y, I assure you, Miss Frankland. I have been struck
with the admirable ground work you have established, and especially the
advantages you have given him of the knowledge of modern languages. I
am so much pleased that I intend to beg of Mrs. Roberts to keep you as
the able governess of the girls until they are so much older as to
require a little knowledge of the world which a metropolitan ladies'
school is sure to impart."

All this was said with a certain deference of manner to Miss Frankland,
that I felt certain the old gentleman was greatly struck with her
person, as well as her system of teaching. But of this it is probable
my readers will learn more hereafter.

My mother, hearing of the intention of sending me to some clergyman,
immediately suggested that her own brother-in-law, the Rev. Mr.
Brownlow, rector of Leeds, in Kent, a retired village close to the
castle of that name, would be a suitable person. He was a gentleman who
had taken honours at Cambridge, and was in the habit of receiving one,
two or even three young gentlemen, but never more, to prepare them for
the universities. At that moment she knew by a letter from her sister
that he had a vacancy. His name, she said, stood high as an instructor,
as Mr. Nixon would find on inquiry; and as Charles had never been away
from home, it would be a great satisfaction to her to know that he was
under the care of her own sister. Mr. Nixon said he perfectly agreed to
her suggestion, provided, as to which he had no doubt, his inquiries
justified his sending me there. He left us with a promise of an early
decision, and, indeed, before the week had passed we received his full
concurrence to my mother's suggestion. So my aunt was written to, and
it being the period of the holidays, Mr. and Mrs. Brownlow were asked
to come over and spend a week, and then I could return with them to
Kent. We had not seen aunt or uncle since we were little children, and
only remembered her as a very tall immense person. The distance had
prevented personal intercourse, and we only knew of them by
interchanges of hams, Canterbury brawn, and oysters at Christmas time.
As they replied by return of post, saying they would be with us in two
or three days following their letter, you may be sure Miss Frankland
and all of us made the most of what was to be the last of our mutual
orgies for the time. No restrictions were put upon us, and every night
was dedicated to the god of lust and voluptuousn