Although her school labors were exacting, she carried on a large correspondence, spent a good deal of time in her favorite religious reading, and together with Miss Susan Lord, the senior teacher and an old Portland friend, pursued a course of study in French and Italian.  At the table Mr. Persico spoke French, and in this way she was enabled to perfect herself in the practice of that language.  Of her spiritual history and of incidents of her school life during the new year, some extracts from letters to her cousin will give her own account.

RICHMOND, January 3, 1841.

If I tell you that I am going to take under my especial care and protection one of the family—­a little girl of eleven years whom nobody can manage at all, you may wonder why.  I found on my plate at dinner a note from Mrs. Persico saying that if I wanted an opportunity of doing good, here was one; that if Nannie could sleep in my room, etc., it might be of great benefit to her.  The only reason why I hesitated was the fear that she might be in the way of our best hours.  But I have thought all along that I was living too much at my ease, and wanted a place in which to deny myself for the sake of the One who yielded up every comfort for my sake.  Nannie has a fine character but has been mismanaged at home, and since coming here.  She often comes and puts her arms around me and says, “There is one in this house who loves me, I do know.”  I receive her as a trust from God, with earnest prayer to Him that we may be enabled to be of use to her.  From morning to night she is found fault with, and this is spoiling her temper and teaching her to be deceitful....  I have been reading lately the Memoir of Martyn.  I have, of course, read it more than once before, but everything appears to me now in such a different light.  I rejoice that I have been led to read the book just now.  It has put within me new and peculiar desires to live wholly for the glory of God.

Jan.13th.—­I understand the feeling about wishing one’s self a dog, or an animal without a soul.  I have sat and watched a little kitten frisking about in the sunshine till I could hardly help killing it in my envy—­but oh, how different it is now!  I have felt lately that perhaps God has something for me to do in the world.  I am satisfied, indeed, that in calling me nearer to Himself He has intended to prepare me for His service.  Where that is to be is no concern of mine as yet.  I only wish to belong to Him and wait for His will, whatever it may be.

Jan. 14th.—­I used to go through with prayer merely as a duty, but now I look forward to the regular time for it, and hail opportunities for special seasons with such delight as I once knew nothing of.  Sometimes my heart feels ready to break for the longing it hath for a nearer approach to the Lord Jesus than I can obtain without the use of words, and there is not a corner of the house which