tion.

[Footnote 13: Dr Burton's eldest son, then a boy of fifteen.]

[Footnote 14: William Burton, artist, son of Dr Burton's eldest
brother.]

"It always occurs in cakes under the soil, and is very troublesome
in ploughing. It is called the 'Mother stone,' or the 'Breeding
stone,' from a supposition that it is the nursery of all the
flints. When its nodules grow large enough, they set up as flints
on their own account. There is therefore a great desire to
extirpate it from the fields, and it might be found by their sides,
or, as one man said, 'You may foind it anywheres, and you maint
never foind it nowheres.' So I prowled about and got plenty,
chipping off as much as I could conveniently carry.

"Tell Tucky and Cos[15] all this. I'm sure it will amuse
them.--Your affectionate papa."

[Footnote 15: His two younger children.]

* * * * *

"STRASBURG, _8th August 1875_.

"MY DEAR COSMO,[16]--You have been very industrious, and have
earned your holidays, so I hope you will have a good swing of them
before we begin our Latin exercises. Meanwhile I am going to give
you a little lesson in history and geography suggested by my
travels.

[Footnote 16: Dr Burton's youngest son, eleven or twelve years
old.]

"Look at some map containing Holland. You find me land at
Rotterdam, and go round by Arnheim to Nymegen. This town used to be
strongly fortified. I rambled in the remains of the fortifications,
like small hills and valleys covered with bright grass. I saw a
quantity of fine mushrooms growing in them, and the tall yellow
flowers known as Samson's rod. The reason of the fortification is
this. The Hollanders were an industrious, frugal people, who made a
fruitful country out of swamps and sand. Nymegen is in the border.
It is the gate, as it were, to Holland, and the fortifications kept
the gate shut against enemies.

"In the year 1704 there reigned in France Louis XIV., called Louis
the Grand. He had greatly enlarged his dominions, taking one
country after another. He possessed the whole between Holland and
France, and now he was to besiege Nymegen and take Holland. The
Hollanders said to the British: 'We have been good friends; you are
strong. Surely you will not let this cruel king rob us