even the greatest criminals to trust for pardon if penitent, has supported me, and my sufferings have now subsided into a settled melancholy; which at times has even something not unpleasing in it, and which admits of all the rational comforts of life, in the enjoyment of the society of my children, and even a delight in contemplating the success of my labours

for their improvement. But these satisfactions must ever be mixed with that allay which remembrance mingles with every rising consolation. This temper renders my company little amusing to those whom accident has introduced to my acquaintance, and on the other hand wholly unfits me for intercourse with the world; so that I have continued to live from choice in a retirement which has been only once enlivened by a kind visit of some months from my dear Benseley, and within these two years by the agreeable society of my friend Mr. Howard, whose acquaintance and friendship I regard as a signal favour from heaven to soothe and console me. He has indeed beguiled many a lonely hour by the mild good sense of his conversation—hours which otherwise would have proved dismal and irksome; for where reflection gives no comfort, time fails of its usual power of lulling pain.

Immediately on my departure, I assumed the name of Seymour, that no trace might remain to lead any of my former acquaintance to the knowledge of my abode. Even the good woman Mrs. Benton, whom Benseley procured to take charge of you as governess, knew me but under that borrowed appearance, and was ignorant to her death of the truth. That event, which happened some years after I settled at B—, obliged me unwillingly to send you to the convent of — for further instruction in the different branches of education, instead of supplying her loss by another tutoress in the same line; for though this might have been perhaps procured, I knew not where to apply: Benseley was not at that time in a situation, from various circumstances, to exert himself in finding a person properly qualified, and he was the only one on

whom I could rely in a matter of such infinite moment.
I did not think myself at liberty to deprive either of you of the little accomplishments of your sex; the principal advantages resulting from which are the amusement they bestow in solitude; neither did I consider it as allowable to seclude you from forming those soft ties and delightful connections of friendship, with girls of your own age, which are the growth of that happy period of our lives and almost belong solely to it; while on the other hand, besides parting from you for so long a space of time,