Before we proceed, we will give the reader a little insight into the characters of these boys: Howard, the eldest, (who was named after the great philanthropist of that name,) was twelve years old, slender and delicately formed; his capacity was good, his disposition amiable and obliging, and his school mates called him the finest fellow in the world. He possessed, indeed, genuine sensibility; that sensibility which feels the misfortunes of others, as well as its own sorrows. This latter quality, though a lovely one, subjected him to a great many trials; and one of the objects his judicious mother had in view in sending him from home, was to counteract this tendency to morbid feeling; she did not wish to crush the beautiful germs, which, if properly directed, might at some future period, make him the benefactor of mankind; but she wanted his strength of mind to keep pace with his benevolent feelings, and she found, the only way to accomplish this, was to throw him upon his oars, (to use a sea phrase,) and compel him to think and act in a great measure for himself. The school and the family provided for him, were every way unexceptionable. The teacher was a clergyman, past the middle of life, of exemplary piety, one who possessed great suavity of manners, and who had the happy faculty of attaching his pupils to him in an extraordinary degree. He was made acquainted with Howard’s peculiar temper, and suited himself to it; treating him with great kindness, yet, with that firmness he so much required. George Washington, called after the beloved father of our country, was almost the opposite of his brother; yet we will not take away from him the commendation he deserves, for he too had his good qualities, and at ten years old, was called by most folks, a smart and brave fellow. He was short and chubby, with the promise of very good talents; bold and daring, and of a quick, passionate temper, which continually wanted a curb. His parents had early been aware of this, and by discreet management, had so far kept him under complete control. When out of their sight, however, he would sometimes _break out_, and _get into scrapes_; his brother was then his refuge, for the respect shown to him, even at this tender age, generally ensured peace, and the culprit was forgiven. Providence, who is ever watchful over the affairs of life, apparently designed these lads to be blessings to each other. If George was sometimes betrayed into rashness by the boldness of his nature, the same confidence was exerted to raise his brother from his desponding fits, as he laughingly termed the tenderness Howard discovered for the human woes he felt, or saw around him.