270 BERTHA'S VISIT TO HER 



wood. Was not that, Mary, from the impulse 

 of genius ?" 



" I see," aid Wentworth, " that Mary does 

 not think herself quite conquered ; but as it is 

 going to rain, suppose we adjourn the debate, 

 as papa says, to another day. Caroline shall 

 then have Bertha on her side ; I will do my best 

 for Mary, as a true knight is bound to assist the 

 weak ; and Frederick shall be the umpire, and 

 adjudge the wreath of victory." 



We all agreed to this plan ; and I am sure it 

 will produce a great deal of amusement. My 

 uncle and aunt approve of these good-humoured 

 contests, in which we never lose our temper, and 

 all gain information. 



llth. Our genius conversation of yesterday 

 having been mentioned in the evening at tea, 

 my aunt encouraged us to repeat our argu- 

 ments, and to defend them by fresh examples ; 

 and my uncle so nicely threw himself, sometimes 

 into one scale, and sometimes into the other, that 

 both parties valued themselves on his support. 

 I am rather in doubt which will amuse you most, 

 the anecdotes of various people that he related, 

 or some circumstances in Canova's life that my 

 aunt afterwards told us : I believe these interested 

 me the most, so I shall begin with them. 



" The beautiful country round Passagno, and 



