provement of any sort, with emulation for a guide, without feeling it degenerate, by imperceptible degrees, into envy. Indeed, it is but a specious modification of the same vice. Emulation, eagerly followed, produces strife, and that awakens anger, which immediately transforms the boasted stimulant to virtue, into a malignant passion. It requires a purer heart than usually falls to the lot of man, to follow eagerly the example of any one individual, without being excited to improper feeling towards the prototype.

Christians, my dear Mary, are luckily exempted from the temptation of falling into the vice of envy, by having so bright an example of every virtue before them, that they need not turn aside to contemplate lesser and more imperfect patterns. While they contemplate the brightness of his glory, there is no room for subordinate feelings within them. When we look abroad on the mass of human beings, engaged in various avocations, almost all tending to increase, instead of diminishing their natural corruption, we are tempted to exclaim"What headlong feeling drives these thoughtless mortals to perdition?" But when we begin to scan individual cases when we take man by man, and woman by woman, our wonder is increased. Here is one who makes himself miserable by a single vicious propensity; when the grace of God, if he would seek it, is ready to amend him—to make him a new being. Here is another, who has but a little blemish in his moral character. At first it was scarcely visible; but, alas, like the signs of leprosy in the garment, it daily spreads, and widens, and deepens, and lengthens, until it will soon extend over the whole man. It will become one foul blotch, and infectious canker. Oh! is there no remedy?— There sits the universal Physician. He has pledged his omnipotent truth, that he will heal all who go to him.

Why do not all go? Alas, alas! it is indeed awful to see accountable beings, thus use their free will as the deliberate agent of their ruin, But women should more particularly seek this mighty source of strength, since they are weak themselves, and have to endure the weakness and wickedness of those who have rule over them. There is not a more beautiful picture in the whole Bible, than that of Mary "sitting at the feet" of Jesus. The expression denotes at once humility of mind, and a desire to acquire information. St. Paul uses the term to express a state of pupilage. Why do not the whole sex sit at the feet of Jesus? He not only allowed it in Mary, but extolled her with the emphatic declaration, that she had chosen the good part, which should not be taken from her. This is great encouragement to women, and it would seem as if this act of reverence and affection, entitled her to peculiar evidences of his favour, as he afterwards raised her brother from the dead. Ọ Mary! will not you too sit at his feet?-be assured it is your safest and most proper place. I can propose no scheme for your future welfare half so effectual as that. Perhaps you do not know how to sit at his feet? I will assist you with my advice and sugges

tions.

The time which you spend in devout meditation, reading holy things, and praying, is spent at his feet. Let no trifling portion of each day be spent there. Open your heart and your Bible. Bring in regular array all your faults; your besetting sins; your temptations; your wants. Plead earnestly, and urge the divine promises that have encouraged you to come. Select at the close of each day, the things which have most impeded your holiness or happiness, bring them with you to the feet of Jesus. If your temper has been refractory-if you have been peevish, fretful, impatient, angry,

unjust, uncharitable in judgment, suspicious, jealous— (oh, what a hydra-headed monster is temper!-his name is legion)—if you have felt any or many of these scourges, sit at the feet of Jesus until you have told him all your grievances, and felt by faith, that he has heard your enumeration. Sometimes you may have such a heavy consciousness of sin, that you are afraid or ashamed to go. Remember that the more sinful you are, the more urgent is your necessity for a Saviour's aid. Can staying away do you any good? On the contrary, it may increase your burden, if it does not harden your heart. If we come every day, we have enough to bring: "Sufficient for the day is the evil thereof." It is unwise and unsafe, to let our sins accumulate before we acknowledge them. Let us run up no accounts of that sort, lest perchance we overlook some items, which Satan will be glad enough to pick up, and keep till the last day. If people were particular in carrying the sins of each day to the throne of grace, there would not be that flood tide of sin which rushes in upon the deathbed, and so often overwhelms the departing soul. Besides, if you go every day to the feet of Jesus, you will be prepared to meet the occurrences of each succeeding day, with a right spirit. Sudden joy or sudden sorrow, will not destroy your equanimity. Your mind will be kept in peace, because it is staid on him, from whom comes every event of your life. Ask his counsel. Go, with the Bible in your hand, and ask him what are the duties of women. You will there learn, that women are subordinate to men, but that they have many precious privileges. They were the favoured pupils of Jesus. Towards them he extended signal degrees of mercy. He will teach you humility and gentleness. After sitting at his feet, you cannot go into the ball room or the theatre. You cannot fall into a passion with your fel

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low worm, or oppress your neighbour, or slander your enemy, or practise any of the innumerable vices of the age. After sitting at his feet, you cannot nurse wrath until it brings forth hatred, because the sun must not go down on the wrath of a Christian, and the anger of to-day must be forgotten before. to-morrow: blessed rule! After sitting at the feet of Jesus, you cannot enter into any unholy pursuit, or give your mind up deliberately to folly. The savour of what you learnt yesterday, will abide with you to-day, and you will remain calm after having held communion with your God.

Oh, my dear Mary, remember my injunction, to sit daily at the feet of Jesus, and bring before him all your grievances. For worlds, do not neglect or slight this privilege; it is precious beyond expression or conception. The greater your difficulties may be, the longer the time you must spend with him. Do not let other avocations call you off. Remember who has said, "Seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all other things shall be added unto you." Remember the Saviour's rebuke to Martha. Oh, may you be a bright example of Christian worth, my Mary, and glorify the name of your Father in heaven.

I am most truly yours.

LETTER X.

MY DEAR MARY,

I have endeavoured to guard you against the evils of temper, and I will now say something on the subject of inordinate sensibility. I do not mean that sickly exuberance of self-love, which I once warned you against; but the excess of sincere and honest feeling. Women are proverbially soft hearted: nature, education, and the customs of society, combine to foster their sensibilities. Their state of dependence on man, makes them peculiarly sensitive; for, having no security but his tenderness againt the many ills of life, if that resource should fail, they are left desolate. Yet believe me, in many instances, the patience and forbearance of the stronger sex, are too severely tested by the ill governed tenderness of woman. I have observed in females, an unreasonable tenacity of opinion, in trifles beneath the serious consideration of rational minds. They require a thousand petty observances, which weary and disgust their lofty minded superiors. It is certainly bad policy to persist in these requisitions. Whatever sacrifices man may choose to make to his female companion, should be graciously received; but if he manifests unwillingness to give up what she, perchance, most earnestly desires, let her take a lesson in self-denial, and submissively resign it. She will find her happiness promoted in the end, by any resignation of self-will she may have strength to put in practice. Much of the misery that abounds in conjugal life, might be spared through the observance of this rule. But women, in general, seem more tenacious of their rights, in proportion to the requisite abridgment of them.