"However inferior in mental stamina the writings of women may be, yet in many departments of literature, female writers have been very suggestive. Their crude, or feebly expressed thoughts, have given valuable hints to the more elaborately instructed minds of men. This is perhaps to be accounted for by the circumstance of a limited education, and a desultory mode of reading, permitting a sort of unpruned luxuriance of thought. The minds of self-educated men often present the same peculiarity, of thoughts not exactly so rich in growth and foliage as in seed, which is found well worthy of cultivation by others than the original possessors.

"Well, Edward," said Etty, "you are pretty nearly orthodox, I see; have I converted you to a right faith, in reference to the character and mind of woman? or, have you seen a new light in some other than a sister's eyes?"

Etty's remark was made in guileless merriment; but

"There's many an arrow at random sent,
Takes aim the archer little meant;"

and the deep blush on Jane's face, and a certain nervous petulance with which Edward said, "Pshaw! what folly!" created an awkward pause, in which surprise, and it may be, sorrow mingled. Ellen good-naturedly relieved the momentary embarrassment of the little circle, by saying, "These remarks of Edward's this evening will prepare us for aunt Patty's paper on female letter writers."

"I cannot," said Philip, "forbear to utter my protest against the doctrine that there is no sex in mind.' We can only reason of human matters from what we know; and setting aside all theories of what woman might have been if differently situated, if we look at what she has been and is, we do certainly see a marked difference, I don't say inferiority, in mental calibre and manifestation. It would lead to a long discussion to enter into this question. I will adopt Ellen's plan, and call on the poet to explain my meaning far better than I could myself.

"Woman is not undeveloped man, but diverse;
Not like in like, but like in difference-

The woman's cause is man's, they rise or sink
Together, dwarfed or Godlike, bond or free;
He gain in sweetness and in moral height,
Nor lose the wrestling thews that throw the world,
She mental breadth, nor fail in childward care:
More as the double-natured poet each :
Till at the last she sets herself to man,

Like perfect music unto noble words.

And so these twain upon the skirts of time
Sit side by side full summ'd in all their powers
Dispensing harvest-sowing the TO BE.
Self-reverent each, and reverencing each,
Distinct in individualities." "

There was no remark when Philip ceased, merely a look of assent. Etty's mal-apropos question and its effect, probably, induced a thoughtful quietude; for a thick cloud hung over the future of these young people, that hope even could scarcely penetrate.

CHAPTER XI.

FEMALE LETTER WRITERS.

SINCE the family party had last assembled for their evening conversazione, some little anxiety had been felt by Philip, who had heard of the serious illness of the gentleman, now an aged man, in whose school he lived as usher. The latest post, however, had brought more favourable tidings; still, it seemed improbable that the school could re-assemble at the time appointed. The feeling that the vacation time was swiftly passing, and that a parting would soon take place between some members of the little company, made their gatherings, if possible, more pleasant, A tender kindly sympathy seemed to knit them closer to each other, and all the younger folks were busy, when aunt Patty made her appearance with her paper, in placing her desk, arranging her chair, putting her foot-stool; while Mrs. Vernon roused the fire to a brighter glow, and aunt Anna drew her chair so near her sister as to be able to put her ear-trumpet in the most favourable position for catching the sounds.

"I had some thought of getting one of you youngsters to read my paper for me," said aunt Patty, "but on consideration I resolved to read it myself."

"Which no one could do better," said Edward,

"for we may all chiefly thank you, aunt Patty, for having made reading aloud a principal part of our early education.'

"Yes," said Jane, "since I have lived out in the world, I have found the benefit of that plan. Good reading has hitherto been prized because of its rarity; I am glad to observe it is now more generally cultivated than it used to be; people begin to think justly about its value as an acquirement, and to regard it as an accomplishment. There is no accomplishment so companionable.”

"Oh!" said aunt Patty, "if you begin to speak so elaborately about reading, I shall be nervous about my poor paper, though prose is not such an ordeal as poetry. We have all admired Miss Barrett's beautiful lines giving a reason why the poet does not read his own lines well—

tr

And I read there sometimes hoarsely, some new poem of my
making.

Oh, your poet never reads his own best verses to their worth!
For the echo in you breaks upon the words that you are speaking,
And the chariot-wheels jar in the gate through which you drive
them forth."

This may perhaps apply to poor prose as well as lofty poetry; however, apologies are always unsatisfactory, and I need not greatly fear my audience, so I shall make no further preface.

"There have been many stout arguments maintained in the spirit of the Schoolmaster, in Goldsmith's Deserted Village, of whom it is ingenuously said, that 'Even though vanquished, he could argue still,' to prove that it is impossible women should be good reasoners, and, as a necessary con

sequence, that they could not be good historians, essayists, or in any high and noble sense, poets or philosophers: yet, however carping criticism may curtail their fame of its fair proportions, in the loftier range of literary effort, every person of competent powers of observation admits that as letter writers the powers of the female mind are unequalled. Quickness of observation, talent for description, facility of expression, tact, taste, feeling—and above all freedom from pedantry and affectation, appear the prime requisites of a good letter writer; and these qualities in a greater or less degree seem to be pretty generally bestowed on sensible, right-minded women.

"It has been said by one who knew human nature well, that 'the letters of great men are the most precious part of their writings.' And however high the literary reputation of women may be, this saying is even more true of them. One of the most eminent female writers of the present day, when unhappily chained to a sick-bed by a cruel and lingering disease, thinking that the honest fame of writers has often been sacrificed after their death, by the blind partiality, or selfish egotism and cupidity of friends in publishing their letters, made it a point to procure the return of all her letters from numerous correspondents, or in lieu of them to have solemn promises that at her death they shall be destroyed without reserve. Some of the friends of this lady gave the required promise very reluctantly, saying-'Her letters are infinitely more admirable and delightful than any