MY home，then,- when I at last find a home,- is a cottage; a little room with whitewashed walls and a sanded floor，containing four painted chairs and a table，a clock，a cupboard，with two or three plates and dishes，and a set of tea-things in delf. Above，a chamber of the same dimensions as the kitchen，with a deal bedstead and chest of drawers; small，yet too large to be filled with my scanty wardrobe: though the kindness of my gentle and generous friends has increased that，by a modest stock of such things as are necessary.

It is evening. I have dismissed，with the fee of an orange，the little orphan who serves me as a handmaid. I am sitting alone on the hearth. This morning，the village school opened. I had twenty scholars. But three of the number can read: none write or cipher.

Several knit，and a few sew a little. They speak with the broadest accent of the district. At present，they and I have a difficulty in understanding each other"s language. Some of them are unmannered，rough，intractable，as well as ignorant; but others are docile，have a wish to learn，and evince a disposition that pleases me. I must not forget that these coarsely-clad little peasants are of flesh and blood as good as the scions of gentlest genealogy; and that the germs of native excellence，refinement，intelligence，kind feeling，are as likely to exist in their hearts as in those of the best-born. My duty will be to develop these germs: surely I shall find some happiness in discharging that office. Much enjoyment I do not expect in the life opening before me: yet it will，doubtless，if I regulate my mind，and exert my powers as I ought，yield me enough to live on from day to day.

Was I very gleeful，settled，content，during the hours I passed in yonder bare，humble schoolroom this morning and afternoon? Not to deceive myself，I must reply- No: I felt desolate to a degree. I felt- yes，idiot that I am- I felt degraded. I doubted I had taken a step which sank instead of raising me in the scale of social existence. I was weakly dismayed at the ignorance，the poverty，the coarseness of all I heard and saw round me. But let me not hate and despise myself too much for these feelings; I know them to be wrong- that is a great step gained; I shall strive to overe them. To-morrow，I trust，I shall get the better of them partially; and in a few weeks，perhaps，they will be quite subdued. In a few months，it is possible，the happiness of seeing progress，and a change for the better in my scholars may substitute gratification for disgust.