side, placed the veil of the ghost in his travelling-bag, although he assured her that it would be wholly useless to him.

Melina now undertook the directorship; his wife promised to watch the children with a mother's eye, and Wilhelm bade her adieu with great sorrow. Felix was in good spirits at the moment of his departure, and when he was asked what present he wished that Wilhelm should bring him upon his return, he cried, "Listen, bring me a papa." Mignon seized Wilhelm's hand, and standing upon her tip-toes, she pressed it to her lips, with a warm and cordial kiss, in which, however, there was no touch of tenderness, exclaiming, at the same time, "Master! do not forget us, and return soon.”

And now, leaving Wilhelm to pursue his journey, amid a thousand conflicting thoughts and emotions, we will here subjoin, by way of conclusion, a little poem which Mignon had several times recited with great feeling, and to which the pressure of so many extraordinary events has hitherto prevented us from directing the attention of our readers.

O, do not bid me speak, I pray,
For silence is my duty now;
I could my inmost soul display,

But fate may not such deed allow.

The morning sunbeams rise in strength,
Their gladdening rays o'er night to fling-
And hardest rocks reveal at length

To earth some sweet refreshing spring.

In friendship's arms while some repose,
And all their sorrows freely speak,

A solemn oath my lips doth close,
Which God alone can bid me break.

BOOK VI.

CONFESSIONS OF A FAIR SAINT.

UNTIL I had reached my eighth year, I was a healthy child, but I can remember no more of the intervening period than of the day of my birth. At the commencement of my eighth year, I suffered from a serious illness, and from that time all the powers of my soul became absorbed in feeling and in memory. The most trifling circumstances connected with that event, are now before my eyes as vividly as if they had happened only yesterday.

During the nine months of my tedious confinement to bed, (a misfortune which I endured with great patience), the foundation of my whole tone of thought was laid, for my mind then found the first opportunity of developing itself.

I suffered and I loved-this was the peculiar property of my heart. During the most violent fits of coughing and of wasting fever, I lay as still as a snail would do within its shell, but the instant that I obtained relief, I panted for some enjoyment, and as every other gratification was forbidden, I sought innocently to entertain my ears and my eyes. I was plentifully supplied with dolls and pictures, and whoever came to my bed side was obliged to amuse me

with an anecdote.

I was charmed with my mother's relation of the Bible histories, and my father entertained me with a display of natural curiosities. He possessed a very choice museum, from which he exhibited to me the several compartments in succession, pointing out the various contents and explaining their dif ferent properties. Dried plants, insects, and anatomical preparations of human skin, bones, mummies, and so forth, were in turn laid out upon the bed of the little invalid, and the birds and animals which had been obtained in field

sports, were always shown to me before they were taken to the kitchen. And in order that the prince of the world might not be wholly excluded, my aunt frequently amused me with a relation of love stories and fairy tales. Everything was received by me and took root in my imagination. There were hours in which I held intimate communication with the unseen Being. I still remember some verses which my mother wrote down at the time, from my dictation.

I frequently recapitulated to my father the information which I had acquired from him. I seldom took a medicinal preparation, without asking where the several materials had grown, of which it was composed, and without inquiring into their various properties, and asking their names. It was soon evident that the anecdotes recounted by my aunt had not fallen upon dry ground. I sometimes fancied myself attired in fine clothes, and hastening to meet the most handsome princes, who were unable to find either rest or repose till they had ascertained who the unknown beauty was. A similar adventure with a charming little angel, who courted me, attired in a white dress and golden wings, took such firm hold of my imagination, that his form was almost visible.

At the expiration of a year, I was nearly restored to health, but I had lost all the giddiness of youth. Dolls no longer afforded me any pleasure, I panted for some living thing which should be capable of returning my love. Dogs, cats, and birds, of which my father had a large collection, afforded me extreme delight, but what would I not now have given, to possess one of those creatures which used to play so important a part in the stories of my aunt? I mean a lamb, which had been found by a peasant girl and nourished in a wood, but under the appearance of this innocent animal an enchanted prince had lain concealed, until at length he assumed his real shape and rewarded his benefactress with his hand. How would I have been delighted with the possession of such a lamb!

But no such happiness was in store for me, and as the whole course of events seemed quite natural and commonplace, I gradually abandoned all hope of meeting_such a precious treasure. In the mean time, however, I found comfort in books which contained an account of the most wonderful adventures. My favourite work was the "Chris

tian German Hercules," that pious love story was quite after my heart. The hero of the tale, when any thing happened to his Valiska (and dreadful events were constantly occurring), was always accustomed to pray, before he hastened to her assistance, and the prayers were given at full length in the book. How highly did that delight me! My love for the Invisible which I had always felt in a mysterious manner, was by this means increased, for God was hence forth always to be my confidant.

My reading became more desultory as I grew older, but I valued the "Roman Octavia," beyond every other work. The persecutions of the first Christians, which were related in the style of a romance, excited the warmest interest in my mind.

My mother at length began to complain of my continual reading, and my father, in order to gratify her wishes, deprived me of my books, but never failed to restore them to me on the following day. My mother was clever enough to perceive that she could not thus attain the object which she had in view, and therefore she sought to impress upon me, the necessity of reading my Bible, with the same attention which I bestowed upon other works. I needed no

compulsion to obey, and I perused the holy Scriptures with the greatest interest. My mother was at all times careful that no bad books should fall into my hands, immoral writings I should instantly have rejected of my own accord, for my princes and princesses were all remarkable for their love of virtue.

I had to thank my mother, as well as my own love of learning, for my acquaintance with the art of cookery, without applying to books for information. Much was to be learnt from observation. I took great delight in cutting up a fowl or any other animal. I would then show the different parts to my father, who discoursed to me about them, as he would have done with a young student of anatomy, and with real but silent joy, he would call me his strangely dispositioned child.

I was now in my thirteenth year. I had learnt French, dancing and drawing, and had received the customary instruction in religion. This latter study awakened my feelings and my thoughts, but I found nothing in it which

properly affected my own condition. I was pleased to hear God spoken of, and I was proud that I could converse about him better than my equals. I read many books which enabled me to talk about religion, but it never occurred to me to reflect upon my own situation, to ask whether my soul was trained according to the required standard, whether it resembled a mirror which reflected back the rays of the eternal Sun-all this I had taken for granted.

I learnt French with much eagerness. My master was a clever man. He was no thoughtless empiric, no dry grammarian, he possessed much knowledge and had seen the world. Whilst teaching me the language, he satisfied my anxiety for information in a thousand ways. I loved him so much, that I always expected his arrival with a palpitating heart. I did not find drawing difficult, and I should have made much more decided progress therein, if my master had possessed a head and more science, as it was, he possessed only hands and practice.

Dancing at first afforded me the smallest amount of amusement. My constitution was too delicate, and I took lessons only in the society of my sister. But our master soon adopted the plan of inviting his pupils of both sexes to á ball, and the pleasures of dancing were by this means wonderfully increased.

Amongst the crowd of youths and maidens who were present, two sons of the Marshal of the Court were particularly remarkable. The younger was of my own age, and the other was two years my senior, they were both of surpassing beauty, and it was universally admitted that no one had ever seen their equals. Scarcely had I observed them, than I ceased to notice any other person, from that moment I paid attention to my steps, and became anxious to dance well. How did it happen that, on their parts, these two youths also distinguished me from all my companions? But enough-in an hour we had become the very best friends, and before the little entertainment had concluded, we had arranged where and when our next interview was to take place. Imagine my delight! But I was positively enraptured, when on the following day, they both inquired for me in a polite note, accompanied by a bouquet. I have never since felt the sensations which I then experienced.