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charge of both children now resting entirely in her hands, Madame Sand was enabled to fulfil her desire of permanently removing her boy, now fourteen years of age, from the College Henri IV. Not only was she opposed to the general régime and educational system pursued in French public schools of this type, she felt persuaded of its special unsuitability to her son, whose tastes and temperament were artistic, like her own, and whose classical studies had been repeatedly interrupted by illness. His delicate health determined her to spend the winter of 1838–9 abroad, with her family. Having heard the climate and scenery of Majorca highly praised, she selected the island for their resort; tempted herself by the prospect of a few months absolute quiet, where, with neither letters to answer nor newspapers to read, she would enjoy some rare leisure, which she proposed to