She was a very good girl; but there was nothing either in her personal or mental endowments to make Lady Amelia Truefeel regret the impossibility of training her for a more elevated station; for the young Amelia's genius was confined entirely to the arrangement and preparation of dress. No doubt Messrs Gall and Spurzheim (amongst various other elevations) would have discovered in her skull the organ of that neatness which was gradually developing, and proved an invaluable quality in her present sphere. She would have been an enthusiast in dress, both for the adorning of herself and her beloved mistress; but all natural redundancies were subdued into neatness, order, simplicity, and decorum, by that better spirit whose influence and direction she had been taught by her patroness to implore. Though Amelia was still very young, there was every reason to hope, that the moral qualities had taken deep root upon the blessed soil of a renewed heart. How immaterial (too often alas !) the qualities which are born with individuals, in their ultimate effect on the character! An evil heart can corrupt and misapply the noblest attributes of the creature; and a renewed spirit can in some degree refine and dignify what otherwise might be deemed ignoble and grovelling.

In early youth, Lady Amelia had adopted the

sentiment, that "Education formed the common mind;" she now entertained doubts of the truth of this maxim; and as she became more intimately acquainted with the habits of the lower orders, she admired the wisdom and benevolence of the great Governor of the universe, who, in man, as well as in the lower animal creation, adapted so admirably the talents, desires, and capacities of each individual to fit and fill the niche it was destined to occupy in the finished architecture of the world. Of the human heart, even from her own limited experience, she had no hesitation in subscribing to the Scripture account-that its natural thoughts and inclinations were only evil continually; and this humbling truth she found daily confirmed by her increasing knowledge of her own heart-but much it grieved her to find, when called upon to deliver her sentiments, that this fundamental tenet was entirely rejected; that it sometimes created great irritation against her; and when it had not this effect, was generally turned into ridicule.

"I am sorry to hear such a black account of Amelia's heart," said the Marquis; "but I am thankful to say no such wicked imaginations ever enter into mine."

"All cant," said the Marchioness; "her heart is just as pure as either yours or mine; but that is the slang of the sect. They are proud of what

they consider their own superior discernment, and pique themselves upon the knowledge and acknowledgment of their sins."

Fain would Lady Amelia have been silent upon this and other controverted subjects; for she did not feel herself called upon to become a preacher; but the Marquis, for want of other conversation, frequently introduced these strife-stirring topics, and found an ample field for displaying his eloquence in combating what he deemed the mad, foolish, and unscriptural dogmas of his daughter. It was, however, very congenial to the natural character of the Marquis, when he got everything his own way, to be willing that other people should have a little of theirs; and he would have been much grieved had he really been aware how severely he distressed Lady Amelia, by his frequent introduction of themes so sacred; the more especially when, without the slightest intention on his part of infringing on the sacredness of truth, she heard him often, in a careless manner, advert to her sentiments with such exaggeration, and distortion of their real import, as to convey a most erroneous and frequently most revolting picture of her notions of Christian truth. But Lady Amelia had learned to bear all things, and realized, in her experience, the sentiment of an old divine, "that it will mitigate our impatience of some per

sons and things, if we consider them as appointed by God to exercise our patience; and if we accustom ourselves to think more of what we owe to others than of what others owe to us." She also felt that she must not be angry because she could not make others as she wished them to be, seeing that she herself fell far short of what she knew it was her duty to be, and was continually striving to become.

The Vainall family were seldom alone, for the families at the mansions of Salmondale, Old Ewe House, and Grouse Park, carried on with them a constant fire of mutual invitation and acceptation. But, notwithstanding the gossipping which grew out of these mutual festivities, an unavoidable tedium was frequently experienced, and a consequent craving for news, which nothing but the post could satisfy.

It was a gloomy, undecided day, too good to be bad, yet too bad to be good, when the Marquis, after having finished his breakfast, said that he felt a headache; but the literal truth was, that he did not know what to make of himself, till the hour of his next meal should arrive. "I really wonder what can be detaining the post-boy this morning," said he, yawning.

This expression of wonder was addressed to no one in particular; but Miss Jane Pert (who was

staying at Roe Park, and whose propensity to talk rendered her particularly agreeable to the Marquis) made a point of appropriating to herself all unpointed questions of this nature. "I cannot tell," said she, stretching her obliging eyes as far as their vision would extend from the window to the road, till the wood terminated the view. " I cannot see the smallest trace of him," she continued; " and I am miserably anxious for letters. Dear Sally Gossip promised to write to me twice a-week; her letters are really enchanting; they are so full of news."

"Past twelve o'clock," said the Marquis, taking out his watch-" I must really get the post-bag put under better regulation. If Mrs Little Thrift will persist in detaining it till she answers her paltry cards, in order to save one sixpence, she shall find it will cost her two; for I will not permit the post-boy to call for her letters any more."

Jane Pert applauded the justice of this proceeding, but still continued to gaze out of the window, till her open, vacant, and happily communicative countenance, was at last lighted up with joy, and she exclaimed, "There he comes !"

The Marquis mechanically rose to ascertain the correctness of this intelligence, but soon resumed his seat with a look of disappointment. ❝ You are all in the wrong, Miss Jane," said he; "'tis