ifestations of this spirit in the most ignorant class, in those who, for the most part, have had fewest opportunities for moral progress. The truth is, we are in a transition state; the duties of which, as it seems to me, are imperfectly understood; and as to the names, he would be a benefactor who should introduce those satisfactory to all parties."
There was a short pause, during which Mrs. Ardley hemmed as if something "stuck i' the throat;" making an effort, she said, "I confess, Sara, to hear you talk only, I should think you the most absurd woman in the world; but then it's true, that in spite of your theories, you do get on wonderfully with your enormous family; but you always have the luck of having such good servants! you are almost the only one of my acquaintance I never hear complaining. You must have a wonderful knack! how have you acquired it? When you were married, you knew no more of housekeeping than I did."
"No one could know less than I did, Anne—but my circumstances since have been more favourable to my improvement than yours. The first three or four years of my marriage were imbittered by my ignorance of domestic concerns. My husband, as you know, is most kind-tempered and considerate, but I saw him perpetually annoyed with the consequences of my ignorance and inefficiency. I was never indifferent to my household duties. I felt my deficiencies and failures, and was perpetually made uncomfortable by them. Still I tried to persuade myself, as everybody else does, that it was my servants' business to understand their work. No one dares nowadays scold a servant;
