Who is there

some weighty objection occurred in every case. amongst our pupils who would have easily made up his mind to awaken in this mass, with feigned merriment or hypocritical sorrow, an unreal emotion inconsistent with the time, and thereby produce in alterations an ever-dubious pleasure? Such foolishness we considered altogether dangerous, and could not connect it with our serious aim."

"And yet it is said," replied Wilhelm, "that this widelyencompassing art requires all the others together."

"Not at all," was the reply; "she makes use of the others, but spoils them. I do not blame the actor when he associates himself with the painter; but still the painter, in such a partnership, is lost. The actor, without any conscience, will, for his own momentary ends, and with no small profit, use up all that art and life offer him; the painter, on the other hand, who would reap some advantage again from the theater, will always find himself at a disadvantage, and the musician will be in the same case. The arts seem to me like so many sisters, of whom the greater number have been disposed to economy, but one of trivial disposition has had a mind to appropriate the possessions and property of the whole family. The theater is in this situation it has an ambiguous origin, which, whether as art or handicraft or dilettanteism, it can never wholly disguise."

Wilhelm looked down with a deep sigh, for all the enjoyment and the sorrow that he had had from and on the stage were suddenly present to him. He blessed the good men who were wise enough to spare their pupils such pain, who, from conviction and principle, banished these perils from their circle.

His conductor, however, did not leave him long to these meditations, but proceeded: "As it is our highest and holiest principle to misdirect no disposition or talent, we cannot hide from ourselves the fact, that amongst so great a number, a natural mimetic gift may very likely be decisively displayed. This, however, shows itself in an irrepressible desire to ape the characters, figures, motion, and speech of others. This we do not encourage, it is true, but we observe the pupil carefully, and

if he remains throughout true to his nature, we have put ourselves in connection with the large theaters of all nations, and thither we send any one of tried capacity, in order that, like the duck upon the pond, he may with all speed be guided on the stage to the future waddling and quacking of his life."

Wilhelm listened to this with patience, yet only with partial conviction, and perhaps with some annoyance; for so wonderfully is man minded, that whilst he is really persuaded of the worthlessness of some favorite subject or other, and will turn &way from, and even execrate himself, yet still he will not bear to have it treated in the same way by any one else, and probably the spirit of contradiction which dwells in all mankind is never more vigorously and effectively excited than in such

a case.

The editor of these papers may even confess that he allows this wonderful passage to pass with some reluctance. Has he not, too, in many senses devoted more than a due share of life and strength to the theater? and would it be easy to convince him that this has been an inexcusable error, a fruitless exertion?

However, we have not time to apply ourselves ill-humoredly to such recollections and underlying feelings, for our friend finds himself agreeably surprised on seeing before him, once more, one of the Three, and one especially sympathetic. A communicative gentleness, telling of the purest peace of soul, imparted itself most revivingly: the Wanderer could approach him trustfully, and feel that his trust was returned.

He now learned that the Superior was at present in the sanctuary, and was there instructing, teaching, and blessing, whilst the Three arranged severally to visit all the regions, and in every place—after obtaining the most minute information, and arranging with the subordinate overseers to carry forward what had been begun-to establish what had been newly determined, and thus faithfully fulfill their high duty.

This excellent man it was who gave him a more general view of their internal economy and external connections, as well

as a knowledge of the reciprocal effect of all the different regions; nor did he fail to make clear how a pupil could be transferred from one to the other after a longer or shorter period. Enough, everything fully harmonized with what he already knew. At the same time, the account given of his son was a source of great satisfaction, and the plan on which they intended to proceed with him must needs obtain his entire approbation.

MARY RUSSELL MITFORD

1786-1855

MARY RUSSELL MITFORD was born at Alresford, in Hampshire, England, in 1786. She was highly successful as an author and as a compiler. Her fame rests chiefly upon her exquisite portraitures of English village life, in which she has scarcely a rival. In her preface to "Our Village" she says: "The writer may at least claim the merit of a hearty love of her subject, and of that local and personal familiarity which only a long residence in one neighborhood could have enabled her to attain. Her descriptions have always been written on the spot, and at the moment, and in nearly every instance with the closest and most resolute fidelity to the place and the people." Miss Mitford wrote a number of dramatic works, which were well received, and her "Recollections of a Literary Life," published in 1851, added greatly to her reputation.

Characterization

The following dialogue by Professor John Wilson, in "Noctes Ambrosiana" (taken from Blackwood's Magazine), affords a contemporary estimate of Miss Mitford's work. Wilson himself appears in his favorite character of Christopher North, and the shepherd represents the poet, James Hogg, the author of "Kilmeny." By means of such felicitous "conversations," Professor Wilson was accustomed to review the literature of his day.

TICKLER. Master Christopher North, there's Miss Mitford, author of "Our Village," an admirable person in all respects, of whom you have never, to my recollection, taken any notice in the magazine. What is the meaning of that? Is it an oversight? Or have you omitted her name intentionally from your eulogies on our female worthies ?

NORTH. I am waiting for her second volume. Miss Mitford has not, in my opinion, either the pathos or humor of Washington Irving; but she excels him in vigorous conception of character, and in the truth of her pictures of English life and manners. Her writings breathe a sound, pure, and healthy morality, and are pervaded by a genuine rural spirit the spirit of Merry England. Every line bespeaks the lady.

SHEPHERD. I admire Miss Mitford just excessively. I dinna wunner at her being able to write sae weel as she does about drawing-rooms, wi' sofas and settees, and about the fine folk in them, seein themsels in lookin-glasses frae tap to tae; but what puzzles the like o' me is her pictures o' poachers, and tinklers, and pottery-trampers, and ither neerdoweels, and o' huts and hovels without riggin' by the wayside, and the cottages o' honest puir men, and byres," and barns, and stackyards, and merry-makins at winter ingles, and courtship aneath trees, and at the gable ends o' farm-houses, atween lads and lasses as laigh' in life as the servants in her father's ha'. That's the puzzle and that's the ⚫ praise.

The Village Schoolmistress

(From "Our Village")

Women, fortunately perhaps for their happiness and their virtue, have, as compared with men, so few opportunities of acquiring permanent distinction, that it is rare to find a female, unconnected with literature or with history, whose name is remembered after her monument is defaced, and the brass on her coffin-lid is corroded. Such, however, was the case with Dame Eleanor, the widow of Sir Richard Lacy, whose name, at the end of three centuries, continued to be as freshly and as frequently spoken, as "familiar" a "household word," in the little village of Aberleigh, as if she had flourished there yesterday. Her memory was embalmed by a deed of charity and of goodShe had founded and endowed a girls' school for "the instruction" (to use the words of the deed) "of twenty poor children, and the maintenance of one discreet and godly matron;" and the school still continued to be called after its foundress, and the very spot on which the schoolhouse stood, to be known by the name of Lady Lacy's Green.

ness.

It was a spot worthy of its destination-a spot of remarkable cheerfulness and beauty. The Green was small, of irregular shape, and situate at a confluence of shady lanes. Half the roads and paths of the parish met there, probably for the convenience of crossing in that place, by a stone bridge of one arch