knew ;"-" if there were a little too much point made of outward observances which sometimes encroached upon a time barely sufficient for all the necessary parts of education, or a little too literal an interpretation of rules and precepts which a more extended intellect would have taken in a more liberal sense, yet the error was on the right side. Provided that nothing more important was omitted, there was no harm, while girls were young, in being something more scrupulous, perhaps than others, of doing, what however all the world did, and what all the world must do in the end, -but the reputation of strictness had its advantages, and she must acknowledge that nobody could have nobler sentiments than Mrs. Obrien, or could better know how to instil them into her pupils; so that she hoped there would be no great harm done by a lit

tle preciseness while they continued in the school-room,-it made them more obedient there, and would soon wear off when they came into the world."

of

Lady Jane had already begun to reap the reward of so happy an union energy and supineness, of vigilant watchfulness and dormant confidence, - of unbending controul and modest acquiescence. It was agreed on all hands that Lady Jane was the most exemplary of mothers, and the Misses Hastings the best educated of daughters. Lady Jane drew the consequence, that the Misses Hastings would be the earliest and best established young ladies of the age, that is of the next-five years! Already she had a little foretaste of this supreme felicity in the disappointment which seemed to hover over the as strenuous, but, as she conceived, less well-directed efforts of her sister-in-law, the Lady

Stanton. Lady Stanton had a little preceded her in the race of bringing up, and bringing out, "accomplished females," and Lady Jane having felt that the titled daughters of Lady Stanton had advantages beyond any which she could claim for her own, she had wisely appeared to waive all competition where she had little hope of victory. She had calculated, indeed, that the most formidable of these daughters would be disposed of before she brought any of her own under public observation; but Lady Charlotte Stanton had now "been out "the last three years, and she was Lady Charlotte Stanton still!- Lady Jane wondered how it could be!-for she was beautiful as an angel, or a goddess, or any other unearthly being which happened to occur to Lady Jane's imagination when she spoke of her niece-yet perhaps it might be accounted for she had

always seen errors in her sister's way of bringing up her girls: errors which she flattered herself she had kept free from. The difference would be seen. -Isabella, after all, might be disposed of before her transcendant cousin. Every body knew how strictly her daughters had been educated.-Lady Stanton's system was different, — it might be right; — it might attract more admirers, but for her part she did not think it so likely to secure husbands. Men liked women who had been used to obey; who would not always have a will of their own.-If she had taught her daughters any thing, it was the natural superiority of the other sex, and the necessity in all females to bow to it.-Men did not like to be shouldered by an equal every hour in the day; if they wanted amusement they could find it elsewhere. A cheerful, quiet home, was

what men sought for when they did

marry.

Wives that had talents at

their husband's command, not such as were always seeking for public display. She was sure Lord Stanton was of her opinion -he had often said,"we are wrong Jane, you are right you bring up your daughters so as that they may make rational men happy Lady Stanton educates hers as if they were never to know control."

"She had endeavoured to deserve such approbation. She had educated her daughters for wives, and she did suspect they would be sooner sought than those who might perhaps have some outward advantages over them."

These suspicions were swelling fast into hopes when she saw the first, the second, and the third year of Lady Charlotte's "entrance into the world" come and go, without the great end of all Lady Stanton's cares having been