frail creatures, who may justly say with St. Paul, "I know that in me, that is in my flesh, dwelleth no good thing. When I would do good, evil is present with me." : It is impossible to appreciate too highly the grace of humility; it lies at the root of all other graces the Christian is called upon to exercise but it does not supercede them; on the contrary, our humble and true acknowledgements of weakness and imbecility, furnish an argument from our own lips, for the propriety of exertion, diligence, and seeking constantly aid from him who can impart strength to the weak, and bless the sincere, though humble, endeavours of his faithful people, who make it their care so to live, that they may "adorn the doctrine of God their Saviour in all things." We have a little more to add to Sir Charles's history, and a little more to say of three of the visitors, met this evening at Mr. Jolly's: but we engage to be as brief as possible, and to comprise all that remains in one more chapter. CHAP. XXI. Great Preparation for an expected Visitor. An old Lady meets with a Disappointment, and a young one with a Surprise. The Author fulfils her Engagement, and concludes the History. HE three personages, of whom more is to THE be related, and who we must accompany home from Mr. Jolly's rout, are the old lady, and her grand-daughter, and the young lady, who never spoke an untruth, who resided with them. The old lady, as was her usual custom, enquired of her servant, as he lit them home with his lantern, whether any one had called at her house during her absence. "Yes, madam," replied the servant," Sir Charles Bright called about half an hour after you were gone, he looked very disappointed, when I said you was not at home, and asked me if I was sure of it, and whether the young ladies were gone too. He then asked me, if I could give him a pen, ink, and paper, which I did, and he has left a small note on the table. The ladies now quickened their pace, impatient to see the contents of the note, which the grand daughter, with more speed than good manners, tore open, while the old lady was rummaging her pockets for her spectacles. The contents were as follows, "Sir Charles Bright's respectful compliments to Mrs. is disappointed at not meeting her at home this evening; will do himself the pleasure of calling to morrow morning, when he hopes she will favour him with a private interview, as he wishes to consult her on a matter of some importance." "Oh mercy, grandmama!" cries the reader of the above," he is coming to talk with you about your soul; then burst out into an immoderate fit of laughter at her own witty observation. Or he is coming to make you an offer of marriage, perhaps (laughing again). Dear how I shall like him for a grand-papa." "I wonder," said her young friend," how you can like to turn every occurrence into ridicule." The old lady too, did not seem much pleased with her banter. Various conjectures were now formed by each party, as to the probable subject of consultation. The old lady had, long before morning, resolved in her own mind the mystery, which she was more and more convinced was this-that her grand daughter had attracted the regard of Sir Charles (being a very handsome young lady), and that as some grave persons on these occasions. appeal first to the seniors ofthe family, this was in fact the business about which Sir Charles had to consult with her. His title, fortune, &c. all passed in review before her, and counterbalanced every methodistical disadvantage; and she was resolved no encouragement should be wanting on her part; nor did she entertain many doubts respecting the consent of her grand-daughter to such a proposal. The whole of the breakfast hour was spent by the old lady, in extolling the virtues of her expected visitor; by her grand-daughter in ridiculing the interview, which she placed in every absurd light her satirical imagination could invent; and by the other young lady in silent wonder, at what could occasion the sudden alteration of sentiment in the old lady; for she had scarcely ever heard her mention Sir Charles since his conversion, unaccompanied by a sneer or reflection. This was to her an inexplicable mystery, occasioned doubtless by her ignorance of human nature. For what old lady's prejudices would not yield to the charms of a gay chariot, a princely fortune, a title, and a handsome man? The old lady dismissed the young ones with orders not to intrude themselves on the tete-a-tete unless invited, and began to prepare herself, and her apartment for her guest, who had never before honoured her house by his presence. She cleared the window-seat of six novels, which lay scattered with folded, and tattered leaves over its surface. She took her large family Bible from the top-shelf of her closet, carefully wiped it from every particle of dust, and placed it, accompanied with her red-morocco prayer-book neatly in their room. She reached down a caricature print of a methodist parson preaching, which hung in one corner, and had attracted great admiration, and suspended in its place, a grave looking judge, with his condemning-cap in his hand. She then gave herself the trouble of mounting the garret stairs, in order to rummage an old box, where she recollected, she had about twenty years before deposited some books of divinity, found in her father's library. Here she was much chagrined to see that mice, and other enemies to antient learning, had made such dreadful havock, that not one of them was in a conditiou fit to be produced before a man of Sir Charles's neatness, and delicacy. She however, fortunately recollected, that her servant maid, who ran away from her service, after taking in payment, her best silver spoons, had left behind her, the "whole duty of man ;" but where to find it, she knew not. Not chusing to enquire of her granddaughter, who she knew would only laugh at her question, she tapped at the door of her other young inmate, and to her surprise, she opened the door with the identical book sought for in |