest occasions.

Isabel at sight of them wiped my tears, shook me, called me a little fool, went out of the room with the air of a queen and the manner of a hoyden, banging the door: while Georgina said, with triumph, “There, I think I have settled her this time."

Afterwards I learnt how useless was any sorrow in the matter, for between whiles they were as loving and friendly as the rest of their sisters.

The remainder of the feminine portion of the family were but counterparts of these two, all much younger; various brothers, now at school or elsewhere, filled up the gaps between them.

My uncle was quick and clever in his way; fond of literature and theories, the prevailing reign of each influencing the whole family.

My aunt liked gossip. I remember when she went to Dr. Davies for advice about her baby, who had had a convulsion fit, she stood for halfan-hour, with the remedy in her hand, listening to the particulars of an interesting case.

CHAPTER VIII.

"The full sum of me

Is sum of something which, to term in gross,
Is an unlessoned girl, unschooled, unpractised;
Happy in this, she is not yet so old

But she may learn; happier than this,
She is not bred so dull, but she can learn."

SHAKESPEARE.

I STAYED two years with my uncle, and became fourteen years old. I liked him well. It was a diversion in our usual lives, to be under the influence of one of his theories, whether it advocated the universal inhalement of fresh air, or the absolute necessity of a strict attention to one line of study. The mode of study underwent various changes. Sometimes we were to