THE FALSE STEP.

The purest treasure mortal times afford
Is spotless reputation.

SHAKSPEARE.

AND

THE SISTERS.

IN TWO VOLUME S.

VOL. I.

NEW-YORK:

PRINTED AND PUBLISHED BY J. & J. HARPER,

No. 82 CLIFF-STREET,

AND SOLD BY THE PRINCIPAL LOOKSELLERS THROUGHOUT THE

UNITED STATES.

TER YORK PUBLJITSUBY 585509B ASTUR, LIXOX AND TILCI PO G IN * 1951 L

THE FALSE STEP:

CHAPTER I.

I know not whether in the state of girlhood
Or of womanhood to call her ; 'twixt the two
She stands, as, that were loath to lose her, this,
To win her most impatient. The young year
Trembling and blushing, 'twixt the striving kisses
Of parting spring and meeting summer, seems
Her only parallel.

VIRGINIUS.

To rail against the present system of society, its somewhat difficult code of laws, and often irksome ceremonies, its practised artifice, and puerile want of candour, would only be to express, what all in turn feel, submit to, and condemn. Even to say that it puts a severe restraint on the feelings of the heart, and levels the good and intelligent with the bad, the foolish and the ignorant, would be but to mingle truth and falsehood together, and to betray an indiscreet and discontented rather than a wise or subdued spirit. Society, with all these enumerated evils, is, we hope, more conducive to virtue than at the first glance it may appear to be. But

that it is unfavourable to the growth and development of . 'deep-rooted sentiment and impassioned affection, may be

inferred from the infrequency of these qualities themselves, and their many and ill-fabricated imitations. · All appear, or profess, to feel, acutely, long and deeply: few (perhaps fortunately) really do so.

- APR 16 1951.

· Their hearts, wounded like the wounded air,

Soon close.

Nature, however, will not be entirely outraged: in some she plants the germs of genuine feeling, and, in spite of the hollowness or selfishness by which it may be surrounded,