Obscure but for the moment nature's face, Nay I have heard that wildest, deadliest foes Who humbly broke his bread within our tower, Exit. Outside of the same House.-Enter Pearson and Officers. PEARSON. No further, friends, for yonder is my house; As So, sirs, be my reward. I do beseech you, OFFICER. Fear not our caution, when we spread the noose, It would but show requital ill in us Then to betray the maker of the toil. Kind Sir, farewell, you shall be great at court. Inside of Pearson's House.—Alice showing the Soldiers in. ALICE. It may be as you say, for, There came unto us a much tired man, One, that to me, appear'd more hurt by cares With the soil'd garments that encas'd his limbs; Officer. We thank thy zeal, it shall not lack requital." Alice places a table, &c. for the Officers, and look- Humphrey thou lazy loon, thou sleepy dolt, [Beating him. Your pardon yet, upon my life the dolt Do lack thy rude ta'en seat. There, take thy hat There, get thee in. I'm glad at any price To earn such easy riddance. I pray your pardon, Officer. Toil, madam, sweetens every friendly bowl, The daintiest spice that ere can sweeten it. ALICE. Ay, with the lip and heart, here's to the king. (What would the leaves be if the trunk were gone!) The king-my king! oh may each loyal soul Pledge you as I do now. (The plush of an oar is heard, and a cry from the waters.) What noise was that? OFFICER. ALICE. That stupid fool again, I'll lay my life, He'll ruin me with mischief-sirrah, how now ? A minute gentlemen-now let us see If there's a virtue in a faggot stick. [She goes in. ALICE. Laugh with me, gentlemen-I pray you laugh, Bear the true golden fleece. I thank you, gentlemen, [As she is going out, enter Pearson. NOTE. The original story, which elicited this attempt (the first) at sketching a dramatic scene, will be found in Sir Robert Ker Porter's "Sketches in Russia and Sweden." I have but, in a trifling degree, departed from the prose narrative of the travelling knight. SELINA; OR, WOMEN OF THE DAY. It was not without a considerable degree of pleasure that I read a recent article, which treated, with much asperity, on the present degeneracy of women's education. There was, indeed, more of satire than warmth of feeling in the critique: the subject, however, interested me, for I have the welfare of the sex at heart, and would willingly forego a portion of the entertainment derived from magazines, could a few of their pages be successfully employed in producing a reformation in the mode of educating the fairer portion of creation. In my opinion, Nature has not given either a fairer or finer specimen of her workmanship than a woman, as she ought to be. But what is that? This is a question not easily answered, if we may judge from the diversity of opinions on this head; but it is to be lamented that there are so many undeniable examples of what she ought not to be. That the society of woman, where a misguided education has not crossed and obviated the purposes of nature, is eminently qualified to soften and subdue the native ferocity of man, and to render him more capable of all the softer charms and endearments of social life cannot be doubted. Her education should therefore be so conducted as to promote, instead of marring, these original, wise, and beneficent designs of nature; but, unhappily, the gifts which nature has so munificently lavished upon lovely woman are most wofully abused, and now only tend to blemish, nay, to despoil her of her native attractions. Affec tation is mistaken for grace, flippancy for wit (and what has a woman to do with wit?) a sarcastic and unamiable suppression of feeling when offended, for gentleness of temper-a forward manner of discussing and commenting upon opinions, for cleverness loud censure upon other women's conduct, for prudence-and as for housewives "Angels and ministers of grace defend us!' -they have not even the decency to dissemble the character. But gently, gently, my pen, it is not the women I condemn, but the system of their education. How many girls are there wow left to the care of a fond mother (herself the victim of an erroneous education), who are launched into actual scenes of dissipation. Every night a concert, ball, party, or play: the days are devoted to their toilets; so that absolutely their time is wholly divided between their beds, lookingglasses, and the crowd. Coquetry becomes the ruling passion of the mind, nor have they a second idea beyond the frivolities of the day. Yet, strange to say, it is the intention of mothers to get their daughters well married, after thus disqualifying them for the blessings, and preparing them for the miseries of a married state. Undoubt edly there must be a distinct class of men, with an equally refined educa tion, to be wedded to such comforts, to such companions, to the solaces of a man's wearied spirit. There are some women less dangerous in their natures-gifted with a tolerable share of beauty, a little observation, an aptness of expression, a versatile imagination, with some talent for letterwriting. Each of these qualifications, if guided and properly directed, is fitted to form one of the elements of mental and social happiness; but it is possible that a too partial father, watching the improvements and attractions of his girl, corrupts all Nature's bounty; for, by misguided praises, and ill-timed display, he chokes up the incipient germs of the growing virtues with vanity, and all that might have been good degenerates, and turns to evil. The majority of girls are now of this cast and character-clever in general conversation, smart at repartee, quick in perception, prompt in observation, and frequently evincing indications of a mind, formed by nature for accomplishments and endowments of the highest order, but from a system of education, which is not only erroneous, but superficial, they become only the reflection of what is good; they evince neither heart nor application in whatever they do thus their actions are too frequently productive of ill, both to themselves and their connexions. I once witnessed a melancholy instance of my assertion, and I think it not improper to offer it to public perusal; for although my reader may take little interest in tracing the misfortunes of a fellow-creature through'à child's scholastic routine, yet it may be a hint to the vanity of parents; and there is food for reflection to girls, who are now affording glaring examples of this generation's immorality. George Harrington was the youngest of three brothers, whose parents were not affluent, consequently his pecuniary prospects being very limit. ed, his father apprenticed him to a bookseller; but his qualifications fitting him for the gaieties of a drawingroom, rather than the more serious duties of a counter, business was neglected, light reading, which gave a polish to his mind which his station in life did not require, was his sole pur suit, and the term of his articleship expired, leaving young Harrington very unfit to earn his livelihood, and he was accordingly thrown a dependant on his father. Being handsome, however, well-informed, and possessed of prepossessing manners, he very soon meliorated his fortune by marriage with a young lady of considerable property. Twelve months had not elapsed, when the happy couple were greeted by the dearest pledge which Nature grants to the union of affection. Mrs. Harrington smiled in joy on a little boy; but Harrington expressed many regrets that it was not a daughter. Thirteen months afterwards his wish was granted; his wife presented him with a girl, and many an hour did he lavish in the contemplation of her future brightness. As a child, Selina Harrington (so they christened her) was beautiful, her dark grey eyes and long black lashes, contrasted well with a fine clear complexion, her curly hair, which a mother's taste (not to say her vanity) induced her to train in ringlets, falling on the well-turned shoulders of the little beauty; and Mrs. H. had a peculiar manner of dressing her children, to make them appear different from others. It is a bad plan, as was evinced in the case of our heroine; for she was noticed and ca ressed by every one. Thus early taught to love admiration, it became her sole aim through life; for it too frequently occurs that, when girls begin to fail in the power of attracting praise, they pursue notoriety with the same unceasing avidity. She was gifted with a general good capacity; but I secretly observed that the shrewdness and quickness of perception, which procured her the praise and flattery of all her friends and admirers, were the result of the minutest care and study, if not of absolute cunning, the most dangerous as well as the most despicable quality in a wo man. At the early age of four she read very accurately at five, recited several speeches from scenes in Shakspeare's plays-had read them all; with an excellent comprehension, What a pity that innocence, which, at least, should die a natural death, should thus early be wrested from its legitimate abode! I one day found her sympathizing with the heroine of a romance; and upon asking her father why he suffered the child to fill her head with nonsense, he replied, that the errors arising from the perusal of novels may be checked when she is older. I argued, in vain, that her taste and ideas would be fixed and vitiated at the same moment. He maintained that the language of the book she was reading was chaste and elegant, and would form her style, while, at the same time, she would be come satiated with fiction, and her relish for essential reading become fixed and permanent. Harrington's notions of human nature were collected from books, mine from long experience and strict observation. When eight years old Selina was sent to school, and at that period their family was increased by two girls and a boy; but Harrington's hopes and fondness were centered in his eldest girl, the others were his playthings, his pretty little darlings, while she was his idol. At school the system of education was so different from that adopted by her father, and so much less entertaining, that she conceived a dislike to all the pursuits allotted her. The little manoeuvres that were heretofore innocent were now called more vigorously into action, to aid her escape from punishment, for occasional fits of idleness. Possessed of a precocious genius, the younger children were not fit companions for her, and the elder girls, finding her, what they chose to term, too knowing, she was shunned by one part of the school, and repulsed by the other. Thus thrown on the resources of her own mind, she very soon imagined herself peculiarly and cruelly situ ated, and at length was so unconquer |