courts those calamities of which but a very small portion might otherwise fall to his share. I descended directly from the patrician to the plebeian. In the peasantry I flattered myself that Ishould, from their recluse mode of life and innocent simplicity, discover some degree of content ment. In this idea I was egregiusly deceived. A few betrayed anapathy to their low condition; but the far greater number most bitterly reviled it, and sighed for an opportunity of mixing with the world. I now placed my dependance of meeting with real content, and the object whom I sought to call by the all-siguificant name of friend, in the middle stations of life. They in general possess a sufficient stock of knowledge to estimate the advantages of contentment, and to despise the extravagant desires of the uninformed. But, nevertheless, there were many who yielded implicitly to their native ambition, and declined the restraint of their passions, notwithstanding they were sensible of the utility of so doing, and of the evils inevitably attending its neglect. Fortune directed me to a spot where cheerfuluess and content had literally taken their abode. I may justly designate the inhabitants of that spot as happy and virtuous in the extreme. The family consisted of a worthy man, his wife, and several children. In each other they possessed every valuable sublunary felicity. The cares and troubles of life were to them but mere shadows. Each successive day produced a repetition of that delight and satisfaction which reigned unceasingly in their breasts, and of its divinè influence their countenances bore ample testimony. The demeanour of the husband was marked with good humour and urbanity; that of his wife was distinguished by its suavity and simplicity. A mutual love and esteem, added to an endearing attention, formed the basis of their conduct toward each other - a basis in fact, on which the superstructure cannot be otherwise than of the firmest and fairest nature. Their household exhibited a decent economy, and their board a neat frugality. To sojourn under the roof of such a pair was to me a luxury indeed. In their loved society I experienced the summit of my wishes, and attained in one moment, and by mere accident, that object which had engaged my unremitted attention, and defied my indefatigable industry for so great a length of time, and through so many classes of society. It often occurs that we toil and travail for years in search of some particular object, and at last meet with it by absolute chance, and not unfrequently in the very place from which we had departed in pursuit of it.' CHAP. VII. 'I INTIMATED to the gentleman my motives for adopting my present plan of life, and expressed my firm detennination of adhering to it with religious punctuality. This induced him to make a few observations which remain indefibly impressed on my memory. He observed, Before a man makes his election he should discriminate, with nice exactness, the various characters that present themselves, and very maturely weigh the tendency of his own inclinations. Much, said he, depends on the prejudices we may have imbibed in our early years. These too often take so deep a root, that it not only transcends our own endeavours, but exceeds those of the enlightened and experienced to eradicate them. When our determination is once fixed we should not be deterred from the pursuit by any obstacle, however apparently insurmountable, (for there are few that are not to be overcome by assiduity and perseverance,) nor should we suffer ourselves to swerve from the selected path by the smooth appearance of what may seem more eligible. For my own part,' said he, I ever deemed the social life (in the absolute sense of it) as justly enjustly entitled to pre-eminence; it is dictated to us by the primeval state of man, and verified throughout the whole creation.' From the knowledge I had acquired of the world I was convinced that hypocrisy and simu lation prevailed to such an extent as effectually to preclude the formation of a society where each member might impart with safety his inmost feelings, and enjoy the satisfaction of a mutual and unreserved converse. I therefore looked for the consumination of my wishes in the conjugal state, being confident that that alone contained those inestimable advantages with which the cares and miseries of life are mitigated, or superseded. To discover a female in whose bosom the virtues which qualify that sex to render the conjugal a state of real felicity was now my sole pursuit. It is true.the disappointments were frequent, but they only tended to give a zest to my endeavours. I had great reason to lament the disgraceful custom of the nation which refuses the toleration of a mutual and op tional intercourse between the families, and also of that authority' so unworthily and arbitrarily exercised by our sex, that militates against the inborn energies, and destroys that free and innate spirit of emulation and improvement which reigns in the female breast, and is inherent in their very temperament. Where in nature is there an object more entitled to our ad niration than a female endowed with good sense and cheerfulness, whose modesty and affability, whose soft and tender heart, smooths the ruggedness of life, and calms those woes we are too often doomed to experience!-A man no sooner enters her presence than his cares and misfortunes are forgotten and on beholding her benign and sympathizing countenance confesses her powerful and fascinating charms, and shrinks under their ascendancy and superior nature.” It requires but a very slight degree of penetration to ascertain the grand cause of this serious im pediment to perfection. It is that distrust and jealousy which is nurtured by the prevailing example of the times, and which, in fact, is an inheritance as regularly transmitted from father to son (in this and the neighbouring countries) as the property of our ancestors. How black a shade does it cast on the character of a man not to place an implicit confidence in his Months in the company of these worthy people glided away totally unheeded. It was not uns wife! It is principally from the want of confidence that the errors of the female originate. Place a just confidence in her, and Pt a year had elapsed that I could pledge my life (unless her mind is absolutely depraved) that it will prove an effectual preventive. And if she were in a slight degree vitiated, her pride and gratitude are always at hand to administer a potent antidote against any dereliction of duty! Fortune at length yielded to my incessant prayers, and conducted me to the dweiling of that person whom I hail by the fondest and most endearing of appellations. Decenty prevents me hon uttering her eulogy, but you will permit me to observe that I am indeed most happy. This sequestered spot is to us a perfect Paradise.In each other we possess unbounded felicity; in the education of our children, a source of constant employment and ineffable delight; and in the assidu ons endeavours to assist, or relieve our neighbours, and render them contented with their situation; a mental gratification infinitely superior to all the glittering tinsel of any worldly ostentation," coucle myself even to a tempos rary separation. However, a tism determination of pursuing the selected track prevailed,, and. I departed with a sorrow that I neither did nor endeavoured to control. My heart dilated with grateful reflections on the attentions and kind hospitality had experienced, and on my own happiness in possessing so worthy and excellent a friend. I returned to the city, and divided my time between the study of men and books, and in administering relief to the needy and afflicted. It is necessary to a man who aspires to real knowledge to combine and compare his reading with his observations one without the other would prove an absolute nullity. The student on emerging from his closet is as ignorant of the world, and deficient in estimating the real advantages of life, as, the opposite extreme is deficient in the essen tial requisites to form a virtuous character. - The numerous objects I had an opportunity of observing af forded ample matter for reflecting on those circumstances which are commonly denominated The Miseries of Life. It is certain they accrue from, adverse fatefrom accumulated misfortunes and from bitter and agonizing int cidents: but they are multiplied, and rendered efficacious by ridi culous absurdities, gross inattention, and by a nominal or faulty education. myIt is the duty of a man, when assailed by misfortune, to exert his fortitude and energies, and by How perfectly did I coincide in the sentiments, of that man. Our observations and conclusions relative to the conduct of the world were so similar, and our ideas, on almost every subject, corresponded so exactly, that I wanted not the cogency of his arguments, the impressive force of his delivery, nor the evident testimony of my senses, to induce me to give full credit to all he attered. Suffice it to say, that our sensations were in all respects mutual, and from that instant friendship has existed, and I trust will exist without diminution. exerting them he will rise superior even to fate. But he who yields himself implicitly, or who hesitates to employ the gifts of nature, is a wretch unworthy of the form he bears, and has scarcely a claim to the protection of Divine Providence.' [ To be continued. ] folds on each side the arm, the bottom of which is worked in a rich Etruscan border. The head dressed with bands, and two ring lets before the ear, ornamented with a tiara of gold, and a purple net handkerchief also richly work, ed with gold. Upon the whole this dress is one of the most simple and elegant we have ever seen, and promises to become a lasting favourite with the fashionable world. LONDON FASHIONS. THE fashions for the present month exhibit a costume perfectly antique, the elegant simplicity of which, and the classic taste of the ornaments, do great credit to the invention of our fair countrywo men. It is composed of a dress of white satin, or sarcenet, made to sit close to the form, and con fined round the waist with a silk cord and tassels, the ends of which are seen below the drapery; the bottom of the dress is ornamented with a rich Greek or Etruscan border; the front is quite plain, and escaloped in a circular form; sleeves of the same, and worked in a small antique border to correspond with the top of the dra pery, which is composed of patent net, or leno, of about a yard and half in length, which is caught up at the edge, at about a quarter of a yard from one end, and crossing the bosom passes under the left arm, and by being brought over the back of the shoulder is fastened by a gold broach, or or nament, which being continued round the back meets the other end to which it is attached by a corresponding ornament on the right shoulder, from which it descends in elegant and beautiful ON CRUELTY TO ANIMALS. From Bigland's Letters on Natural search ought to be moral and THE object of all physical reintellectual improvement; and, indeed, the study of nature, exly adapted to inflame our love for alting our admiration, is peculiarthe Architect of the universe, the self-existent Author of all exishowever, cannot be more approtence. Our love of the Creator, priately displayed than by the towards his creatures. This im¬ exercise of universal benevolence where endeavoured to inculcate; portant moral truth I have every and let it be impressed on your mind, and kept in your memory, that |