Page:Letters of Life.djvu/232

220 and marble-paper covers. These were christened "Remembrancers," and each pupil encouraged to write therein, at the close of each week, a brief synopsis of whatever had occurred around her, or within herself, that she deemed worthy of preservation. They faithfully complied with my request; and since these school-sketches had not the secresy of a diary, I appointed a time every Saturday to have them read aloud. This induced them to be more attentive to the style, and the subjects were often found mutually and pleasantly suggestive.

So regular was our established system, that each hour during the week had its appointed employment, almost as unalterable as the code of the Medes and Persians. Still, as the young heart loves variety, I endeavored to keep that in view whenever it could be consistently combined with the great features of order. On Monday was the recitation of the sermons heard the preceding day. It comprised the text, and such recollections of the teachings from the pulpit as they were able to bear away. They were advised not to take notes on paper, but on Memory's tablet. This served to fix their attention on the instructions of the sacred day; and they gradually made such proficiency, that the language of the speaker, if in any degree remarkable, was correctly reported. They had liberty, if they chose, afterwards to write these recollections in their Remembrancer, or to keep a blank-book for that especial purpose.