When Miss Fanny had been two months with her aunt, her Mamma returned from her journey, and came to fetch her.

Not only Miss Fanny, but the rest of the family, were rejoiced to see her: the young persons asked her many questions; whither she had been? and what she had seen?

She was ready to answer all their inquiries with great good-humour; and taking out a book of pocket-maps, said, I will show you the route I have been. We set out, you know, from Berkshire. We went through Oxfordshire, stopped at Oxford, and there, Miss Lydia, saw your brother, who shewed us the university, and entertained us with great politeness.

We likewise passed through Woodstock; and I have brought each of you a pair of gloves; a manufacture for which you know Woodstock is famous.

We then proceeded through Warwickshire, Staffordshire, Cheshire, Lancashire, Westmoreland, Cumberland, and Northumberland, where Fanny, your father’s business was.

As we returned, we came by Durham, Yorkshire, Derbyshire, Lincolnshire, Huntingdonshire, and Hertfordshire.

I have brought my little niece and Fanny a set of doll’s plates and dishes, from Staffordshire, and a piece of muslin dimity, for gowns for my elder cousins, from Manchester, in Lancashire; where we stopped a whole day, to see the very great manufacture that is carrying on there, of cottons, dimities, muslins, &c.

While we were in Lancashire, we went to Ancliff near Wigan, to see the famous burning well.

The water of this well is cold, and has no smell, yet there is so strong a vapour of sulphur issuing out with the stream, that upon applying a light to it, the top of the water is covered with a flame, like that of burning spirits, which lasts several hours, and emits so fierce a heat, that meat may be boiled over it. The fluid itself will not burn when taken out of the well.

In Cumberland we saw the black-lead mine, from whence your pencils, young gentlemen, are furnished, which have assisted you in adorning my dressing-room with such handsome drawings.

While we staid in Northumberland, we went to see the coal-pits, from whence we who live in the southern countries are supplied: the cargoes are shipped from Newcastle upon Tyne, which is also famous for its fishery of Salmon.

The young gentlemen, I hope, will accept of a pair of shoe-buckles from Birmingham, in Warwickshire, and the ladies of a pair of scissors from Sheffield, in Yorkshire; both places are famous for the manufacture of hard-ware.

While we were in Derbyshire, we went to see the dropping-well near Buxton: which gives the appearance of stone to every thing that is put into it; and I have brought you some petrifactions from thence.

One day we spent at Buxton, and saw the company who go to drink the medicinal waters there.

We likewise went to see Poole’s Hole, by Buxton; but of that you will find a better account than I can give you in the Gentleman’s Magazine, written by a gentleman who went with a party to visit it.

I have brought your Mamma, Miss Lydia, some ornaments for her mantle-piece, made of Derbyshire spar; and an egg of that substance for your sister Caroline’s netting: the spar is said to be water petrified as it drops through rocks, and to take the variety of its colours from the different metals or minerals it passes through.

I have likewise brought a carpet for your papa’s study, from Kidderminster, in Worcestershire, which, I think, he will not esteem inferior to the Turkey carpets, which we fetch from so far.

From Dunstable in Bedfordshire I have brought a set of little tea-things, some work-baskets, and some toys for the young folk, all made of straw, like your hat, Miss Lydia. And now, perhaps, I have tired you by talking, and you will be better pleased with seeing all my collection.

The young people listened with great attention to the lady. Soon after she produced her treasures, and desired them to recollect the place from whence each came.

They acquitted themselves very well, and were not deficient in proper thanks to their aunt, for her kind attention to them.

A day or two afterwards Miss Fanny and her Mamma took their leave; not without mutual regret on the part of Miss Lydia and Miss Fanny, who were most affectionately attached to each other.