of the losses I had met with in play, she never uttered one murmur; but pressed me to give up my house in Town, at least, till these losses were made up. She even succeeded in inducing me so to do, and adopted the necessary means for effecting it. She reconciled me also to my sister; and prevailed on me to write to the gentleman I had engaged with in the duel, to entreat a hearty reconciliation. The happiest few weeks I had ever known were those which ensued when all these arrangements were made, although I was still confined to my room; while the influence which my lovely wife had acquired in the hour of pain still remained in its full force; while I felt subdued by anguish and weakness; while the world was excluded from my thoughts, and my sister unable to whisper her dark counsels into my ear. The only thing that annoyed me at this time was, that Lady Roxeter would be constantly endeavouring to draw my attention to the subject of religion; and, though she used all the address in her power to make it acceptable to me, yet it was not likely that she should succeed, for my heart was not prepared for its reception; and though I did not shew all the disgust I felt, yet I had not at that time those renewed feelings which would have enabled me to receive spiritual things. Still, however, what she then attempted to do was not entirely lost upon me. I apprehend that from that time I had a clearer view of what religion is, and was able to trace the actions of religious people more readily to their motives; and to perceive that there was a sort of connexion between them and their conduct, which I had not before observed; for I had been in the habit of indulging the opinion, that religion was either the effect of caprice, of sourness and disappointment, or of slavish fear.

At length it was judged that I might appear abroad with safety. We took leave of our Town-house, which we had let for the term of seven years, and commenced our journey to Hartlands, whither my sister had gone a few days before us.

And now what I have next to say will probably surprise my reader more than all I have before related. I was no sooner arrived at Hartlands than Lady Roxeter began to lose her influence again, and my sister to recover hers.

I shall account for this by saying that my sister's influ

ence was in unison with all my old habits, while that of Lady Roxeter was in opposition to them. I was environed also at Hartlands by a set of people who from childhood had been accustomed to administer to my depraved tastes. There never, perhaps, was a set of worse servants in any nobleman's family than those who surrounded me; the te nants, the villagers, and the very cottagers, partook largely of the depravity which proceeded from the Hall. The rector of the parish was an infidel; the visiters only augmented the tide of folly and dissipation; and all, baving something to hide, had some secret motive for keeping me unacquainted with their proceedings.

By reason of these circumstances, I had scarcely recovered my health and strength before every thing had fallen again into its usual routine. My sister was become lady paramount, and Lady Roxeter comparatively a stranger to me. Whole days frequently passed in which I saw her only at meals; and then merely saw her; for, as I before remarked, she seldom took much part in the conversation. Still, when I remembered her late kindness, my heart would sometimes smite me; but my self-reproaches had no consistent and lasting effect. If sometimes they induced me to lavish tokens of affection upon her, they more frequently induced me to be rude and irritable towards her. It was natural for her then to withdraw from me, and the distance became daily greater between us.

I must not, however, omit to mention one circumstance which happened about this time. I had been quite enraptured with the growth and improvement of my second boy on my arrival from Town; he was then eight or nine months old, and as beautiful a baby as ever had been seen. I was proud of him-I was anxious that every one should admire him. And the first day after our arrival, being in expectation of a large party at dinner, I desired that he might be brought down when the cloth was drawn.

"You will permit me, my love, to direct that Augustus shall be brought with him," said Lady Roxeter.

I started at this suggestion, and it was with great difficulty that she could get me to acquiesce. At length I considered that the boy could not be kept back for ever; and that, perhaps, the present was the best time to introduce him; when, if there was any thing singular in the el

der brother, the younger would be present to draw off the attention of the

company.

I had not seen Augustus, even at a distance, for several months; and I had no idea what kind of appearance he would make.

The hour at length came, the dessert and wine were set on the table, the door was opened, and two neat young women appeared, one of whom carried the infant, and the other led his elder brother. My sister's son, a great boy at that time of five or six years of age, finished the procession. My eye instantly fixed on the Lilliputian Lord Bellamy; the little man with the great name; and I saw an exceedingly delicate child, with features perfectly regular, and a complexion of almost transparent purity; but having, in a slight degree, something of that appearance which commonly attends persons who are deformed. He was at that time in his fourth year, but looked much younger. He was dressed with minute care, in a sort of robe richly trimmed; and his hair hung in bright golden clusters around his face and neck. He seemed a timid child; and his first motion, on entering the door and beholding the company, was to turn back and endeavour to make his escape; but, on being intercepted by his attendant, and, at the same moment seeing Lady Roxeter, he darted towards her like an arrow from a bow, and with the activity of a squirrel had mounted on her lap before a moment had expired. There, as from a tried place of security, he gazed around on the company, and then, looking up to his mother, his whole face lighted up with a smile which would not have disgraced a cherub. It was a scene which The hardest hearts in the company were every one felt. softened, with the exception of one only; and the blushes which rose in the cheeks of the beautiful stepdame, with the tears that stole into her lovely eyes, seemed to say, "This moment pays for all my cares and fatigues."

I never saw Mr. Helmly so taken by surprise as he was on this occasion. He looked at Lady Roxeter as if he could have knelt down and worshipped her. And Sir Berkeley Greaves, an old gentleman who sat next to her— by the by, the same worthy personage who had come forward so busily in the affair of the cards-proposed that we should drink Lord Bellamy's health in a bumper, and that the ladies should not be excused. And this being done

with hearty good-will, every one turned to look at the other blooming and sparkling cherub in my arms.

This nursery-scene was not prolonged more than a few minutes. The children were speedily dismissed, but not so the impression which had been made upon the company. For from that time Mr. Helmly became a warm and open advocate of Lady Roxeter. In a conversation which I had with him many years afterwards, he told me that he dated the commencement of bis better state from that moment of glorious triumph of Christian principles and tender affecting feelings of the affectionate stepdame.

I shall take occasion in this place to give Mr. Helmly's own account of the case.

"I never," said he, "had seen religion, excepting in connexion with low and coarse manners. I had never viewed an exhibition of its effects among the young, the lovely, and the elegant. I had always associated it, in my own mind, with low life and vulgarity. Lady Roxeter had always inspired me with respect, and I had thought her beautiful; but when I saw how she had been enabled to triumph over all unkind and selfish feelings in her conduct towards her stepson; when I read in the manner of the child the various private kindnesses by which his young heart had been drawn towards her; I began to see that there must be something more in religion than I had conceived; and I resolved, in order to satisfy my mind on this subject, that I would read my Bible with attention; that, in short, I would seek into the mine from which I had seen such treasures drawn. And, having received this desire I trust from above, I began to read my Bible, and then to pray over it, and, after a while, to withdraw myself from society. And circumstances favouring me, I became more and more secluded from the company which had formerly injured me. And thus, from step to step, I was conducted to the knowledge of the truth; to utter self-abhorrence and self-loathing, and to an entire hopelessness of being ever able to make up for the evil I had done in my parish, and to you, my pupil. And then again Lady Roxeter hecame my leading star, by guiding me to the Saviour; and by shewing me where true peace and happiness were to be found."

Such was Mr. Helmly's confession.-And now to return to my own immediate story.

I had almost forgotten to say that the first introduction of the children after dinner had taken place on a Sunday. After coffee in the drawing-room this same evening, cards were proposed, as usual, by my sister. I had vowed never again to play for more than a certain sum, but I had not forsworn cards entirely. I was accordingly quite ready to join the proposed party; and was therefore both surprised and disappointed when I found that Lady Seaforth could not muster a party. Lady Roxeter had walked out of the room the moment the cards were called for. Mr. Helmly had done the same, and Sir Berkeley declined cutting in.

My sister looked amazed, but commanded herself till the company had taken their leave; and then bursting forth in high indignation, "Roxeter," she said, "are you become a bigot since your illness?" But, not waiting for an answer, she added, "I dare say you are quite right: but I do beg that you will be judicious, and not expose yourself by too hurried a conversion. Learn prudence, and foresight, and discretion from Lady Roxeter! Really, I never was convinced of her sagacity till this day! A careless, thoughtless, straight-forward creature, like myself, must bow profoundly to such marvellous wisdom and foresight!"

"Please to explain yourself, Lady Seaforth; you are as enigmatical as the sphinx," I said.

"Not at all so," she replied; "I am far from enigmatical; I am too straight-forward. But what could be more wise and prudent in the second lady of Lord Roxeter than to lose no time in endeavouring to gain the affections of the son of the first, the heir of the honours and estates of his father; and, by so doing, to win to herself the suffrages of the whole world?"

"Why, surely, Juliana," I exclaimed, "you cannot suppose that Lady Roxeter had such views as these when she took the part of a dying baby? No one supposed that the child would have lived when she took him in hand."

"A dying baby!" repeated Juliana; "baby, indeed! a boy of two years old, and one who had exhibited the constitution of a Hercules! As to the distortion of his back, deformed persons are commonly known to outlive all their generation. Shew me a deformed person, and I will shew you one who is likely to outlive us all."

I stormed and raved at her; but I nevertheless imbibed