twenty-four, and hope to be married at Easter to the best man in the world who never could have loved me had not sensible wholesome discipline changed my evil nature, as the means under God of doing so. I am thankful to publish my experience, and so to express not only my gratitude, but confirm what others have so well said and told on this subject.'
Emma writes: 'A while ago I undertook to bring up two nieces of the ages of twelve and fourteen. I soon found them to be most stubborn tempers and impudent. Thus they have often caused me much trouble and annoyance. Though not an advocate of corporal punishment, I was much struck with the description by A Schoolmistress of a most ceremonious method of inflicting punishment that I determined to follow exactly the same method and try it the same morning.
I prepared a woollen dress; not being able to procure a birch, I sent and had made a pair of very pliant leather taws. In the afternoon I found the eldest of my nieces in a gross fault, and on being found fault with she was very pert. I therefore
