l his last hour my dearest father never had
to complain that his daughter's love and fidelity failed him.

And it is since I knew him entirely--for during my mother's life he
never quite opened himself to me--since I knew the value and splendor of
that affection which he bestowed upon me, that I have come to understand
and pardon what, I own, used to anger me in my mother's lifetime, her
jealousy respecting her husband's love. 'Twas a gift so precious, that
no wonder she who had it was for keeping it all, and could part with
none of it, even to her daughter.

Though I never heard my father use a rough word, 'twas extraordinary
with how much awe his people regarded him; and the servants on our
plantation, both those assigned from England and the purchased negroes,
obeyed him with an eagerness such as the most severe taskmasters round
about us could never get from their people. He was never familiar,
though perfectly simple and natural; he was the same with the meanest
man as with the greatest, and as courteous to a black slave-girl as to
the Governor's wife. No one ever thought of taking a liberty with him
(except once a tipsy gentleman from York, and I am bound to own that
my papa never forgave him): he set the humblest people at once on their
ease with him, and brought down the most arrogant by a grave satiric
way, which made persons exceedingly afraid of him. His courtesy was not
put on like a Sunday suit, and laid by when the company went away; it
was always the same; as he was always dressed the same, whether for a
dinner by ourselves or for a great entertainment. They say he liked
to be the first in his company; but what company was there in which
he would not be first? When I went to Europe for my education, and we
passed a winter at London with my half-brother, my Lord Castlewood and
his second lady, I saw at her Majesty's Court some of the most famous
gentlemen of those days; and I thought to myself none of these are
better than my papa; and the famous Lord Bolingbroke, who came to us
from Dawley, said as much, and that the men of that time were not like
those of his youth:--"Were your father, Madam," he said, "to go into the
woods, the Indians would elect him Sachem;" and his lordship was pleased
to call me Pocahontas.

I did not see our other relative, Bishop Tusher's lady, of whom so much
is said in my papa's memoirs--although my mamma went to visit her in
the country. I have no pride (as I showed by comply