The house of Alida's father was the seat of hospitality;--scenes of festivity would sometimes have place within its walls;--"music and mirth would occasionally echo through its apartments." He was kind, generous, and benevolent; while his independence, assisted by a charitable disposition, enabled him to contribute largely to the happiness of others. His manners were highly pleasing, his conversation was interesting, humorous, and instructive; and, although at this time he was rather advanced in years, yet the glow of health still shone upon his cheek and sparkled in his eye; and his fine expressive countenance still gave lustre to a peculiar dignity and energy in his personal appearance. [_Lives of Signers_: Hart of New Jersey his house was the seat of hospitality, charity, and piety.] It was now many years since he had made this delightful spot his residence. He had married early in life a lady of engaging manners, and captivating beauty, who was amiable, sensible, and pious, and whose mind was a pattern of every female excellence, combined with a taste and judgment that had been properly directed by a suitable education; who had been taught to esteem no farther all the acquirements and qualities of which the human mind is capable than as they might be conducive to enable us to excel in the duties of the Christian religion, and cause us more fully to experience "the blessings of the truth." [_A&M_ (describing Melissa): Her mind was adorned with those delicate graces which are the first ornaments of female excellence. Her manners were graceful without affectation, and her taste had been properly directed by a suitable education.] These parents had reared up all their family except Alida, their youngest child, who at this time was placed at a boarding-school, at the village of ----, where she was taught, in addition to the different studies belonging to a Christian education, the French and Italian languages. Their elder daughters had married, and were settled at some distance from them, and their two sons were engaged in mercantile business in New-York. It was their principal endeavour, as their thoughts often revolved in anxious solicitude for the welfare and future happiness of their children, to unite their efforts to persuade them, and inculcate in their minds all that was praiseworthy, by the immediate influence of their own example, considering that the precepts which they taught them, however wise and good, would avail but little unassisted by the aid of example. "Le mauvais usage que nous faisons de la vie, la dérègle, et la rend malheureuse." [Etienne François De Vernage (1690): Le mauvais usage que nous faisons de la vie la dérègle et la rend malheureuse.]