164 A Century of Family Letters [CHAP, xn 



little cherubs in white frocks and pink sashes, but on the 

 contrary perhaps, for the most part, pale, sickly, and dirty 

 little children ; but this will enhance the virtue of those who 

 seek them out. I admire Caroline's animation about it, her 

 perseverance, her gentleness to the children, and I thought 

 all the time how happy the man who should call her his wife, 

 and how much I should like my Joe to be that man. 



Are you not surprized at Sarah's going to build on Maer 

 Heath ? I am very glad of it, for I think it will give her 

 interest and occupation. You can't think how happy she 

 seems in making her plan and settling the site of her new 

 abode, and she says she is quite amazed at herself that she 

 should ever build a house with a south aspect, a cross light, 

 and a bow window ! all of which she now meditates. 



Kitty Wedgwood, the eldest unmarried sister of Josiah 

 Wedgwood of Maer, had died in 1823. She must have been 

 a woman of striking though reserved character. Dr Darwin 

 used to say she was the only woman he ever knew who 

 thought for herself in matters of religion. This death left 

 her sister Sarah quite alone, and she now left Parkfields 

 in order to live near Maer. 



