"True," said Constance; "but suppose fashion decreed one costume only for all, what advantage besides novelty would be derived?"

"There would be the much greater one," he replied― we should see no appearance of preparation, which disgusts those whom it is intended to please; besides, at least half of those intellectual beings now employed on the frippery of female dress, would then be happily at liberty to devote their time to more important objects."

"I agree with you," said she," that greater simplicity in our dress would be desirable; but what more important objects could those have who are employed on our frippery, as you call it probably they would have no other means of support, and starving hundreds would deplore our philosophical contempt of dress. What better employment would you suggest for them?"

They might easily discover some higher objects on which to exercise their talents; their food might, I grant you, be at first inferior to that with which they are pampered at present, I suppose; but it would be more wholesome, because simple."

"But," said Constance, "even the simplest food and clothing could scarcely be procured, if people have no means of earning money; yet, even in the manufacture of those simple materials, industry and ingenuity would produce variety, and therefore unequal profit."

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Yes," he said, "and thus the truth and single-mindedness of man are injured."

"After all, Ferdinand, were there no competition about dress, even neatness might pine in despair without the support of vanity. We might become indifferent to appearance, perhaps to comfort,

"Come, my dear," said Mortimer, "you do not love dress; why do you reason in favour of it? I cannot deny what you say, yet I lament that women of sense should waste time and money on such an insignificant object, and extend the evil by inducing artificers to gratify such contemptible vanity, and, consequently, induce others to imitate their folly."

"I regret it too, when carried to an extreme; yet our

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Very dark it must be to live in," said Noel. "I could not see to read in it."

"No, certainly," replied his father, "it is merely as a shelter from the weather. These people have not the home occupations that we have."

"Then they are not happy, I suppose; for mamma says idle people are unhappy. But, papa, do you recollect our seeing in the woods a poor little infant fastened to a board? -Well-do you know I saw one to-day, and they shewed me how it is strapped on the board, and two or three hoops placed over one end to protect the head of the Pupousie, as its mother called it; she seemed very fond of it."

"You see, Noel, it is not from cruelty that infants are so placed. These wandering people, who change from one encampment to another, have contrived that method of carrying them, in order to secure their safety. You may perceive, too, that the board may be placed in any positionthe child cannot fall."

"Yes, mamma; and when the child cries, the mother puts one end of the board on her feet, which she moves so as to rock the child like a cradie."

"I have observed it, my dear, and also their tenderness to their infants. Though we term them savages, these good people are affectionate and faithful."

"They have a surprising power of repressing their emotions," said Mortimer, "and will bear any torture rather than yield, if they think it wrong to do so. No influence can persuade them to act dishonourably; and they are, when excited to warfare, as brave as honourable."

Noel having obtained permission to go again to amuse himself with the Indians, Mortimer and Constance sauntered under the shade of the trees.

"Like all who are emerging from barbarism," said Mortimer, "these people are inconsistent in their dress. Look at those women wearing a blanket by way of a shawl, and yet such a mixture of colours! Simple as the Indians are, even they shew the love of ornament which belongs to your sex. Observe the short gown of one colour, the petticoat of another, and that border of silver buckles laid so closely along the edge. When I see ornament thus prized by savages, I am astonished that it is not despised by the fashionable world.

How preferable perfect simplicity!"

"True," said Constance; "but suppose fashion decreed one costume only for all, what advantage besides novelty would be derived?

"There would be the much greater one," he replied— we should see no appearance of preparation, which disgusts those whom it is intended to please; besides, at least half of those intellectual beings now employed on the frippery of female dress, would then be happily at liberty to devote their time to more important objects.'

"I agree with you," said she, "that greater simplicity in our dress would be desirable; but what more important objects could those have who are employed on our frippery, as you call it probably they would have no other means of support, and starving hundreds would deplore our philosophical contempt of dress. What better employment would you suggest for them?"

66

They might easily discover some higher objects on which to exercise their talents; their food might, I grant you, be at first inferior to that with which they are pampered at present, I suppose; but it would be more wholesome, because simple."

66

But," said Constance, " even the simplest food and clothing could scarcely be procured, if people have no means of earning money; yet, even in the manufacture of those simple materials, industry and ingenuity would produce variety, and therefore unequal profit."

"Yes," he said, "and thus the truth and single-mindedness of man are injured."

"After all, Ferdinand, were there no competition about dress, even neatness might pine in despair without the support of vanity. We might become indifferent to appearance, perhaps to comfort,

-If all the world

Should in a fit of temperance feed on pulse,

Drink the clear stream, and nothing wear but frieze.""

"Come, my dear," said Mortimer, "you do not love dress; why do you reason in favour of it? I cannot deny what you say, yet I lament that women of sense should waste time and money on such an insignificant object, and extend the evil by inducing artificers to gratify such contemptible vanity, and, consequently, induce others to imitate their folly."

"I regret it too, when carried to an extreme; yet our

peace!'

,,,

wants and the spirit of industry act reciprocally, and by the exercise of talents, to please our fancy, the comforts of the working classes and their minds are enlarged, and arts and wealth succeed, the secret spoils of "As to comforts, or, in other words, a taste for luxuries, Constance, I deny its advantage. Are not these Indians happier than if they had more wants? They have meat, clothes, and fire-is it not sufficient?"

"Yes," said she, "sufficient to keep them alive; but you see how listless they are when at rest. Wants that forced them to regular employment would increase their happiness. They are now like the beast of the field, which, having conquered its prey, has no object beyond eating and sleeping. Remember Franklin's story of the caps and gloves."

"You make your argument sound plausibly, Constance; but, after all, these people are happy in their ignorance, and consequent innocence."

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Yet, through their ignorance, they have not the consolations to which in the civilised world we fly in every distress -Religion-and intellectual pursuits."

"I believe you are sincere," said he, "in considering Religion a consolation; but do you imagine it to be such to people in general?"

"Yes, Ferdinand, I know it to be so; I have had sufficient experience to know, that most of those who have had any degree of Christian education, find comfort and support in the knowledge of God, and in the Christian's hope."

"Without doubt, some support is requisite in this world. of trial and suffering. The question is, what that should be; we must study it in the great book of nature, Constance, now displayed to us."

"Better in the book of revelation," said she; "there only we can see what is in the heart of man-there we shall see distinctly those truths which are only shadowed in the book of nature."

"Well, then, my dear, let us study both; the one will throw light upon the other."

"That is what I wish, Ferdinand; and being your suggestion will add more interest to the inquiry. Come now to our boy, who has been a long time with these good-natured Indians."

In theory, the simplicity of artless nature is delightful; but in actual experience, we find in the life of the savage only the extremes of active exertion or of slothful indolence; and the cultivated mind turns disgusted from such an existence.

However Mortimer might despise the vanity and emptiness of polished life, he was soon convinced, that notwithstanding the lofty principles of the Indians, a residence among them was not desirable. In a short time, therefore, he again proceeded, bearing with him the friendship of these sincere and hospitable people.

After wandering to and fro for some days, the travellers came by a wildly devious route-which it would be difficult to trace in the maps of those regions—to a large river, the picturesque and varied banks of which pleased them so much that, anxious to follow its windings, they procured boats at a settlement that they discovered at a short distance, determined to land when they should feel inclined, and strike into the woods to westward.

They had boated on for some hours, charmed by the beauty of the scene; magnificent heights on the eastern bank wooded with hemlock-pine, cedar, maple, &c., the wild vine, decked with its purple clusters, twining among their branches; while the west side was bordered by low woods of birch and oak, above which rose, in solemn grandeur, a pine ridge, dark and gloomy, which, as far as the eye could reach, was unin