gazed on the person who spoke to him with such attention, nay
even showed such sympathy by sad as well as by joyful looks, that there
could be no doubt not only of his hearing, but of his understanding,
every thing.

In the meantime his mother was mightily astonished at finding what the
nurse had told her confirmed. At night, when the boy lay in bed and
fancied himself unnoticed, he talked to himself single words, and even
whole sentences, and so little broken that a long practice might be
inferred from this perfection. Heaven has lent to women a certain tact
of reading human nature as its growth variously developes itself, on
which account, for the first years at least of childhood, they are the
best educators. According to this tact, Mrs. Tyss was far from letting
the boy see he was observed, or from wishing to force him to speak; she
rather contrived to bring it about by other dexterous means, that he
should of himself no longer keep concealed the beautiful talent of
speech, but should slowly, yet plainly, manifest it to the world, and
to the wonder of all. Still, however, he evinced a constant aversion to
talking, and was most pleased when they left him in quiet by himself.

Thus was Mr. Tyss freed from all anxiety on account of his want of
tongue, but it was only to fall into a much greater care afterwards.
When Peregrine had grown a boy and ought to have learnt stoutly, it
seemed as if nothing was to be driven into him without the greatest
trouble. It was with his writing and reading as it had been with his
talking; at first the matter could not be compassed at all, and then on
a sudden he did it admirably, and beyond all expectation. In the
meantime one master after another left the house, not from dislike to
the boy, but because they could not enter into his disposition.
Peregrine was still, mannerly, and industrious, and yet it was no use
thinking of any systematic learning with him; he had understanding for
that only which happened to chime in exactly with his genius; all the
rest passed over him without leaving any impression: and that which
suited his genius was the _wonderful_,--all that excited his
imagination; in that he lived and moved. So, for example, he once
received a present of a sketch of Pekin, with all its streets, houses,
&c. which occupied the entire wall of his chamber. At the sight of this
city of fables, of the singular people that seemed to crowd through its
streets, Peregrine felt as if