of a village she wished to serve. It was a manufacturing village, and the people, by the failure of a firm to whom they had hitherto been employed, were reduced to great straits. Our lady hearing of their distress, determined to relieve it, and ordered a very large distribution of blankets and linens. Now blankets are very good things, but it was during the dog-days, and the people were starving.
These few but important duties, and undoubtedly of more consequence than almost any other, are totally lost sight of in a modern establishment for young ladies. A female may acquire at one of these places all those accomplishments which adorn life, but none of that knowledge which should enable her to fulfil her duties.
In the days of courtship she will not find out her deficiencies, and the unmitigated flattery and devotion she receives from her lover, tend to make her think herself all perfection. Marriage alters the case completely. Duties of which she had never dreamed press upon her, and which she feels neither competent nor willing to fulfil, and numerous are the mortifications she must endure before she becomes perfectly au fait to her new position. Our advice, is that young ladies, while at school, be taught to practise those duties, which in after years will be their especial employment. They may depend upon this, that they will feel more pleasure in the exercise of useful virtues, than in the exhibition of the most brilliant accomplishments. Absence of selfishness—consideration of the wishes of others—will be found to confer more pleasure upon the possessor than the most brilliant talents, and the most elegant accomplishments.
MUTABILITY.
To-morrow dies;
All that we wish to stay,
Tempts and then flies;
What is this world's delight?
Lightning that mocks the night,
Brief even as bright,
Friendship too rare!
Love, how it sells poor bliss
For proud despair!
But we, though soon they fall,
Survive their joy and all
Which ours we call.
Whilst flowers are gay,
Whilst eyes that change ere night
Make glad the day;
Whilst yet the calm hours creep,
Dream thou-and from thy sleep
Then wake to weep.
THE DUELLIST.
BY H. SYMMES.
"Ove la morte al vincitor si pone In premio' e ' l mal del vinto é la salute."TASSO.
CHAPTER I.
It was about two months after the celebrated battle of Fontenoy, that there was collected together near the bath of Latona, at Versailles, some officers of the Gardes-duCorps, who were listening to the discussion of a point, that is very rarely made the subject of a controversy among military men. "What!" said one, remarkable for his harsh features and thick red mustachios; "what! refuse to fight a duel, after an affront in public had been put upon him! Why, it is a dishonor that not all the waters of the deluge could wash away."
"M. de Malatour," said his opponent, in a tone of voice remarkable for its mildness and calmness, " I have the honor of again repeating to you my opinion, that I think a man shows his virtue and good qualities very frequently-perhaps more frequently, in declining to fight a duel, than by being a principal in one. What is there, in truth, more disreputable, what more unworthy of a gentleman, than to give way to passion, to rage, and to vengeance? What can there be more worthy of admiration, than resisting such violent impulses? And, remember, that the virtue that does not cost us some sacrifice of feeling, is scarcely deserving of the name."
"Well, well; all I can say to M. de Argentre is this: that if ever the King should give you a company, you ought to have engraven on the scabbards of your soldiers' swords, the Fifth Commandment-'Thou shalt not kill.'""
"And why not? The King would have more good servants, and the country fewer annoyances, if we had in our regiments more soldiers and fewer ruffians. Look, for instance, for the justification of what I have said, to the conduct of him, concerning whom this argument has arisen. See how nobly he avenged the affront put upon him, by carrying off the English standard at Fontenoy, and this too at the very time when some of your fire-eating duellists were, not improbably, prudently ensconced behind the baggage."
"The base have their moments of courage, as the timid deer will itself turn at bay, when hard pressed by the dogs."
"Aye, and the brave, good sir, have their attacks of cowardice."
"That is not either the thought, or the expression of a gentleman or a soldier."
"And yet it was first said by Marshal Turenne, who was certainly as nobly born as either of us. He avowed that he was not exempt from such feelings. Every one
