chargeable. And so you see, my friends, that the truest interest of all is to work together, and deal fairly by each other.

"But I don't like to put these things on the sole ground of interest. There is a much higher motive of action, and one which will carry us forward when selfish considerations fail. We are, every one of us, the creatures of God, dependent on his sole bounty for the means of living through the next five minutes. Let Him withdraw his preserving hand, and the strongest amongst us would instantly cease to be. What ought such dependent creatures to do?-Certainly the will of Him on whom they so absolutely depend.

"It is His will that we should be good, and in being good be happy. It is His will that you should labour with your hands, and do those works for the benefit of all, which some must do, and which He has specially fitted you to do. It is His will that we should labour also, though not with our hands; that we should superintend your works, watch over your health, acquire and use all the knowledge we can for the general benefit of all. To do the Will of God is the great Lesson of Life, whether to rich or poor.

"One word more, and I have done. The industrial schools, which Mr. Merivale has told you he hopes to establish, will afford an opportunity for boys and girls to learn various useful kinds of handiwork, and thus fit you for emigrants-should God call you to that life-in which you must be independent in a great degree of that division of

labour from which we reap such advantage here, but which cannot be expected in a new country."

The Meeting then broke up, after singing the national anthem; and the people went away with many expressions of hearty satisfaction. Some were eloquent in praise of Mr. Merivale-some of Dr. Grant-some of the Captain; it need scarcely be said that with the young men and women the latter was the general favourite. The ladies of the family, and their guests, had also been present at the delivery of the speeches. As they were leaving the room, Susan heard a young person, the daughter of one of the tenants, ask her brother, on whose arm she was leaning, who that tall lady was.

"That's Miss Heathcote, my Lord Heathcote's only daughter, and the cousin of the Captain. Is not she a fine girl?"

"She is, indeed; and so fashionable looking! What a good match she would be for Mr. Merivale, wouldn't she?"

"She would, indeed; but somehow I've a fancy he's looking another way."

"Why, which way do you mean?”

Susan did not hear any more, for her attention was called elsewhere; but she could not help thinking of the words that had been spoken with some degree of curiosity as to their meaning.

CHAPTER XII.

VILLAGE IMPROVEMENTS-CHURCH AND STATE.

"Civil society aims at the highest perfection of man, according to the measure of its knowledge. Religious society aims at it truly and really, because it has obtained a complete knowledge of it. Impart, then, to civil society the knowledge of religious society, and the objects of both will be, not only in intention, but in fact, the same. In other words, religious society is only civil society fully enlightened: the State, in its highest perfection, becomes the Church."

ARNOLD.

THE next day but one the Heathcotes left. The following morning Edgar dropped in at the Lodge to spend an hour. The conversation naturally turned on the departed guests.

"What a sunshiny person Miss Heathcote is-if one may use such an expression," said Susan. "She is like a bright morning, she puts one in spirits."

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Yes," said Edgar, hesitatingly; “yes—she is sunshiny; but sometimes in her company I confess I have felt the glare as well as the cheerfulness of sunshine, and have longed for the relief of a little shade."

"How so?" said Susan.

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Why, she is such a continual talker," said Edgar; "and she talks with such energy, and uses such strong expressions - do you not notice that?"

"Well, I did, sometimes; but she has an easy natural way of doing it, which diminishes the unpleasing effect. In some persons it would have sounded affected."

"Oh, there is no affectation about her, only exuberant spirits; but even they become tiresome after a time. Then she makes such perpetual demands on your attention: she seems to have no idea of independent occupation. I declare I never was able to read for half an hour in the room where she was. She is always interrupting you with questions; and sometimes, when I have seen her take a book, and have hoped she was going to leave us in peace, just as I have got my mind a little fixed to my subject, she would burst out in rapturous admiration of some exquisite soul-entrancing passage in her own book, and insist upon reading it aloud." Susan laughed. "How very ungallant of you to complain of such interruptions

"From the lips of so young and fair a lady, of course, you mean to say," said Edgar. "It would be thought intolerable in some plain middle-aged woman: but really I do not see why any lady should be too fair or too young, if she is past fifteen, to learn the science which La Bruyère so extols, 'la science de se taire àpropos.""

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Very right, indeed, Edgar; very just," said Dr. Grant. "A companion that does not know how to be silent would drive me wild. Susan knows very well how I broke her in. I dare say she has

often thought it very hard work to sit opposite to me a whole evening without speaking a word.”

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Why, I know too well the pleasure of reading with fixed attention, to wish to deprive another of it," said Susan. "Besides, as Edgar has put me in mind of La Bruyère, I will give you another quotation from him: 'Etre avec les gens qu'on aime —leur parler—ne leur parler pas—c'est tout égal.”

The improvements in the village went on briskly during the autumn. The school-house was in a state of forwardness. An efficient master and mistress were appointed. An evening school was commenced, in which the elder boys were to be taught some of the higher kinds of arithmetic, history, geography, drawing, and also some of the simpler mechanical arts, for the practice of which Mr. Merivale had a small carpenter's shop fitted up adjoining the school. Such of the young men of the village as were inclined were allowed to join these classes.

The Lodging-house was opened before the winter evenings set in, and was soon filled with inmates. The charge was fixed as low as possible. The rooms were well ventilated and not overcrowded with beds, each lodger having a separate bed. The common sitting-room was light and comfortably warmed, and in addition to the long tables and benches, had a few cupboards to hold the provisions of the lodgers. The matron cooked, washed, and mended for such of the inmates as required it. A small but good collection of books was placed at the disposal of the lodgers, under certain regulations. Mr. Brereton lifted up his eyes in speechless amazement when he heard of Sir Walter