WITH HIS CHILDREN. 133 



come running downstairs with a stolen pinch of snuff for me, 

 her whole form radiant with the pleasure of giving pleasure. 

 Even when playing with her cousins, when her joyousness 

 almost passed into boisterousness, a single glance of my eye, 

 not of displeasure (for I thank God I hardly ever cast one on 

 her), but of want of sympathy, would for some minutes alter 

 her whole countenance. 



" The other point in her character, which made her joyous- 

 ness and spirits so delightful, was her strong affection, which 

 was of a most clinging, fondling nature. When quite a baby, 

 this showed itself in never being easy without touching 

 her mother, when in bed with her ; and quite lately she would, 

 when poorly, fondle for any length of time one of her mother's 

 arms. When very unwell, her mother lying down beside her, 

 seemed to soothe her in a manner quite different from what 

 it would have done to any of our other children. So, again, 

 she would at almost any time spend half an hour in arranging 

 my hair, ' making it,' as she called it, ' beautiful,' or in smooth- 

 ing, the poor dear darling, my collar or cuffs in short, in 

 fondling me. 



" Besides her joyousness thus tempered, she was in her 

 manners remarkably cordial, frank, open, straightforward, 

 natural, and without any shade of reserve. Her whole mind 

 was pure and transparent. One felt one knew her thoroughly 

 and could trust her. I always thought, that come what 

 might, we should have had in our old age, at least one loving 

 soul, which nothing could have changed. All her move- 

 ments were vigorous, active, and usually graceful. When 

 going round the Sand-walk with me, although I walked fast, 

 yet she often used to go before, pirouetting in the most 

 elegant way, her dear face bright all the time with the 

 sweetest smiles. Occasionally she had a pretty coquettish 

 manner towards me, the memory of which is charming. 

 She often used exaggerated language, and when I quizzed 

 her by exaggerating what she had said, how clearly can 



