sister, was appointed for the other to take the veil. It was now that both Theresa and Lucerne exerted all their powers of reasoning and persuasion to induce Louise to protest against the vows. She had ceased to oppose their earnest solicitations, and either maintained an obstinate silence on the subject, or let fall ambiguous phrases, that startled and astonished them. The night previous to the day which was to decide her fate, Theresa declared her intention of passing with her she was sanguine in the belief that they had won her to their wishes. Lucerne parted with the sisters at the refectoire of the convent. Never had either looked so lovely to him ;Louise, pale and emaciated, but her eyes sparkling with supernatural brightness; Theresa, resplendent in beauty ;— the one, clad in the simple white robes of a novice-the other, sparkling in jewels, and adorned with the drapery of fashion. He embraced Theresa, and would have embraced Louise; but she said, with an air of wildness that chilled him,"Touch me not! I have not yet ascended!" It was on that night-on that dreadful night, that the fire broke out in the convent. It began near the cell of the sisters, and their names were first among the victims ! The parents of these unfortunate girls returned to one of their splendid chateaux, and the world ceased to talk of them. * * * Lucerne felt this event most deeply, and for many months he avoided Paris. On his return to the city, he was one day accosted by a friar, whom he recognized as the confessor of the family of Montserrat. The venerable father seemed oppressed by recollections too dreadful to be borne, as he gazed mournfully upon the young marquis. He then hastily put a paper into his hands, and disappeared: it was dated the thirty-first, the night of the dreadful fire, and written by Louise., It was wandering and unconnected, and like the ravings of a maniac. She declared herself" to be appointed to consume the world by fire :-that the hour was come!" From the dark and unconnected sentences, more might be inferred than met the eye. Lucerne, filled with horror, pursued the investigation no further. Silence and mystery rested on the memory of the maniac. SHAKSPEARE'S LOVE LETTER. The following is a true copy of a letter to Ann Hathawaye, afterwards Shakspeare's wife, with a lock of his hair, plaited. DEAREST ANNA, As thou hast alwayes found mee to mye worde most trewe, soe thou shalt see I have strictley kepte mye promyse. I praye you perfume thys mye poore lccke with thy balmye kysses, forre thenne indeed shall kynges themmselves bowe and pay homage too itte. I doe assure thee no rude hand hath knottede itte, thy Willy's alone hath done the worke: neytherre the gyldedde bauble thatte envyronnes the heede of Majestye, noe nor honnourres most weyghtie wulde give mee halfe the joye as didde thyse mye lyttle worke forre thee. The feelinge that dydde nearest approache untoe itte, was that which commethe nygheste unto God, meeke and gentle charytye; forre that virtue, O Anna, doe I love, doe I cherishe thee inne my heart, forre thou arte as a talle cedarre stretchynge forth its branches, and succouringe the smallere plantes from nyppinge winneterre, orr the boysterous wyndes. Farewelle! toe morrow bye times I will see thee; till then, adewe sweet love. Thynne everre ANNA HATHAWAYE Sept. the Nynth, 1519. WM. SHAKSPEARE. THE QUARREL OF LOVE AND MARRIAGE. When Love and Hymen both were boys, And pass an afternoon together. To Hymen's bower young Cupid came, And Hymen's brightest torch was lighted. But Hymen soon, capricious elf, (Now Hymen's but a peevish fellow,) Told Love he wished the bow himself, And then began to pout and bellow. THE QUARREL OF LOVE AND MARRIAGE. Love gave his friend the weapon strait, (Young Love is such a cheerful giver!) Changed his best bow and fullest quiver. Men neither could nor would resist 'em ; But changing thus their arms about, While Hymen blunts the shafts of Cupid. 'Twas this dissolved their union sweet, G. F. R. 55 MARRIAGE. HINTS ADDRESSED TO LADIES WHO ARE ENTERING ON THE MATRIMONIAL STATE. "Good wives make good husbands." Marriage," says an elegant writer (Dallas) of the present period, "is a blessing or a curse, according to the sympathy or antipathy of those united in it." Congeniality of sentiment, temper, and character, constitute the great essential of wedded life. Reflect before you decide, and you will be sure to act prudently. Before you irrevocably engage yourselves, let it be with a decided persuasion, that your characters, after diligent investigation, assimilate. The woman who places her happiness on the idea of being worshipped and adored, and expects the common-place attributes of angel, goddess, flames and darts, holds She out but a slender chance of happiness to a rational man. who is satisfied with being beloved, esteemed, and respected, is the one most likely to insure a man of being a happy votary of Hymen; and, if I am not much mistaken, there are few, if any, who have the means, but would wish to enter the mar ried state; "For what's a table richly spread, Without a woman at its head." Let me now earnestly recommend to you, to have an adequate opinion of all the difficulties attending the state, and a firm resolution to make your husband happy; and to perform every duty annexed to the situation, however such performances may be rewarded by him who claims it. If misery ensues, it is a consolation that you will not deserve it. With such sentiments, and acting upon them, I do not fear for you. To form a foundation for wedded happiness, make the study of your husband's temper your great object; and, by conforming your own to it, you may know where to avoid giving offence, or incurring even the shadow of dispute. "Never,' says Mackenzie, in his Julia de Roubigne, "consider as a trifle what may tend to please him. The great articles of of duty he will set down as his own; but the lesser attentions he will mark as favors." Much more is lost or gained of future happiness and influence, by a wife's behaviour in the first months of her marriage, than is generally imagined. A woman of sweet temper and good understanding will not be tenacious about trifles, nor in exacting those attentions, which she is, nevertheless, gratified in receiving. Domestic order and regularity ought to be insisted on, as essential to domestic comfort; but any change of hours, which her husband finds convenient, she makes agreeable to herself. Every thing, however trivial, which she fancies contributes to his comfort, becomes an object of consequence and interest to her. She gives the greatest attention to any anecdote, which he relates, of circumstances which have pleased or interested him. A wife, though she be not highly accomplished, in the regular acceptation of the word, ought to be well informed in every species of general knowledge: converse well, and do the honors of her table with the ease and elegance of a well bred woman; and, by her manners, expressions, and appearance, should evince even to her high-bred neighbours, that she is a polished if not a fashionable woman; one that reflects credit on her husband's choice, and evidently glories in her own. As rational religion is the true source from which every good principle springs, I must have it understood, that those ladies, whom I now address, are supposed to be possessed-of this essential and strongest foundation for a man to look to for happiness. A woman without religion is a being to be carefully avoided. The man may, indeed, be congratulated and envied, who is so fortunate as to select such a wife, and every day will more convince him of the justice of such congratulations. If a wife makes home agreeable to her husband, he will never go from home in search of amusement, which is sometimes the case when a woman acts differently. Some render themselves and their husbands unhappy, by a too romantic indulgence of over-charged sensibility. If they do not meet with happiness in the form they had expected to find it, they resolutely shut their eyes against every other means of comfort; and, with all the selfishness attached to romance, and what is usually known by the name of sensibility, they disregard wholly the feelings of all around them, and think only of indulging their own. I hope never to see the day when I shall think there is any merit in complying with the habits or even prejudices, which custom has made pleasant to my husband. I am a great advocate for family harmony, and I have pleasure and heartfelt gratification in making some sacrifices to secure it. Women, once anxious to please, have the happy art o. finding out the way; and how ungrateful must his nature be, who is not won by tender attentions!" As similarity of mind, Or something not to be defin'd, Cowper. |