ful hospitality, or the judicious care she evinced, that nothing should be wanting which could contribute to our refreshment, after a long and fatiguing journey.

During supper, I discovered, by some inquiries which my friend made relative to his business, that in his absence Mrs. Clifford had herself undertaken the superintendence. Yet was not our attention directed to the fatigue she had suffered, or our patience wearied by a catalogue of the labors she had performed.

When the social repast was ended, Mr. Clifford seized the opportunity of his wife's absence, to demand, Whether the first interview had not made me a convert to his opinion.' 'I am inclined to think,' I admitted, that your choice has been well directed; I cannot however yield so far, as to suppose, it would have been equally happy, had Mrs. Clifford still retained all her early predilection for literary pursuits. At the period to which you allude,' rejoined my friend,' she was laboriously cultivating the soil, now you behold the rich increase.' 'Yes, my dear Clifford, but allowing this, still you must own that a great change has taken place in the general bent of her inclinations, and the cast of her sentiments.' • There you

are right,' emphatically observed Mr. Clifford, Emma has indeed been the subject of a great change-a change which predominates throughout the whole charac ter, and influences almost every action.' 'Why that is the very point for which I contend,' I exclaimed, that Mrs. Clifford now esteems a competent knowledge of domestic management, the most useful female acquirement !' Not so fast, my friend,' interrupted Clifford, I do not mean to concede so much, in admitting the change of which I speak. You are not yet aware of the secret spring of all my Emma's conduct. Since your former acquaintance with her, she has studied the duties of moral life, in the volume of inspiration in one word, she now lives under the influence of the religion of the heart. Hence, her exertions have been directed into a more beneficial channel; and through the social charities of a mother, wife, and friend, runs the pure stream of christian benevolence.-Yet, after all, I maintain that had she formerly been less assiduous in the cultivation of her own mind, she could not have been equally judicious in the government of her family, or could she (as at present) discharge the two-fold duties of a mother and a govern

:

Here the entrance of Mrs. Clifford prevented my reply and a large family Bible being soon after placed on the table, Mr. Clifford turned to me, saying, 'My dear Bentley, you will I hope excuse the entrance of the servants for a short time, as it is our daily practice, and it appears to me an indispensable duty, that all who dwell beneath the same roof, should night and morning, surround the family altar.'

PREJUDICES REMOVED.

CHAPTER II.

If solid happiness we prize,
Within our breast this jewel lies;
And they are fools who roam:
The world has nothing to bestow,
From our own selves our joy must flow,
And that dear hut-our home.

Dr. Cotton.

AFTER a few days residence in the family of my friend, I felt my former prejudices gradually abate, and began to perceive that intellectual acquirements are by no means incompatible with skill and prudence in the domestic economy; and that a strong predilection for literary pursuits

may exist, where no neglect of household duties is necessarily involved.

In Mrs. Clifford's family arrangements, I was struck with the beautiful order and consistency of the whole. Nothing was done without a plan. Every relaxation and employment had its allotted season; consequently, confusion seldom or never er.sued; nor did the enjoyment of the one ever interfere with the performance of the other. In her expenses she was liberal, yet prudent; she never curtailed the comforts of her family, or sparingly provided for their wants, in order to expend the sum thus unworthily redeemed, in the indulgence of unnecessary profusion, or the affectation of an unbecoming style. Her table was always plain, yet plentiful; frugal, yet well-ordered and genteelly arranged. Thus fully occupied in discharging the important duties of a wife, a mother, and a mistress, her visits were few, and her friends select. Home was the centre of her joys, and the principal scene of her exertions. Her relaxation was to enquire into the state of the poor,-her amusement to aim at amending their characters, and ameliorating their condition.

In the education of her children, she was assisted by the co-operating hand, and

strengthened by the concurring authority of their father. If, at any time, the mother was displeased, the father never failed to heighten the effect of that displeasure by his much dreaded frown: and when he reproved them, she never mitigated the punishment by an expression of pity better withheld, or a caress but ill-bestowed. A simple incident which occurred under my immediate notice, strongly indicated this union of authority, this harmony of conduct.

On entering the room one day, in Mrs. Clifford's absence, the fond father bent to caress an engaging little girl, who stood pensively apart from the happy group.As he attempted to kiss her, she covered her face with her hands, and burst into tears. 'What is the matter, Jane, why do you not like that I should kiss you?' 'O papa,' sobbed the heart-broken little girl, 'I have been very naughty, and mamma is angry with me, so I am sure you would not kiss me if you knew that.' I saw that the heart of Clifford was touched; he could have clasped the ingenious little penitent in his arms, but he prudently forebore, and turned from her, saying, 'I am glad you have told me of it, Jane, for you could have received no pleasure from a mark of