The children of that day were taught to value a book and to take excellent care of it; as an instance it may be mentioned that one copy of Colburn's "Algebra" was used by eight children in the Mitchell family, one after the other.

The eldest daughter's name was written on the inside of the cover; seven more names followed in the order of their ages, as the book descended.
With regard to their reading, the mother examined every book that came into the house.

Of course there were not so many books published then as now, and the same books were read over and over.

Miss Edgeworth's stories became part of their very lives, and Young's "Night Thoughts," and the poems of Cowper and Bloomfield were conspicuous objects on the bookshelves of most houses in those days.

Mr.Mitchell was very apt, while observing the heavens in the evening, to quote from one or the other of these poets, or from the Bible.