LIFE AT BOTLEY
[Sidenote: _William Cobbett_]

But, to do the things I did, you must love _home_ yourself. To rear up
children, in this manner, you must _live with them_; you must make them,
too, _feel_ by your conduct, that you _prefer_ this to any other mode of
passing your time. All men cannot lead this sort of life, but many may;
and all much more than many do. My occupation, to be sure, was chiefly
carried on _at home_; but I had always enough to do. I never spent an
idle week, or even day, in my whole life. Yet I found time to talk with
them, to walk, or ride, about _with them_; and, when forced to go from
home, always took one or more with me. You must be good-tempered, too,
with them; they must like _your_ company better than any other person's;
they must not wish you away, not fear your coming back, not look upon
your departure as a _holiday_....

When I went from home, all followed me to the outer gate, and looked
after me, till the carriage, or horse, was out of sight. At the time
appointed for my return, all were prepared to meet me; and, if it were
late at night, they sat up as long as they were able to keep their eyes
open. This love of parents, and this constant pleasure _at home_ made
them not even think of seeking pleasure abroad; and they, thus, were
kept from vicious playmates and early corruption.

This is the age, too, to teach children to be _trustworthy_, and to be
_merciful_ and _humane_. We lived _in a garden_ of about two acres,
partly kitchen-garden with walls, partly shrubbery and trees, and partly
grass. There were the _peaches_, as tempting as any that ever grew, and
yet as safe from fingers as if no child were ever in the garden. It was