by asking me, or asking those who knew the
letters one from the other; and, by imitating bits of my writing, it is
surprising how soon they began to write a hand like mine, very small,
very faint-stroked, and nearly plain as print. The first use that any of
them made of the pen, was to _write to me_, though in the same house
with them. They began doing this in mere _scratches_, before they knew
how to make any one letter; and, as I was always folding up letters and
directing them, so were they; and they were _sure_ to receive a _prompt
answer_, with most _encouraging_ compliments. All the meddling and
teasing of friends, and, what was more serious, the pressing prayers of
their anxious mother, about sending them to _school_, I withstood
without the slightest effect on my resolutions. As to friends,
preferring my own judgment to theirs, I did not care much; but an
expression of anxiety, implying a doubt of the soundness of my own
judgment, coming, perhaps twenty times a day, from her whose care they
were as well as mine, was not a matter to smile at, and very great
trouble did it give me. My answer at last was, as to the boys, I want
them to be _like me_; and as to the girls "in whose hands can they be so
safe as in _yours_? Therefore my resolution is taken; _go to school they
shall not_."

Nothing is much more annoying than the _intermeddling of friends_ in a
case like this. The wife appeals to _them_, and "_good breeding_," that
is to say _nonsense_, is sure to put them on _her side_. Then they,
particularly the _women_, when describing the _surprising progress_ made
by their _own sons_ at school, used, if one of mine were present, to
turn to him, and ask to what school _he went_, and what _he_ was
_learning_? I leave any one to judge of _his_ opinion of her; and
whether _he_ would like her the better for that! "Bless me, so tall, and
_not learned_ anything _yet_!" "Oh, yes, he has," I used to say; "he has
learned to ride, and hunt, and shoot, and fish, and look after cattle
and sheep, and to work in the garden, and to feed his dogs, and to go
from village to village in the dark." This was the way I used to manage
with troublesome customers of this sort. And how glad the children used
to be, when they got clear of such criticising people! And how grateful
they felt to me for the _protection_ which they saw that I gave them
against that state of restraint, of which other people's boys
complained! Go whither they might,