hiefly devoted to the support of the Anglican
Church. An eldest Miss Lumb had been fortunate enough to marry that
growing potentate of the Midlands, Mr. Job Whitelaw. Now Lady Whitelaw,
she dwelt at Kingsmill, but her sisters frequently enjoyed the honour
of entertaining her, and even Miss Cadman the milliner occasionally
held converse with the baronet's wife. In this way it came to pass that
the Widow Peak and her children were brought under the notice of
persons who sooner or later might be of assistance to them.

Abounding in emphatic advice, Miss Cadman easily persuaded her sister
that Godwin must go to school for at least two years longer. The boys
had been at a boarding-school twenty miles away from their country
home; it would be better for them now to be put under the care of some
Twybridge teacher--such an one as Miss Cadman's acquaintances could
recommend. For her own credit, the milliner was anxious that these
nephews of hers should not be running about the town as errand-boys or
the like, and with prudence there was no necessity for such
degradation. An uncommon lad like Godwin (she imagined him named after
the historic earl) must not be robbed of his fair chance in life; she
would gladly spare a little money for his benefit; he was a boy to
repay such expenditure.

Indeed it seemed probable. Godwin devoured books, and had a remarkable
faculty for gaining solid information on any subject that took his
fancy. What might be the special bent of his mind one could not yet
discover. He read poetry with precocious gusto, but at the same time
his aptitude for scientific pursuits was strongly marked. In botany,
chemistry, physics, he made progress which the people about him,
including his schoolmaster, were incapable of appreciating; and already
the collection of books left by his father, most of them out of date,
failed to satisfy his curiosity. It might be feared that tastes so
discursive would be disadvantageous to a lad who must needs pursue some
definite bread-study, and the strain of self-consciousness which grew
strong in him was again a matter for concern. He cared nothing for
boyish games and companionship; in the society of strangers especially
of females--he behaved with an excessive shyness which was easily
mistaken for a surly temper. Reproof, correction, he could not endure,
and it was fortunate that the decorum of his habits made remonstrance
seldom needful.

Ludicrous as the project would have app