told that this price was set upon every real and noble virtue—Childhood has yet prevented you from leaving home where you are watched by a parental aye but as you advance towards manhood you are doubtless sensible that the cultivation of your mind only can procure the lasting esteem of your friends & this will lead you to the more full enjoyment of the great works of nature from books the great source of improvement we learn the situations manners customs virtues and vices of our own and distant Country which we should not discover was it not for the great advantage we derive from literature let us then aided by each other press forward in the road of improvement. Your affectionate Sister UPON EDUCATION.— permit me Dear Eliza To Convey To you Some of These Sentiments which Occupy my Breast—The Tenderness of my Parents and The Facility with which—They Comply with Every request of mine fills my heart with—The Greatest Gratitude much I fear That I Shall Never—recompense Them. What Daughter Can Be so unfeeling as not To do every Thing in her power To make her parents happy and what can give them so much happiness as to see us anxious to improve every moment of the time—which is given us to acquire knowledge and those—accomplishments which alone can render us respectable—in the circle in which we expect to move. yet my Dear—how many are they who have every advantage which—nature and indulgent Parents can bestow. and yet they—spend there time in idleness & neglect to improve there minds when young grow in ignorance despised by all who know them—but I will turn from this—disagreeable picture and review one more Pleasing—we will for a moment dwell upon the happiness—of one who has improved her time—cultivated her mind and stored it with useful knowledge—she confers happiness on all her acquaintance and she—has the sweet satisfaction of knowing her conduct—is approved of by her Parents and what ever may be her situation in life she can find—pleasure in her own reflections— I remain your friend— Letter. From the diary & composition & extract[36] book of Mary Bacon of Roxbury. 1820 [Illustration: PL. XIII.—MARY ANN BACON’S WATCH AND JEWELRY ]