"Your opinions with respect to the past and present generations are just what I have been declaring for a long time. I do not see that the improved education of women, has made them better wives or mothers, or more intelligent companions than their predecessors were. One thing, is settled in my mind-the constitutions of children are destroyed by confinement to school, and to studies at home. We seldom now see a healthy girl. It may be said that dyspepsia was not formerly known. That is true, but I do not see how girls or boys can grow up with healthy bodies, when the hours that ought to be given to exercise— downright romping if you will-or to sleep, are spent in poring over long lessons. To these, they are devoted at too early a period, and when they leave school, instead of reading for two or three years, they go at once into company, and all, but fashion and finery, is forgotten! Now this is the period when their previous studies, might be fixed and comprehended. The spirit of liberty and equality, which now pervades all classes, and all ages, has a pernicious effect on the education of children. They are no longer girls and boys, they are ladies and gentlemen, and these ideas are prominent in every thing they do. They are as tenacious of the colour and fashion of their clothes, as the most fashionable belles.

I preach to the mothers, and they all agree with me, but what, they say, can we do?-every body dresses fashionably, and they wont go to school unless they look like other people.

"Ever since I began to read the journal of your admirable cousin, which we have had from time to time in the Christian Advocate, I have determined to write to you expressly to tell you, how delighted I am, and how I envied you such a cousin-but little did I hope that I should ever have had the pleasure of congratulating you on his return to his family and friends.

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Every letter that Iread renewed my grief, that I had never had, and now never should have, an opportunity of asserting, face to face, my claim to a relationship with one whose writings have taught me to love and revere him. But-how wonderfully things are brought about beyond our narrow views, by a sovereign Providence! Now, I hope yet to see him! Yet, I am not so selfish as to forget the melancholy occurrence that has restored him to his country-and I write also, to beg that you will immediately inform me of the state of Mrs. S's health.

"I am not surprised that such a man should hesitate about the path of duty, in the trying circumstances in which he was placed, but I would never have forgiven his brother missionaries, on whose advice he so meekly threw himself, if they had not decided that all means were to be used to preserve such a woman! Indeed I have always thought that those exalted beings, who could give up their friends, their country, civilization, christian institutions and all that is most dear to our hearts, to spend their lives amongst savages, the most noble of martyrs. To see their glorious work prospering in their hands was certainly a reward-still it was a reward hardly earned. Tell me too,

if the mother of this interesting "Harriet" is alive to receive her interesting daughter.-You know as well as I, how apt we mothers are, to revert to maternal feelings. I do hope most earnestly, that if living, she received her in renovated health. It was but yesterday that I read the interesting account of Mrs. Stewart's illness, and departure from the barbarous Islands, though I had heard some weeks ago of their arrival in America.

"I did not know that I could have been so much excited by the affairs of people whom I never saw, as I have been by this delightful journal-artless and unassuming as it is. The gentleman, the scholar, and the Christian, are displayed in it, in the most attractive dress-his interest too, in you and in all your domestic matters has my whole heart. All the romance, with which my nature was imbued, and which, I once so dearly loved to cherish, has fled before the cares and sorrows of this sorrowful world, but really my cousin Charles has taught me that my heart is not yet turned to stone.

"Now write to me immediately, and tell me every thing about these excellent people, not forgetting the rara avis, Betsey, and little Charlie, and if ever they come to Philadelphia,* do not venture to let them come without a letter to me, though I should not wait for that if I heard of them within my reach."

*Mrs. H. had a few months after this the pleasure of entertaining at her own house both Mr. and Mrs. Stewart, and she often afterwards spoke of it with particular delight.

I accept your apology for not writing, with great pleasure, when it is followed by an assurance that you have got into a habit of study-do not be discouraged because you do not yet relish it. Your pleasure will be increased with your conviction of its necessity, and that it is necessary, is every way favourable to your happiness. You were never more mistaken than when you supposed you would be happy, if your circumstances admitted of your studying only subjects of polite literature, for although these will always be ornamental to you, both as a gentleman and a lawyer, (for a mere professional man is a dull being,) yet they would satiate, if you had no other employment-for some one object of pursuit is absolutely necessary to the mind of man."

"You will judge pretty correctly of a man's principles, by the justness of his sentiments and the purity of his conversation.

"I have just got Mrs. West's letters to her son. Our sentiments are in general so much alike that I think we must have been acquainted in some other state of beingshe has, however, some high church notions that I do not approve; but her religious opinions are perfectly orthodox; and I wish you to read and study her letters.-I wish all young men would study them.”

"This account cannot fail to increase your ambition to excel-if nature has given you talents, and Providence has given you an opportunity to improve them, you ought not to be satisfied with mediocrity of knowledge and reputa. tion-the former will be acquired by study-but the lat

ter will ever be incomplete, without you add to your acquirements such a purity of moral principle, as alone can make you truly valuable."

*

"Success will sooner or later attend industry and learning, virtue and amiable manners."

"DUELS, upon the most ridiculous and frivolous pretences, multiply, and come from such unexpected quarters, that I cannot help having a fear that my sons may be drawn into the guilt of such a scandalous practice-not indeed as a principal. I do believe their principles will secure them from that. But I fear they will not always make the necessary distinction in such doubtful cases as this might be called. The SECOND is as guilty as the first. The character of a mediator is an honourable one, but a friend in a duel is a solecism in terms. He is either a fool, or a villain.

"This is a copious subject, and with the anxiety of a mother, I could write long upon it. But I do not intend this; you are fully apprised of my sentiments, and know too that they have your father's concurrence.-You are very young, away from us, and left to your own discretion in a very great measure, consequently we must be ever solicitous about the path you take."

"You must at present be frugal, and I trust, PRINCIPLE will ever prevent your playing cards for money.-Never be deterred from what you know to be right from the fear of singularity. This is a very common and a very powerful feeling in young minds, and is very likely to seduce them to improper conduct.