Letters, hitherto unpublished, written by members of Sir Walter Scott's family to their old governess

INTRODUCTION 5
Millar, who about this time (1808) was
domesticated with them, and never left
them while they needed one, with a far
greater regard to her kind good temper,
and excellent moral and religious principles,
than to the measure of her attainments in
what are called fashionable accomplish-
ments. Though he regretted the irregu-
larity of his own education, he never
showed much concern about regulating
systematically what is usually called educa-
tion in the case of his own children. It
seemed, on the contrary, as if he attached
little importance to anything else, so he
could perceive that the young curiosity
was excited, the intellect, by whatever
springs of interest, was set in motion. He
detested and despised the whole generation
of modern children's books, in which the
attempt is made to convey accurate notions
of scientific minutise ; delighting cordially,
on the other hand, in those of the preceding
age, which, addressing themselves chiefly
to the imagination, obtain through it, as
he believed, the best chance of stirring our