In expressing their opinion of us in after years, they said we were a very troublesome, obstinate, disobedient set of children.

I have no doubt we were in constant rebellion against their petty tyranny.

Abraham, Peter, and Jacob viewed us in a different light, and I have the most pleasant recollections of their kind services.
In the winter, outside the house, we had the snow with which to build statues and make forts, and huge piles of wood covered with ice, which we called the Alps, so difficult were they of ascent and descent.

There we would climb up and down by the hour, if not interrupted, which, however, was generally the case.

It always seemed to me that, in the height of our enthusiasm, we were invariably summoned to some disagreeable duty, which would appear to show that thus early I keenly enjoyed outdoor life.