The Caxtons, Complete

ious blessing of an only child. The ordinary vivacity of childhood forsook me; I became quiet, sedate, and thoughtful. The absence of play-fellows of m

id and painful. I often wept to think how little I could do for those I loved so well. My fondest fancies built up imaginary difficulties for them, which my arm was to smooth. These feelings, thus cherished, made my nerves over-susceptible and acute. Nature began to affect me powerfully; and, from that affection rose a restless curiosity to analyze the charms that so mysteriously moved me to joy or awe, to smiles or tears. I got my father to explain to me the elements of astronomy; I extracted from Squills, who was an ardent botanist, some of the mysteries in the life of flowers. But music became my darling passion. My mother (though the daughter of a great scholar,-a scholar at whose name my father raised his hat if it happened to be on his head) possessed, I must own it fairly, less book-learning than many a humble tradesman's d

Come here, my boy: these organs are growing too large;" and Mr. Squills, who was a phrenologist, placed hi

and fro the room with his hands behind him; but

reast I was leaning my aching ideality-"my dear,

Austin!-a

rly eight

is so

reason he must

y love. I know he is getting pas

e can teach him nothing now, Kitty.

ter who knows much

n they were in their third year, and you began to calculate on what they would bring in, you went out one morning, and found he had cut them down to the ground. You were vexed

and smiling on my father. I understood him at once, and