to the path of rectitude; without it she might have plunged into deeper criminality."

"Oh! were penitence half as much countenanced as guilt, how many erring souls might be reclaimed to virtue!" Mrs. Mary spoke with earnestness.

Mrs. Egerton continued-" The unhappy girl unfeignedly mourns her error; but let its commission find some extenuation in the deception used to destroy her: she broke no vows, she wrung no heart so deeply as her own, and by its trusting love she fell."

"How different this picture from the image of the wife, the mother, tearing asunder the most precious ties of life, violating the most sacred engagements! -in a moment of unfeeling levity, lacerating the heart of a trusting husband -blasting the fame of an innocent progeny-quitting the duties of maternal affection, at the very period they were most vital to the interests of opening

child

childhood-flying from the claims of connubial love, when increase of years and infirmity rendered those claims essential to the very existence of her husband! My dear Mrs. Egerton, I feebly express what you would have eloquently detailed."

The

energy of Mrs. Knowlesdon's voice and manner gave force to her address the circle listened with uncontrollable emotion; for when shall the voice of truth lose its power over the human soul?

CHAP.

CHAPTER VIII.

LADY Ruthven, respecting the virtue she would not imitate, had sought by many an artifice to become acquainted with Mrs. Egerton. Among other ingenious contrivances, she addressed a note to her, on the pretext of inquiring the character of a servant lately dismissed from the abbey, and took advantage of a courteous answer to bow to Mrs. Egerton, and thank her for her politeness, the first time they met. Mrs. Egerton met the movement as a gentlewoman (we had almost said as a Christian), but withdrew into her former

reserve.

Now there is nothing more fierce than a dis

a discomfited woman, especially when foiled in cunning; a bearess robbed of its young is tame in the comparison. Lady Ruthven was enraged beyond all dominion of reason; and as such rage confounds right and wrong, and in the prosecution of revenge is willing to incur selfish evil, so lady Ruthven, in the paroxysm of anger, hired the worthless domestic, and risked her own comfort, to demonstrate her contempt of her neighbour.

This little incident was soon promulgated, with every addition and alteration necessary to render it amusive and extraordinary. The tide being now as much against the countess as it had before been in her favour, these additions and alterations were of course governed by the change, and nowise advantageous

to her character.

Miss Patty Muddleton had just given the story in its latest edition, with every improvement and insertion it had received

ceived in every former publication, and it was just ascertained as an almost positive fact, that lady Ruthven had laid down a regular plan to bribe all the servants from all their places, when Mrs. Egerton joined Mrs. Mary Knowlesdon's sociable tea-party. Mrs. Mary did not fail, with becoming gravity of countenance, to commiserate Mrs. Egerton for the vexations she had endured.

Mrs. Egerton, much surprised, declared she had no vexations to endure. "Not with a moderate income?" thought Miss Patty.

"Not with four children ?" thought lady Wronghead.

"Not with a husband ?" thought Mrs. Mansel.

It may hence be supposed that these ladies had either husband, children, or fortune, to embitter their lives. We see what mistakes may be made by superficial observers, since these are possessions generally deemed productive of felicity.