three-fourths of the misery of the better clisses among us result from errors at the outset of life in this matter of love; and a great deal of it is, no doubt, due to a belief in love being beyond our perfect control. Therefore

I say, Don't fall in love. Be very cautious, and keep your heart till a very worthy fellow-I don't say necessarily handsome (for handsome women especially know what is the real value of mere outward beauty)—but a man, a noble fellow, a gentleman, a Christian, offers to you his heart, his hand, his home; and then set your heart upon him, and love him with all your soul." Now with all due respect for the writer of these words, we must beg leave to differ from him. Many a husband and wife can be found who fell in love at first sight-as it is called. Indeed, Shakspeare well illustrates this in The Tempest, where he represents Ferdinand and Miranda first conceiving for each other a mutual affection, and as a result Ferdinand declares—

"Full many a lady

I have eyed with best regard; and many a time
The harmony of their tongues hath into bondage
Brought my too diligent ear; for several virtues
Have I liked several women; never any
With so full soul, but some defect in her
Did quarrel with the noblest grace she ow'd,
And put it to the foil. But you, 0 you,
So perfect and so peerless, are created
Of every creature's best."

He then owns his love at first sight, and says

"The very instant that I saw you, did

My heart fly at your service."

And as a result she is now

"The top of his admiration."

How it came about perhaps would be difficult to clearly explain. They met, they talked, they walked, they sat; and, as Crabbe well says―

"The couple gazed-were silent, the Maid

Looked in his face to make the Man afraid."

Yes, this falling in love is, after all, a most wonderful

thing. Hence a young lady, at an examination in grammar one day, when asked why the noun "bachelor" was singular, answered blushingly-"Because it's singular they don't get married." True, there must be a few solitary females waiting for an offer, or else Sheridan, naughty man that he was, would never have compared such to a rusty conductor waiting for a flash of lightning to strike.

Would you like to know what it is to fall in love?

"LOVE! I will tell thee what it is to love:

It is to build with human thoughts a shrine,
Where hope sits brooding like a beauteous dove;
Where Time seems young, and Life a thing Divinc.
All tastes, all pleasures, all desires combine
To consecrate this sanctuary of bliss.

Above, the stars in cloudless beauty shine;

Around, the streams their flowery margins kiss;

And if there's heaven on earth, that heaven is surely this.

"Yes, this is Love, the steadfast and the true,

The immortal glory which hath never set;

The best, the brightest boon the heart e'er knew;
Of all life's sweets, the very sweetest yet!

Oh! who but can recall the eve they met

To breathe, in some green walk, their first young vow,
While summer flowers with moonlight dews were wet,
And winds sighed soft around the mountain's brow,
And all was rapture then which is but memory now ?"

But perhaps it may be asked, "How does it come about?" Like many other things in this world, in numerous ways. There is no royal road nor exact method. Du Chaillu, in

his Travels in Sweden, tells us of one case as follows:"I saw one match made. He met her at the gate and poked his fingers in her ribs, and said: 'I want to get married-don't you?' 'Oh, I don't know. Go away.' 'Yes, you do let's get married.' Well, ask papa.' 'No, never mind him; we'll get married, anyhow.' And he went around telling everybody, 'I'm going to marry that girl.' The preparations continued during the three weeks. required to have the banns published in the churches, and then they were married."

In another case it is related that, in a certain law case, a witness was remonstrated with for using the word "courtship" by the counsel, who was an old bachelor. He asked with some warmth, "What do you mean, madam, by courtship? I am an old bachelor, and don't understand

courtship. Explain it, please. How is it done ?" She quietly replied in the light of her own experience, and said, Looking at each other, taking hold of each other's hands, and all that kind of thing." In spite, therefore, of our witty friend Punch-who, when asked to give advice to those about to marry, replied, "DON'T"-we unhesitatingly say, "Do," provided you go about it wisely.

But how and when shall "the question be popped ?" There are also many ways of doing this; it is therefore very difficult to give special instructions. Circumstances, temperaments, &c., have so much to do with it. It can, however, be said with certainty that "where there's a will, it will find a way." It has been done even on a chessboard before now. A warm-hearted young Irish curate, more bent on mating than on checkmating, was playing at chess with his churchwarden's daughter, when a bystander remarked, "Miss, you might have taken his bishop!" "I wish she would take the curate," was his quick reply; and she did, and made him a capital wife. Yes—

"Ye maidens of bashful, engaging eighteen,

Now isn't it dreadful-you know what I mean-
To see a poor fellow come sighing each day,
Trying in vain those few hard words to say-
'Dear Miss, will you'-'Sir!' Then back in a fright
He stumbles, and stammers out,' What a wet night!'
"Then he pulls on his glove, pulls it soon off again,
And sits on one inch of his chair in great pain;
Then takes out his watch, at the time never looking,
Exclaiming, 'Dear me, what a time I've been stopping!

"Yes, popping the question's a terrible thing,

And will either sorrow or happiness bring."

In another case it came about after the following manner:-A young and pretty girl stepped into a store where a smart young man, who had long been enamoured but dare not speak, stood behind the counter, selling goods. In order to remain as long as possible, she cheapened everything. At last she said, "I believe you think I am cheating you.” "Oh no," said the young man, "to me you are always FAIR." "Well," whispered the lady, blushing as she laid emphasis on the word, "I would not stay so long bargaining if you were not so DEAR."

As an instance of the "power of love," Smiles, in his Lives of the Engineers, gives the following instance as exemplified by George Stephenson :-" Probably he was stimu lated to take in hand extra work by the attachment he had

formed for Fanny Henderson, who officiated as servant in the small farmer's house in which he lodged. The personal attractions of Fanny, though these were considerable, were the least of her charms. Her temper was of the sweetest : and those who knew her were accustomed to speak of the charming modesty of her demeanour, her kindness of disposition, and sound good sense. Amongst his various mendings of old shoes at Callerton, George was on one occasion favoured with the shoes of his sweetheart to sole. One can imagine the pleasure with which he would linger over such a piece of work, and the pride with which he executed it. A friend of his relates that, after he had finished the shoes, he carried them about with him on the Sunday afternoon, and that from time to time he would whip them out and hold them up, exclaiming, 'What a capital job I bave made of them!' Other lovers have carried about with them a lock of their fair one's hair, a glove, or a handkerchief; but none could have been prouder of a cherished love-token than was George Stephenson of his Fanny's shoes, which he had just soled, and of which he had made such a 'capital job.""

Under such circumstances, one can understand that

"When Sarah Jane, the moral Miss,
Declares 'tis very wrong to kiss,

I'll bet a shilling I see through it;

The damsel, fairly understood,

Feels just as any Christian should

She'd rather suffer wrong than do it!"

It being therefore a natural and likely thing, suffer a few remarks UPON FALLING IN LOVE.-Before any young woman enters upon this interesting experience, or accepts any definite proposals from any young man, she should retire to her own room, and in its quietness with all seriousness ask herself the following question :-" Have I a right or is it wise on my part to cherish any love towards him?" No doubt you have often, in your secret moments, pondered