yet. But still the dust went on falling till the whole
island, I am told, was covered an inch thick; and the same thing happened
in the other islands round. People thought--and they had reason to think
from what had often happened elsewhere--that though the dust might hurt
the crops for that year, it would make them richer in years to come,
because it would act as manure upon the soil; and so it did after a few
years; but it did terrible damage at the time, breaking off the boughs of
trees and covering up the crops; and in St. Vincent itself whole estates
were ruined. It was a frightful day, but I know well that behind that
How there was a Why for its happening, and happening too, about that very
time, which all who know the history of negro slavery in the West Indies
can guess for themselves, and confess, I hope, that in this case, as in
all others, when Lady Why seems most severe she is often most just and
kind.

Ah! my dear child, that I could go on talking to you of this for hours
and days! But I have time now only to teach you the alphabet of these
matters--and, indeed, I know little more than the alphabet myself; but if
the very letters of Madam How's book, and the mere A, B, AB, of it, which
I am trying to teach you, are so wonderful and so beautiful, what must
its sentences be and its chapters? And what must the whole book be like?
But that last none can read save He who wrote it before the worlds were
made.

But now I see you want to ask a question. Let us have it out. I would
sooner answer one question of yours than tell you ten things without your
asking.

Is there potash and magnesia and silicates in the soil here? And if
there is, where did they come from? For there are no volcanos in
England.

Yes. There are such things in the soil; and little enough of them, as
the farmers here know too well. For we here, in Windsor Forest, are on
the very poorest and almost the newest soil in England; and when Madam
How had used up all her good materials in making the rest of the island,
she carted away her dry rubbish and shot it down here for us to make the
best of; and I do not think that we and our forefathers have done so very
ill with it. But where the rich part, or staple, of our soils came from
first it would be very difficult to say, so often has Madam How made, and
unmade, and re-made England, and sifted her materials afresh every time.
But if you go to the Lowlands of Scotland, you may soon see