Page:The Leadbeater Papers (1862) Vol 1.djvu/59

brutes?" Her heart was not callous then: how it afterwards became so I cannot explain. It was thought that interest fomented family dissensions. When Aldborough was displeased or displeasing at home, he was sent to Ballitore, an exile from his father's house; and he always found a father in his old master, although not by any means dependant on him, for his father made him an allowance for his ordinary wants. If Wrightson had been irregular in his habits, nothing of this appeared in his conduct in Ballitore. He was to his master's children as an elder brother; he encouraged in young Abraham Shackleton the love of Literature, and I believe by example and precept counselled him well. The elder girls were driven by him with some harshness into the parlour, if he found them associating with servants or other company which he disapproved of. With the younger ones he often joined in their childish plays, from which he appeared to extract as much delight as they did. I have some pride in saying I was a peculiar favourite of his; he quarrelled with my mother for not getting me inoculated for the small-pox: some silly rhymes I made at about seven years of age he seemed delighted with, and insisted upon my being taught Latui, which my mother and aunt unfortunately prevented, from a mistaken notion that it would increase an impediment in my speech. He taught me some Greek verses and some beautiful lines of Cowley; strove to correct my walk and carriage; now commended, and then scolded me; and, fearing him more than either, I loved him next