father, was, on the contrary, a complete liberal in religion. He came of high lineage among the descendants of Abraham, and certainly prided himself in the unmixed character of his pedigree, which owned no Gentile intermarriage throughout its long and wide ramifications; but he was, to all intents and purposes, a man of the world, prosperous in a lucrative and honourable branch of traffic, devoted to the pursuit of such advantages as he deemed most desirable for his family, and above all things solicitous to see his people relieved from the pressure of civil disabilities, and exalted to a place in the legislature. Confident that this would soon be the result of the efforts in progress, he had brought up his son with a special view to rendering him eligible for such distinctions; and to this end he had liberalized to an extent by no means approved among his stricter brethren; who considered that their young kinsman might occupy his expected station among Gentile senators and officials without being unmindful of his own peculiar privileges as a Hebrew of the Hebrews.

Nathan Alexander Cohen, however, gave himself very little concern with regard either to the prognostics of his father or the scruples of their friends. Full of animal life, buoyant in spirits, frank, sociable, and impetuous, he found himself possessed of all the advantages that this world can bestow upon its votaries, and sported like a young colt in the wide pleasant field assigned for his pasturage and play.

Proud he was to excess; but his pride was quite distinct from that of Esther or his father, Jealousy of his personal honour and privileges formed its chief point; to which he added a nationality quite foreign to the general character of his people; for he deemed it his chief glory to be an Englishman. Vain were his cousin's indignant remonstrances, and the occasional reprimands of elder friends; the boy had been brought up in a large school, where all religious differences were smoothed down after the most approved fashion of modern indifferentism; and little as his father was suspected of any fanatical attachment to the Mosaic law, the son gave promise of holding it yet more loosely. Extensively as virtual infidelity is eating into the core of professing Christianity among us, it pervades no less deeply the mass of the Jewish people at this day.

Among other things, the name of Nathan had been wholly dropped by the younger Cohen, and that of Alexander, the surname of a Hebrew connexion which had been given him, was shortened into Alick, and thus assisted to Gentilize him. But in one respect he was found inveterately Israelitish, for the contour of his face, its olive tint, brightened into richness by the glow of health and animation, the jet black of his sparkling eyes and hair, all proclaimed what his manners, his education, his habits declined to confirm, that Alick Cohen was decidedly a Jew.

Idle, volatile, and self-willed, he had loitered in

his studies: and now, at eighteen, having just been emancipated from the hands of a private tutor, engaged to finish what the school had failed in, it rather puzzled his father what step to take next. A German university was decided on ; but circumstances, wherein pleasure and profit were equally concerned, led Mr. Cohen to plan a tour in the East, where a wide field for commercial speculation had opened to him. Alick found no difficulty in obtaining permission to accompany him; and this gave rise to the expression of envy from Esther, who regarded as most desirable that part of her cousin's anticipated gratifications which he himself scarcely even numbered among them.

The evening before their departure Alick went to pass an hour with a neighbouring family, where he found two or three other guests assembled: his proposed route being alluded to, a young lady whose enthusiasm appeared greatly roused by the subject, asked him if he expected to visit Jerusalem and the surrounding spots! and on his replying in the affirmative, entreated him to bring her some relic from those hallowed places; on which another remarked, 'You had better ask for a sprig from one of the ancient cedars of Lebanon;' And Alick, ever ready to oblige, promised to bring home a choice specimen of those venerable trees. When he related this to Esther at home, to his surprise, she burst into tears, exclaiming, Do not, Alick, rob our glorious mountain of its few surviving honours, to indulge the childish fancy of a vain Gentile!'

'You are an odd girl, Esther; what can be the harm of taking a leaf or two out of a cluster of crazy old trees ?'

'Well, I shall not dispute the matter with you. Nevertheless, Alick, I shall pray to the God of Abraham that before you reach that spot you may have learned to shrink from the sacrilege you now speak of so lightly.'

But there was another in that house besides Esther, supplicating the God of Abraham on the youth's behalf, and with a better knowledge both of whom she addressed and of what she asked. This was an old Christian servant, truly a Christian, who for her fidelity had been long installed in a sort of demiofficial character, an office created for her in Mr. Cohen's household, as overlooker of the linen department, and superintendent of all packing, unpacking, and similar operations, in which she conceived herself profoundly skilled. She was a simple creature, without a particle of this world's learning or wisdom, held in some disdain by the modern domestics for the unsophisticated homeliness of her ways and apparel, but by her harmlessness, good humour and obliging disposition, overcoming all prejudice. She could not even read: for having neglected to acquire the accomplishment in her youth, nothing could persuade Susan it was attainable in declining years, though Alick had frequently offered to stake his best play-things on his success in teaching, if Susan would become his pupil. No,

no, master Alick,' she would reply, 'I'm too old to learn; and what need of it while you are so good as to read me a scrap of news out of the paper, and Miss Esther a fine tale out of a story-book? It ill becomes the likes of me to set up for a scholar in my old age.'

Latterly, however, a great change had passed on Susan's tastes and feelings. The gospel was introduced into the parish pulpit by a new minister; she heard, believed, and in the midst of her simplicity and ignorance, became wise unto salvation. Newspapers and story-books lost their charm: she preferred to feast her mind on what she could remember of the last sabbath's scripture and sermons; but it was only within a week or two that her warm interest had been excited on behalf of the family she loved so well and served so truly.

A sermon had been preached for the Jews' Society, and Susan, with awe-struck wonder, heard for the first time of the privileges, the sins, the chastisements, the hopes of Israel. Her whole soul became wrapt up in the one anxious desire to see her master's household converted to Christ; and Alick, as he had ever been her chief favourite, now stood foremost in her hopes and prayers. The sudden tidings of his intended voyage, which to her simple apprehension was a stupendous undertaking, beset with perils innumerable, sent her in dismay to the minister, who calmed her fears and soothed her anxiety by putting up a very fervent supplication for the young Jew.