lost, and as almost all their pupils were from London, we had the choice of hours, which was very agreeable, although at that time I did not feel inclined to think anything agreeable, being accustomed to no instruction save that bestowed by Miss Harcourt and mamma; professors of music, drawing, French, Italian, German (which Caroline is seized with a violent fancy to acquire, and which I deign to learn, because I should like to read Klopstock in the original), and even what I term a lady professor of embroidery, which Caroline has succeeded in tormenting mamma to let her have—­entre nous, it is only because she has taught Annie Grahame; all these, my dear Mary, presented a most formidable array, and for the first month I did not choose to profit by their instructions in the least.  I gave full vent to all the dislike I felt to them.  I encouraged indolence to a degree that frequently occasioned a reproof from Miss Harcourt.  I could not bear their mode of teaching; the attention so many things required was in my present state a most painful exertion, and I almost made an inward determination to show mamma that all her endeavours were lost on me.  I would not learn when everything was so changed.  Do not throw away my letter in despair of your friend, dearest Mary; only read to the end, and perhaps my character may be in some measure redeemed.  There was a weight on my spirits I could not, because I would not, remove.  I became ill-tempered and petulant without cause; before papa and mamma I tried to restrain it, but did not always succeed.  Percy and Herbert both spoke to me on this unwarrantable change; and I think almost for the first time in my life I saw Percy seriously angry with me, for I had even shown my irritation at his interference.  I told him I had a right to act and feel as I pleased.  Herbert looked sorry, and desisted in his reasonings when he found I would not listen.  Percy’s evident irritation and the reproaches of my own conscience added not a little to my uncomfortable feelings, as you may suppose.  I looked back to what I had been at Oakwood, and the contrast of my past and present self really gave me much cause for misery.  It was just before my brothers returned to college I wrote to you a long, very long letter, in which I gave more than enough vent to my silly, I should say sinful feelings.  Several hours I had employed in its composition, and to obtain these, neglected my exercises, etc, for my masters, and caused more than one for several days to make a formal complaint of my indolence and carelessness to Miss Harcourt.  Her remonstrances, I am ashamed to confess, only had the effect of increasing my ill-temper.  Well; I concluded at length my epistle to you, which, had you received it, would have been a trial of patience indeed; for it consisted of ten or twelve closely-written pages, in which I had so magnified my feelings of discontent and unhappiness, that any one must have fancied I had not one single blessing left.  I was folding and preparing to