class, more numerous in the last century than in the present, who

"Just know, and know no more, their Bible true," and by its light are guided in the way of peace; yet whose minds are in many things but a chaos of ignorance and prejudice; and who would be perplexed and irritated, rather than instructed, by an attempt to teach them whether the world is round or square, whether the sun stands or moves, or whether water runs down hill or up. My aunt Priscilla never at tempted to reason Deborah out of her little harmless prejudices; but whatever time and attention she could bestow on her, she laboured to improve, in directing her mind to the simple, the soul-sustaining, and sanctifying truths of the gospel; and she had the happiness to see, that whatever feebleness and inaptitude there might be to the reception of general truths, there was the appetite of a newborn babe, to desire the sincere milk of the word, and grow thereby, 1 Pet. ii. 2.

Many of Deborah's lesser mistakes were never corrected; but she had a clear and saving apprehension of the truth, that "Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners,” 1 Tim. i. 15, and that his blood cleanseth from all sin, 1 John i. 7; and on these truths she lived holily and died happily.

When the street door was closed, after the departure of Deborah and Cesar, and the cat and parrot, I felt an uncomfortable sense of loneliness. I strolled mournfully into Deborah's forsaken parlour, and taking up a Chinese mandarin of papier mâché, which she had given me at parting, perceived, to my no small amusement, that it was so constructed as to nod its head when moved. What a trifle beguiles the sorrows of childhood! While endeavouring to explore the principle of this movement, I almost forgot to weep for the departure of Deborah, or to sigh for the arrival of my uncle and aunt, who were expected to fetch me to Lincoln's Inn fields. But not many minutes were allowed me to pursue my speculations. The bell rang, and I was summoned to my aunt Leonora, in the library.

I believe my aunt had not been very cordial in my being received into the family. She was never particularly fond of children; and I was the child of a sister who had grievously offended, in her eyes almost unpardonably so. When my mother had visited her parents, and

maintained a degree of stiffness and reserve towards her, that did not seem altogether sisterly and of me she had taken very little notice, seldom speaking to me or of me, except occasionally to ask, in a grave magisterial tone, "Is the child at home?" "Is the child gone to bed?" or to remark, "The child makes too much noise.' And yet I think she entertained, both for my mother and myself, much more kindly feelings than her stiff notions of decorum and propriety allowed her to express. She now, I dare say, felt that I was left under her protection, and that it behoved her to take care of

I replied in the affirmative.

"So!" The remark was uttered in a tone of satisfaction as well as of surprise; "Then lay down that trifling toy, and come and read to me."

I obeyed; and although the volume placed in my hands was so massive, that I could scarcely wield it, and though it contained long words that I could not understand, and laboured trains of thought, that I was utterly incapable of following, I managed to get through a page or two in so creditable a manner as to elicit the commendation—

"You are a very good child indeed: you may leave off now. I shall make you a present before you go.'

My aunt was as good as her word; she presented me with a large silver cup and cover, which she said had belonged to my great, great grandfather; he who fought with a dragoon in the time of the civil wars, and never was well afterwards.

the earthly dwelling, condition, or possession of any kind, that is without its "but?" The "but" of the best of London houses, and of that among the rest, is, that they want the good, capacious outlet, the flourishing garden, the extensive and diversified views, that give such charms to the country. The only outlet to this house was a small yard, paved with flagstones; the only garden a few shrubs in the balcony. I have often speculated about the practicability and desirableness of having these flagstones removed, and converting the square patch into "a very little, tiny garden;" but I lived there long enough to be convinced of the correctness of my aunt's judgment, that the yard could not be spared; and that even if it were dug up, nothing would grow.

Much as I admired the neat, freshpainted rooms, new carpets, floorcloth, venetian shades, and handsome furniture of every description, all of which are as fresh in my mind as though I had seen them only yesterday, I was quite prepared to sympathize with my aunt in the pleasure she expressed, when we made our first visit to C, at once more beholding the woods and hills, and streams, and waving corn fields, and green pastures, enlivened with flocks and herds; or in the more secluded scenes of home, the garden, the orchard, the poultry yard. Rural scenes have ever been very dear to me; and I esteem it no small advantage, to have my first recollections of them associated with such a friend as aunt Priscilla. There are men, ay and women too, who have spent half a century in tilling the land or tending the dairy, in one of the loveliest spots of creation, who yet have no more perception of the beauties of nature than the oxen that draw their ploughs; who can admire nothing, except as it is a source of sordid gain. Nor is this brute indifference to the scenes of nature_confined to the dull unlettered clown. It was "the colossus of literature," Samuel Johnson, who said he admired no flower in the garden except a cauliflower. To enjoy nature, there is something wanting, that neither intellect nor literature can give, any more than a country residence, or country professions. It is a refined and cultivated taste, which may generally be traced back to the direction given to the opening powers of early childhood. This is a branch of

education too much neglected. Children are naturally observant, but too often they are suffered to waste their vivacity on unworthy objects, for want of having better things pointed out to them; or their inquiries are checked and discouraged by the indolence and apathy of those to whom they are addressed. It seems to me, that a correct and cultivated taste is an indispensable requisite for those intrusted with the care of children. I would not employ a nursemaid who would listlessly drag a child by a tuft of primroses, or a bank of violets, that she might hasten to get a sight of the finery in a shop window, or the passing of a troop of soldiers. The mother or nurse who awakens the infant perceptions to the beauties of creation, opens one of the purest and most permanent sources of gratification; one that will afford solace under many of the ills of life; one that has a tendency to bring into operation the better feelings and dispositions of human nature, and one that is capable of sound and evangelical improvement. Oh that every child had such a companion, such a preceptress as my aunt Priscilla, to teach it to love the lilies of the field, and the birds of the air, and the insects that flutter or that creep; and to direct their thoughts to HIM who clothes and feeds them all, and gives them their several instincts, and crowns the earth with his goodness, and takes pleasure in the happiness of every living thing! Dear, kind instructress, I must, in a great measure, ascribe it to your early culture, that even now, in my waning days, I can still spring upon the violets of the hedge, or the daisy of the meadow, with a pleasure as vivid as that of infancy!

To the poor villagers of C― it was no small matter of rejoicing, that the house, so long the occasional residence of my grand parents, was to remain in the family, that it was become the property of her whose considerate kindness they had so often experienced; and that it was her intention frequently to take up her abode there.

My uncle was partial to the country, and found his occasional visits to it highly beneficial to his health and spirits. But his intervals of leisure were short: or, if sometimes a little prolonged, it was only by means of employing part of the day in the prosecution of some professional business that could be carried

on away from the office. He sometimes retired into the country, not merely to recreate, but, to pursue important business without interruption. He seldom had time to plan improvements, or to give directions for the various operations in house or garden, which times and seasons rendered necessary. All these cares devolved upon my aunt; and she cheerfully and judiciously discharged them; and she had the recompense-a recompense not always awarded, when it has been faithfully earned-of giving full satisfaction to him, for whose sake she undertook the task. I can never forget how she exerted herself to have every thing quite ready for my uncle's arrival; every thing arranged, just as she thought he would like best; and so as to secure him from interruption while engaged, and to promote and prolong to the utmost, his healthful recreations. Nor can I forget the expression of affectionate and grateful pleasure with which he acknowledged her attentions; nor how frequently, when she consulted him as to some little project, he replied, "The heart of her husband may safely trust in her. She will do him good and not evil all the days of her life.'

In her plans of benevolence my uncle always heartily concurred, and often regretted that it was not in his power to bestow that personal attention on the prosecution of such designs as he gladly would have done. He sometimes smilingly observed, that whatever good was to be done between them, five-sixths would fall to her share. He mentioned a gentleman of his acquaintance, who, contemplating a plan of benevolence, asked three of his friends what they would contribute towards it; and received this laconic, but efficient reply. "T. N. will give advice, T. P. will give money, and J. B. will give personal assistance.' "Now," said my uncle, "when any good work is jointly undertaken by Walter Maurice and Priscilla, his wife, the said Priscilla will have to produce all the wisdom for counsel, and all the energy for action, and half the pecuniary resources for carrying it into effect; at the same time, of her own free good will, admitting the said Walter to as large a share in the pleasure resulting, as he can possibly find time to enjoy.'

My aunt never admitted the correctness of my uncle's calculations; she placed no low estimate on his sympathy and countenance, which were never withheld.

As the cares of an increasing family pressed upon her, she was not able to devote so much time and personal attention to charitable objects as she had formerly done; but then she had employed her influence, as well as her activity, in labours of love. She had trained her young friends, and the members of her household, to assist her in carrying out her benevolent designs; and she was still, by common consent, looked to as the presiding spirit. My aunt was considerably in advance of the benevolent movements of her day. Combined effort and systematic operation were then in their infancy. She was, perhaps, one of the first practically to admit the axiom, that "union is strength;" and though I do not think she would have gone the whole length of the present day, in the publicity of combined female efforts, (I am quite sure she would not have been induced, for the sake of supposed public claims on her time and attention, to neglect the care of her family and her home, a duty which cannot, without injury, be deputed to others,) yet she did more, by stimulating, directing, and encouraging the efforts of others, than could have been possible for any individual to effect, by means of her own exertions and re

sources.

My aunt witnessed the commencement of Sunday schools, and she hailed the benevolent design. She did not live to see that great movement in the system, the adoption of gratuitous teaching; but she collected some poor children, and paid a poor schoolmaster for the use of a room, and for instructing the children; and she personally inspected their progress, rewarded diligence and good conduct, and watched over them as they rose up in life, with an almost parental solicitude. Elizabeth Varney was one of her first scholars, and several others were taken into her own family, or recommended by her to those of her friends.

Bibles and tracts were not, in those days, distributed on any considerable scale; but my aunt made a point of seeing that every individual in her household was furnished with a Bible, and possessed the ability to read it. She also kept an assortment of small popular religious treatises, for lending or giving among her servants and neighbours. Oh, how would her benevolent heart have rejoiced in the abounding facilities of the present day, for the diffusion of useful knowledge in general, especially the