

62 BERTHA'S VISIT TO HER 



and agreeable things, and much gaiety too, are 

 always to be found, 



1 wish, Mamma, you could know your nieces. 

 There is a nice mixture of gaiety and steadiness 

 in both. Mary would be almost perfect, if she 

 were not too timid. Caroline is the handsomest; 

 she has such a fresh, bright complexion, and 

 such pretty waving ringlets ; yet she never 

 seems to think of herself or her beauty. She 

 is very active and very useful ; always punctual, 

 and ever ready to oblige and assist others, to 

 walk out or stay at home with them to search 

 for a book, or to hunt out a passage in it to 

 converse or to remain silent. Yet she contrives 

 to have time for all her own employments, and 

 to lay up stores of knowledge, which are always 

 ready when called for. Her temper is so mild, 

 and her feelings are so much under her own 

 controul, that one does not at first see exactly 

 how much she enters into those of other people ; 

 but every day, her character has opened more 

 and more to my observation. 



Grace is a dear, little, animated creature 

 very obedient in general, very intelligent, and my 

 uncle's play-fellow, but never spoiled. What a 

 pity you cannot see all these children of a brother 

 you love so much. My aunt often expresses 

 her anxiety for your return ; she says, that if 

 my uncle and she had their dear sister within 

 reach of them, their family happiness would be 

 complete. 



