rissa had chosen for her family residence, when Mr. Barnet coming out to meet them in high good-humour, congratulated Mrs. Danzy on her arrival at her pleasant house, where," added he, "we are all ready to wait upon you, and obey your commands."

On her alighting, Mrs. Danzy was received by nurse and her husband, and led by her smiling daughter into her new apartments, where all her old furniture and beloved possessions were arranged in the nicest order.

At the sight of these, the afflicted lady wept, and looked round her with a feeling of such entire confidence in all who surrounded her, as wonderfully tended to the tranquillity of her poor mind.

From that day, Clarissa's household enjoyed a very large degree of peace; and this was the more remarkablé, as Mr. Barnet was, in his way, a complete humourist. But this sweet young lady knew so well how to unite a proper authority and decision of character with extreme kindness, that there was not one of the household who stood not in fear of offending her.

After Mrs. Danzy had been some days in her new habitation, she was prevailed upon by her affectionate attendants frequently to leave her own room; to visit her daughter in her neat and elegant parlour; to take her meals with the family; to walk in the garden; to visit and feed the poultry; to take airings in the carriage, sometimes to a considerable distance; and even to see what little company visited her daughter: on which occasions she made herself so agreeable, and often entered with such discretion into the common topics of discourse, that it would have been difficult for a stranger to discover in her any thing like a mental deficiency. But they who witnessed her daily lamentations for her infant, and heard her speak of her marriage as an event which had taken place only a few years ago; who saw her constant care to prepare her baby's bed, and to set a chair and table for her husband; these persons were but too painfully convinced, that the distressing malady which had so long afflicted her was by no means removed, although its symptoms had met with such wonderful alleviations. In the mean time, another year passed away, in which Isabella had brought her husband a son, at whose birth as great rejoicings were made as at the birth of a little

prince and Clarissa, during the same period, had received and declined several advantageous offers of marriage-advantageous, I mean, with respect to rank and riches; for a beautiful young woman, possessing a large fortune, can never want offers of this kind. But Clarissa, having refused to marry the only man who had ever yet pleased her fancy for the sake of her mother, was determined never to enter the marriage state, without good reason to suppose, that, by such marriage, she should add to her mother's comfort. Towards the end of this twelvemonth, the rector of the village dying, the living was bestowed upon a young man, of small fortune, though of noble family, of genteel appearance, and pleasing manners.

This young clergyman (by name Edward Melville) had not long resided in the village, before a great stir was excited by his mode of preaching, which was altogether different from any thing that had been heard in that neighbourhood for a length of years, or even within the memory of man. The chief subjects of his discourses were- the depravity of man's nature, salvation by Christ only, the necessity of the new birth, sanctification by the Holy Spirit, and the glorious mysteries of free grace.

These doctrines, as will ever be the case where they are zealously preached, excited vehement agitation in the congregation: and it was particularly observed that many of the rich left the church, while the poor crowded into it. Among those, however, of the higher ranks who remained to listen was Clarissa, who, after hearing for some time with eager curiosity and astonishment, it at length pleased the Lord to open her mind to the truth; when she perceived, with amazement, that she had hitherto been walking in thick darkness, though the unseen hand of her heavenly Father had mercifully conducted her in ways of peace and safety. And hence she was led to hope, that He who had hitherto been her guide and protector in so remarkable a manner, had such purposes of mercy towards her as would assuredly issue in the accomplishment of her salvation. And now she was made sensible how very imperfectly all her duties had hitherto been performed-and that the care which she had so long exercised over her mother and her household had, in general, been directed only to their bodily

comfort, having little or no regard to their spiritual interests. She was also made to feel, that there had been a great degree of coldness, and not a little contempt, mixed with her due anger against her sister; an error which she resolved, with the divine help, immediately to correct and, in consequence, she speedily paid her sister a visit, which she had not done since leaving her house.

Clarissa closely attended the ministry of this pious minister for several months, devoting much of her time to private reading of the Scriptures, and humbly seeking the knowledge of the truth. During this period she became very anxious for the spiritual welfare of her family, particularly that of her mother; but, finding it extremely difficult to speak freely with the afflicted lady on these subjects, she at length resolved to request Mr. Melville to visit her parent and converse with her. She was for a short time held back from making this request, by considering that she was a very young woman, and that there was a considerable degree of awkwardness in inviting a young man to her house. But, recollecting that she had an uncle living with her, she overcame these scruples, and requested Mr. Melville to favour her mother with a pastoral visit.

Lest, however, the history we are upon should become tedious, I shall refrain from entering minutely into this part of it, contenting myself with shortly remarking that Mr. Melville's conversation, with the divine blessing, produced a very happy effect upon the old lady; raising her mind from earthly to heavenly things, awakening her to a sense of her own natural depravity, teaching her the need of a Saviour, and leading her right humbly to the foot of the cross. And although her mind was, as I before remarked, in a state of manifest derangement, yet it was wonderful how sweetly and even eagerly she admitted religious impressions, appearing to be soothed and consoled by them in a most extraordinary manner. As a new-born babe she received the pure milk of the Gospel: and, having once tasted the heavenly food, she discovered an extreme earnestness to impart it not only to all those whom she loved, but even to those whom she formerly had not loved. She was now frequently heard singing hymns and psalms, and accompanying

them with her guitar; she was also much employed in studying her Bible, and even in committing to memory many little portions of it. Nothing seemed to delight her so much as when Mr. Melville would accept an invitation from her to tea; on which occasions she became very anxious to have every thing prepared for him in the neatest and most respectful way.

It was easy to perceive that, by these means, a great regard was growing between the old lady and her spiritual guide-such an affection as is exercised between a mother and a son: and it was remarkable what pains he took to facilitate her progress in the heavenly way; often calling upon her, walking by her garden-chair when she went out, and persuading her to be wheeled to the poor cottages, in order that she might have the pleasure of administering relief to the destitute with her own hands. The conduct of this young man towards her mother greatly pleased Clarissa: but still, the dread she had of being mistaken in his character, as well as the natural feeling of modesty belonging to her sex, made her generally retire to her own apartment while he was in the house, leaving the office of making tea to others. But this forced coldness on her part seemed to have no effect on the conduct of Mr. Melville, whose attentions to her mother were invariably kind and consistent; and several instances were brought after a while to the knowledge of Clarissa, of similar attentions shewn to other aged and afflicted persons, where there could be no other motive except that of pure religion, which visits the fatherless and widows in affliction, and keeps itself unspotted from the world.

After several facts of this kind had been brought before her observation in a manner which would admit of no doubt, she insensibly relaxed a little of her reserve; so that she sometimes appeared at the tea-table when Mr. Melville favoured her mother with his company. She was now, in her turn, much edified by the pious discourse of this young man, and much delighted by a certain innocent cheerfulness which he possessed in a peculiar degree, and with which he greatly amused the old people, insomuch that they not unfrequently repeated his agreeable remarks in his absence.

In this manner passed several months, during which

the young people had seen so much of each other that a separation would now have become a severe trial to either party: and yet, as Mr. Melville had but a very small property, he seemed to feel that it would be highly presumptuous in him to aspire to the possession of such a young lady as Clarissa. On this ground he hesitated

a while but as the difficulties must be more than imaginary to separate two young people who truly esteem and love each other, he brought himself, after a short time, to open his mind to the young lady; in consequence of which, this comparatively obscure young man obtained her as a wife, of whom the first man in the country would have been proud.

Clarissa's marriage with Mr. Melville made no other change in the family, than that of supplying poor Mrs. Danzy with an affectionate son, and old Mr. Barnet with a no less affectionate nephew, and indeed every individual of the household with a friend who laboured earnestly to promote their future welfare, and to raise their minds from earthly to heavenly objects.

When Clarissa had been married some few months, it was known in the family that she was likely to bless her husband with a little one: but she requested that nothing of this kind might be mentioned to her mother, lest the old lady might thereby be subjected to anxiety.

Some weeks before Clarissa's confinement, it being summer time, Mrs. Danzy was advised to go to a small sea-bathing-place about ten miles from the village in which she resided: and as she shewed no reluctance to this measure, having since she was more kindly treated lost much of her apprehensiveness, and discovered a readiness to go any where with nurse and her husband, the plan was put into execution, though Clarissa was not able to accompany her.

During their mother's absence, Mr. and Mrs. Melville were blessed with a little daughter, whose sweet and promising appearance filled its parents' hearts with love and gratitude. The little infant, whom they christened Clarissa, grew rapidly; so that at the end of six weeks, when the poor grandmother was expected to return, she was considered as lovely a little fair creature of her age as had ever been seen.

Mrs. Danzy's arrival was looked for about tea-time,