Her friend called upon her again very soon, but it was all in vain; her reason was gone; disease had made frightful progress; delirium had disordered her brain; and he was obliged to retrace his steps, with sad thoughts and earnest prayers to God that he would spare her yet a little to recover strength before she was taken hence. He called again and again, but with no better hope of doing her any good. He made her many visits, and in some few of them was enabled to have conversations with her, but they were only such as to distress his feelings still more. He asked her if she remembered what he had said on previous visits. "Yes, sir," she replied, "but I cannot repent, my heart is too hard. I am afraid to die, what am I to do? I shall go to hell,-Oh, read the account of Mary Magdalene again :" which he did. She then said, Ah, but I am gone too far, there is no repentance for me,' Ah, there he is, he must have me,”- "Don't read any more, it is of no use,"- I am lost for ever.' These are only some of the expressions she used, there were many others too shocking and dreadful to repeat, which had better never be known. Thus she lingered a few more days, dreading the hour of final dissolution, moaning and crying out in the most bitter agony until death terminated her earthly sufferings.

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THE EMPLOYMENTS OF FEMALES.

SURPRISING it is that the views of society on the employment of females, should have shut out every useful and honourable occupation, except that of teaching. The art of teaching, perhaps the most difficult for many minds to acquire-certainly the

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most irksome, and oftentimes the most unfit for the constitution of females delicately and tenderly reared. How heart-rending to see well-educated young women eagerly seeking situations where the labour is little above menial, and the reward far below the ordinary wages of a common servant! The anxious parents may have lavished upon their daughter every accomplishment, they may have spared no money to Imake her what is termed a qualified governess; but when she comes forward to offer her services in the field of education (a field, that, although overstocked with labourers is overrun with weeds,) she discovers there is absolutely no demand for what she has to offer; she finds education a drug," her talents not esteemed, her exertions not valued, and her services not sought for. Still she has no other resource; there is no other field which society has to offer for female industry, and she is therefore compelled to discount her services in the market; thus she soon finds how difficult it is to maintain her position in an artificial state of society, when talent and moral worth are the only claims she has to entitle her to a respectable position. Often does she perhaps feel the struggles which an elevated and noble mind has to make to withstand the withering chill of scanty means, nay, often absolute poverty. If she possesses a delicate mind and a cultivated understanding, how often must her feelings be wounded, to find that the individual, whose position as educator should entitle her to the highest preeminence in the proper estimation of society, is seldom looked upon as an equal in station with those she teaches, and often as belonging to a rank beneath her pupils.

But can nothing be done to rescue from the

miseries of a female teacher's life, those crowds of young women whose necessities compel them to flock to it? Is a female of respectable education compelled to depend upon her own exertions for support?-she has immediate recourse to teaching; in truth, she knows of no other calling she could pursue that would not sink her in society. Her talents, her dispositions, her feelings, may qualify her for pursuits more congenial; but society gives countenance to no other, in which she could at all maintain a respectable bearing.

But if the false views of society on female employments cannot be immediately reformed, much might certainly be done to check the tendency that unfortunately exists at present to promote the training of females of so small pecuniary means for the duties of governess. Some religious and excellent individuals have exerted themselves in founding institutions for the training of young ladies, the daughters of clergymen and others of small resources, for governesses; and thus, though done from the best of motives, an evil is perpetuated, and numbers are thus added to a class already too numerous-far exceeding the demand.

It is certain that the limited view of society on female power and usefulness has a very injurious effect upon the education of young women of respectable family, who are obliged, through narrow circumstances, to have recourse to some kind of employment for support. If certain occupations, suitable to the various talents and dispositions of females, could be held forth to be as respectable and honourable as the profession of governess is by them fancied to be, (and there appears no reason why many employments suitable for females might not be so con

sidered), it would tend most beneficially to their future usefulness and ultimate happiness. Few may have that peculiar species of talent which is required for governesses; but all may be suited for usefully employing their talents in spheres corresponding to their capacity and inclinations. The difficulty we have to combat (and a formidable one it is,) is current prejudice. The affectation of many young women causes them to suffer privations and torments rather than let the world know their actual condition; and the artificial education bestowed on our female youth at the present day, tends to foster this unfortunate failing in young girls whose parents have but limited resources.

Once let the prejudice which prevails in restricting female employment to tuition, be overcome, and profitable fields of employment for female capacity and exertion would soon be discovered. We know an instance of three sisters, young women possessed of very cultivated minds, and moving in a highly respectable sphere in this metropolis, who have so far devoted their talents to the various parts of their father's business (that of printer and publisher), that in the capacity of composing, reading proofs of works in various European languages, and other consistent female employments, they surpass in practical dexterity, and neatness and accuracy of execution, many of the other sex who have served a regular apprenticeship to the business. Now there are several mechanical arts in which females might equally excel with men, such as lithographing, engraving, etc.; and many useful trades besides those usually engaged in by women.

It has been suggested that an institution be opened by benevolent and influential individuals for the pur

pose of training young women to such useful employments. We fear, however, that little benefit would be conferred on the suffering class of females we are speaking of, by such institutions. We think that without real maternal influence, and an habitual training at home to industrious habits, and the inculcation of sober and staid views on the future prospects of life, aided by parental example, all that we might establish in the way of charitable institutions for the accomplishment of such an object, would be to defeat the very end we desire to serve.

From the all-pervading desire among parents of the middle rank of life to cultivate the mental faculties and female ornamental accomplishments, at the expense of the health, arise that bodily weakness and those nervous diseases, often terminating in insanity, which are now so generally among us. We go on imparting female accomplishments, and mistakingly call it cultivating the mind, whereas by this fashionable mode of education, our appliances tend to weaken and debilitate the understanding. We create a nervous state of system through a mistaken course of mental training, and the mind becomes proportionally impaired thereby, the whole of our modern forms of education have tended more or less to restrict the mental powers and bodily habits to a prescribed course of discipline, artificial at the best, and thus to destroy the opportunity of applying those means for bodily health and mental vigour that nature has so wisely offered, and which the buoyancy of youthful spirits so readily lays hold of.

If to the pursuit of literature and the close application of attaining a degree of excellence in the range of female accomplishments, we were to.combine in female training, some domestic occupation,