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68 Juvenile Letters.

LETTER XXV.

From a Miss of twelve to her BROTHER of fourteen years of age.
Charlestown.

DEAR BROTHER,

WHEN you left home, you promised to write to me often; but I have not received one letter yet. 

Papa has lately bought a rightin the library; and you cannot think how glad I am. The first book he took out is called "New-England's Memorial." Jenny wanted a novel; but papa said she had better read the history of her own country, than fill her head with fiction, which would probably do her more hurt than good. 

Though papa says I am quite young to begin to read history; yet, as we cannot too soon become acquainted with our worthy forefathers, the first settlers of this country, he will permit me to read a little in this book, every day, after I come from school. He


Juvenile Letters.  69

He says, likewise, that the best way to impress on our memory what we have been reading is to relate the significance of it to some friend, or to write it down. I relate a great deal to papa, every evening; but I have not room in my letter to write the tenth part of what I could tell you about it. 

The book beings with an account of the troubles which these good people met with in England, their native country; how they fled, on account of their religion, to Holland, where they lived several years. Then, in the year sixteen hundred and twenty, they sailed for this new world, as they called it; and landed at Plymouth, in December, when the weather was very cold. They were a hundred and one in number, when they landed; but before spring, a great many were dead. Their suffering on the voyage, their want of provisions, and houses to shelter them from the cold and storms, was the cause of their deaths. How much they were to be pitied! in the midst of a howling wilderness, surrounded with Indians, and three thousand miles from their dear friends

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