CHAP. I.] Early Recollections. 11 



the entrance of our street-door, when he glided like a 

 shadow along, wrapped in a great coat, followed by my mother 

 with a parcel containing his accoutrements. After he had 

 succeeded in passing unnoticed beyond the last sentinel 

 at Herrenhausen he changed his dress. . . . My brother's 

 keeping himself so carefully from all notice was undoubtedly 

 to avoid the danger of being pressed, for all unengaged 

 young men were forced into the sendee. Even the clergy, 

 unless they had livings, were not exempted." 



During these times of public and private peril, the 

 little girl was sent regularly to the garrison school with 

 her brother Alexander till three in the afternoon, when 

 she went to another school till six, to learn knitting. 



" From that time forward I was fully employed in pro- 

 viding my brothers with stockings, and remember that the 

 first paii % for Alexander touched the floor when I stood 

 upright finishing the front. Besides this my pen was 

 frequently in requisition for writing not only my mother's 

 letters to my father, but for many a poor soldier's wife in 

 our neighbourhood to her husband in the camp : for it 

 ought to be remembered that in the beginning of the last 

 century very few women, when they left country schools, 

 had been taught to write." 



In addition to these occupations, she was called upon 

 to make herself useful when the fastidious Jacob 

 honoured the humble table with his presence, " and 

 poor I got many a whipping for being awkward at sup- 

 plying the place of footman or waiter." The sight of 

 her mother constantly in tears ; the prolonged absence 



