usually performed. Beyond the entrance-hall was a large light closet, which had been used in ancient days as a store-room; but, as it contained a small fire-place, and had a glass door opening into the garden, small as this room was, Mr. Henry Vaughen instantly seized upon it as an apartment for study: and though, when he had put up his book-shelves, it scarcely contained space for a table and two chairs, yet as it commanded a view of the spire of the village church peeping over the trees of the garden, he declared he would not change it for the finest library in the royal palace. The upper apartments of this house were not much more numerous than the lower ones; but, as Mr. Vaughen often remarked, they were quite sufficient for a man of four hundred a year, which was the utmost extent of his income, even after he had come into possession of his wife's fortune, which did not happen till at the period of her father's death, about two years after her marriage.

It was in the year 1776 that Mr. Vaughen became a householder. At that period, three hundred a year was nearly as much as twice that sum is in these days; and he was enabled, in consequence, to keep two female servants, and a man-servant in a plain livery.

As the value of money became less, the man was dismissed, and a labourer was occasionally employed to keep the garden in order, for Mr. Vaughen was a lover of neatness; and, as the times continued to press, the worthy minister took into his family a little boy, the son of a counsellor in London, to educate with his own son, by this means supplying the deficiency of his income without impoverishing the little fund which he had always put by for charity, and on which he would never allow himself to encroach.

In the mean time, Mr. and Mrs. Vaughen were blessed with several lovely children. The eldest, a daughter, whom he named Henrietta, was, like her parents, exceedingly amiable in her person, and possessing a gravity and serenity of deportment which originated in a calm and happy state of mind. This disposition was partly natural, but owed its stability to the divine blessing upon the judicious management of her parents. Two lovely infants, a boy and a girl, who were next in age to Hen

rietta, had been recalled by their heavenly Father a few months after their births; and these trials, so bitter to a parent's heart, had been made particularly useful to Mr. and Mrs. Vaughen, in loosening their affections from the present scene, and impressing them with a sense of the shortness of this life, the uncertainty and deceitfulness of all earthly things, and the necessity of preparing for that change which, sooner or later, all men must undergo.

Not long after the death of the last of these beloved infants, their places were supplied to their afflicted parents by a son and daughter, born one year after the other, to whom they gave the names of their little departed ones, to wit, Adolphus and Emmeline; and in the smiles of these sweet children, they lost much of the bitterness of their sorrow.

The pupil whom Mr. Vaughen received into his house, and educated with his own children, was called Theodore Owen; and, as he was an amiable boy, and seldom went home, his parents having other and elder sons with whom they seemed principally occupied, his tutor was enabled to direct his education as entirely to his own liking as that of his own children.

During the minority of their children, Mr. and Mrs. Henry Vaughen enjoyed as much happiness as ever falls to the lot of human beings, and this happiness was, undoubtedly owing, in a great measure, to the simplicity of their views and motives of conduct. For, having little of the fear of man, or the thirst of human praise, or the covetous desires of the flesh on behalf either of themselves or their children, they were set free from many cares, troubles, and perplexities, which continually enter into the families of ordinary men, and disturb their repose. But, as I have before said, Mr. Vaughen was raised above these feelings in an especial manner, and had been enabled, by the divine blessing, to inspire his wife with his own sentiments.

We must here, however, pause a moment, to remark what that is by which a man is enabled to overcome the world, and to break the seven green withes by which the world binds its votaries, and leads them in its triumphant march even up to the gates of hell, from

which, if some are saved, it is even as brands plucked out of the fire.

There are certain religious truths which cannot be too often repeated, or brought in too many views before the mind of man; and that discourse or story is defective, and should by every pious person be so regarded, which fails to express those important statements of facts by the knowledge and influence of which the whole tenor of our lives ought to be directed. That God created man in a state of innocence, is one of these important facts; but that, long before his creation, He who knew all things from eternity foresaw that he would fall, and therefore graciously provided for his restoration, is another of equal, and perhaps higher importance. The operations also of the three Persons of the blessed and glorious Trinity in the work of man's salvation, are facts of which we ought never to lose sight, lest, when we discover any thing which is good and desirable in the saints of the Lord, we should fail to give the glory to him, by whom the vile nature of man is changed, and by whom he is enabled to bring forth the fruits of holiness.

Now we are taught that the change of the heart is the especial work of God the Spirit. It is the Lord the Spirit who convinceth man of sin, bringeth him to a knowledge of Christ, and enableth him to overcome the world. It is the Lord the Spirit who cleanseth the hearts of the chosen ones from the covetous desires of the flesh, and gives them that Spirit of contentment by which they receive with thankfulness those good things which the Lord bestows, and submit. with cheerfulness when the same good things are withheld. It was the Lord the Spirit who enabled the apostle Paul to say, “I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: : every where, and in all things, I am instructed, both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me." (Phil. iv. 11—13.)

It was, therefore, through the power and influence of the Holy Spirit of God that Mr. and Mrs. Vaughen were enabled to attain this state of mind so full of contentment, through which their hearts were restrained from

indulging in vain and covetous desires after that which they did not possess: neither was Mr. Vaughen so ill instructed in heavenly things as to limit the idea of covetousness, as many persons do, to the eager desire of obtaining or amassing money or other earthly possessions; but he received the command which says, "Thou shalt not covet," in a sense far more extended than that in which it is ordinarily understood. And if ever he detected himself in indulging a wish for that which was not within his reach, he instantly condemned himself as having broken the injunction of Scripture, which saith, Let your conversation be without covetousness. (Heb. xiii. 5.) And not only did this pious man never allow himself to utter any desire for that which he did not possess; but he also regarded it as a Christian duty to feel and profess the utmost thankfulness for that which he had; insomuch so, that he seldom sat down to a meal with his family, inhaled the odour of flowers, beheld a pleasant prospect, enjoyed the conversation of a friend, or received the caresses of his children, without exhibiting such symptoms of joy and gratitude as could not fail to shed an enlivening influence on those around him. The breakings out of sin in those with whom he had connexion, and the strugglings of iniquity in his own heart, were the occasions which alone seemed to have power to oppress him for any length of time; and thus it happened that his family was cheered by a peculiar sunshine of which few others are allowed to partake.

It has often been observed how strongly children are affected by the cursory remarks dropped in hours of relaxation by their parents, and how (humanly speaking) their characters are formed and indelibly impressed by these words thrown out, as it were, at haphazard by their instructors.

How few professors of religion are habitually consistent in their conversation! how few appear to be in any degree raised above the world! What female, for example, do we see, who, when the subject of dress is brought forward, does not betray an earnestness which must convey to her nieces and daughters, if she happen to have any, a secret assurance that she attributes a certain importance to these things beyond what Scripture autho

rizes? And what man, when speaking of worldly fame and honour, or of the esteem in which he is himself held in society, does not betray a warmth that contradicts every assertion which he may make, or may have made, concerning his deadness to these things.

Young people are keen observers, and soon learn to distinguish the language of form from that of real feeling : they too often perceive that the one is used by their instructors when religion is spoken of, and the other when worldly matters are discussed; and the impression from these observations becomes as strong as it often proves ruinous.

This being the case, how important it is that parents should carefully regulate their most inward feelings, that they should apply to the Holy Spirit to cleanse their hearts from all earthly passions, and that they should endeavour to conform their will and affections to the word of God!-But to return to my story.

The education of the children brought up under the charge of Mr. and Mrs. Vaughen, was so well conducted, and so particularly blessed, that, while they constituted the happiness of their parents, they were admired and loved by all who saw them. At the age of twenty, Henrietta was one of the most lovely young women in the country.. Her general deportment still retained the composure and gravity that I have before mentioned; but she had withal a great softness and sweetness of manner, by which she secured both the respect and love of all who beheld her. It was impossible for her to have enjoyed the instructions of her father for so many years without possessing an intelligent mind. Her views of religion were so simple and clear, that it would have been impossible for her to stray from the path of rectitude without being immediately sensible of it: and though she knew but little of the prevailing fashions of the day, her manners were nevertheless formed on such a broad basis of truth, and knowledge of human nature, that she was fit for any society. We do not mean to attribute this perfection of manner to the exertions of the young lady herself, but to the care of her father, who always maintained that simple habits, such as he loved, and such as he believed his God approved, would never appear to VOL. V.

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