A second Agnes Strickland married the eldest son of the Archbishop of York, Francis Sandys, and the family of the Stricklands appear to owe their conversion from Romanism to the Protestant faith to the influence of another son of the Archbishop, named George, who was a poet about two hundred years ago. They then became as staunch in the principles of the Reformation as they had previously been firm in papal policy. One branch of the Strickland family settled at Raydon Hall, in Suffolk, and here the third Agnes Strickland was born, who has been so justly celebrated as the Historian of "The Queens of England from the Norman Conquest." Raydon Hall is a very lonely place on the sea coast, quite a mile from the nearest village, and there is no dwelling at all near to it, except one farm-house upon the estate. The seclusion being thus extremely great during the long, bleak winter on the eastern coast, the family residing there would have passed many dreary months but for the intellectual tastes of its talented members. There were eight children. Agnes was the third daughter, and the girls were very amicable and sociable in their simple life, varying the sterner work of severe study with delightful games, or in the care of pet animals, or by strolls in the gardens and grounds around the Hall. A governess had the partial training of Agnes and her sisters, but their father, himself a literary man, and intensely fond of history, topography and genealogy, principally conducted their education; compelling the girls to master subjects far beyond the usual attainments of young ladies, and requiring some knowledge of algebra and mathematics from the not always compliant and obedient daughters. Mr. Strickland suffered from gout, and was frequently confined to his chair or bed. He then supplied abundant work for Elizabeth, Agnes, and the other sisters in reading to him. This they were delighted to do, and took almost as much interest in history as the father. But Mr. Strickland also endeavoured to carry out his wish that the girls should be proficient in mathematical studies, and in this Elizabeth alone seemed to be docile, for she would patiently pore over the figures on her slate, whilst Agnes and the others bestowed very sisterly pity upon her. Agnes had a more classical turn, preferring the history, and also poetry, making sundry attempts at versification herself; but this taste Mr. Strickland rigorously checked, considering the effort as a waste of time. At last the child obtained her father's consent to let Latin take the place of problems, and she then set to work upon an old book in that language, learning to repeat a number of dialogues:--a mode of studying language extremely irregular, and by no means commended by the anxious parent.