exquisite paintings speaking to the passions, and exciting them to such turbulence, that reason and judgment, if not destroyed, were, at least, silenced; then the glow of the light combining with the objects it illuminated, to seduce and soften; and lastly the sudden appearance of the radiant being who stood before him in the splendor of perfect beauty, all glowing with life, and animation, and feeling, adorable in his first impression of her nature as a spirit, clad in charms ten thousand fold dearer as a woman, had perfected those feelings to which previous objects had given birth and nurture.

Lewen loved.

That powerful sensibility which nature had bestowed on him, the fatal gift of feeling in its utmost extent, which had hitherto been absorbed in acquired sentiments, animating the ardour of his religion, strengthening his zeal, was now

suddenly thrown into its natural direction, and threatened, in the impetuosity of its current, to devastate, instead of fertilizing, the regions through which it passed. Overwhelmed by its force, he now stood in the presence of her who had transformed him, unable to speak but not confused, agitated but not embarrassed, pained yet delighted.

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"And whither points thy ambition ?" she resumed, after a long pause; "is it even that thou mayest be such as they who now have the dominion over thee? Oh, bethink thee, what are they? Is it for the sleepiness and the drowsiness of a life like theirs, that thy feelings→→→ thy capacities-thy aspirings after all that is mighty and vast, were given to thee? Even if success attend thy steps, even if thy eloquence shall allure all men to thy creed, what will be thy own fate? Inertion, inactivity,-perchance inanity! The toll of the monastic bell will be all

that will recall thee to a sense of existence; there will be the daily prayerthe daily mass, the duty of the confessional, and all is done! And what does the rest present, these 'over? The dull, heavy sleep that succeeds fatigue! Wander from cell to cell, from brother to brother; hear the complaints of one, the coldness of another, the visionary ecstasies of a third, the gloomy bigotry of a fourth! Is it for such as these that thou hast toiled, and rejected the sweets of reciprocal sentiments and mutual kindness?-Hast thou endeavoured to allure victims to sacrifice themselves on such an altar? And haply hast thou succeeded? How then? Oh, when the sigh of regret burst from them, and the groan of despondence, or the bitter sarcasm of doubt, will not thine ear be appalled as conviction of the fruitlessness of thy work impresses thy mind? Wilt not thou also become gloomy→→→

desponding-despairing?--How vapid the picture! how colourless the pros. pect! Compare such a future with the present now!"

"Now?" exclaimed Lewen, and the cheek of his companion paled beneath the intense flashing of his eye, and then glowed again more brightly than before ; "now? Life has no future moments to bestow, such as this! Canst thou promise to me a repetition of these feelings, these ecstacies? Beautiful being! what name shall I give to thee? how shall I call thee? Angel? Methinks I would not have thee Angel, whilst I am yet. mortal, unless, indeed, thou wouldst be my guardian spirit, hovering continually around me, whether in the world or in the convent ! With thee, indeed, in thy society, the existence which thou hast pictured, would lose its vapidness. Secure of thee, what cares could distract my mind, what gloominess could

oppress my soul, what coldness could deaden my zeal? With thee, my companion, my guide, my friend, should I not see brightness on all sides? Should I not find bliss every where? Beautiful being! whom to possess would recompense the surrendering up of myself entirely to thee!"

The triumph of her smile was more brilliant than before. "Well should we be mated!" she said. "And whether the fanatic converted the sceptic, or the sceptic the fanatic, what matter, so that there was conversion? And what hast thou to bestow that should allure me to dwell with thee for ever? Would thy coldness and apathy, thy indifference to aught this world can afford, and thy proud contumely of passion, be accepted as an equivalent for the prodigality of passionate tenderness, which will be lavished by me on him to whom I shall devote myself? Con