Her notions of virtue and

she evidently seems to think that for a female in the middle ranks of life to dance with a noble duke, furnishes strong ground to suspect that her principles are rather lax. Indeed she intimated something of this kind, on her neighbour's boasting of having once danced with the duke of —, which the latter indignantly resented by charging her with censoriousness, vulgarity, and a total ignorance of high life.

masters of the greatest eminence, | morals. though she often betrayed her total propriety are perhaps too severe, but want of education by such expressions as-"It was the most sweetest toned instrument; she is the most loveliest creature; has the most handsomest children, and the most sensiblest, and amiablest husband in the country." Her taste was eminently correct and refined. She was quite a connoisseur in the arts; was an exquisite judge of painting, and poetry, and in music she would yield to none. But with all her taste and refinement, and great connexions, and property, she was not above being domestic, in which she also excelled. She could make better bargains than any of her neighbours. Her knowledge of the culinary arts were so superior, that for the same expense with which others furnish an ordinary meal, she could produce a dish fit for an alderman. And as a semstress, she was the admiration of all who knew her.

The other lady I perceived now and then cast a look of astonishment at her-astonishment, I could plainly see, not at her great talents, but her great impudence. She appeared reserved, and seldom spoke, except appealed to, and then the sweetness and good sense with which she answered, convinced all, that her silence did not proceed either from any thing repulsive in her temper, or defective in her understanding. She said nothing of her family, neither did she make any parade of those other things on which her neighbour dilated with such obtrusive and unintermitting eloquence. There was, in the opinion of some of our party, rather too much stiffness in her carriage; but all agreed in thinking her a prudent, intelligent, and amiable woman.

Though unknown to them, it so happened that I knew them both, and was intimately acquainted with their history. This led me to view the one with esteem and admiration, but the other with the mixed feeling of pity and contempt. The lady who said nothing of her family and connections, was descended from ancestors of opulence and character, from whom she inherits an estate which, though not large, supplies her with a handsome independence; and her acquaintance are, in general, persons in similar circumstances with herself, and all, without exception, persons of unblemished

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I could not help following the flippant lady through the whole of her narrative, and confess that I was struck with admiration at the ingenuity with which she endeavoured to make a false impression, whilst her statements were in part true, and in some instances literally so. For example-" Her family were people of great substance;" that is, they were both tall and corpulent. They had estates in three different counties;" that is, they resided on the very angle where three counties meet;-their cottage stood in one county, their little garden in a second, and their pig-sty in a third. Her acquaintance lay among Ladies, Duchesses, and Princesses;" that is, she had lived servant in the family of a fashionable milliner in the west end of London, and had occasionally been the bearer of various articles of millinery to those distinguished persons. Whether she ever danced with the noble Duke is rather doubtful; but whether she did or not, her conduct is highly censurable; if she did, all things considered, she acted with a high degree of imprudence; and if she did not, her veracity is gone. As to her education, it was the most ordinary; and instead of being a connoisseur in the arts, she never speaks on those subjects but she betrays the profoundness of her igno

rance.

One gentleman, from his appearance, and from repeated allusions to what he had seen at Oxford, I supposed to be a clergyman. He was in powder, and wore a large fan-tailed hat, such as are usually worn by doctors in divinity,-and, upon one of his fingers, a shining gold ring. The other two gentlemen also had the appearance of ministers; but from the distant reserve with which the reverend clergyman treated them, I concluded

The reverend chairman being gone, one of the company exclaimed-"Hey day! who can he be?" To which an intelligent gentleman, an outside passenger, replied " He is the curate of "A curate! replied the first: surely, Sir, he is something higher than a curate; from his appearance I supposed him to be an archdeacon. The gentleman smiled, and said-"Sir, appearances are deceptive; he is a curate, and I assure you a very poor curate,—poor in every sense of the word. Had he recollected me, you would not have heard a syllable against either Methodists or Dissenbut I perceive he has forgotten me, for which I really feel glad, because I have seen the man without his mask. His history, gentlemen, added he, is rather singular; and as he has conducted himself so indecorously, and insulted the company so grossly, I shall make no apology for giving you an abstract of it.

not like. I had not long taken my seat, before one of the company began to swear like a drayman. Abednego gently said, Sir, I wonder you should swear. What good does it do, either to you, or any who hear you? Besides, think of the consequences in another

seen of him during your journey, it is perfectly unnecessary for me to add, that he is an extremely weak man; a man who cannot even pretend to a smattering of science, whose natural understanding is much below the ordinary standard, and which diminutive understanding is scarcely at all culti-world. "Another world! he exclaimed,

vated.

46

How much unlike some of the clergy, added he, with whom I have the honour to be acquainted; men of real learning and piety; men of true Catholic Christian principles, whose talents are continually employed in promoting the best interests of all their parishioners; who give bread to the hungry, and clothes to the naked, without regard to sect; who visit the beds of the afflicted and the dying; who, like primitive Christian ministers, have power with God,—and

-"at whose control

Despair and anguish fly the struggling soul; Comfort comes down the trembling wretch to raise,

And his last falt'ring accents whisper praise."

I have nothing to fear in another world; for when I die, I shall die like one of the horses which are now drawing us along." Are you sure of that?

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I think so." Well now, but, seriously, will you take your oath upon it that you shall not exist hereafter? Why, no, I should not like to do that. Then you cannot absolutely prove that there is no hereafter? "No, I do not pretend to be able to do so." You are aware, no doubt, that the Bible teaches the doctrine of a future state of rewards and punishments; and that many persons, who profess to have examined the Bible most critically, avow most unequivocally their firm belief in the correctness of its statements on this and every other subject? "That such men are to be found Certainly, I cannot but be aware of among the clergy, I think, gentlemen, all that." Will you admit it to be (looking directly towards the dissent-possible that they may be right in their ing ministers,) you will admit." This they most readily did; and added "In our opinion, Sir, their number is increasing; and our prayer is, that they may increase a thousand fold. Such instances of human infirmity, to call it by no harsher name, as you have referred to, are not, we fear, confined to one denomination of Christians; in all directions there are tares growing among the wheat, and in whatever field these are discovered, whether in that of the churchman or the dissenter, it will never furnish matter for exultation to the real Christian, but of regret and deep humiliation.

The conversation became unusually interesting, when suddenly it was interrupted by the entrance of the guards of the several coaches, with- Gentlemen, the coaches are ready." We hastily rose, and as we were going by different coaches, we took our leave of each other, sincerely regretting that we were compelled so soon to part. I had an entire new set of companions, the appearance of some of whom I did

are upon them, and on some future day he may possibly furnish the secret history of some of The principal among them, for the instruction entertainment of the world.

opinion, and that you may be wrong? "I dont know on what principle I can refuse to admit it." But on supposition that they are right;—that man shall exist eternally; and that swearers shall have their portion in the lake which burneth for ever,-dont you think your conduct is extremely foolish and indefensible? For, what are you doing but risking your eternal ruin for that which attaches to it neither pleasure nor profit? He seemed abashed, acknowledged swearing to be wrong, and during the remainder of the journey did not utter another oath,

Some time after this we arrived at

C, which was exceedingly full, it being the time of the Races. Here the subject of horse-racing became a topic of conversation, into which one of the company entered with an evident degree of delight. It seemed to be an amusement of which he was particularly fond. Some astonishment was expressed, that so simple a circumstance as two or three horses running, a thing which might be seen any day, should attract so many thousands of siderable distances, and all this to the people, and some of them from conneglect of their business and families, and, in some cases, at very consider

able expense. At this the gentleman | a silly vanity to be thought persons ocfired. Silence for a few minutes suc-cupying higher stations in society than ceeded; when Abednego, thinking the those in which they were placed; and thermometer had fallen a little, said the unfavourable impression made at Sir, you appear to be a zealous advo- that time, concerning these gentlemen, cate for horse-racing; as we shall travel is too deep ever to be obliterated. together some distance, you would oblige me by stating the advantages of that exercise. 66 Why, Sir, some people like to see horses run, and some like to see asses run, and others to hear asses talk; and I have heard many an ass talk." Indeed! Sir, answered Abednego; you and I have been very similarly circumstanced, for it has often been my lot to hear asses talk; and, to tell you the truth, Į very seldom travel but I meet with a talking ass. However, Sir, as we have nothing particular to engage our attention, I shall listen with pleasure to any thing you may have to offer in defence of horse-racing. But the deed was done; the ass repartee had made him completely sullen. He spoke no more, and when we arrived at the next stage he left our company, and took his seat by the side of the coachman.

When I arrived at the last stage, I was not a little surprised to find that many of my fellow passengers were persons of circumstances so very different from what I had supposed. One gentleman, whom I had considered a plain country farmer, I found was none other than Sir JohnA second, whom I supposed to be a rich esquire, was met by a barber's boy, with-"Master, Miss S. has been waiting this half hour to have her hair cut, and to inquire whether you have brought her mamma's wig." A middleaged gentleman, who had passed for a bachelor, and who on several occasions had attempted to take improper liberties with the female passengers, was met by his wife and four fine children. And a female, who from her appearance, and the number of rings which glittered on both hands, might have been a rich heiress, was, as soon as the coach stopped, accosted by an old washerwoman with-" Ah, Bett, my child, how are you?"

coachman, and complimented him on the uniform civility which he had manifested to all the passengers during the several stages he had driven us.

Sir, replied he, I am always civil, for my poor old mother taught me, that honey catches more flies than vinegar." Ah! said I to myself, thy civility is the offspring of selfishness.

The next day, for my journey lasted several days, having lost two of our passengers, the vacancy was supplied by two gentlemen at N. They had the appearance of ministers, and their On my leaving the coach, I put a manners were upon the whole agree-piece of silver into the hand of the able. We dined at S. The dinner was excellent and abundant, but did not contain variety sufficient to satisfy the two ministers. They grumbled exceedingly, and called the dinner a mere parcel of bones; though, after the passengers had had a most ample meal, much most excellent beef and mutton remained. Some of the company were not a little disgusted, which was greatly increased when it became known who they were, what they had been, and what were then their real circumstances. They were persons neither of family nor fortune. They were both born in the most humble circumstances. It is true they were ministers, but it is also true that their respective salaries would not enable them to keep a table half so good as that which they affected to despise. Their conduct therefore appeared to the more thoughtful part of the company to be utterly inconsistent with that placid and thankful spirit exhibited in the life of St. Paul. It seemed to them to savour too much of the spirit of epicureanism, combined with

Having taken leave of my fellow travellers, I walked pensively towards the village to which I was going. My mind was full of the varieties I had witnessed. Alas! I said, I perceive that man, in more senses than one, "walketh in a vain shew." The many discrepances I had witnessed between appearances and realities, led me involuntarily to exclaim,-Surely “all men are liars." I saw, that supposed secrecy furnishes strong temptation to let out a portion of that folly which is bound up in the heart; and that human actions are much more under the dominion of the love of reputation, and the fear of censure, than of moral and religious principle. Jun. 18, 1820. ABEDNEGO.