[Lydia] Maria [Child] ALS to Anna Loring, September 28, 1846

I hope dear father and mother will not understand me
as wishing them to pay any attention to the musical children
named Bullock and Cole; most un-musical names.
I merely want them to hear them, and to say a word to
others to warm them up to concert-pitch. You will
all be delighted with them; nay, absolutely enchanted.
And then they are all such artless, simple, truthful, un-
-pretending country people. They have got up a subscrip-
-tion here to purchase new and better instruments for
them; and the rich men are behaving quite generously.
The populace do not run ater them, because their music
and their style of playing is above the popular taste;
but connoisseurs and amateurs are quite wild.

The little lady, of nine years, has been here this morn-
-ing, and has had a nice time playing with my images
and gimcracks.
As I looked at the
simple little creature,
I found it hard to imagine she was the same one, whom
I heard play so tall. You would be amused to see
her little nimble fingers go glancing about, giving a
decided staccato touch, here and there, like kitten's paws
dabbing at a mouse's ear. I wish I had a whole
orchestra of such children. Notice the second violin, J.
H. Cole - will you? To my ear, he has the finest musical
organization of them all. His older brother, on the violoncello,
is more manly, and perhaps more scholarly in style. He is the
observed of them all, by critics; but commend me to my dear
little lady, and the second violin. I wish I had a whole

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My dear good friend John has been quite unwell
for a day or two. He has had too much to do.

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It is of no use to go through the form of saying best love to father and mother; for they know I love them.

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