parted to him, seemed to me like a voice pronouncing this to be a beloved son. He no longer saw through a glass darkly; the veil of mortality seemed to be lifted from his eyes, and immortality to dawn upon him. All this was the more striking, as he had none of that enthusiasm which makes the imagination excitable. His strongest feelings were the result always of deliberate conviction; the religious principle was thoroughly woven into his character; he had ever lived in a sense of dependence upon, and communion with his Maker and Saviour. The perfect repose of his mind, in death, upon the same principles that had abided with him through life, when, too, the suddenness of the summons furnished the greatest possible test of their value and sufficiency, since it deprived the soul of all opportunity to marshal its forces, and array itself for the great victory it had to accomplish, conveyed to my mind a new and powerful conviction of their truth, which nothing has yet been able to remove.

Long and bitterly did I deplore his loss to myself personally, though I was but one among many, very many others, who wept and lamented over him. Such a man is like a beacon light in the moral wilderness of the world — and the brightness which it diffused fell on my soul. 'Soon after this, my beloved sister was married, and my father being engaged to a lady for whom I had conceived a dislike, I could not bear to think of remaining at home under these circumstances. I therefore determined, with my father's consent, to accept an invitation, long since received, to visit a bachelor uncle of my mother's, after whom I was named, who resided in England. I took leave of the living and the dead, in going from the home of my youth, and with a sad heart proceeded to the place of embarkation. We had a prosperous voyage: the ocean, which I had never seen before, was to me a new and glorious revelation of the wonderful attributes of the Deity; and though grandeur and might were the prevailing features which it disclosed, I was ever discovering traits of tenderness, too. Among these, was the very circumstances of man's familiarity with the mighty deep - the ease and safety with which he traverses and makes it subserve his various interests. Even the beautiful color of its waters, and the rich hues with which it was occasionally dyed-the fish, too, swimming joyously about in their native element seemed to me like so many circumstances intended to relieve the oppressed sense, and reveal the tender father in the mighty God.

'I received from my uncle-whose only inmate, beside domestics, was a maiden sister, and who had long been separated from all the rest of his family—the kindest welcome. He had naturally very warm affections, but from his isolated manner of living, and his want of objects to excite them, they had become so dormant that he was himself hardly aware of their existence.

'My arrival seemed soon to awaken them in all their force. I had the good fortune to produce an agreeable impression upon him, and he listened with intense interest to all that I told him, as well of our country, as of his relatives who had settled there. Having been so long unused to the pleasure of society and sympathy- his sister being, both from taste and habit, exclusively devoted to housewifery he now enjoyed his intercourse with me, as a man whose appetite has long been destroyed by the unhealthy state of his system enjoys its restoration.

He soon began to manifest an anxiety to secure my stay with him as long as possible; and ascertaining by his inquiries the peculiar circumstances that decided me upon coming to him, and the facts that I was just twenty-one years of age-had finished my legal studies-been admitted to the bar and expected to commence practice immediately upon my return-he said to me that he hoped I would not be in haste to leave him, nor anxious about securing, through my profession, the means of support, as it was his intention to settle upon me, immediately, a portion of that estate the whole of which he had always designed should be ultimately mine. I was touched with his kindness, and did not hesitate to accept it. I spent my time, in the year that ensued, either with him, or in making excursions into different parts of England that island queen, to whom, in her robes of perpetual verdure, and her look of langhter and loveliness, might be applied with slight exception, what has been spoken of one of Fancy's creations:

'Say, to delight this wondering earth
Does she among us mortals roam,
Who from the blue deep took her birth,
Her nurture from the sparkling foam?'

'My uncle lived in a retired country-seat, and there was but one neighbor with whom he had much intercourse. This was a man of strongly-marked character, and great peculiarities, who had been twice a widower, and whose present family consisted of several sons and one step-daughter. Being introduced to them, I soon discovered some circumstances of similarity in my condition and that of the young lady, which heightened the interest that her appearance and manners had previously excited. The disagreeable impressions of her step-father, which his somewhat unreasonable and domineering treatment of her mother had produced on her mind, were increased to positive dislike, in consequence of his persevering determination, in spite of her manifest aversions to such a step, that she should unite herself in wedlock with one of his sons of a former marriage. The poor girl had no escape from the disagreeable circumstances of her situation but in an occasional visit to a married daughter of her step-father's, who had too much generosity and delicacy to join the family compact against her happiness. In the course of some months, I had an opportunity to see a great deal of her, and found her all that I had been led to imagine from her first appearance warm hearted, intelligent, delicate, and sensitive. When her father, who was likewise her guardian, discovered my increasing interest in her, he made use of a prejudice which he really felt against all Americans, as a pretext for requesting my uncle that I might not come to his house again. This, of course, produced a separation between the families; and the prospect of a total suspension of our intercoursesince all those facilities were removed, which seem almost indispensable to a delicate female brought the matter to a crisis at once. I found means to declare my attachment, and the answer which I received filled me with the raptures of a successful lover.

6

My uncle soon informed his neighbor of the state of affairs between us, which made him more violent than ever in his dislike to me. He still forbade me his house entirely, and so unpleasant was our situation rendered, that I listened with the less reluctance to the proposal of my uncle, who really took a great interest in the affairs of the

'young folks,' as he called us, that as 'the girl' was yet a minor by some months, I should travel a year on the continent, and then she would be at liberty to act for herself. Tis a pity,' he added, that you should not see all that is to be seen, on this side of the water.'

I knew that this was quite a sacrifice on my uncle's part, and felt that he had continually new and strong claims upon my gratitude.

In having an opportunity to see more of the world, I was happy to find, that though I of course perceived an admixture of good and evilthe tares sown plentifully with the wheat yet that the traces of a father's love and benificence were every where manifest to me. I realize, more than ever, the significance and truth of the sentiment, Earth, with her thousand voices, praises God;' yes, with her thousand and ten thousand voices. Nature's beautiful and imperishable monuments recorded an inscription to Him who reared them a Deus fecit; while the wonderful works of Art bore witness with what a generous portion of his own intelligence the Creator had endowed his creatures and assimilated them to himself. It was more and more evident, too, that the moral nature of man, where it had not become debased, was stamped with his image. I have elsewhere preserved in my journal the particular impressions made upon my mind by different objects and scenes, and will not here repeat them. Meanwhile, the letters which I constantly received from the chosen of my heart gave new impulse to all the best susceptibilities of my nature. This was the holiday of my moral existence.

On my return, I found her on a visit to her sister, at whose house, a month or two after, we were married. My uncle was very desirous that we should become members of his family. We could make a part of the establishment, without feeling that we burdened it. Here, then, we lived in the most retired manner, and had ample opportunity to ascertain our mutual resources.

My wife had been carefully trained by a most judicious and enlightened mother: both her intellectual and moral nature had been richly cultivated, and in the school of adversity her character had acquired a stability and maturity, which were very uncommon for her years. She had a lofty sense of duty, an energy of purpose, and at the same time a modest estimation of herself, which form the happiest combination in the female character. She had, too, a most enlightened piety, the observation of which tended to confirm the lately-acquired steadfastness of my faith and she loved me in the characteristic manner of her sex that is, with entire devotion.

We passed nearly two years in unvarying happiness. We were occupied with our own improvement, and interested in promoting the happiness of those with whom we were inmates: nor was the welfare of the peasantry in our neighborhood indifferent to us; and I flatter myself their condition was essentially and permanently improved, by the knowledge and religious instruction, disseminated, by our means, among them, and particularly among their children.

The birth of our daughter, at the close of the second year of our marriage, awakened a new set of feelings, and opened a new sphere of duty. Our cup of happiness which before was full, seemed to overflow; but alas! it was not long before it became infused with bitter drops. My wife's health visibly declined, and we became excessively anxious

on her account. After awaiting, for some months, the effect of time, and of the various remedies which skill could suggest and tenderness apply, I wished very much to try the effect of a voyage and led, by this circumstance, to turn my eyes to my own country again, I felt an irresistible longing to tread its soil once more to embrace my muchloved sister and to claim for my wife and child those generous sympathies of her nature which had constituted the pride and happiness of my early life. She had been constantly in the habit of corresponding with me, and I had never lost for a moment the memory of her love. My poor father, too! I hoped I might do something for him. His marriage had proved, as I apprehended, most unfortunate; his gay young wife had persuaded him to exchange his country residence for a city life, and our beloved home was sold into the hands of strangers.

My uncle did not oppose my plan. Something must indeed be done for our dear Louisa,' he said, and it is natural you should wish to be in your own country, and among your own friends again. Your father, too, has a claim upon you, which far supersedes mine. I have always regretted that I did not go to America before I became so firmly established here, and think it the best place on earth for a young man to establish himself. I will not, then, be so selfish as to detain you here. I am old, and have not long to sojourn on the earth, and my good sister and I will, with God's permission, finish our journey together.'

'I was deeply affected by my uncle's magnanimity and kindness on this occasion, and assured him that I would hold myself in readiness to return to him, should any thing occur to make him particularly desire it.'

My wife had no strong tie to England, save that which one always feels to the soil in which are the graves of those one loves. In consequence of her lonely and isolated condition, at the time our acquaintance commenced, she clung to me, not only as the heart clings to its dearest possessions, but as it fastens itself to one only hope or treasure; and she was ready to say, 'Thy people shall be my people.' She participated too, in my desire that she should see my sister, and felt that her society would be a great addition to our happiness.

It was late in the fall, before all things were ready for our departure. Our voyage was long, and attended with some untoward circumstances which affected sensibly the feeble frame of my wife. When we arrived in America, the first tidings we heard was that my sister, in consequence of her husband's ill health, had gone to pass the winter in the South of France. I will here add, that she has remained on the continent with him ever since. I have received recent intelligence of her husband's death, and of her intention to come and live with me. Her faithful bosom will be as a haven of rest to a weary mariner.

This was a great disappointment - a shock to both of us; nor had the wan and altered aspect of my father, whom I saw a few days after, any tendency to cheer the gloom which it occasioned. I now felt that I was a stranger, homeless and almost friendless, in my native land. I signified to my father my wish to procure for the winter a comfortable residence in some retired country village. He had seen our present residence advertised. I first hired, then purchased it, and have never left it since. My sister left no family behind, and my father, I knew, preferred seeing me any where else rather than in his own house.

During the dreary winter that ensued, our child was our only solace and amusement. With an aching heart I watched the hectic hue on my wife's cheek, like the unnatural red which autumn plants upon the falling leaf,' growing brighter and deeper, and her parched lips betokening the withering away of the vital principle. She lingered through the Spring, and I hoped that in the month of June I should travel with her, and that her drooping nature might at least be revived a little by the freshness of the season but even this was denied me.

'She expired the latter part of July. She was able, until just before her death, to take short rides, and to walk a little about our own precincts. It is a privilege,' she would say, 'to have lived so far through this beautiful season to see Nature dress for you so sweet a home. My grave will be near you, and you will visit it, Henry, and you will take our child there, when she is old enough, and teach her whose it isand then you will point to Heaven, that her thoughts and hopes may soar thither.'

When she uttered sentiments like these, there was a holy calmness and authority in her manner, which suppressed the agitations of my nature. It was like the voice which said to the tumultuous waves, 'Peace, be still!' and hushed them into silence. She was remarkably cheerful through all her sickness: the heavenly tranquillity of her mind was never disturbed, except occasionally, when her lip would quiver, and a tear drop from her eye, as some touching display of loveliness in her child awakened the strong desire to live and watch her 'mind's development' some circumstance occurred to make her mind dwell with unusual tenacity upon the idea of leaving it motherless. It was her constant endeavor, however, not to indulge such reflections. 'Jesus Christ took little children into his arms and blessed them,' she would say, 'and that blessing rests on them still.' Their angels do always stand before the face of my Father who is in Heaven.'

She was constantly speaking of her mercies. When the season of flowers came, some little children of the neighborhood, who, in the few months that we had lived near them, had already experienced her beneficence, and learned to love and almost venerate her, constantly brought her their little offerings, and one day when a handful of roses had been thrown upon her bed, she smiled and said significantly, My bed is strewed with roses.'

'Even in her sleep, she not unfrequently indicated the constant state of her mind, by singing in her former sweet, musical voice, which now seemed only lent her for the moment, words and notes of praise and when she finally slept the sleep of death, it was as when a child falls asleep in the lap of its parent.

'SHE is gone! but her presence dwells with me, and nothing can destroy the faith I feel, that I shall yet see her, eye to eye and face to face. I thank my God for having given me one of the loveliest of his creatures, to be so long the companion of my pilgrimage. If I had every possession on earth, nothing but my child would yield me such a revenue of happiness, as I constantly derive from the treasures of my memory.'