readiness to admit his ignorance and to confess his faults, make him appear much more amiable than the other, although his good as well as his bad feelings are much less strong; and he is, therefore, much more liable to be led astray. I observe that, in asking questions of me about my travels, he is as much the opposite of his brother as in other things. He will very often, in his haste, or merely to show that he is attentive to what is said, ask questions which, if he considered a little, he could answer for himself. Jane is nearly eight years of age; and I hardly know how to describe her. She is a little old woman in her way; she has as much confidence in herself as her elder brother, but it is not of the same sort, or shewn in the same manner. If I am speaking about something which Henry and Frank find it hard to understand, she wonders where the difficulty is; she sees no difficulty at all; she is puzzled to think how they should be so dull, and undertakes to give an explanation. This obliges me to give my explanation, which makes hers seem so silly, that if it were Henry's case

he would be ready to die with shame; but she only laughs, kisses me, and then turns to repeat my explanation, in her own comical way, to her doll. She often provokes Henry very much by volunteering to give an answer to the questions which he brings himself to ask me.

6

Such were the little people for whom it became both my duty and inclination to provide in the best manner I could. I soon made a purchase of a nice house with extensive grounds, about four miles from London. It had been the custom to call it Grove House,' and I made no change in its name. To this house I removed the family of my brother, giving the management of all its concerns to his widow, whom I found to be a very amiable and careful lady. She undertook the education of Jane, and I got a very accomplished gentleman, named Dillon, to come and live with us, for the purpose of educating the boys under my own eyes.

I soon found that the young 'people were very anxious to hear me talk about my travels; and after I had often done so at their desire, Mr.

Dillon, who is a very regular man, told me he thought it would be best if I set apart two evenings in the week for the purpose. I agreed with him; and we fixed upon Tuesday and Friday evenings as the most convenient. We began this plan a little before last Christmas; and since then the children, with their mother and Mr. Dillon, have come regularly to my library at the appointed times, and after we have settled ourselves comfortably around the fire, and I have placed upon the table such books, maps, and drawings as I shall want, we begin our conversation in the manner you will presently see. I am thinking that, now the days are become longer, and everything out of doors is so pleasant, we shall shortly hold our meetings under the great walnut-tree on the other side of the lawn; but we have not quite made up our minds about it at present.

It is Mr. Dillon who has persuaded me to print this book. After a few evenings he came and told me very seriously, that he thought my accounts of foreign countries would be acceptable

to other young people as well as our own; and that, if I had no objection, he would write out an account of what passed at our meetings, and then we could see whether it would be fit to be

printed or not. As I have much respect for Mr. Dillon's opinions, and as I have a great love for young people, and wish to do all I can to please them, I consented. We have begun with Persia. The first part speaks of the country. I fear it is not quite so entertaining as I hope to make the second part, which will describe the people and their customs.