EARLY RECOLLECTIONS.


Early Life--Religious Education neglected--First Schools--Entrance into
the School of the Congregational Nunnery--Brief Account of the Nunneries
in Montreal--The Congregational Nunnery--The Black Nunnery--The Grey
Nunnery--Public Respect for these Institutions--Instruction Received--
The Catechism--The Bible.

My parents were both from Scotland, but had been resident in Lower
Canada some time before their marriage, which took place in Montreal;
and in that city I spent most of my life. I was born at St. John's,
where they lived for a short time. My father was an officer under the
British Government, and my mother has enjoyed a pension on that account
ever since his death. [Footnote: See the affidavit of William Miller, in
the Appendix.]

According to my earliest recollections, he was attentive to his family;
and a particular passage from the Bible, which often occurred to my mind
in after life, I may very probably have been taught by him, as after his
death I do not recollect to have received any religious instruction at
home; and was not even brought up to read the scriptures: my mother,
although nominally a Protestant, not being accustomed to pay attention
to her children in this respect. She was rather inclined to think well
of the Catholics, and often attended their churches. To my want of
religious instruction at home, and the ignorance of my Creator, and my
duty, which was its natural effect. I think I can trace my introduction
to Convents, and the scenes which I am to describe in this narrative.

When about six or seven years of age, I went to school to a Mr. Workman,