and manner had once very considerably interested her, and of whose arrival with the regiment she had not heard an hour before, she suddenly started from her attitude of sorrow, and hastily wiping away the tears from her eyes, welcomed him with somewhat of her former sprightliness; and then, sinking again into sorrow, she said, " Oh, Mr. Gray, how full of vain delight I was when I last saw you! I was then an entire stranger to sorrow; but now I am completely miserable!"

"Miserable!" repeated he-"miserable, my dear Madam! You use a very comprehensive word; it argues an entire want of comfort: how can I suppose it applicable to your situation?"

Mrs. Vivian then entered into a lively and touching account of her severe bereavement; after which she described, with her usual strength of expression, the state of her mind under the present affliction, which was that, she said, of a person incapable of receiving comfort.

The countenance of the young man displayed an expression of no common sympathy, while she thus painted her unhappy state to him: and when she had ceased, he spoke to her of religion, assuring her, that there was no affliction which could befal man, under which religion had not provided a suitable consolation.

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Religion!" repeated Mrs. Vivian, with a deep sigh "yes; I have heard of the consolations of religion; I am no infidel; I do not question the power of God, neither do I doubt but that there are some blessed individuals who have found happiness in religion: but I have tried it repeatedly, and have never derived from it that boasted peace, of which you speak. I will sincerely confess to you, though I have not done so much to my husband, because I am unwilling to strengthen his prejudices, that although I have been unremitting in my endeavours (during my affliction) to obtain the consolations of religion, they have been wholly without effect; insomuch that I am ready now in despair to renounce all my groundless expectations, and to yield myself up to hopeless grief."

Cecil Gray looked earnestly at her, while she continued to speak, his countenance being still expressive of the deepest commiseration; for when he recollected the happy and beautiful Louisa Harley, and considered that the

time once was, when, had she possessed true piety, he should have preferred her above all her sex, it was not without the deepest sense of pity, that he could now behold her a prey to hopeless sorrow, and a subject of unbelief-he resolved therefore to be sincere with her in pointing out where she had always failed in her religious views, and how she had missed of that peace which she so earnestly desired.

"You speak, Madam," said he, "of religion, and assure me that it has failed to afford you comfort: do you feel quite assured, permit me to ask, that you have sought this comfort in a right way ?"

Mrs. Vivian looked up at him, (for he was still standing, leaning against one of the pillars of the verandah, forgetting, in the warmth of his feelings, to take the seat tendered him by a native servant,) requesting him to repeat his question before she replied, and to accompany it with some explanation.

"Are you thoroughly assured, Madam," said Cecil Gray, "that you know what religion is?"

That so polite a man as Cecil Gray should ask her such a question, startled Mrs. Vivian. Had any person made this enquiry, whom she could have supposed to be an ignorant and vulgar enthusiast, she would not have been surprised. But Mr. Gray being a man of high birth, and of the first character as a gentleman and a Christian, she was greatly astonished at such a question -to which, however, she replied by describing to him the advantages which she had possessed in early life of being made acquainted with religion, and pointing out the minute exactness with which she had at one time attended to all the forms and external observances enjoined by the Church. She spoke also of the serious impression she had received previous to confirmation, giving him such a view of her religious life as made him perfectly acquainted with the real state of her mind.

After listening calmly till she had ceased to speak, he addressed her thus- "You say, my dear Madam, that you have not found that comfort from religion which you expected; that it has afforded you no support under affliction; and that you are even now ready to give it up in despair. I ask you, on what ground you expected that comfort, and why you thought. vourself entitled to it?"

"Because," said she, with increasing wonder, "because I have been always led to understand, that religion is able to afford comfort in affliction; and I have heard and read of many who have been enabled by it to pass through the most severe trials with cheerfulness."

"But who are those," said Cecil Gray, "who experience these consolations? Have you ever considered this point, my dear Madam? or have you ever enquired, whether you are of that blessed number?"

Mrs. Vivian hesitated; upon which Cecil Gray, perceiving how entirely at a loss she was, and not doubting but that she was utterly ignorant of the first principles of religion, proceeded without hesitation to enter into such an explanation of them as he trusted might, with the divine assistance, throw some degree both of light and comfort on her dark and afflicted mind. He first spoke to her concerning the acknowledged attributes of the Deity-his omnipotence, his omnipresence, his foreknowledge, his justice, his mercy, and his holinesswhence he proceeded to point out that striking peculiarity of the Godhead which is revealed in Scripture, namely, the Trinity-in-Unity; together with the nature and offices of these glorious persons, and especially the part taken by each in man's salvation.

"The word of God," continued this pious young officer, "discovers to us the way of salvation laid down in the covenant of grace, manifesting to us what the everblessed Trinity therein purposed, and what, in the fulness of time, was accomplished for fallen man's restoration. It shews the believer, how God the Father, who foresaw the fall of man before the foundation of the world, (brought about by the malice of Satan,) provided for him a Saviour, who should have power to overcome his spiritual foes, and to present him before the bar of divine justice, clothed in unblemished and spotless righteousness. It points out also how God the Son, the second person in the Godhead, coequal, and coeternal with the Father, undertook to become the Saviour of mankind, and to endure the utmost weight of the divine anger against sin, in order that he might bring the sinner to glory. And finally," proceeded Cecil Gray, "it shews. the nature and offices of the Holy Spirit, the third person of the ever-blessed Trinity, by whom the redeemed

are convinced of sin, and taught their need of a Saviour, having their dead souls regenerated and quickened by his infinite power. Thus," continued the young man, "these three glorious persons are equally engaged in one mighty work, more wonderful, more honourable to God, and better calculated to display the goodness, mercy, holiness, and justice of the Almighty, than the creation of millions of planets, or tens of millions of blazing stars."

“And now, Madam,” continued Cecil Gray, "I return to the question, which I put to you at first-Who are those who experience the consolations of religion? Not those, I answer, who attend to the mere outward forms and external rites of religion; but those who have been convinced of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment, by the Holy Spirit. They who have been led by him into clear views of their own utter depravity, and their absolute need of a Saviour; they whose understanding has been opened to comprehend the covenant of grace, and the work of the eternal Trinity; they who are convinced that there is righteousness and strength, comfort and joy, grace and glory, laid up for them in Christ; they who are willing to rest on him and trust in him, renouncing all self-confidence-these are they, who, being united to Christ by faith, who, being regenerate by grace, and become the children of God, have a right, by the terms of the everlasting covenant, to all the privileges and consolations of religion; to feed upon the promises, and to rest in the full and sweet assurance, that their light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for them a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory." (2 Cor. iv. 17.)

While Cecil Gray was still speaking, a sudden shower, common in those climates, which had for a few minutes beat against the steps of the verandah, passed rapidly away, when the dark clouds breaking from above, and suddenly dispersing, exhibited a beautiful and brilliant rainbow, extending over the whole horizon, and presenting the glorious type of that blessed covenant of mercy, with which the Lord encompasses his people.

The sudden splendour of light shed upon the ground from the glowing heavens, drew the attention of Cecil Gray, who, unconsciously looking up for the cause of it,

saw with admiration this magnificent though natural display of divine glory; when instantly directing the eye of his attentive companion to the heavenly arch, he pointed out this beautiful emblem of the everlasting covenant, formed of the seven primitive colours, blended so softly together, that no discord, no harshness appeared among them, but all united in forming one glorious and harmonious whole, including the visible horizon in its ample embrace, and shedding sweet surprise, together with a sense of security, on all beholders. Thus," said he, "does the blessed covenant, of which this heavenly arch is the acknowledged type, assure those who look upon it with the eye of faith, of final deliverance from every evil, and, above all, from that flood of wrath which, in the last day, shall overwhelm the ungodly; transfusing peace and gladness through the mourner's heart, and conveying the assurance of support and consolation under the most severe affliction.'

Louisa, when thus called upon, looked up; but her eyes presently filling with tears, she again dropped them, though with an expression so much softened from that which she had displayed at the commencement of their discourse, that Cecil Gray was encouraged to proceed in the same manner in which he had begun, venturing to promise her consolation so soon as she should be able to receive that view of heavenly love, which he (though in a manner the most imperfect) had endeavoured to set before her.

How sweet it is,” he added, "to have a conviction that we are the objects of divine love and compassion, and to feel an assurance, whatever our trials and afflictions may be, however great our weakness and folly, however numerous our failures and short comings, that we shall undoubtedly be enabled to bear all through Christ strengthening us, that we shall be upheld through all, and carried at last triumphantly above all into a state of everlasting glory! The prophet says, Neither fear ye their fear, nor be afraid; sanctify the Lord of hosts himself; and let him be your fear; and he shall be for a sanctuary." (Isa. viii. 13, 14.)

In this manner Cecil Gray continued to converse with Mrs. Vivian, being led to speak more at large to her on these topics than he might otherwise have done, from a