“of fashionable education, of which both sexes are the advocates, and yours eminently the victims.  If I could foresee that Theo would become a mere fashionable woman, with all the attendant frivolity and vacuity of mind, adorned with whatever grace and allurement, I would earnestly pray God to take her forthwith hence.  But I yet hope by her to convince the world what neither sex appears to believe, that women have souls.”

How faithfully, how skilfully he labored to kindle and nourish the intelligence of his child his letters to her attest.  He was never too busy to spare a half-hour in answering her letters.  In a country court-room, in the Senate-chamber, he wrote her brief and sprightly notes, correcting her spelling, complimenting her style, reproving her indolence, praising her industry, commenting on her authors.  Rigorous taskmaster as he was, he had a strong sense of the value of just commendation, and he continued to mingle praise very happily with reproof.  A few sentences from his letters to her will serve to show his manner.

(In her tenth year.)—­

“I rose up suddenly from the sofa, and rubbing my head, ‘What book shall I buy for her?’ said I to myself.  ’She reads so much and so rapidly that it is not easy to find proper and amusing French books for her; and yet I am so flattered with her progress in that language that I am resolved she shall, at all events, be gratified.  Indeed I owe it to her.’  So, after walking once or twice briskly across the floor, I took my hat and sallied out, determined not to return till I had purchased something.  It was not my first attempt.  I went into one bookseller’s shop after another.  I found plenty of fairy tales and such nonsense, fit for the generality of children nine or ten years old.  ‘These,’ said I, ’will never do.  Her understanding begins to be above such things’; but I could see nothing that I would offer with pleasure to an intelligent, well-informed girl nine years old.  I began to be discouraged.  The hour of dining was come.  ‘But I will search a little longer,’ I persevered.  At last I found it.  I found the very thing I sought.  It is contained in two volumes octavo, handsomely bound, and with prints and registers.  It is a work of fancy, but replete with instruction and amusement.  I must present it with my own hand.”

He advised her to keep a diary; and to give her an idea of what she should record, he wrote for her such a journal of one day as he should like to receive.

Plan of the Journal.—­

“Learned 230 lines, which finished Horace.  Heigh-ho for Terence and the Greek Grammar to-morrow.  Practised two hours less thirty-five minutes, which I begged off.  Hewlett (dancing-master) did not come.  Began Gibbon last evening.  I find he requires as much study and attention as Horace; so I shall not rank the reading of him among amusements.  Skated an hour; fell twenty times, and find the