UNCLE IN ENGLAND. 203 



home ; and, among other things, a beautiful 

 little hymn, which we discovered was written by 

 Mrs. L. If I can, I will send it to you and 

 Marianne ; and, perhaps, some time or other, 

 we three may also sing it together. Oh ! when 

 will that time come ? 



Even now that I know their history, it is dif- 

 ficult to perceive in their appearance and manners 

 that they have lived in such complete retirement, 

 for they always express themselves in good lan- 

 guage ; and, though timid, they are not in the 

 least awkward. Whatever they do, they do well. 

 They are excellent arithmeticians, and answered 

 some puzzling questions of my uncle's with a 

 facility that surprised him. The power of cal- 

 culating in the head he thinks highly useful ; 

 and, on this occasion, he encouraged me to try 

 with the rest, by shewing me how to seize upon 

 the leading points of a question. At first I 

 made no attempt, but spent the time, that others 

 were at work, in thinking that I had no chance 

 of success. Having at last, however, recovered 

 from this silly fit, I exerted myself, and actually 

 gave the first answers to the three following 

 questions : though I will not say that some of 

 the party did not good-naturedly wait a little for 

 me. I send them to Marianne, though I know 

 they will appear trifling to her, for she was 

 always quicker at arithmetic than I was ; but tell 

 her the great thing is, to do them in her head. 



