For the baby of the household, the father's love message took poetic form: For Abba 1840 For Abba Babe fair, Pretty hair, Bright eye, Deep sigh, Sweet lip, Feet slip, Handsome hand, Stout grand, Happy smile, Time beguile, All I ween, Concordia's Queen. Almost without the dates, one could keep track of the development of the Alcott girls through their father's letters. This one demonstrates his gift of teaching by the use of suggestion: For Anna 1842 _A Father's Gift_ to his _Daughter_ on her _Eleventh Birthday_. Concordia 16th March 1842 My dear daughter, This is your eleventh birthday, and as I have heretofore addressed a few words to you on these interesting occasions, I will not depart from my former custom now. And my daughter, what shall I say to you? Shall I say something to please or to instruct you--to flatter or benefit you? I know you dislike being pleased unless the pleasure make you better, and you dislike all flattery. And you know too, that your father never gave you a word of flattery in his life. So there remains for you the true and purest pleasure of being instructed and benefited by words of love and the deepest regard for your improvement in all that shall make you more happy in yourself and beautiful to others. And so I shall speak plainly to you of yourself, and of my desire for your improvement in several important things. _First--Your Manners._ Try to be more gentle. You like gentle people and every one is more agreeable as he cultivates this habit. None can be agreeable who are destitute of it and how shall you become more gentle? Only by governing your passions, and cherishing your love to everyone who is near you. Love is gentle: Hate is violent. Love is well-mannered; Selfishness is rude, vulgar. Love gives sweet tone to the voice, and makes the countenance lovely. Love then, and grow fair and agreeable.