offer to "patronise" it, that is, bring it forward as an ornament to attract attention to the otherwise unheard of benevolence of her heart, or draw to her compliments on her taste and discernment,-better for you to take that girl, and, clothing her in simple russet, send her to honest business-like industry, where she can earn the sweet and wholesome food of labour, than to trust her to the capricious smiles of those whose hearts have been eaten away by the canker of folly, selfishness, and caprice. Blessed, doubly blessed, is the voice of a friend in a poor dwelling; but the step of patronage sounds heavy on the ear as the elank of the fetter and the chain.

EVIL COMPANY.-The following beautiful allegory is translated from the German :-" Sophronius, a wise teacher, would not suffer his daughter to associate with those whose conduct was not pure and upright. 'Dear father,' said the gentle Eulalia to him one day when he forbade her in company with her brother to visit the volatile Lucinda, you must think us very childish if you imagine we could be exposed to danger by it.' The father took in silence a dead coal from the hearth, and reached it to his child. It will not burn you, my child; take it.' Eulalia did so, and behold the beautiful white hand was soiled and blackened, and, as it chanced, her white dress also. We cannot be too careful in handling coals,' said Eulalia, in vexation. Yes, truly,' said the father; you see, my child, that coals, even if they do not burn, they blacken; so it is with the company of the vicious.

THE EARL OF CARLISLE ON MUSIC.-I consider music to be the most graceful accomplishment and delightful recreation that adorns this hard-working world, and renovates our busy overcharged existence. Its negative import is great. Its positive importance and value are inestimable; for the combining chords that regulate our whole being are so interwoven, sense with principle, that the very character assumes a clothing from external circumstances. am aware that from every altar, however pure and sacred, fire might be stolen and desecrated; but we should emulate the flame which, while it enlivens every one around, points to the skies. I would not confine music to any walk in life. Not alone in the sacred cathedral; not alone in the costly theatre or gilded saloon; nor confine it to six-guinea stalls; but I would hear her nightingales warble in every grove, and trill on every bough. I would have the happy art to enliven the domestic tea-table, add variety to the village school, and linger in the sanctuary.

MINT OF HUMOUR.

The young lady who caught a gentleman's eye is requested to return it.

The chemist must be a funny man: he has a retort for everything.

Why is the sheet of Queen's heads like distant relations-Because they are but slightly connected.

An Irish doctor advertises that the deaf may hear of him at his office every day from ten till three.

If you your lips would keep from slips, five things observe with care-Ốf whom you speak, to whom you speak, and how, and when, and where.

A servant girl, writing a letter, asked her master if the next month had come in yet; he laughed. "Well," said she, "what I mean is-has the last month gone out yet?

An Irishman the other day bid an extraordinary price for an alarm clock, and as a reason, he said, "that as he loved to rise early, he had now only to pull the string and wake

himself."

A lunatic in Bedlam was asked how he came there. He answered, "By a dispute."-"What dispute?"-The Bedlamite replied: "The world said I was mad; I said the world was mad, and they outwitted me."

At Long Island, U.S. very recently, a colonel of very slender proportions, challenged a citizen to fight a duel. The citizen declined, unless the colonel would feed himself up sufficiently to be a mark to shoot at.

Why is there always plenty to eat in the interior of Africa? Because of the sandwiches there (sand which is there). -How came the sandwiches there? There the children of Ham were bred and mustered.

A sailor attempting to kiss a lass he met on shore, she bristled and declared he had insulted her; whereupon Jack exclaimed, "Well, that beats all! I've been to sea twenty years, and never knew a salute called an insult afore!

The following note was lately received by a musicseller from a farmer in the country:-"Sir, i want yew to send me by the postman the angel in a quodriel." Upon inquiry it was ascertained that he required a copy of "The Angelina Quadrille."

"Scotchmen cut their eye-teeth afore ever they set foot in this country, I expect. When they get a bawbee they know what to do with it, that's a fact. They open their pouch, and drop it in; and it's got a spring like a fox-trap-it holds fast to all it gets, like grim death to a dead nigger."

"You have dated your letter a week a-head. It is not so late in the month by one week, you spalpane."-"Troth, boy, indade an' it's jist mesilf what is wanting sweet Kathleen to git it in advance of the mail; sure I'll not care if she gits it three days afore it is written, me darlint."

The following incident actually occurred at the door of a church not a hundred miles from the village of Old Kilpatrick, Scotland. Two urchins came up to the deacon standing at the collection-plate, and one of them addressed him,-"I say, will you let this wee callan in for naething, and he'll gi'e ye the bawbee when he comes out?"

An attorney presenting a copy of a writ to an auctioneer, not long since, apologised for his unfriendly visit, and concluded with hoping that the other would not be offended, as he was merely performing an unpleasant duty of his profession. "Certainly not," said the auctioneer," you must attend to the duties of your profession, and so must I to mine;" and instantly knocked him down.

"My love," said Boyle to his wife, "why is a Laplander like an umbrella maker? D'ye give it up?-'Cause he derives his support from the reindeer" (rain, dear). Try another," said our chief, as he threw himself on the sofa, on Saturday night, "Why is your tired husband like an umbrella?"-"Because he protects me from the elements, my love." "Not a bit of it, darling, but because he is used up."

The Eastern (U.S.) Argus tells about one of its subscribers calling at the office wearing a hat which he had worn for the last forty years! Of course he did not wear it every day but kept it for Sunday use, and wore it occasionally on holidays. It was still a good hat, and looked as though it would last forty years more. The owner said that the changes of style made it a fashionable hat every five or six years.

A certain swaggering, blustering, commissioned officer, unfortunately for his pride no other than a son of an honest mender of soles, chanced to let his cane fall severely on the shoulders of a poor fellow, who was not altogether expert in Why handling his musket with the dexterity of a fugleman. don't you move, you scoundrel, with alacrity!" cried the officer. "Bless your honour," replied the man," how is it possible; the shoes your father made me pinch me so!"

At

Little Alice was exceedingly fond of green peas. their first coming in, she had eaten heartily and rapidly as large a quantity as she supposed would be allowed her. She hesitated to request more, anticipating a refusal. Presently, turning to her father, she said: Papa, talk to me."-"How do you do Papa, talk to me. to-day, Alice?"-"Not so, not so. "Alice, how does your mother do?"-"Not so; not so, papa. Why don't you say, 'Alice, wouldn't you like a few more

peas?'

The congregation of a church were very much annoyed at the continual intoxication of their sexton; in fact, his misconduct had reached such a height that he had been seen to squeeze the hands of several elderly females when handing them out of their complaints, it was deemed expedient that the vestry should call carriages, and although the said females had failed to make any

the offender to account. Now, it so chanced that the leading man in the vestry was a certain well-known physician, and he having undertaken to reprimand the sexton, animadverted upon his sin with great severity. The sexton listened until he got through, but then exclaimed, with great indignation:-"Sir, I thought that you would have been the last man alive to be so hard against when I have been this many a year covering your blunders !”

me,

The amount to be sent in stamps, to the Office, 9, Johnson's Court, Fleet Street, London.

P. D.-We dislike the distrustful doctrine that teaches us to take every man for a rogue: so far as our experience goes we have noticed that he who thinks every man a rogue is very certain to see one when he shaves himself, and in mercy to his neighbour, perhaps, he ought to surrender the rascal to justice.

A CORRESPONDENT writes, all men speak well of all men's virtues when they are dead: and all tombstones are marked with epitaphs of "good and virtuous." Is there any particular cemetery where the bad men are buried?

ELIZA. "There's a gude time coming," is an expression used by Sir Walter Scott in "Rob Roy." and has been a long time a familiar saying in Scotland.

JUVENTUS-The best capital that a young man can start with in life is industry, with good sense, courage, and the fear of God. They are better than cash, credit, or friends.

J. P. We think a man is relieved and gay when he has put his heart into his work and done his best; but what he has said or done otherwise shall give him no peace. But a man who gives himself up; that is, devotes himself to any work, to anything, to any name save One, in earth, or heaven, is an idolater.

T. DICK.-The chemical properties of ivory render it inapplicable to the purposes of the photographic art, but Mr.Mayall, by a compound of sulphate of barytes and albumen, has obtained a material that has the appearance and close texture of ivory, without any of the resisting qualities. The middle tints of the "negative" are thus accurately reproduced, and by a simple wash of colour the artist executes a work equal in finish to the old ivory miniatures, endowed with all the truthfulness proper to photography. It is estimated that, by the use of Mr. Mayall's material, a portrait that under the old system would have required a month for its completion, can now be finished within two days. This discovery is of very recent date and is due to Mr. Mayall.

GEORGE ABHITON. - About sixty thousand families in Great Britain own all the land, which is occupied by more than twenty-seven millions of people.

P. D. We think, if you can turn a bad tempered man off with a joke, it is better than meeting him with his own disposition. For example, a subscriber writes to a certain Editor, "I don't want your paper any longer." which the Editor replies, "I wouldn't make it any longer if you did; its present length suits me very well."

To

G. F.-It is a fact that the entire population of Hindostan does not average sixpence a year for clothing.

ROBERT.-Titles do not make men, but many men are very fond of titles. Robert Innes was a poor poet, so poor that he became a pauper and picked oakum in the work-house. Still he found time to cultivate his muse, and managed to get his verses printed on slips of paper, which he sold to those who would give him a penny. He signed his name R. Innes, O.P., and thus explained the mysterious title:

Some put unto their names A. M.
And others put a D. and D.

If 'tis no harm to mimic them,

I adds unto my name O.P.

Master of Arts, sure I am not,
No Doctor, no divine I be,
But Oakum Picking is my lot,

Of the same clay are we all three.

FAMILY FASTIME

32.

A title the wise envy not,

But simpletons wish to attain, Because they believe it is-what? A fine thing to govern and reign. A river familiar to all.

Who have travelled a mile or two out;
A house at which gentlemen call

For a glass after walking about.
A flower that thrives without care-
Growing wild in the valley and glen.
Unbroken; quite perfect; and where
The proprietors open at ten.
'Tis a place of amusement for those
Who appreciate innocent fun;
Either open, or "under the rose,"
The answer oft sent to a dun.

A tree that provides us with canes
To thrash little boys who do wrong-
Such as breaking a neighbour's glass panes,
Or singing an impudent song.

A class which the upright despise,

On account of their incorrect ways,
And one whom-I am certain-ne'er tries
To merit a schoolmaster's praise.
The initials of all I have named will produce
That which someone designed for our comfort
and use,

Divide it in two and you'll then bring to light
An instrument sharp as a razor, and bright;
As well as a flat piece of wood smeared with dust
For erasing such spots as would otherwise rust.
G. M. F. G.

33.

MY first is what most people live on
But still not bread, nor meat, nor water.
My second oft goes unto a son,

And very seldom to a daughter.

In England my whole owns my first,
And may be either stout or thin,
And usually may be scen

At either town or country inn.
34.
There is a creature much inclined,
To take from animals their lives;
Not only so, when in the mind,

W. o.

By eating others 'tis he thrives.
He's clothed in colours gay and bright,
And often ends his life in pain,
He's always rapid in his flight,

And falls for some one else's gain.
Swift as he is when seeking prey,
A messenger for him has sped,
He's had his meal, he's had his day,
He's valued now because he's dead.
This is the fate of many such,

Tho' others live to kill and eat;
Pity a thing admired so much

Makes living creatures yield a treat.
One shall imprisoned closely be,

Though in the midst of life and state
The daylight never more to see,

The mate companion of the great.
Another after gorging palls,

And other victims he will spurn,
Among his former prey he falls,

And then is swallowed in his turn.
G. M. F. G.
Solutions to the above will be given in our next.

G. F.--It is Macaulay who states in his History of England, that no large society of which the language is not Teutonic has ever turned Protestant; and that wherever a language derived from ancient Rome is spoken, the religion of modern Rome prevails to this day.

T. SMITH (Monmouth).-Perhaps it would be better to say that years do not go from us, but we from them, stepping from the old into the new, and always leaving behind us some baggage no longer serviceable on the march. Look back along the way we have trodden; there they stand, every one in his place, holding fast all that was left in trust with them. Some keep our childhood, some our youth, and all have something of ours which they will give up for neither bribe nor, prayer the opinions cast away, the hopes that went with us no further, the cares that have had successors, and the follies outgrown to be reviewed by memory, and called up for evidence some day.

SUSAN HUMPHRY.-It is remarkable, but it is nevertheless true, that no female has ever been a good composer of music. Females have excelled in astronomy, chymistry, and other sciences, but no one can point out a good original musical composer amongst them..

1

A MOTHER. Persons should cause their children to be registered within forty-two days after birth, by giving personal notice to the registrar of the district, without any fee whatever. Intimation should be given of deaths in the same manner as births. This is of importance to be done early, as the undertaker must have a certiflcate to give to the minister who reads the funeral service, without which he may refuse to bury the body. As the cause of death is to be entered, sound discretion should be exercised in ascertaining the real nature of the deceased's death, for which important purpose every facility should be given.

DAVID NICHOLS.-The commercial value of insects is very great. The cochineal, from which a beautiful scarlet dye is obtained, is imported to the extent of 1000 tons annually, the value of which is estimated at 149,000l. From the silkworm we obtain no less than 2716 tons of silk. 2206 tons of which are in the raw state, and are manufactured in this country; the remaining 510 tons are already fabricated. When we consider that this quantity is the consumption of one country only, all being the produce of small insects, it appears surprising how the industry of man could collect so much and elaborate it into rich and gorgeous attire. One thousand tons of pearl shells are imported, the whole of which is manufactured into buttons and studs. "For better or for worse," we import no less than 8,000,000 leeches.

A POULTRY ADMIRER sends the following on the diseases of poultry, and their remedies:Provide if you can a separate place for the sick. Chipping. This singular disease of the digestive organs often proceeds from exposure to wet and cold. Remove the chickens to a warm and comfortable place: if they appear very ill, put them into wool or flannel; add to half a pint of thick gruel a dessert spoonful of linseed oil; give half a teaspoonful in the course of the day. Flux is generally produced by too much soft food; change of diet, therefore, is the best remedy: whole rice, a little hempseed, whole wheat, are excellent. Gapes.-Give every other day from five to ten drops of spirits of turpentine, mixed with barleymeal. The Pip.-Wash the mouth twice a day with a mixture of equal parts of tincture of myrrh and water; a more simple remedy is to rub some common salt on the sore place. The Roup (The Gargle in Geese).-This is one fatal result of ill-feeding and want of cleanliness. Medicine can do little; give one grain of antimonial powder twice a day in a little mixed food. Vermin. Keep them clean; provide and keep dry dust for them to bask in; and also fresh fine gravel for the sake of the small pebbles, which they need for their gizzards.

** We cannot return rejected manuscripts. All our literary arrangements are complete.

Published at the Office of the "FAMILY MIRROR," No. 9, Johnson's Court, Fleet St., where all communications are to be addressed.

WITH

DORRINGTON AINSLIE. BY JOHN SHERER.

CHAPTER XXI.

ITH the termination of our last chapter, terminated for a time, the consciousness of the Magistrate, for, strong man as he had been and still was, in the performance of many of the duties of life, the fearful force with which he had been assailed by Daggs overcame him as the shadow of a dark cloud intercepts the light of the sun The pallor that overspread his countenance before he sank back in his chair, was as the hue of death, and its strong features fixed into immobility, assumed the grimness of a statue sculptured to the ideal of a fallen angel disappointed of its prey.

In proportion to the awfulness of his situation, and in

striking contrast, was the triumphant exultation of Daggs; whose voice, between the croak of a raven and the screech of a peacock, increased in its intensity, as his whole frame seemed to swell and to quiver with the energy of his passion. "Look, look," he exclaimed to the awe-stricken assembly, "Look at your Magistrate now; ah! ah! ah!-your justice of the peace-your squire of many lands;-ah! ah! ah! It fits him well to send me to prison-me who-" "Come, come; this will not do," cried Jack Robinson, collaring Daggs, who, by a sudden and tremendous effort seized the officer with such a deadly grasp by the throat, and wrapped himself so tightly round him, that he resembled the boa-constrictor compressing its victim within the deadly embrace of the manifold plications of its body, rather than a human being clinging to the form of another. The suddenness of this onset of Daggs was so unexpected and so

VOL. I.

unusual in the conduct of criminals, that every person in the hall was paralysed with amazement. The consequence was, that the struggle, for a few moments, was left to the parties immediately engaged, every one else feeling either incapable or reluctant to interfere. Otterwell and Greenblades had flown to the assistance of the magistrate, upon whom the stroke of death seemed to have fallen, until he was extended on his back on the floor, when he opened his eyes a little, and evinced symptoms of returning consciousness.

Meanwhile the struggle between Daggs and Robinson continued, whilst not a word was uttered on either side, which made it appear the more deadly, as the terrific grasp of the seaman seemed to fix itself like the talons of a tiger round the neck of the officer. The immensity of the strain, however, which the force of his passion and the depth of his hatred had enabled him to throw into his muscles, it was impossible long to sustain. Accordingly, his grasp began to relax just as Robinson had managed in return to span his throat, to which he applied himself so vigorously, as to make the eyes of Daggs stare out of his head, whilst his face grew darker and darker in the purple hues with which the potent beverages of forty years had painted it. It was now that some of the by-standers began to assist the officer, when there was no occasion for it, as he was sure to be the victor in the long run; for, having youth on his side, as well as the advantages of a sober life, it was impossible for the other long to continue to hold out against him.

"You've got un now, safe enough!" cried Reuben, who, from the ravenous desire of making himself conspicuous wherever he was, sprung to the assistance of the constable, with the alacrity of one who flies to rescue a person from drowning who has already reached the shore. On the present occasion, however, he had scarcely counted the cost of his interference, for he had no sooner touched the arm of Daggs, than that human fiend managed to administer to him a kick upon the shin-bone, that sent him hopping upon one leg round the justice-room, with a face in which all the contortions of a hundred pangs felt at once were concentrated. This violent act raised a general feeling of indignation against Daggs, and half-a-dozen now fastened on him, but it was not without a considerable effort that he could yet so far be brought under their control, as to easily make him let go his hold of the constable. At length he was subdued; his physical strength was exhausted, and his wrists were locked in handcuffs.

When this feat was accomplished, it was found that some of the victors had no great reason to congratulate themselves upon their victory; for Daggs, the moment that he felt the interference of others, released the constable, and kicked and struck out from him with such fury, that scarcely one of them but bore some mark of the destructive character with whom they had to deal. The singular part of the whole scene, however, was the complete silence, in so far as regards vocal utterances, that was manifested by the chief comba

tants.

Had it been night instead of day, with what a fearful interest would the uncertainty of the struggle have been invested! Being open light, however, every one could witness for himself the extent of the injury inflicted upon each; and how far fair play, such as it was, was observed between the contending parties. One complained of one blow, and one of another, but the constable who is paid to be beaten, if such should be his lot, made no complaint, notwithstanding a broad and deep discoloration of the skin seemed, like a collar, entirely to encircle his neck, where the dragon-claws of Daggs had so remorsely infixed themselves.

When Daggs found himself completely mastered, and his hands bound, how bitter was the smile with which he surveyed his enemies! Not a single word had he suffered to escape him since his attack on Robinson, when he observed that the magistrate was being removed from the hall of justice. Then did his eyes gleam with a fiery radiance, as he directed them towards the door, at which he was being borne away; and then did he raise his voice, much more intensely horrified by the nature of the conflict in which he had been worsted.

"Isaac! Isaac Ilbert!" he screamed, "Are ye dead, old man? Listen to me, and I'll peal a knell in your ears louder than the bell of the church-steeple, O, Ilbert, Ilbert! you shall have justice ere Daggs shall have death."

By this time the magistrate was beyond the reach of the dreadful sounds of the seaman's voice, having been borne to his own chamber, and carefully deposited in bed, whilst the prisoner suffered himself to be quietly led away, and once more immured in the jail of Brindleton.

Ye who have sat by the bed of sickness, and mourned over the wasting form of goodness and virtue; who have watched the gentle flame grow fainter and fainter, until it has become as a twilight ray in the lamp of human existence, have witnessed one of the most touching scenes which the pencil of the great artist Death foreshadows, before the completion of his picture. The uncomplaining spirit; the resigned soul, the gently whispering voice; the placid features; the charitable thoughts; the benignant smile; the sweetly tender eyes, growing dimmer and dimmer ere they finally wrap themselves within the folds of their own curtains of delicately blended white and blue, produce feelings so undefinable in all their softer vicissitudes of hope and fear; joy and sorrow, that, powerful as language is in descriptive painting, it fails when it tries to discriminate the innumerable lights and shades that lie between the darkness of despair and the empyrean of joy in the human heart. To such a picture, however, there was no resemblance in the chamber where Isaac Ilbert was now extended. There was no charity in his thoughts; no benignity in his smile; no uncomplainingness in his spirit. He lay the victim of an awakened conscience; a Prometheus, with a vulture tearing at his vitals. There was but one consolation apparently left him in this world-the condoling attentions of the modest and immaculate Adela, whose natural goodness, on such occasions, acted like a ministering angel on the malignant fiend which tortured and distracted her parent.

Father, Father, O, Father!" repeated her gentle voice when they were left alone by her desire in the chamber; but as yet, Isaac was unable to make any response, and it was not until he had enjoyed an hour of perfect quiet-if the mere absence of external noise could give quiet to a soul torn with trouble-that he ventured to open his eyes and look upon the fair creature who sat by his bed-side. Notwithstanding the subdued light to which the chamber was reduced, there was enough for Adela clearly to see the play of emotions, which, like the Northern lights across a darkened sky, flitted over his face as the nature of the feelings at work within him, more or less wrung his bosom.

"Is it you, Adela?" said he, after gazing at her for some time.

"Stop!" cried Isaac. "I am not ill. Adela, what do you mean. Leave the room, girl, and send for no Doctor Willis. I shall be well soon enough, and without the use of his nostrums."

The mixture of sense and insanity which characterized her father's conduct was one of the features in the distemper with which he was afflicted; and as Adela had always been trained to unconditional submission to his will, she countermanded the order she had given to Lucy, who forthwith retired from the chamber.

When she was gone, and he and his daughter again left alone together, he repeated the counsel which he had given her a thousand times before, never to allow anyone whatever to witness him when suffering under the malady with which he was afflicted. Alas! how well he knew the nature of it himself! How well did he know that all the medical skill in the universe could not minister to a mind diseased as his was; for it was there, and only there that the distemper lay that shook his frame, and reduced its originally powerful conditions to the weakness in which he was sometimes forced to admit with reluctance that he felt himself.

Feeling, with all its force, the unaccountable position in which the adventure of this morning had now placed himself with the public, by an herculean effort he summoned all the energies of his mind to the controlment of the emotions which seemed to roll like a tide against the walls of his heart. He accordingly dismissed Adela from his room, rose, and, in a few minutes, entered the library, where he found his usual relief in the perusal of his Milton. But that stern fixedness of purpose, and that utter isolation from surrounding objects, which were characteristics of the mind of the Magistrate, were difficult to be commanded on the present occasion. He felt his position at stake with the public. He saw in Drift Daggs the reappearance of the monster who had abetted him in the dreadful crime which for years had torn his bosom with anguish, and converted all the riches and lands he possessed into objects of distaste and scenes of dissatisfaction. How was he to get rid of him again? How was he to gag the mouth that might betray him,—that might divulge the dark mystery which he had long thought was buried in the depths of his own heart alone? "Gold must do it," said he to himself, as he summoned his daughter once more to his presence.

CHAPTER XXII.

DISTRACTED AMBITION.

When his beautiful, obedient and devoted daughter entered the library, she was surprised, at the apparent excellent spirits in which her father was. There was not the slightest sign of the recent illness with which he had been overwhelmed; a circumstance which, she inwardly remarked, she had never observed before. All was not, however, so well with the magistrate within, as was outwardly indicated; but the consciousness of such a man as Drift Daggs being still in existence, forced him into the necessity of shaking off his infirmity, and assuming the semblance of health and spirits, if he had not the reality. Accordingly he alluded to the event in the justice hall, as if it had arisen from nothing more than what he was pleased to ridicule as "the insane conduct of Daggs."

"What could the criminal mean, father, by addressing you in such a manner?" inquired Adela, who had, by this time been informed of the whole scene.

"Nay, no one could divine that," returned the magistrate, with a forced smile. "He is labouring under some strange hallucination, I imagine."

"It is to be regretted that such a circumstance occurred in the justice-room," observed Adela.

"Not at all," returned her father. "The ends of justice were satisfied by judgment being delivered before he exhibited those symptoms of insanity, with which it was evident he was afflicted."

"But the people will wonder why he should have attacked you in such a manner."

A perceptible change of countenance here indicated that the Magistrate was not quite so free from emotion as it was his endeavour to seem.

Let them; let them, Adela!" he said hurriedly, and walking towards his desk, observing at that moment, an unopened letter lying upon it, he lifted it, and saw by the seal, that it was from Lord Watchford.

"Ah," said he, "when did this come?"

"But now, a few minutes ago; that is, just before you entered the library," replied Adela, who had already seen the superscription, which she knew to be that of Lord Watchford.

With a hurried and trembling hand the Magistrate broke open the seal, and read its contents; which, judging by the expression of his countenance, were highly gratifying, whilst they awakened the yearning passion of his soul, for the title which was to crown his daughter with what, he conceived to be the highest attainment of human happiness under the emblem of sovereignty itself.

Again did he peruse and re-peruse the letter, each time becoming more and more calm, and careful in deciphering the words, as if he were perusing a document, in which every expression was to be examined with critical closeness, so that if the writer was aiming at concealment, his real sentiments might be detected. Finding nothing, however, to shake his own belief in the sincerity of Lord Watchford towards Adela, he folded up the letter, and deposited it in his desk.

"Adela," said he, "to-morrow brings to this mansion my Lord Watchford. He comes for the purpose of seeing you, although it is to me that he has addressed his letter. It will rest with you now to carry out to a successful issue, that which has been the great hope of my life; the great achieve. ment at which I have aimed; the consummation of my dearest wishes; the realization of my most constant and cherished ambition."

"What is that, father?" inquired Adela, with a sweetness of manner in a great measure assumed, for fear she might awaken the dreadful demon which she knew only slumbered, to burst forth again in all its fury with the first appearance of contradiction.

"An alliance with hereditary dignity; with one, whose ancestry have long held a high place amongst the aristocracy of the country. That, Adela, has been my aim; that is my ambition, and it rests with you now only to second my desires, in order to vault into the first rank in society."

It was impossible for Adela to hear this and not evidence some sign of dislike to the scheme of her father; especially when she knew the real direction in which her own sentiments lay, and the position which she now knew she occupied in the estimation of one whose love, truth, and honour were all devoted to her.

"Oh! father," said she, "why will you always counsel me to seek to be married at all; when such thoughts find no place in my own mind."

66

Foolish girl!" returned Isaac, "for what is it that women live? The most graceful step that a female can make is to the hymencal altar; and if she can do this with rank, title, and honour, all united in a family of renown, she becomes, amongst her sex, the most envied of human beings. Remember, Adela, of what triflers the greater number of our species consists; remember how few there are who reason, and how many there are who see and hear, and who are governed by the outward appearances of things, and never penetrate beyond them. These are the talkers, and it is these that spread fame, and push the silent and thoughtful into the background of the world, where they can neither be seen nor heard. Amongst these, therefore, you shall move, as one capable of wearing becomingly a title which the hand of Lord Watchford will confer."

"But, father," said Adela, "nature has not constituted me with an eye to such a destiny!"

Nonsense, nature never thought anything about your constitution; and if she had, you are bound to make it sub