The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1853-01-13

her words. Mr.. Lindley did not think so and
tried every form of argument to convince her,
but her resolution was fixed
"Well, you will go home with us, and make
a good long visit, at least said her mother !:
"you might do that, if you were ever so hap
PLY married"
| at is not best" Grace answered Dear
mamma, have a task before me let me begin
it at once; to 90 home with you would unfit
me FOR it. How hard it would be to leave you
and come back here; much harder than to
remain as | am"
| They returned without her "Poor child y
remarked Mr.. Lindley to his wife she has all
the zeal of a new convert. dare say that she
rather reloices in the prospect of her trials
because she expects to overcome them"
81 think, replied Caroline, " that she looked
like anything but rejoicing, when she bade us
goodbye this morning"
CHAP TX.
Grace found it very desoiate when her pa-
rents were gone and she was left alone again.
She strOve against repinipg, she tried to fulfill
every duty, but her attainments in the Chris
tian life were slow, and failed to satisfy her
ardent spirit Night after night, as she re-
viewed the actions of the day, and found herself
erring always, perfect never, she grew almost
disheartened. She was of a naughty, selfre-
liant nature which education had strengthen
ed and developed. This perpetual defeat where
she most wished to succeed, harassed her, and
she found her only refuge in perpetual effort
Freed from dependency, she was in great
danger of spiritual pride Ii was very difficult
for her to feel that she overcame" not by any
virtue of her own, but only through the grace
of another; it was hard for her, when she tri-
umphed, to triumph only an the 10" Thus
her life was an almost incessant self-conuuest.
You must not think from this that Grace
was stern or bigoted. She had never been as
gentle, as patient, as uniformly cheerful, in the
whole course of her existence 1t was strange
that she could be cheerful in her circumstances,
one would think but the inward peace is not
dependent on the outward condition.
The parents wrote often and most affection
ately to her. Mr.. Lindley had resolved to re-
tire from business, and to reside i'm the city
where his childs abode seemed fixed The
prospect of having her father and mother near
her was of course very pleasant to Grace, and
she grew quite impatient for their arrival
As regarded any hope of beneftng Sey.
mour, she had been disappointed She might
be ever so cheerful, ever so kind but that did
not render her society valuable to him. That
she was good, great deal better than he de-
served, he often acknowledged to himself; but
he did not care for goodness So he kept on
beef Eays, wild and dissolute as ever The
f,ot Tho, o,,,o, =, fatber by and by sum-
laet that among the chief * .Aoli~ ", ,eiegt
and duties, is that Of furnishing nstructio
and healthful pleasure to children. Hawthorn
has given us his Wonder BookO and " Arr
Chair" Bourne his Little Silverstring
Grace Greenwood her Pets " and Recolle,
tions;" and Eliza Sproat has lent her exuuisi,
genius to the making of "Stories for Chldre
and Poets" while Fairy tales have sprung g
if by the impulse of Fairy power, from coun
, less sources; and stories numberless and rar
from all languages almost are being inocul.
ted upon our literature, till one is at loss
decide what is fittest for his little ones. anon
the infinite array that every bookstore pr,
sents. This is as it should be- for no argumen
is more false than that which contend, that
demedns ones powers to compel them to sue
labor. There can be no higher discipline fo
an author, who would paint human natur
truly, than writing for children. Their YER
toant OF education, cultivation, and convention
alism, by securing them against prejudice, pre-
eminently qualities them for criticism of tn
highest type. Their standard is nature, pur
and unadulterated Untrammelled by an
bias, their minds fly direct to the one great il
sue which comprehends all others, namely, tn
truth, the naturalness of a production.
We mean this to apply only to such writer
as depict the simple history of life, the play o
the emotions and conflicts of the passions o
course, we do not contend that the minds O
children are competent to dive into the fathom
less profundites of metaphysical and philoso
phical speculation
The plan of the book before us is beautifully
conceived and well executed. GEOLOGICAL pro
cesses and facts of Natural History are de-
scribed in style natural easy, and compre.
hensive, while charming little essays are made
to illustrate, in divers ways, the distinction be,
tween truth and falsehood and the sweet lin.
gle of rhyme is made the vehicle of touching
stories and earnest lessons, which cannot fail
to delight and instruct