e, Mr.
Jackson, to visit her, and proposed that she should engage him to spend
a few hours every week with the young ladies. I recommended that after
he had read with them a portion of Scripture, of which he would give
them a sound and plain exposition, he should convince them he had not
the worse taste for being religious, by reading with them some books of
general instruction, history, travels, and polite literature. This would
imbue their minds with useful knowledge, form their taste, and fill up
profitably and pleasantly that time which now lay heavy on their hands;
and, without intrenching on any of their duties, would qualify them to
discharge them more cheerfully.

"I next suggested that they should study gardening; and that they should
put themselves under the tuition of Lucilla, who is become the little
Repton of the valley. To add to the interest, I requested that a fresh
piece of ground might be given them, that they might not only exercise
their taste, but be animated with seeing the complete effect of their
own exertions, as a creation of their own would be likely to afford them
more amusement than improving on the labors of another.

"I had soon the gratification of seeing my little Carmelites, who used
when they walked in the garden to look as if they came to dig a daily
portion of their own graves, now enjoying it, embellishing it, and
delighted by watching its progress; and their excellent mother, who,
like Spenser's Despair, used to look 'as if she never dined,' now
enjoying the company of her select friends. The mother is become almost
cheerful, and the daughters almost gay. Their dormant faculties are
awakened. Time is no longer a burden, but a blessing: the day is too
short for their duties, which are performed with alacrity since they
have been converted into pleasures. You will believe I did not hazard
all these terrible innovations as rapidly as I recount them, but
gradually, as they were able to bear it.

"This happy change in themselves has had the happiest consequences.
Their friends had conceived the strongest prejudices against religion,
from the gloomy garb in which they had seen it arrayed at Aston Hall.
The uncle who was also the guardian, had threatened to remove the girls
before they were quite moped to death; the young baronet was actually
forbidden to come home at the holidays; but now the uncle is quite
reconciled to them, and almost to _religion_. He has resumed his
fondness for