breaks my heart when after being done.”

"That is owing to bad customs," said Lady L. “ come out of that place of disgrace, where you was confined, for helping you to be careful in avoiding to do amiss. Sit down, and compose yourself; I want to talk to you when you can listen calmly to me." LEWIS seated himself in a remote part of the little room, with his hands clasped on his knees, and his eyes rivetted to the floor. Lady L. addressed herself sometimes to his lordship; sometimes to ANDREW and ELSPAT, till she saw the unhappy boy more tranquil. She then drew a chair near to him, saying, in gentle accents: "If you were sick, LEWIS, would you not gladly take whatever would cure you?-When you was in the fever, for instance, did you not long every hour and moment to get well?

"Yes," said LEWIS, in a very low tone; but again, bursting into tears, he exclaimed, "this day is worser than the fever."

"I will then tell you, in a very few words, how you may avoid such a day as this forever more. Will you try to

remember them?"

Och aye! and ever," said LEWIS, struggling to suppress his groans.

"Well, my poor boy," said Lady L. “remember you always are under the eye of the great God, and never say or do any thing you would fear HIM to know, or that you would be afraid or ashamed to make known to every one that ever saw you. Have I spoke so plain that you understand me?"

"I believe I knows the maaning." said LEWIS.

Her ladyship repeated the concise maxims to ELSPAT and ANDREW, enjoining them to remind their patient of them as a medicine for his faults. 66 "My lord and I shall call often," said this most benevolent lady. "Each time

We

we see LEWIS, we shall give him a new sentiment; and I hope gradually to enlarge his views, and to settle his principles of piety and rectitude, by the help of clear and simple doctrines and precepts from our holy religion. You can tell him too of the boys and girls in the village who have become so much happier, since they have behaved better." There were indeed several children in the village reformed by Lady L.'s engaging admonitions, but none had been ever sɔ abandoned as LEWIS. The first ten months however conducted him to virtuous acquirements that be stowed on him a vast increase of felicity; and before he was fourteen years old, there was not in the parish a more industrious, upright, faithful lad. About that time his foster-father died, and on his death-bed experienced unremitting attention from the grateful LEWIS. He worked hard all day to keep things in order on the little farm; and when he came home took his station beside the invalid, and night after night watched, without going to bed, if he was worse than usual. This invariable expression of true sympathy continued until ELSPAT's son, a Chelsea pensioner, came from Tilbury-Fort with his wife, who relieved LEWIS and her mother-in-law in turns. Good actions never lose their reward, and often are recompensed in this life. In the simplicity of his affectionate thankful heart, LEWIS gave up all selfish considerations to soften the distress of bis aged friends; but ELSPAT informed her cousin, the steward, and when she removed with her son to his garrison, Lady L. hearing from him how her protegé had acquitted himself, resolved to ask his lordship to take him as a supernumerary about the stables.

His brother TERENCE supposed to be twelve years old, waited on Lord L's eldest son; and his sister Lizzy past eight, was training to the duties of a nursery maid. Lord L's second son had a lively prediliction for LEWIS, before

he

he saw him; for he happened to be with the old steward in the park, when ELSPAT related her pathetic tale of ANDREW's sufferings, and her foster-child's kind and disin– terested perseverance in toiling day and night for his sake. Master ARCHIBALD intreated his mother to take LEWIS into the house. "If he behaves well one year," replied her ladyship, "your request shall be granted ;-but till I have fully ascertained his conduct, I do not wish you to have intercourse with him." LEWIS proved himself steady, diligent, and rigidly exact in speaking truth. He was a drudge --but he thought nothing he could do too much to serve Lady L. who had led him from villany to all the heartfelt comforts of conscious honesty. He was submissive and obliging to the men-servants who had authority over him ; good natured to the other boys who acted about the horsesand no one ever saw him use a lash to these noble animals. Lord L. was fond of his stúd, and paid them great attention. He heard LEWIS expostulating with one of the other lads, who was very harsh to the horses, and from that hour Lord L. shewed him many marks of favour, which never made the modest youth presuming. The old steward confirmed this partiality by informing his lordship that LEWIS and his brother got up with the dawn; he, as a most laborious pupil, and TERENCE as his teacher. When he went to L.-Castle he was mortified to find that even his little sister read better than he; and he had never attempted writing. "How many precious hours and half-hours have I thrown away!" said he to TERENCE. children could be made to see the value of time and instruction! No compulsory tasks would then be necessary. They would improve every moment and every opportunity with unremitting application." "It is not yet too late, my dear brother," said TERENCE. "You are willing to learn, and I am willing to teach you as well as I can." TERENCE

"O that

had

had a very large share of the sprightliness, humour, and vivacity for which the natives of his country are so remarkable but early habit had made him circumspect in avoiding evil, and consistently attentive in performing his duty.

The gayest bird that flits from bough to bough, and fills the air with varied modulations of song, is not more gladsome than was LIZZY in all her little employments. She never knew idleness, and work therefore to her seemed but a customary and pleasant use of her hands. When sent out to amuse the young ladies, she hounded, and frisked, and laughed in their gambols, but she had been taught to be watchfally cautious to keep them from all dangerous pastimes; and she never disobeyed. She applied regularly to Lady L. for injunctions before the ladies went to walk, and she strictly adhered to them.

LEWIS was placid and accommodating, but the recollection of his early criminality caused a diffidence in himself that weighed down his spirit. His brothers endeavoured to inspire him with more confidence; but he replied, "Would that the great Power of Mercy did vouchsafe to ́ endow me with ability for communicating to the hearts of children some perception of my feelings! Oh! that they could know the value of innocence, of unspotted integrity ! sooner would they part with life than forego the self-complacency I have lust forever. I was so worthless as a boy, that I dare not trust myself even in manhood. Long habit made me so prone to evil, that if I had fallen in with wicked companions, when ANDREW MILLAR died, instead of coming to this abode of goodness, I dare not flatter myself that I would have had fortitude to avoid a relapse into my early vices. Oh! that parents by precept, example, and anxious superintendance, may preserve their little ones from a calamity like mine." When employed to wait upon Master ARCHIBALD, LEWIS's perpetual study VOL. II. appeared

B

appeared to be that of counteracting the amiable youth's natural foibles. ARCHIBALD was generous, kind, honourable, truly religious, as were all Lady L's, family; and scrupulous in acting aright, if his impetuous passions and volatile precipitation did not overcome his better reason. He had spent the two last years with an old uncle of Lady L's. and had not been judiciously checked. Yet his pristine impressions retained so much influence, that he no sooner offended than compunction chastised the offence; and to watch every emotion for the purpose of saving his young master from these pangs, became the paramount object of LEWIS's solicitude.

With his elder brother, Master ARCHIBALD was now an officer in Lord L's. Regiment. Thoughtless in the extreme, ARCHIBALD's profusion must have involved him in numberless difficulties; but a respectful sorrowing hint from LEWIS frequently interposed to dissuade him from expen sive frolics, which, in absence of Mr WILLIAM, (who had an appointment on the staff,) he acknowledged in his letters to his mother, was an office little inferior to that of a guardian angel.

Lady L. had six children, the youngest of whom was five years old when her sons joined their military appointments. In the course of five years following, two girls were added to the family. Lizzy had been nursery-maid to the two youngest boys and the next girl, under her Lady's close inspection ;-but her recovery from the last confinement was lingering, and though apparently restored to health, the stamina of her constitution were exhausted. The child was not six months old, before it was found necessary to wean her, and she was committed to Lizzy's care. She was a delicate, peevish, troublesome baby, but Lizzy never forgot that this trial of her fidelity, patience, and gratitude, was marked by the SEARCHER of HEARTS, whe would bountifully repay all she had to endure, In the