WITH HIS CHILDREN. Ill 



which nothing could have changed. All her movements 

 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 exagger- 

 ated language, and when I quizzed her by exaggerating what 

 she had said, how clearly can I now see the little toss of the 

 head, and exclamation of ' Oh, papa what a shame of you ! ' 

 In the last short illness her conduct in simple truth was an- 

 gelic. She never once complained ; never became fretful ; 

 was ever considerate of others, and was thankful in the most 

 gentle, pathetic manner for everything done for her. When 

 so exhausted that she could hardly speak, she praised every- 

 thing that was given her, and said some tea ' was beautifully 

 good.' When I gave her some water she said, ' I quite thank 

 you; ' and these, I believe, were the last precious words ever 

 addressed by her dear lips to me. 



"We have lost the joy of the household, and the solace 

 of our old age. She must have known how we loved her. 

 Oh, that she could now know how deeply, how tenderly, 

 we do still and shall ever love her dear joyous face ! Bless- 

 ings on her ! 



"April 30, 185 1." 



We his children all took especial pleasure in the games he 

 played at with us, but I do not think he romped much with 

 us ; I suppose his health prevented any rough play. He used 

 sometimes to tell us stories, which were considered especially 

 delightful, partly on account of their rarity. 



The way he brought us up is shown by a little story about 

 my brother Leonard, which my father was fond of telling. 

 He came into the drawing-room and found Leonard dancing 

 about on the sofa, which was forbidden, for the sake of the 

 springs, and said, " Oh, Lenny, Lenny, that's against all rules," 

 and received for answer, " Then I think you'd better go out 



