and indeed wrong, to run the risk of doing a permanent injury to the little girl.

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"Oh, certainly, ma'am," said they all. "But may I ask, ma'am," added Charlotte, "why you have spoken to us particularly, because all the others do just the same.” Why, in the first place," said Miss Windermere, smiling, "because just at present there are no more in the room; but besides that, I know that admiration injudiciously bestowed by any of you elder young ladies, is apt to make a greater impression than when coming from the younger ones; what you say and do has an influence upon the others, and that influence you must endeavour to exert usefully. But I hope to take an opportunity of mentioning the subject to your companions also."

The young ladies having assured Miss Windermere that they would attend to her wishes, with respect to their little favourite, she said, “Well, my dears, as we have had a long digression, we will go on reading. Which of you can remember where I left off?" Emily was ready with a reply, and the book was resumed, in which all soon became so interested as to forget the cause

of their interruption;-all, indeed, but Frances, who thought to herself, "So Miss Windermere does not approve the practice of telling people if they look pretty;" and she now discovered, why she had never received from her any of those flattering remarks, which her personal loveliness, in spite of her other unpleasant qualities, sometimes drew from her companions.

Though she could not avoid admiring Miss Windermere's character, she had often thought her conduct, in this respect, singular; but now it occurred to her, perhaps for the first time, that outward charms alone, will never secure the esteem and affection of those from whom they are most worth having. For a moment she thought Emily, in her quiet enjoyment of the blessing of friendship, and the pleasure she appeared to take in religion and mental cultivation, was happier than herself. But immediately the remembrance of her own brilliant appearance, amidst the circle in which she moved among her friends, and the admiration she there excited, dispelled graver thoughts. She preferred living the life of a butterfly, and the termination of such a course she was willing to leave, and glad to banish

constantly from her mind. Many before her have made this fatal preference; and those who have been suffered to abide by it, have, it is to be feared, experienced the truth of the words, "There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death."

CHAPTER VI.

We have, till now, spoken but little of Sophia, in whom natural talent, eccentricity, and indolence of character were remarkably combined. From her general habits, it might have been supposed, that she thought her talents too superior to need improving; satisfied with knowing she could do a thing well if she tried, she scarcely ever made the necessary exertion, and whatever was really well performed, seemed done, as it were, by accident. Negligence seemed an element of her character, and pervaded all her pursuits, even extending to her personal appearance: she was well-formed, and her countenance was interesting; but a lounging listlessness disguised the one, and an air of indifference and neglect almost effaced the other. Most of those who endeavoured to improve her, had given it up as a hopeless task; for neither teachers nor

masters could do much for one, who, to use her own expression, thought it of " no consequence" to do any thing for herself; all, however, agreed that she was a singular character; and there, with them, at least, the matter rested.

It was not so, however, with Mrs. Wilmot; she felt herself, in some degree, responsible for the future character of every young person who was placed under her care; she knew, at least, that she was considered so by others, and she was anxious that each one should be a blessing and an ornament to the society in which she was hereafter to move.

Though she was well aware that the best means of instruction will fail in producing effect, if not followed up by exertion on the part of the pupils themselves, and therefore that the excellence of any system of education cannot always be known by observing the characters of the young people on whom it has been tried, she was still very desirous of fulfilling her part, and of using every possible method likely to promote their intellectual, moral, and religious improvement. As the performance of the various duties arising from the management of her large establishment, prevented her from being