father was a Friend; and there appeared to be the utmost social
cordiality. Whether I shall find this uniformly the case will appear in
time.

After the breakfast party was over, I found at the door an array of
children of the poor, belonging to a school kept under the
superintendence of Mrs. E. Cropper, and called, as is customary here, a
ragged school. The children, however, were any thing but ragged, being
tidily dressed, remarkably clean, with glowing cheeks and bright eyes. I
must say, so far as I have seen them, English children have a much
healthier appearance than those of America. By the side of their bright
bloom ours look pale and faded.

Another school of the same kind is kept in this neighborhood, under the
auspices of Sir George Stephen, a conspicuous advocate of the
antislavery cause.

I thought the fair patroness of this school seemed not a little
delighted with the appearance of her protégés, as they sung, with great
enthusiasm, Jane Taylor's hymn, commencing,--

"I thank the goodness and the grace
That on my birth have smiled,
And made me in these Christian days
A happy English child."

All the little rogues were quite familiar with Topsy and Eva, and _au
fait_ in the fortunes of Uncle Tom; so that, being introduced as the
maternal relative of these characters, I seemed to find favor in their
eyes. And when one of the speakers congratulated them that they were