at all to family harmony. " I wish,” said Mrs. W. to her husband, "that Charlotte and Sarah were well married." "I wish so to," replied he," if well married." "It was a pity they had not continued longer at school," observed she. "I don't see how that would have answered any good purpose," said he; "they were ruined before they went; but wishes are vain now." "I don't know," said she," what we could have done better, they always had such high spirits, as to be quite unmanage"And yet," said he, some people have the art of managing such spirits, but it was never our forte." Mrs. W. sighed, and the conversation ended.

able."

The former part of the wish, however, was shortly realized: the young ladies received the overtures of two lovers nearly at the same time, which, as they neither of them met with the approbation of either father or mother, would have been rejected had their opinion been consulted: but parents who were not allowed to arrange the affairs of their own household, could have little influence in the choice of their daughter's husbands; so they made a virtue of necessity, by

giving a reluctant consent; and solaced themselves in the prospect of their own emancipa tion from the daily vexations under which they groaned, which was all of comfort that appeared to remain. These, however, were fallacious hopes: the eldest daughter having married a kindred soul, was soon embroiled with her husband, and again assailed the peace of her still fond parents with her domestic quarrels ;-while the husband of the younger having squandered all her dowry (though, to do him justice, she had her full share in the dissipation of it), left her with three children in indigence; with these, who inherited no small portion of their mother's spirit, she sought an asylum in her father's house. With an income materially decreased by the misfortunes and imprudence of their children, they had now in the decline of life an increase of family, with all the multiplied vexations arising from ungovernable tempers and perverse dispositions. Adversity had rendered their daughter irritable, but not humble; while their own spirits were broken by the accumulation of family disasters.

The father's afternoon naps were generally

D

interrupted by the noise and clamour of three unmanageable children, whom their mother would not endure to have controlled, and who had rather that her father should be disturbed than that her children should cry. From these troubles Mrs. W. was soon released: her enfeebled frame sunk under the effects of accumulated vexation and fatigue. With what sensations she left her aged husband to the care of such a family may be easily conceived.

Let those who would avoid similar calamities, be solicitous to detect first in themselves, and then in their children, the earliest indication of self-will.

CHAPTER IV.

ON SOME MISTAKES IN EDUCATION, AND THE
CORRECTION OF THEM.

"Whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap."

THAT a great proportion of the ill conduct which destroys the peace of families originates in mistakes in education, there can be little doubt; it may not, therefore, be amiss, before we proceed upon other subjects, to point out a few of them; for to enumerate the whole would occupy too large a portion of these pages.

Not to direct our first assault against that principle of selfishness to which in many families such costly sacrifices are made, would be like lopping the branches of a noxious tree,

and leaving the root in the ground; some parents do not discern, that in proportion as this principle is cherished, they are producing consequences directly opposite to their designs. It has never occurred to them with any salutary conviction (although their own experience might have enforced the lesson), that the majority of mankind has adopted each for himself this identical idol,-dearer, more interesting to the individual, than was "great Diana of the Ephesians" to her worshippers.-Ah! no wonder then there are such clamours without doors and within!"No wonder if the voice of any one in particular, however vociferous, be lost in the general din, "great is myself;" "to my honour, my pleasure, my caprice, shall be sacrificed the feelings and the interests of all around me!". Until, however, this domineering principle is subdued, the human character cannot be contemplated with complacency; nor till we are brought to comply with the divine precepts of the Gospel, which direct us to esteem others above ourselves, can we experience true peace of mind and inward tranquillity. How would such holy principles, early im