possible for us to have stated seasons for particular employments; and may we not, by the adoption of such a plan, contrive to allot for ourselves some part of every day for intellectual as well as devotional improvement? It is true that many females are fond of reading; but the trash which they read merely serves to give them false views of men and things-to vitiate their taste--and to induce within them, such a love for the romantic and marvellous, that they are more fitted to dwell in an ideal region, than in that living world, in which they are doomed to spend their fleeting existence.

It was on returning from the Misses Corries, where Miss Holmes had been spending the evening with Mr. R and a select party, that she took a slight cold, in consequence of being overtaken by a violent storm, from which she could not escape. On reaching home, she changed her dress, and soon after retired to rest; yet, when she awoke in the morning, she felt a hoarseness, accompanied by a little fever. She remained within for several days, grew much better; and, on the following Sabbath, ventured to go to Chapel, where she commemorated the death of the Redeemer. This reli gious service she often spoke of as one of the happiest seasons of her life. When adverting to it, at a subsequent period, in a letter which she wrote to Miss Roscoe, she observed, "I have often felt a high degree of solemnity and delight when receiving the sacramental memorials of the Saviour's death; but on the Sabbath morning after my seizure by that disorder, which is now wasting away my life, I felt a joy which was unspeakable and full of glory. When the Minister repeated the memorable words, This do in remembrance of me, I could not refrain from saying, in the language of the pious Dr. Watts,

'Why was I made to hear his voice,

And enter while there's room;

While thousands make a wretched choice,
And rather starve than come.'

And though I have always felt a dread of ascribing those impressions and tendencies to a supernatural operation, which may have originated in the spontaneous

evolutions of my own mind, yet, on this occasion, I could respond to the inquiries with perfect composure.

"Twas the same love that spread the feast,

That sweetly forced me in;
Else I had still refused to taste,

And perished in my sin.'

"Till that morning a gloomy shade always darkened the perspective of my bliss; but then the true light shone into me with such a bright radiance, that I abounded in hope through the power of the Holy Ghost. I retired from the hallowed spot with the dew of the divine refreshing on my spirits, and in the evening of the day, when denied the privilege of returning to the house of prayer, I made a more solemn surrender of myself to God, than at any former period. What scenes of wonder opened to my view! The Lord of Life and Glory expiring on the Cross! The high and lofty One condescending to admit a sinful creature into his presence! The Saviour making intercession for me! The gay and the thoughtless may pour contempt on the sublime pleasures of retired devotion, and rush into the world which abounds with evil, for mental bliss ; 'but our joys would be ill-exchanged for theirs,' and though it may not be in our power, while encompassed with the infirmities of our nature, to perpetuate the vivid impressions which they produce, yet they serve to demonstrate the superlative value of that faith which originates them; and tend to inspire within our breast an intense longing for that fulness of bliss which the spirits of the just made perfect, are allowed to participate in the heavenly world."

By the advice of her physician, she was requested to try a change of air as the most likely means of arresting the progress of her disorder. After much deliberation, it was decided to go to Dawlish, in Devonshire, because they had enjoyed their former visit, and because Miss Holmes preferred the calmness of retirɛ ment to the noise and gaity of a more fashionable watering-place. The Rev. Mr. R, who had requested to be allowed to form one of the party, was dispatched to procure a suitable lodging; and it was no

small gratification to the family, when, on their arrival, they found the same house taken for them which they had occupied some years before. As they had travelled by easy stages, and had been favoured with pleasant weather, Miss H- appeared much better when she came to the end of the journey than when she left the Elms; and continued to improve so rapidly, that they began to anticipate her entire convalescence. Her spirits, which had at times been deeply depressed, soon rose to the level of her accustomed cheerfulness; and though the hectic flush occasionally added fresh beauty to the sweetness of her countenance, yet, as it did not return so often, nor yet appear so deeply tinged by the florid hue as on her arrival, it did not occasion any alarm. On returning from a lovely walk, they passed the little Chapel which benevolence has raised for the accommodation of the Christian pilgrim, who thirsts for the pure water of life, she facetiously remarked, addres sing herself to Mr. R- "I presume, Sir, we cannot calculate on your accompanying us to-morrow to this unadorned house of prayer" Why not?" course, Sir your profession will lead you elsewhere!" "I am happy to say, that I am not ashamed to go to offer up my sacrifice of prayer and of praise in any place in which the God of salvation will condescend to accept it. I prefer the village Church to the village Chapel, most certainly, but as I have no wish to become a Dissenter, I shall conform to the religious customs of the party during our visit."

,

66

"Of

There is no indisposition under which the human frame labours that assumes such a deceptive appearance as a consumption. In its early stages it will often work on the stamina of the constitution with so much secresy, that the subject is unconscious of its presence; and even, when it has advanced to a very considerable extent, there are generally those intermitting seasons of recruited vigour and vivacity, that she will entertain, even to the last, a confident expectation of a recovery. And it is during these seasons, when the animal spirits flow back with so much force, giving a degree of energy and activity which is regarded as an unequivocal proof of restored health, that exertions are made by walking and by visiting, which accelerate the

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dreaded evil they are undertaken to prevent. throw a restraint on the invalid, who is recommended a change of air, or to keep her out of company, when the pleasures of social intercourse relieve the mind from the dulness of langour, is a task which the kindness of friendship cannot always perform; and hence she is often permitted to run the risk of shortening that life, which they are extremely anxious to prolong, by exertions which exhaust her strength, or by exposures to the keen night air, which give a fresh impetus to the incipient disease. It was during one of these intermitting seasons of reanimated strength, that Miss H was induced to pay a visit to an interesting family, which resided about two miles off, and though her father proposed to take her in a chaise, yet she preferred walking. She reached the habitation of her friend without feeling fatigued; and after dinner enjoyed a ramble among the rural scenes of the country; and having taken tea, she returned to Dawlish. It was a very pleasant evening, but the air was rather cold; and though she bore the exertions of the day with great cheerfulness, yet before she got home she began to feel exhausted. On entering the drawing-room, she threw herself on the sofa, and said, "I fear I have gone beyond my strength." After resting herself some time, she retired for the night; but when she awoke in the morning, instead of rising at her usual hour, she requested to have her breakfast in bed. At noon she made her appearance amongst the family, and received their kind congratulations; but her mother, who watched the progress of her disorder with all the anxiety of the tenderest solicitude, felt a momentary shock on seeing the hectic flush, accompanied by an occasional cough. Towards the evening her pulse, which had been very regular for some weeks, was considerably increased; the palms of her hands became dry and hot, and she complained of being chilly. These symptoms excited fresh alarm; yet, as they came on immediately after the fatigue of a long day's excursion, they flattered themselves that they would go off when she had taken another night's rest; but they were disappointed. On the following morning they assumed a more threatening aspect; her cough became more troublesome, the pain in her side returned,

and though she appeared cheerful, yet it was accompanied by a chastened gravity of look and of manner, that bespoke some solemn musings of the mind. At length, it was judged expedient to call in a professional gentleman, who sent her some medicines that afforded her a little temporary relief. When asked for his opinion, he said, "I do not despair of her recovery, though she must be very cautious. She must not exert herself be yond her strength, nor yet expose herself to the night air." The following letter which she wrote to her friend, Miss Roscoe, will throw open to the view of the pious reader, the state of her mind at this critical period:

66
"MY DEAF SOPHIA,

"An all-wise Providence has been pleased to guide my steps once more to Dawlish, where we expect to spend a few months. On passing by the spot in one of my morning rambles, where I had the pleasure of being introduced to you, I naturally adverted to that period of my life when I was living in a state of alienation from God-devoted to the pleasures and vanities of the world; nor could I suppress the tributary tear, to the honour of that sovereign grace, which had brought me into fellowship with Him. Happy indeed should I be to retrace, with my Sophia, those steps which we often trod together in the vicinity of this retreat from the noise of the great world, and talk of Him who lived and died for sinners; but, as that pleasure is denied me, I will converse with her through a more circuitous medium. As my visit is rather sudden, you will probably feel anxious to know the cause. It is my indisposition. The recent trials which we have been called to endure, have brought back upon me those symptoms of a premature death, which I felt some years ago; and as a change of air and of scene was strongly recommended by our physician, we are now making the experiment. On my arrival I grew much better, and continued for some weeks to improve in my general health; and though my friends still cling to hope, as the sinking mariner hangs on the broken plank of the vessel, till the last returning wave comes to drive him off; yet I am not sanguine as to the result. I know that my Heavenly