1852] SOUTHGATE 309
every Tuesday in the house of one of the better people — a Mrs. Perry. I Was rather alarmed, though glad, to see how many came. ... I tried to make the reading as interesting and easy as I could, and afterwards ventured upon a little 'discourse.'
"It was. strange to find this really heathen colony__
for they know nothing — close by, and I am glad to have a foretaste of what my life's work will be like."
"SoutTigate, Octoler 12. Mr. Bradley is in nothing so extraordinary as in the education of his children. All the moral lessons to his little daughter Jesse are taken from reminiscences of his 'poor dear first wife,' who never existed. I am used to it now, but was amazed when I first heard little Jesse ask something about 'your poor dear first wife, papa,' and he took out a handkerchief and covered over both their heads that no one might see them cry, which tlie little girl did abundantly over the touching story told her. Little Charlie's education was carried on in a similar way, only the model held up to him was a son of Mrs. Bradley's by an imaginary first husband, who 'died and is buried in Oxfordshire.' Little Moses's mamma, 'Mrs. Jocliebed Amram,' is also held up as an effective example of Christian piety and patience, but Moses himself never touches their feelings at all. I must send you one of the allegories which I have heard Bradley tell his children; it is such a characteristic specimen: —
" ' Now I will tell you a story about Hare. When Hare was a little child he lived at Rome: you know what we call it? — (" Oh yes, papa, Babylon.") — Well, he lived at Babylon, and he was a very good little boy then, but he used to walk about dressed in scarlet, for they all wore scarlet there. One day a man was seen in the streets, very beautiful, a stranger with silver wings. And he said, " Are you little Hare, and would you like to go with me and learn liow to be good?" for he was an angel. Andion. The sacristan was VOL. i. —20ttlf Itiui'f fli;ifs thrir shatln\\ ^ itit -n in-*, tin- r»«nsl a- llirir dunkfvs fhtttfM'tl thr»«utrh thf ",it«-. ! %,IH ^|IM\\H ihr rii'rnlar npi'jiiu'jf tltrnii^lj \\liit-h j riHniirr> l«»iui»l in ,t « haiu usfcl to !«• Irt fI"Uii iiil-M tlir t'itt'lifft*-* and thrir suU«-!T;iotn-o} \\.ir,.* .»\i'.»J •js'tnu i ^Aiud sn 'j.>rj , unin:ji.\?n ,»t|i «»j ^snn.nii jp; ,V«j ,*!