Burrows, told me, that one morning she | others, how little is our own understood only took a single turn to the top and back by them, and yet all persist in giving posiagain, and met with fourteen people of her tive opinions on the subject, merely foundacquaintance!" ed on outward signs; most truly is it said in that sacred book, which says everything better than it can be expressed by a profane writer, "The heart knoweth its own bitterness, and a stranger doth not intermeddle with its joy." Caroline's spirits had long deserted her, and now her temper in turn began to fail.

"A powerful recommendation to those who are accustomed to associate a visit to the country with quiet, rural pursuits and retirement," said Mrs. Clifford with her usual sneer; and Sophy Bennet added, "It is not every mind that is formed to enjoy and improve retirement, like that of dear Mrs. Clifford." "Dear Mrs. Clifford" at length settled her son's summer plans for him to the advantage, as she told him, of his purse and his peace of mind; she took a house at Richmond, and invited Clifford and his wife to become her guests during her stay. It was in vain for Caroline to object to this plan. Clifford asked her to produce one good reason against it, and she could not give him her only reason; she could not tell him that it would be to her the bitterest of penances to see his mother every day, and all day long. Caroline's train of reflections on every occasion now partook of her peculiar circumstances; one of her neighbours was going to pass the summer in a very dull village in Essex. “It will not be cheerful," thought Caroline, "but she will not mind it; her husband will be with her, and they will not be annoyed by visitors." Another was to stay all the summer and autumn in London. "Well," thought Caroline, "she and her husband are fond of walking together: she can take his arm and enjoy pleasant evening strolls."

Very few people had passed through life with such a reputation for good-temper as Caroline; her school-fellows, her friends, and her relations had in turns eulogized her as possessing an "easy temper," a "sweet temper," a "kind temper," a "fine temper," and twenty other praiseworthy varieties of temper; it was, perhaps, all these, but it was not a temper founded on Christian principle, and, therefore, it deserted its possessor in the hour of need. Caroline had borne many unkind taunts from Mrs. Clifford in silence, and had carefully refrained from contradicting or exasperating her, and having done this, she considered she had done all that could possibly be expected from her, and more than her mother or sisters would have done; but she had never prayed that God would change the temper and spirit of her oppressor, or that, withholding that change, he would give to herself grace to bear the trial with that patience and humility befitting an humble disciple of Christ. No, Caroline worked in her own strength, and what could be expected but that one emAny stranger who had heard Caroline's ploying only the unhallowed weapons of soliloquies, would have imagined them human pride and obstinacy, should sink those of a happy wife. How widely re- wounded and degraded in the conflict? moved from truth may be a natural and Caroline lost her forbearance and her plausible conjecture! Caroline at length self-command; she replied with such hasty went to Richmond with a thoroughly bad irritability to every observation of her grace, determined to find her visit very mother-in-law, that she actually converted disagreeable, and it proved just as disa- her mean jealousy into the bitter enmity greeable as she could have predicted! All that she had at first believed it to be, and outward circumstances, however, com- by her contemptuous rejection of Sophy bined to make her situation appear happy: Bennet's cajoleries, she enabled the latter the summer was one of remarkable fine- to discover that she had seen through her, ness and beauty; Mrs. Clifford's house an offence which no hypocrite can possiwas situated on the hill, commanding the bly forgive. Caroline's mind now graduloveliest of prospects; they daily took the ally became in such a morbid state, that most delightful of walks and rides, or she could not, to use a colloquial expresrowed in a pleasure-boat upon the clear sion, "settle for a moment to anything;" and beautiful river. When they occa- her music and drawing were neglected, a sionally appeared upon the public walks, circumstance which gave Mrs. Clifford Caroline in her delicate white muslin pe- ample scope to harangue on the folly of lisse, and transparent crape hat, was gene- wasting money to give girls accomplishrally considered the prettiest woman in ments which were all laid aside directly Richmond; she was envied for her hand- they had procured the desired end, of ensome husband, especially when it was as- trapping husbands for their possessors. certained that she had brought him no Reading was almost her only occupation, fortune, and she was considered by all who and even the higher branches of reading were acquainted with his family to enjoy demanded more attention than her restmost pleasant domestic companions in less, agitated spirit was able to bestow. "that excellent and highly-respectable wo- When Caroline was single, history, biograman, Mrs. Clifford," and "that kind-heart-phy, travels, poetry, and the best novels, ed, worthy, and affectionate creature, So- had in turn excited her warm interest; but phy Bennet!" How little can we under- now she confined herself to the mere stand the happiness or unhappiness of trashy volumes of a circulating library,

The next morning she wrote a long let

and Miss Chesterton, the blue-stocking | Bernard resided as curate. Lucy and old maiden aunt of Clifford, to whom I Bernard had one child, a little boy just have before alluded, and who came to pass turned of two years of age, and under the a few days with her sister at Richmond, influence of her newly-acquired interest had not words to express her astonish- for children, Caroline asked many quesment and contempt at the idea that any-tions respecting little Charles Bernard. body could call a young woman literary, The gentleman whom she addressed was was always poring over Stories of the a father himself, and gave her so animated Heart," and "Tales of the Imagination." an account of the child's personal beauty, Caroline and her husband returned to his winning ways, and artless playfulness, London more divided than ever, but Caro- that she actually went to sleep conjuring line was in high beauty; an extremely up before her the vision of a little figure pretty girl of one-and-twenty with a fine with rosy cheeks, dancing hazel eyes, and constitution can bear much mental dis- flaxen curls, andmurmuring to herself, “O quietude before it affects her personal ap- that I were as happy as Lucy! O that pearance, and all her acquaintance told Heaven would give me such a boy!" her that Richmond had agreed with her ,wonderfully, and that she had been pass-ter to Lucy, expressing her wish to hear ing a delightful summer, and she allowed their assertions to pass uncontradicted. The fifteenth of November came, Caroline's wedding-day. Mrs. Dornton had been particularly desirous that a party should be invited by her son-in-law to celebrate it, for "poor dear Mr. Dornton," she observed, "always enjoyed the party on the anniversary of their wedding-day more than any other in the year." Caroline suggested the idea to her husband: in fact, they now owed invitations to several families, but Clifford was not inclined to invite company to his house; his mother had praised him so warmly for his great prudence and judgment in avoiding it, that he was determined not to give up his claim to her commendations; besides, his dislike to Mrs. Dornton, and his aversion to the "dear departed Mr. Dornton," constantly quoted as an example to him, rapidly increased.

Caroline's request was refused, and when she reproached him with asperity for his disinclination to oblige her, he sighed deeply, and said to himself, My mother is quite right; she cannot love me, or the return of our wedding-day would of itself be a sufficient source of pleasure to her without the excitement of company." Caroline now began to muse painfully on another of her causes of disquietude. A young friend, who had married a little while before her, had recently become a mother; and when Caroline went to visit her, saw her bending over her infant, and heard the fond father declare that his wife had become dearer, far dearer to him than ever, since she had bestowed so sweet a gift on him, most deeply did she lament that the blessing of a child should have been withheld from herself. "It would surely draw my husbands's affections towards me," she thought; "it would be a source of mutual interest, and no man with human feelings could bear to see the mother of his child slighted and despised." And her warm tears fell on the baby's face, as she imprinted a long fervent kiss on its tiny velvet cheek. Soon afterwards Caroline saw an old friend of the family, who had recently been in the village where

every particular respecting her boy, and dwelling at length on the grief caused in her own mind by the fear that she should never enjoy a similar blessing. Several days elapsed before Lucy replied to her; the letter, when it came, was sealed with black, and Caroline's heart sank as she opened it.

"Dearest Caroline," Lucy wrote, "how truly did your letter recal to me that even in the midst of life we are in death ;' you related to me the account that you had received from our friend of my sweet boy's health, beauty and vivacity; your letter found me sitting by the little bed where my darling was reclining, a cold and silent corpse. An attack of inflammation, which began and terminated in a few hours, has deprived us of our beloved infant: his lisping words, his fond caresses, his glad smiles, must henceforth be to us as memories of the past. O Caroline! when you think of the blessing of possessing a child, (and a great and precious blessing I allow it to be,) think also of the sad pain, the bitter trial of losing one. Yet we do not sorrow as those without hope; the Lord, who for a time lent to us this sweet and endearing child, has thought fit to reclaim his own; and it would be as sinful as it would be unavailing to murmur at the behest of Providence: our beloved baby is happier far than our utmost cares could have rendered him on earth.

'We know, for God hath told us this, that he is now at rest,

Where other blessed infants be, on their Saviour's loving breast;

We know the angels fold him close beneath their glittering wings,

And soothe him with a song that breathes of heaven's divinest things;

We know that we shall meet our babe, his father dear and I,

Where God for aye shall wipe away all tears from every eye.'

Pray for us dear Caroline, in our affliction-pray that we may be enabled to bear it with resignation: and that the loss of our dear son may strengthen our endea

vours to keep in the narrow path which | It requires the aid of a printing-press to leads to that blessed land where one day stamp it with consequence. we may hope to rejoin him.”

General S.

Mrs. Dornton, too, had never much encouraged Caroline's attempts, having Caroline wept over this letter, answered rather a dread of literary ladies. Mrs. it affectionately, and felt more reconciled Clifford had designated her daughter-inthan she had hitherto done to her exemp- law's effusions as "very poor things intion from the pains and pleasures of ma-deed;" and Miss Chesterton had actually ternity. Nothing, however, could recon- not had patience to.read to the end of one cile her to the continued presence of Mrs. of them! Clifford, who although an intelClifford; her spirit actually sank within lectual man, was too apt to see with the her, as morning after morning she en- eyes and hear with the ears of others, had countered the chilling, scrutinizing look, therefore a very limited opinion of his and the sharp, contradictory speech of her wife's literary powers, and was actually visitor, nay, even her stiff, chocolate-wa- astonished that General S, a man of tered silk dress, large gold chain, and acknowledged taste and judgment, should widely-spreading blonde cap, shared in express himself in such warm terms of Caroline's detestation; and no "secret, commendation concerning them. Caroline black, and midnight hag," could be an ob- was handed down to dinner by General ject of greater optical horror to her, than S- ; he sat by her, and addressed the portly, good-looking, and handsomely- most of his conversation to her. Caroline dressed elderly lady, who daily occupied was pleased and gratified with the unusual a corner of the sofa in her drawing-room. distinction conferred on her. Although in Mrs. Clifford possessed in perfection an some respects of a timid disposition, she art which all those, who wish to be feared was not at all of a shy one; she had no and shunned, would do well to study; the fear or dislike of strangers; and although art of saying things to the objects of her she talked little where she thought she was dislike, which made them feel dissatisfied neglected, or could not be understood, she with themselves, and which depreciated could be both fluent and eloquent in conthem in the estimation of all who happen-versation where she was encouraged and ed to be in company with them, without appreciated. affording any tangible ground for complaint. The sensitive and warm-spirited Caroline was just the person to be aggrieved most bitterly by these insults, because she possessed quickness of observation, and depth of feeling, without being under the influence of religion. A simpleton would not have penetrated Mrs. Clifford's unkind inuendoes, a manoeuver would have outwitted her, a vixen would have overawed her, and a Christian might have succeded in softening and correcting her. Caroline, however, was not destined to remain in thorough insignificance; her husband and herself were one day invited to a dinner party at the house of an ac-Squaintance, and Caroline was presented with marked respect to General San elderly gentleman, well known in the world of letters as a patron and admirer of literature; and who, the lady of the house informed her, had seen some of her manuscript poetry, and expressed an earnest desire to be introduced to the authoress. Caroline had an exquisite taste for poetry; but as she never wrote but in albums and scrap-books, she was confounded by the world in general with the multitudinous tribe of young ladies, who "cannot bear the thought of appearing in print, but just write to please themselves and their friends." A manuscript writer, however clever, is seldom thought much of; the vein of poetry may justly be likened to

"The golden ore, Which has guineas intrinsical in 't, Whose worth is never know before

It is tried and impressed in the mint."

was delighted beyond expression with her unaffected manners, and her extensive knowledge of books; he congratulated Clifford warmly on his possession of so charming a wife, who, he observed, "must make his fire-side a scene of perpetual and exquisite enjoy. ment;" (poor General S-, with all his reading, fine sense, and knowledge of the world, how easily was he deceived by appearances ;) and he concluded with inviting them both to a literary party to be held at his house in the ensuing week. Clifford could not help feeling proud of this invitation; he had heard of General

and of his parties, and knew that it was reckoned quite a distinction to be admitted to them. Mrs. Dornton was more than pleased, she was delighted. General S- Iwas the uncle of Sir Henry Milner, and she warmly urged Caroline to "take great notice of Sir Henry, and be remarkably civil to him!" Mrs. Clifford, however, was thoroughly annoyed and irritated'; she could not depreciate the General's parties, because her sister, Miss Chesterton, was, from time to time, making efforts to get invited to them, and endeavouring to gain her purpose by every variety of eulogy and flattery; she could not ridicule her son for going in the train of his wife: it would be tacitly admitting Caroline to be intellectual and superior, if she allowed that she could be privileged to confer consequence on another; she therefore contented herself with saying, that "General Shad been a clever man in his day, but was

now getting old, and, she should think, half childish!"

Clifford and his wife went to the party; the General introduced Caroline to his friends, in a manner which bespoke his esteem for her talents; some of them were persons of high rank, and others of strong intellect, and there were two or three popular writers among them, whom Caroline and Clifford had previously only known by their works. Caroline was delighted with an evening passed in a manner at once elegant, social, and rational, and she was gratified to find that all who conversed with her evidently thought her opinions worth attending to, and frequently praised her for their justice and originality. Clifford, too, was perfectly satisfied; he was not treated merely as an appurtenance to his wife; it was soon found that, like her, he had read much, and could converse on what he had read; she once or twice appealed to him when she was at a loss to remember a particular passage of some author who was the subject of discussion, and, strange and incomprehensible as it may appear, these young people seemed more drawn together, more animated by congenial feelings, during this evening passed in the society of strangers, than they had ever been in the course of months spent in what the Russell Square world denominated "the bosom of their family."

the position of affairs. Gertrude was in Torrington Square almost every day, for her mother was delighted at the opportunity of throwing her in the way of Sir Henry; he, however, considered her very inferior to her sister Caroline, but Gertrude was good-humoured and cheerful, and made no unpleasant addition to the little circle; and Clifford was so amused by the conversational talents of his new friend, and so happy in the absence of strife and bickering, that he was actually in danger not only of becoming proud and fond of his wife, but even of tolerating his wife's sister.

Mrs. Clifford soon decided that affairs must not continue in their present state, but she was rather puzzled how to reverse them; she feared to venture on any personal rudeness to Sir Henry, or to depreciate and ridicule him; he was a decidedly clever man, and he was also a man of fashion and fortune: she could not frown him away, as she had succeeded in frowning away divers young Mr. Browns and Thompsons, who had been humble admirers of the pretty Caroline Dornton, and would have been glad to have found an occasional lounge at the house of the still prettier Caroline Clifford: she contrived, however, materially to spoil the pleasure of their meetings by adopting her usual contemptuous manners to Caroline, General S- - took leave of Caroline breaking in upon her in the middle of a and her husband with much kindness, and speech, and controverting or denying promised to call the next morning in Tor- whatever she asserted. Sir Henry, for a rington Square, and bring with him a book moment, felt surprised to see the elegant, which he had recommended Caroline to intellectual young woman, who had been peruse; but, alas! this intimacy, which the star of his uncle's literary party, talked promised so favourably for the interests of down and frowned into insignificence at my heroine, was to meet with a sudden the head of her own table; but an observer check. General S was seized that of human nature is never long surprised night with a severe attack of gout, and at anything: he respected and admired was confined for many weeks to his cham- Caroline, however, and resolved to do all ber. His nephew, Sir Henry Milner, wait-in his power to support her; he determied on Caroline with the book the follow-nately drew her out in conversation, lising day; he was fond of his uncle, and tened to Mrs. Clifford's laboured dogmas, disposed to adopt his tastes and preferences, and was really and unfeignedly gratified with the manners of Caroline and her husband. He sat conversing on various subjects till a late hour; Clifford, who had been confined almost entirely to female society for many months, was pleased with the discourse of a young man of his own age, and not altogether insensible to the attentions of a baronet who was a member of the fashionable world. He invited him to stay dinner; fortunately none of the relations on either side happened to "drop in" during the evening, and Sir Henry quitted the house with the conviction that his new friends were a delightful acquisition to himself, and were perfectly happy in each other. Sir Henry's visits were frequent during the next three weeks, which period happened to be spent by Mrs. Clifford and her niece at the house of Miss Chesterton at Knightsbridge; when they returned, they were truly mortified at

or still more laboured witticisms, with an air of great lassitude, and interrupted Sophy Bennet in the midst of a long, hollow, soft-sounding speech, by asking her whether she did not think Mrs. Candour, in the "School for Scandal," an admirably drawn character.

Mrs. Clifford at last determined that she had only one course to pursue; she told her son, with much appearance of reluctance, that she thought he was acting decidedly wrong in suffering Sir Henry Milner to become so domesticated in his house; that his admiration of Caroline was marked and pointed; in fact, that nothing but the circumstance of his being blinded by beauty, could account for his commendation of the mental attainments of so trifling and superficial a young woman; that Caroline, at present, was doubtless perfectly innocent of any reciprocal preference, but that considering her vanity and her defective education, there was no

saying how long she might remain so, | her husband, but because she felt conand that an intimacy of this kind was al- vinced that her mother-in-law was what is ways best crushed in the bud.

familiarly called, "talking at her." Mrs. Mrs. Clifford left the room without giv- Clifford next digressed to the subject of ing her son time to reply to her, and Sophy Sophy Bennet, praised her unequalled Bennet took up the theme, and said, "I am temper, her steadiness, her humility, her sure a load is now removed from my poor modesty, and her readiness to receive adaunt's mind; you cannot tell what a strug-vice with thankfulness, although she so gle she has had with herself before she very seldom wanted it; by a quick transicould determine to drop you this hint; but tion, she at last found her way to the chardo not think she means a moment's reflec-acter of Caroline herself, and, after a rapid tion on our dear Caroline. I am convinced graphic sketch of a very headstrong, she would be thoroughly unhappy if she frivolous, flirting young woman, she begcould imagine that you drew such an in- ged to touch on a particular instance of ference from anything she has said." levity, which had given her great pain, and would have half-broken her heart, had she not made allowances for the very bad example Caroline had received from her mother and the other females of her family; and this levity she set forth to be, her extremely reprehensible encouragement of the attentions of Sir Henry Milner, for whom it was quite evident she felt a much greater partiality than it was proper for a married woman to feel for any one but her husband.

Clifford took no notice to his wife of this conversation; but the next time Sir Henry came to dinner, his manners were decidedly cool to him, and Mrs. Clifford, who was also present, addressed almost all her conversation to her son in a tone of provoking and whining pity, as if she deemed him unkindly placed in the background by his wife and friend, and requiring her maternal protection to bring him into notice. Sir Henry, however, had a recently published book to talk of, and an account to give of a literary party where he had passed the preceding evening, and a roll of new music for Caroline to play over; and he seemed quite blind to the more than usually unpleasant situation of the family. He had mentioned, in the course of conversation, that his uncle was nearly well, and was looking forward with the greatest pleasure to the prospect of improving his acquaintance with Caroline and her husband.

66

The colour rushed tumultuously to the cheek, brow, and bosom of the outraged girl; she had often, very often, been irritated and mortified since her marriage, but never till now had she experienced positive insult.

And how unprovoked, how uncalled-for did she feel that insult to be! Caroline, it may be remembered I have mentioned, was, even as a young girl, remarkably free from the least propensity to coquetry; her exceeding modesty and reserve had ob"My uncle," he continued, addressing tained for her the commendation of all the Caroline, was not aware till yesterday|matrons of her acquaintance, and her that the Miss Chesterton, who was so anxious to join his conversaziones last winter, was a relation of yours by marriage; under your auspices I am sure he will, at any time, be happy to see her; she cannot need a more favourable introduction."

young friends had often rallied her on her distance and prudery. Her ideas of the correctness, not only of manner but of thought, incumbent on a married woman were scrupulously strict; and had she been united to age and infirmity, she would have felt it alike her duty and inMrs. Clifford sat actually bursting with clination to awe every approach to a too vexation at the idea that her deep-blue familiar admiration in the other sex, by sister was to be patronized and introduced the dignity and propriety of her deportinto society by her despised daughter-in-ment. Of Sir Henry, as an admirer, she law; it was necessary, she found, to take had never entertained the most remote some decisive measure which, by inducing idea; she liked him as an agreeable guest, her son and his wife to break abruptly and she had been pressed by her family with Sir Henry, should prevent a renewal of their acquaintance with the general. The ensuing morning Clifford had fixed to leave town on a visit to an invalid friend, and was not to return for two or three days; accordingly, Mrs. Clifford invited herself to pass the day with Caroline, left "dear Sophy Bennet" at home, and after dinner began her projected attack. First, she dilated on her own good qualities as a mother, and her excessive love for her son; next she enlarged on the good qualities of her son, and told Caroline how grateful she ought to be for such a husband. Caroline echoed her encomiums very coolly, not from indifference towards

to be very civil to him on Gertrude's account; but, so far from feeling any undue partiality for him, she would much have preferred the society of his uncle, the venerable General S.

Then the taunt, reflecting on poor Mrs. Dornton, cut Caroline to the heart: vain and frivolous her mother might be, but she was a woman of unblemished correctness, her daughters had seen no example of levity in her; the comfort of her husband had been her first consideration during his lifetime, and the interests of her daughters had been the sole subject of her studies ever since. All these thoughts rapidly passed through Caroline's mind, and as