"Well, it does not suit me to stay here parlying,' I said, 'I have a cab at the door,' and I walked on towards it, opened it myself, put Bessie into the cab, and by this time I had made up my mind what to do with her, and where to tell the man to drive. The footman came out with her boxes, and a young person appeared with Bessie's bonnet and shawl. As soon as she found herself alone with me, and that the stern necessity for exertion was over, she gave way to tears, and leaned her face against the side of the coach, lamenting and bemoaning herself and her poor parents. "I told her, she should have one good night's rest before taking her journey home, and that I trusted, her affection for her parents would enable her to restrain her feelings, that she might look as much like herself as possible. "But the next morning I found her much worse than I had expected; she could not rally, and when she crawled down stairs ready dressed for the journey, I doubted whether I ought to bring her. 'I've put on all my best things sir,' she said, seeing that I looked at her attentively, 'I thought I should look better in them.' "She complained of a heavy pain in her eyes and temples, and said it got worse every day. I proposed to take her to an occulist, and she assented most gratefully. "Did you take her that same morning ?" "Yes, and stood by while he looked at her eyes; a workwoman?' he asked, shrugging his shoulders. I thought as much,' and then he produced a small shade, with which he covered one eye, and made her describe what she could see, and in what respect her sight was defective. 'I'm astonished that you could work at all with your eyes in this state,' he observed, how did you manage it ?' 'I hardly know, sir,' said the poor girl; 'I seemed to do it almost by instinct, I knew so well where the needle ought to go in.' "He then took off the shade and covered the other eye. 'Now, what do you see ?' "I shall never forget the low cry of misery with which she answered; 'O, I see nothing, it's dark; O, I'm blind, I'm blind, I'm blind.' He quickly took off the shade, and answered in a cheering tone, 'Not blind of both eyes-I knew the moment I saw you, that the sight of one was gone, I have several times known that to be the case, without its being discovered by the patient; but this other eye, can I hope be cured.' "He then told me that he could not do anything for her till she was in better health; she was too weak, and had too much low fever about her at present; but if she could come to him again in a month's time, he would undertake the case. But poor thing, I think it highly doubtful whether she will be able to go, it is a heart-breaking case altogether." I could not ask any further questions, a vision flashed before the mind's-eye of poor Bessie, blind in a distant land, sitting idly in some homestead, at the antipodes, while the mother, whom she might have saved all needless trouble, was toiling and providing for her, and the glorious southern cross, which she could not see, was shining over her; and this through no fault of her own, but almost of necessity, and in the exercise of her lawful calling. It was almost intolerable to think of such oppression; but surely, I thought, her's must be a solitary case. The house she served must be far more exacting and pitiless than any other; it is incredible that many heads of establishments (women too) could suffer their dependents to work eighteen hours a day. I could not help hoping that her sight might prove less seriously affected than was apprehended, and unable to believe that a few months of toil could have done irreparable injury to her health, I longed for the day when I might see her, and hear from her own lips the story of what she had suffered. THE UNKNOWN WORLD. "Earth hath no stream to quench the thirst, ORRIS. HEMANS. Он, who may tell how calmly fair Shines Heaven's untroubled land of peace? How happy those whose spirits there From pain have rest, from labour cease? By mortal guilt no more accurst, Yet tidings of their full repose May never reach this earthly shore, No mortal eye hath dared its light, No ear hath caught its anthems' swell; Not Fancy, in her boldest flight, Hath been where God's redeemed ones dwell. So best: for he who once had been Lulled by the angels' song on high, Who, rapt in heavenly trance, had seen The joy that fills the boundless sky, How had he turned from all the bliss, Alas for him!-his ravished heart Would sicken for its home in vain, And never might his soul have part In joy that gladdens earth again. For in his memory still had rung His strength to vain desirings given He lost the glorious boon at last. Once-only once-on mortal sight In mystic trance was faintly thrown, And never yet was heart more bent The power that land's delight to view. Yet even he, that saint, confessed Then pry not thou in worlds above, Nor ask what makes their children blest: Enough is told to urge us on, While toiling in our pilgrim way; H. F. THE CITY IN AN UPROAR. CONSERVATISM is not a mere political prejudice; it is the instinct of every human mind. To keep what is, as it is, is a rule of action which has obtained in all ages and in all parts of the world. Indeed, to stereotype existing forms and usages is so strongly the impulse of the mind, that we may assert that it always is done except where some great necessity compels a change. The mind will only be driven from its conservatism by such an impulse to another and a contrary course of action as is stronger than that to which it has hitherto yielded. The reason of this may be found in four considerations. First, a self-complacent regard for our own opinion. This, rendering us satisfied with what is in connection with us, because it is in such a connection, will so prejudge the project of a change, as inevitably to create a feeling of opposition towards it. To this we must add, the force of long-continued habits. These produce, according to the proverb, a second nature, and all innovations must therefore anti-natural. appear Moreover, the theories which are attempted to be confuted, or the practices which are alleged to be inexpedient, may be such as have widely extended themselves. Not only ourselves, but almost everybody else has embraced them, and asserted their truth and propriety. To change, will be to disturb the general order of things, will be a kind of crusade against society, will attack the common sense of the world. Let another consideration be supposed-that of the projected alteration endangering self-interest; let it appear that our reputation, our ease, our associations, our worldly advantages will suffer detriment from our adoption of the new plans presented to us-and it will now become evident to every one of our readers, that a most formidable antagonism has been created, which forbids the chances of the innovation succeeding unless we should be really coerced into its espousal. A remarkable illustration of this Conservatism is furnished by the narrative of the Apostolic Mission in the city of Ephesus. It will be evident, on a slight inspection of it, that the reasons why the Jewish Reformer was opposed by the worshippers of Diana, are the same as those we have already brought forward as universally accounting for the opposition which mankind make to the introduction of changes. Demetrius, when he called together his fellow craftsmen, appealed to their Conservatism. Throughout his whole speech we find an abundance of complacent regard for the existing superstitions. He is strong in his own opinion of the dignity and magnificence of the world-worshipped goddess. He does not hold his religious notions with any dubiousness of conviction. He draws a strong argument from the extent to which their religious system prevailed; "all Asia, and the world," he declared, had embraced it. What was |