and to solicit certain little indulgences for her, which she feared would not be easily obtained.

Mrs. Garston listened to her with politeness, and with a sincere wish to accommodate all unimportant matters to her desire. But when she proceeded to require such indulgences as Mrs. Garston thought might be injurious to Constantia, she answered, that she hoped entire confidence would be placed in her, and that she might be permitted to regulate the young lady, as occasions might arise, according to the best of her judgment. "I have," said Mrs. Garston, "brought up four of my own daughters, and as many more young women not related to me; and with each individual of these (though aiming always, I trust, at the same end, that is to acquaint them with God) I have found it necessary to use different modes of treatment, and even with the same individual, to alter my treatment, perhaps many times, during the course of her education."

"That our nature is utterly depraved," continued Mrs. Garston, "is a point which, of course, no Christian will dispute: but, independent of this general depravity, it is certain, that every individual of the human race has some strong besetting sin, which requires a peculiar mode of treatment; and these besetments are continually varying or taking some new form, which, when perceived by a watchful tutor, should lead him to vary his plans with his pupil.

"Being fully aware of this, I can give you the general assurance, my dear Madam, that I will do my best for your niece, and treat her with as much tenderness as possible: but I cannot consent to bind myself to the observance of particular rules, which hereafter might possibly tend to hamper and perplex me. You desire me to allow Miss Constantia a room to herself, and also to permit her to be alone for some hours every day. Now, whether such indulgences are likely to be useful or injurious to her, depends so entirely on the state of her mind, that I dare not promise you to allow them, until I have had opportunity of studying her character.

66

Solitude, my dear Madam, is a good or an evil thing, as it is employed: to minds in a certain state, I consider it

as the worst of poisons; and, generally speaking, I do not think much of it good for young people."

Mrs. Kitty looked with amazement at Mrs. Garston, as though she had expressed some very extraordinary sentiment; upon which Mrs. Garston added, "If you make any observations on the common employments of young women when left alone, you will not be led to conclude that those employments are the result of any proper internal feeling. Take any individual," continued Mrs. Garston, "from the common mass of young women, and confine her to her room for a whole morning, I ask you, generally speaking, how will she employ herself? Probably in looking over her clothes, curling her hair, new modelling her dresses, or if a novel be at hand, in studying its contents. Solitude, to a young person whose mind is in this kind of desultory state, is, I repeat it, nothing better than poison, and should certainly be avoided until there is reason to think that some very decided change has taken place.”

Mrs. Kitty not knowing what to make of all this, answered with some degree of displeasure in her manner, "I suppose then it is not your intention at present to give Constantia a room to herself?"

"I think not," said Mrs. Garston, " until I have reason to think it would be beneficial to her."

"Of course then," said Mrs. Kitty, "you intend to make her the companion of your own daughter ?"

"My dear Madam," replied Mrs. Garston, “perhaps you may think me whimsical and particular, if I tell you that I have no thought of the kind. I myself sleep in a large airy room, and shall take Miss Constantia to be my own companion."

"Would not a younger companion be better for her?" said Mrs. Kitty, somewhat disconcerted at the idea of Constantia being continually with her instructress, and consequently deprived of all kind of liberty.

Mrs. Garston seemed to hesitate a moment in replying to this remark, feeling, as she did, that she was conversing with a person who had very few ideas in common with herself. Her natural sincerity and openness, soon, however, prevailing over this feeling, she answered, "My dear Madam, it is intended by Providence, that young

people should associate together; and, therefore, in the common course of families, we see two, three, or more sisters, growing up together under the regulation of one parent, and if that parent is a good one, brought up in a sweet, a pure, a holy friendship. But to propose the indiscriminate mixture of young people out of different families, under the general idea that young persons should have companions of their own age, I consider as one of the most fatal and mischievous plans that can possibly be adopted. I wish Constantia to love my daughter, and to be with her constantly, in my presence, or under the eye of any other careful elderly person.

"But, not to say any thing of your niece, high as my opinion of my daughter is, (for she has ever been a lovely and beloved child, dutiful and affectionate to me in an uncommon degree,) I do not consider that she has experience or perhaps steadiness of conduct enough to form another young mind. The hours of greatest danger to young people are those of retirement, when they open their hearts to each other, and betray all the weaknesses and follies of their nature, strengthening by indiscreet communications every evil inclination, and perpetuating every foolish thought. Were my daughter twenty-eight instead of eighteen, I might perhaps deliberate on a subject, on which I have now no hesitation in saying that my mind is entirely made up."

Poor Mrs. Kitty was obliged to submit, knowing that she had not power either to dispute with Mrs. Garston, or to persuade her mother to remove Constantia. She therefore gave up this affair, and proceeded to the discussion of certain other lesser matters, in which she found Mrs. Garston more complying. For this excellent lady, as I before observed, was willing to please Constantia's friends in every point which did not affect the real good of the young person herself.

During this conversation, however, it was not difficult for Mrs. Garston to discover what had been the leading error in Constantia's education; namely, that she had been made of too much consequence in her own eyes, whereby that self-love, which is inherent in our fallen race, had been so fostered as to produce all its natural fruits.

We will pass over the few following days which Mrs. Kitty and Constantia's uncle spent with Mrs. Garston, and proceed to the period when Constantia was left alone with her new friends.

Constantia had slept with her aunt since their arrival, and had flattered herself that she should be allowed the use of the same apartment after her departure: when, therefore, she heard that her trunks were to be removed to Mrs. Garston's room, where a small bed was prepared for her, she betrayed a feeling of dissatisfaction, which Mrs. Garston made a point of passing by without notice. However, after this little discomfiture, the evening passed off smoothly, Constantia appearing good humoured, and willing to please, for she had a great deal of that kind of civility which those persons who are in fact the least inclined to make sacrifices to others not unfrequently employ in order to serve themselves-a kind of compliance which often passes for real good-nature and selfdenial with those who do not look deep into character; and which often leads persons to hope for acts of disinterested friendship from those who have not the least inclination to lay themselves out for the good of others.

In judging whether a character is such a one whose self-denial may be confided in, we must not form our estimate by mere acts of politeness or courtesy among equals, or even by single and solitary instances of charity and kindness to inferiors: but we must look for long courses of action in doing good, through evil rereport and good report, without recompense or reward.

But to return to my story. Mrs. Garston, who was attentively studying the character of Constantia, was not deceived or thrown out of the opinion which she had formed by the apparent sweetness of her manner this evening. She imagined her character to be a selfish one, and knew that, if she was to be the means, under God, of doing her any good, she must discover her besetting sin, and strike at the root of that sin. She did not attempt, during the first day, to examine into Constantia's acquirements, but allowed the time to pass as quietly as possible; she and her daughter being engaged in their usual employments, while Constantia occupied

herself in that same desultory manner to which she had been accustomed at home.

The next day was Sunday. Mrs. Garston and her family, of course, attended divine service, when they had opportunity of hearing a truly excellent sermon. They spent the afternoon in visiting some poor sick persons, with whom Mrs. Garston conversed on religious subjects; and in the evening, after tea, the family met to read and pray. When the servants, who had assembled in the parlour for this purpose, were dismissed, Mrs. Garston began to speak with her daughter upon the subject of the sermon; and Constantia took this occasion, by the remarks which she made, to let Mrs. Garston see that, as far as head-knowledge went, she was not an entire novice in religious matters. Her remarks were acute, and such as would have led a person whose insight into character was less deep than Mrs. Garston's, to set her down (considering her age and the company she had kept) as one possessing more knowledge than might have been expected. But Mrs. Garston formed no agreeable conclusion from this circumstance. She had seen much of young people brought up in situations in which they had enjoyed opportunities of hearing religious matters discussed, and she had been taught, by experience, that it was a common and fatal error among such, to suppose that they were advanced Christians, because they could talk, and perhaps write fluently on the subject of religion; when, in fact, they had not taken a single step in the way to Zion. Mrs. Garston also knew that in polished society, where every facility is given to the acquirement of knowledge, and where teachers are required to produce fruit, as it were, in seed-time, not waiting for the due time of harvest, there is much danger, not only in religious affairs, but in things of less consequence, of forcing young minds prematurely, and thereby leading them to form a wrong conception of their own acquisitions.

Having had her mind long employed on these subjects, Mrs. Garston, in the management of young people, particularly in the great point of religion, always aimed at bringing their principles to the test; and never would suffer them to rest in a calm and untried assurance that