tion prevented her from entering, with all that avidity she would have done, upon the giddy pursuits of an evil world; but her mind was corrupted by the baneful influence of the fascinations daily presented to her view. Her Sabbaths were passed in a very different way to what she had been accustomed, when in the family of the excellent Mr. Stanley. With them, the whole of the first day of the week was accounted holy and honourable; in the cottage of her grandmother, likewise, every hour was held sacred; but, in this fashionable family, an attendance at church, once in the day, was the only mark of religious distinction, and Mrs. Forbes plumed herself not a little upon the regularity with which she attended to this duty, and enforced it upon her household, each in their turn: as if the worship of God, in his temple, was a sort of penance which they were bound to perform, not expected to enjoy. The remainder of the day was spent as they pleased, unless company was expected; when their services would, of course, be required. Elizabeth being an entire stranger, felt no inclination, for some time, to avail herself of this freedom, except to attend a second time on

the public worship of God: she however was at last induced to accompany one of the other servants to enjoy, as she said, the pleasure of a walk, and to drink tea at one of the tea gardens. It may appear somewhat fastidious and unreasonable to declaim against such apparent innocent enjoyments; but let any, even the most common observer, say, whether these Sunday walks and recreations can long be indulged in, without danger. Do not these teagardens abound with temptation? Do they not exhibit scenes of riot and of vice, such as no Christian could contemplate without a feeling of horror? "Evil communications corrupt good manners," said an apostle; and who is there so established in goodness, as to be secure from the dire contagion ?

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CHAPTER VIII.

"Evil she needs would try, nor tried in vain.
Dreadful experiment ! destructive measure!
Where the worst thing could happen is success!
Alas! too well she sped; the Good she scorned,
Stalked off reluctant, like an ill-used ghost,
Not to return: or if it did, its visits,

Like those of angels, short and far between."

Blair.

WHEN Elizabeth left the abode of her infancy, she was young and unsophisticated, and she was caught by the guile of the corrupt, ere she felt her danger. Her manners and attire were now alike changed. She was no longer the artless, unaffected girl, pleased with simplicity and neatness. She was now vain of her person, and fond of bedecking it in finery beyond her station. Her intention of saving from her wages, to supply the wants of her grandmother, was frustrated; dress demanded all. science sometimes whispered, and upbraided her, with a bitter voice; but a new gown, or ribbon, presented charms she was unable to resist. Reflection, however, was not always to be

Con

avoided.

There were seasons when she could not escape; and then she would shed tears of short-lived contrition, and vow before God renewal of obedience: but, like "the morning cloud, and early dew," these resolutions passed away, and her devotional feelings became less and less ardent-less and less frequent-till her assimilation with the world no longer rendered it a matter of doubt to observers, on whose side Elizabeth had declared.

The Sabbath returns, like the seasons, in regular succession-and like them too, it comes to bless mankind; its services tend to refresh the wearied spirit, to invigorate the mind, to amend the heart.

"What says the Prophet? Let that day be blest
With holiness and consecrated rest.

Pastime and business both it should exclude

And bar the door the moment they intrude;
Nobly distinguished above all the six

By deeds in which the world must never mix.
Hear him again. He calls it a delight,

A day of luxury, observed aright;

When the glad soul is made Heaven's welcome guest,
Sits banquetting, and God provides the feast."

But Elizabeth no longer felt its spiritual influence; she welcomed its approach, indeed, but not as a day of "holy convocation," in which

she was neither to think her own thoughts, nor to speak her own words; but as a day of worldly enjoyment, if circumstances permitted, if not, she felt it to be a day of lassitude and weariness. "When will the Sabbath be over! how tedious are its hours! how mortifying its restraints !" If these were not the words of her lips, they were too often the sentiments of her heart. Nor was she singular in this, for she had often heard her master unhesitatingly express the same sentiments, and observe that Sunday was always the longest day in the week, and when it was wet on that day it was intolerable.

And yet those persons, and many others, who thus think and act, dare to call themselves Christians. How vain a thing is Christianity, if it may be thus loosely worn! But, my reader, trust me, it is quite another thing. It is not merely taste, profession, or even feeling. What is intrinsically excellent must be admired, and may for that reason be counterfeited; and the mind may so drink in, as it were, its beauties, as to be affected, and deeply too, but if it is only that sort of excitation which may be produced by some well-wrought fiction, it mere