two young sisters, with gentle, pale countenances, led us into a great chamber, where every thing was neat and delicate, and rubbed as bright as in a doll's house. I produced my letter, and immediately saw its good effect in an increased kindliness, and by the cordial manner in which Harriet H. was inquired after.

It was late when we arrived. The kind sisters gave us tea, with excellent bread and butter, preserves, &c., and at my request sang the while some of their spiritual songs. Their manner was tranquil, and, though not cheerful, had a heartfelt gentleness and serenity in it. After this evening meal we were conducted to our chambers, two large, light rooms, where nothing was unnecessarily ornamental, but where every thing was neat and convenient. Sister Lavinia took us particularly under her charge.

Some streaks of light in the west at sunset had led me to hope for a bright morrow, and they did not deceive me. The brightest of suns shone the next morning over the Shaker dwellings, and the pastoral, pleasing country which surrounded them, and a considerable portion of which belonged to their community. Not a single dwelling except their own was to be seen in that solitary region; and the whole scene which more immediately surrounded these was altogether as quiet and as orderly as if a life of labor did not exist there. It was altogether so calm and silent that it almost struck the mind as something spiritual.

After breakfast, which the sisters served in an excellent and bountiful manner, we were asked if we would like to see the school, and on answering in the affirmative, we were conducted into a spacious hall, in which about twenty little well-dressed girls were receiving instruction from a female teacher. This teacher, whom I will call Dora, was still quite young, and of singular beauty, neither had her complexion that paleness so common among women of this community; her cheeks were fresh as the blush of

morning, and more beautiful eyes than hers I never beheld.

She allowed the little girls to show us one of their symbolic games. They placed themselves in a wide circle, each one standing at three or four paces distant from the other. They then began little verses, which, though I can not give literally accurate, were in substance as follows: Must I here alone be standing,

Having none that I can love;
Having none my friend to be,

None who will grow fond of me?

On this each little girl approached the one nearest to her, and, taking each other's hands, they laid them upon their hearts and sung

Nay, my sister, come thou nearer,
And I will to thee be dearer,

Be to thee a faithful friend;

I will share with thee thy sadness;

Thou shalt share with me my gladness!

With this the children afl took hold of hands, and slowly moving round in a circle, repeated the while these last words, or something like them; and in so doing, approached nearer and nearer together, wove their arms round each other like a garland of flowers, then sunk upon their knees, singing the while a hymn, the first verse of which was

Heavenly Father, look down in mercy

On this little flock,

United in thy name!

Give us of thy Holy Spirit, &c.

While singing this hymn, and while still upon their knees, the children all kissed each other, after which they rose up and separated. The beautiful symbolic meaning contained in the whole game, its simplicity, and the beautiful grace with which it was performed; the thought of the difference in the spirit of this game to the bitter reality of many a solitary existence in the great community

of the world, affected me deeply; I could not refrain from weeping. Mrs. S. was also very much affected. From this moment the Shaker sisters were our friends and sisters, and embraced us with the greatest cordiality. Another beautiful song, worthy of serious attention, was sung very well by the children. It began, "Speak gently," and showed in several stanzas the effect of a gentle word. A song it was which all children ought to learn, and all grown people commit to memory.

It was an unexpected thing to me to meet with children here well practiced also in grammar, writing, arithmetic, geography, and other ordinary branches of learning. As a reward for, and an inducement to industry and good behavior, they receive small colored cards, printed with proverbs or exhortations, among which an occasional spur to a praiseworthy ambition was not wanting.

From the school we went to the room where the fine weaving was done, for which this Shaker community is celebrated.

We saw in one room a knitting-machine, which knit with its own hand woolen jackets, and could produce three in a shorter time than would be required for two pair of human hands to complete one. This machine, which seemed almost entirely to go on by itself, looked very curious, and almost like an enchanted thing.

We next paid a visit to the dairy, and to the room in which cheese-making was done, and which a number of fresh colossal cheeses testified of the good condition of the dairy-farm and all that appertained to it. The handsome, clever sister who managed this department was so fond of her employment, that, although she might have exchanged it for another, she had not done so, and had now been engaged in it for several years. From the dairy we proceeded to the kitchen, where I saw six blooming, handsome young girls employed as kitchen-maids; they were at this moment employed in baking large pies. These

young girls were blooming as roses, and were ready to burst out into the gayest laughter when one gave them any occasion to do so.

"Look well after those sisters," said I, jokingly, to the Sister President. And the six handsome girls laughed so loudly and merrily that it was a pleasure to hear them.

From the medical garden, in which sarsaparilla and various other beneficial herbs are cultivated, we went to the house where they were picked and kept, and where rosewater was being just now distilled.

Finally, we were conducted into the sewing-room, and which is at the same time the apartment in which the aged sit together. Here, in this large, light, clean room, they sat in light-colored, and, for the most part, white clothing, and with bright, kindly countenances also. There now assembled a great number of the sisters round us, and we had conversation and singing, and I read aloud to the sisters, by their desire, a Swedish psalm. I selected the one beginning, "I will lift up mine eyes with the hills from whence cometh my help," which they thought sounded quite proper, and we joined them in singing various of their hymns, which were very beautiful, the time of which was marked, as is customary with them, by the waving of their hands. After that I made a sketch of Sister Dora, who consented on condition that I should not publish her name, "because," said the sister, mildly, "we are not accustomed to such things." Dora belongs to the Churchfamily of the community, and has had "inspiration," it is said. Of a truth, a more thankful, inspired glance than hers I never beheld. And her pure beauty charmed me still more as I sketched that noble, refined profile. I made a sketch also of Lavinia. She had not Dora's severe style of beauty, but, on the contrary, the gentlest grace.

I can not tell you how much I liked all that I saw of this little community during the whole of this day, or how admirable appeared to me the order and the neatness of VOL. II-B B

The male portion of the harvest, and I saw mere

every thing, from the sisters themselves to every thing which came under their hands. community were busied with the ly a few representatives of them. These seemed to me to have either a gloomy, almost fanatical expression, or to have very well-fed bodies without any spiritual expression at all. The good sisters, who now regarded us as their friends, gave us many presents from their stores of valuable wares, implements of the work-box, fragrant waters, cakes of maple-tree sugar, &c. And when, on the following day, we wished to pay for our entertainment, they replied, "We never take payment from our friends!" Nor would they receive the slightest sum.

A spacious traveling-carriage, with several seats, drawn by two fat horses, and driven by a stout Shaker brother, whom no Shaker dancing had been able to render less fat and jolly, made their appearance, and some of the sisters said that, as it was good for their health to take a little exercise in the open air, they would drive with us to the rail-way station. A politeness could not possibly have been done in a more delicate or handsome manner.

And now behold us seated on our buffalo skins, Mrs. S. between two Shaker sisters, and myself between two others, one of whom was the mild Lavinia, with two others seated behind us. We thus took our way through the forest, while the Shaker brother, a good-tempered, merry fellow, and the sisters sung spiritual songs, some of which were very characteristic, as, for instance,

Ye trees and shrubs be dancing,

Ye rivers rise on high,

The Prince of Peace is advancing, &c.

In this style we drove seven English miles, and in this style we arrived at the rail-way station. And here the sisters remained with us till the train came, amused by looking over the portraits and sketches in my sketching books. As to paying any thing for our journey hither,