prevent despair, he quitted London, where he was deeply engrossed with mercantile affairs, and repaired to Seafowl, the spot recommended by the medical attendants of his daughter. Mr Malfort was one of those who had known the ups and downs of mercantile life. Had he not been an honest man, he might have deceived the world for some time, and gone on for a longer period, with the character of an opulent merchant ; but a tide of unforeseen circumstances setting strongly against him, his fears of bankruptcy were no sooner felt than publicly made known. Economy was now become with him a paramount duty, and nothing but the health of his beloved daughter would have made him quit London in the present critical state of his affairs. Constantia had hitherto acted as his housekeeper, and understood well the art of genteel economy; but now the extreme delicacy of her frame rendered care of every kind so necessary, that the whole of the domestic arrangements devolved upon her father, unaccustomed as he was to the task. Having made out the journey tolerably well, after resting a few days in the inn, Constantia exerted herself to go with her father in search of lodgings for their permanent abode in Seafowl.

There is a certain indescribable something about strangers, a je ne sçai quoi, which marks them as differing from the usual residents of a place; and

as Constantia leaned on the arm of her father, while gazing at the numerous cottages and villas, with the eyes and air of those who had not seen them before, the passing idlers of Seafowl gazed in their turn-not on the sea and seabuilt rocks— not on the cottages and villas-not on the green meadows and paddocks-but on the strangers, to whom all these objects seemed so new. "Who are they?" more than once met the ears of Mr Malfort and Constantia; and some turned to gaze on the latter, whose colour was brought to her still beautiful countenance by the consciousness of exciting observation in the passers by. But soon these little feelings passed from her mind; for what is human observation to one accustomed to take a near view of death? Constantia had been silent on this subject even to her father; but deep were her thoughts. The house which first attracted their attention belonged to a man named John Chesterfield, who, as is customary at watering-places, wished to let his house for the season; it was called Pine Cottage, and here they made a pause. The roses, in the little plat before it, smelt sweet to Constantia's senses; all about it looked clean, and healthful, and inviting.

"Here would I like to breathe my last sigh," thought Constantia.

"Oh that for me some home like this would smile," thought Mr Malfort.

"What a sweet abode this would be for us!" said Constantia.

"Yes," said Mr Malfort with a sigh; "but I fear the rent will be beyond our finances;" and silently and slowly, with a suppressed sigh, and lingering, wistful look, Constantia gently urged him on. Houses are capable of making strong favourable impressions at first sight, as well as people. Many a neat mansion they passed, in every respect as beautiful as Pine Cottage,-yet they mutually agreed, that they would not fix till they had first inquired into the particulars of the said villa or cottage; but both feeling much fatigued, they agreed to take another day's rest in the inn before they proceeded to look farther,

CHAPTER XIX.

La prudence est surtout necessaire aux mechans.

VOLTAIRE.

THAT the standard of morality is neither lofty in its reach, nor rigorous in its requirements, amongst the mere moral professors, whether in the higher or lower ranks of society, is a truth, to which all classes give a cordial assent. Men, blind only to their own deficiencies, deal unlimited censure and sweeping reprobation on all sin and all sinners, excepting always those favourite vices to which they feel themselves more peculiarly addicted. The higher ranks of society, exempt from the temptations of the poor, contemplate, with pharisaical gratulation, the difference betwixt them as to moral feeling; and the poor, on the other hand, look with horror on the vices of men, whose temptations never were theirs, and of whose trials they can form no adequate conception.

To sin as a gentleman, and to sin as a peasant, are practices which differ in appearance, according

to the station of the sinner; but, as Dr Chalmers has observed, the spirit of rebellion against God is equally apparent in both,―the Scripture declaring, that he that breaketh one of the least commandments, is guilty of all.

John Chesterfield, the proprietor of Pine Cottage, was a carpenter, who, by his industry, had realized a sum of money, and bethought him of spending a little of it in providing those luxuries and comforts which it is calculated to procure. John was a mere moral man, according to the standard at that time current in the neighbourhood; but neither his religion nor his morality were drawn from the pure source of the Holy Scriptures, but were formed upon the opinions of right and wrong entertained in John's world, the village of Seafowl, which of late years had increased into a fashionable and well-frequented watering-place. John had married Fanny Thomson, a simple Scotch girl, whose friends had persuaded her that she had got the best match in the place. She had come there with Lady Plaguemylife, as her ladyship's maid, but thought she would be more independent as Mrs Chesterfield, than in her menial situation. Love or pride had opened John's heart, for, on this occasion, he purchased Pine Cottage, where Fanny and he dwelt the first year of their marriage. John's foible was not prodigality. Avarice, which