UNCLE IN ENGLAND. 93 



inattention, from repeating phrases which they 

 do not comprehend." 



" You know, my dear Madam," said my uncle, 

 " that in education nothing should be done with- 

 out object. Let us consider the object of teaching 

 a young child to pray : is it not to give it an 

 early feeling of devotion, and to implant the seed 

 of what we hope will grow and ripen with the 

 child's increasing strength?" 



" Oh! surely, that, you know, is what I mean," 

 said the lady. 



" Therefore," said my uncle, " I would en- 

 deavour to lead the little heart to rational prayer, 

 and to real piety, by teaching it only what suits 

 its comprehension, and never suffering it to 

 repeat, by rote, what it cannot distinctly follow." 



" Then I suppose," said she, " that you would 

 not take children to church." 



" Certainly not, while their minds are still in 

 an infantine state." 



" We have never taken any of our children to 

 church," said my aunt, " till they had obtained 

 a certain portion of religious knowledge. The 

 consequence has been what we expected ; for I 

 must say, that our children are not only remark- 

 ably attentive to the service of the church, but 

 do, I believe, really join in it with their hearts." 



The lady appeared to be satisfied ; and my 

 uncle, turning to me, said, <e Bertha, my dear, 

 pray tell your mother what we have just been 



