her mind was being strengthened and developed under his influence ;-that she did her utmost to improve herself and enrich the gift of a heart already freely, wholly given: he felt that he was essential to her happiness: he fancied she was so to his. They had no secrets from each other: he told her his prospects were ruined; that his father's very affection for him, he feared, would make him more inexorable in withholding sanction from a step that might impede his worldly advancement: that the difference of their religion would add greatly to the difficulty. His father's will had ever been his law: before it came to the old man's time to "go hence and be no more seen," it was his fondest wish in life to be blessed with a father's blessing, and to hear that he had never caused him a moment's anxiety or regret.

Then they sat down and consulted together, and he wrote to his parents, earnestly praying them to consent to his wishes for this union, appealing to their love for him, and using every argument and persuasion, to place it in the most favourable light. He doubted, and trembled for the reply. She doubted not. Poor child! She knew that in the narrow circle about her, she and her little fortune would be welcomed into any household;

beyond that, she knew nothing of the world, its pride, its luxuries, its necessities: it was almost a pleasure to her to hear that he was poor, for she fancied her pittance would set him at ease. In short she would not doubt, and waited for the answer to the letter, merely as the confirmation of her happiness.

Weeks have passed away; the time of the departure of the regiment is close at hand, but the

The delay has

English post will be in to-morrow. been a time of eager anxiety to him: of joyful anticipation for her. They agree to open the answer together. The post arrives. A heap of letters are laid on his table. He snatches up one, for he knows the handwriting well; it is a little imperfect, for the writer is an old man, but hard, firm, determined. He hastens to her house: they do not speak, but go out into the garden, and stop at the end of the walk on the little terrace.

The view over the broad rich valley is beautiful to-day: the young summer has painted earth in all her choicest colouring, but they do not observe it, they are looking on the letter; he pale, almost trembling: she flushed with happy hope ;-her tiny fingers break the seal. The summer evening of her land has but little twilight: the sun, like a

globe of fire, seems to drop from out the sky behind the earth, and leaves a sudden darkness.

So, as she read, set the sun of hope, but the night that fell upon her soul had never a morning.

*

The Lunatic Asylum for Lower Canada has been lately established at Beaufort, five miles from Quebec. Three eminent medical men of this city have undertaken it, under charter from the provincial government, which makes an annual allowance for the support of the public patients. At present

there are eighty-two under their care. The establishment consists of a large house, occupied by the able superintendent and his family, where, as a reward for good conduct, some of the convalescents are occasionally admitted. Behind this is a range of buildings forming two sides of a square, the remaining enclosure of the space being made with high palings. These structures stand in a commanding situation, with a beautiful view of Quebec, and the broad basin of the river. A farm of a hundred and sixty acres is attached to them.

The system of this excellent institution is founded on kindness. No force or coercion of any kind is employed; the patients are allowed to mix freely, work, or pursue whatever may be the bent

of their inclinations. They dine together, at a well-supplied table. On one side of the dining hall are the apartments of the female patients, on the other those of the males. They each consist of a large, well-ventilated room, scrupulously clean, with a number of sleeping wards off it; over head is also a large sleeping apartment.

In the morning-room of the female patients were about thirty women, as neatly clad as their dreadful affliction would allow of; many of them of every variety of hideously distorted frame and face. Some sat sewing quietly, with nothing uncommon in their appearance—at least as long as their eyes were fixed upon their work. Others crouched in corners, covering their haggard faces with their long bony fingers. Others moped about, grinning vacantly, and muttering unformed words; the unnatural shake of the head, the hollow receding forehead, the high cheek bones, and diminutive lower jaw, betokening hopeless idiotcy. Others again, hurried eagerly about all day long, seeking in every corner, with restless, anxious eyes, for some supposed lost treasure.

One tall, handsome girl, about twenty years of age, sat by the window, looking fixedly on the ground, noticing nothing which passed around her.

She was very neatly dressed, and looked so quiet, that at first I thought she was one of the nurses. When I spoke to her she answered me in rather a sullen tone, but with perfect composure; she did not even move her large black eyes as she spoke, but I could see that they were dull, like beads. I could not learn the histories of many of these patients; they had been sent here from various parts of the country, without any description, and in some cases not even named. This girl's madness was desponding; she was occasionally very dangerous when apparently convalescent, and had several times tried to destroy herself.

One idiot woman stood all the time with her face turned to the wall, in a corner. She was not

dumb, but did not know how to speak. It is not known to what country she belonged, her name, or whence she came. She was found a long time ago wandering wild in the woods, part of her feet bitten off by the frost. She shuns human beings with terror; her inclination seems always to escape, and wander away again.

A jabbering maniac became violent while we were there, beating her bald head, grinding her long black teeth, and chuckling with a horrible, hyena laugh. Her small, sunken eyes burned like