reply- Fear not.' How blessed an assurance to the truly penitent! How comforting a declaration to the sorrowing soul! Are you saying with the deeply repentant Psalmist, There is no soundness in my flesh because of thine anger; neither is there any rest in my bones by reason of my sin, for mine iniquities have gone over my head as a heavy burden, they are too heavy for me to bear?' Then hear the reply of that gracious Being to whom you complain : Fear not, though your sins be as scarlet they shall be white as snow.' Be assured then, upon the testimony of that revealed word which cannot alter, and shall not fail, though heaven and earth shall pass away; be assured upon the evidence that the believing penitent has no ground for fear, that the same Saviour addresses you at this hour, in the same accents of tenderness and compassion which he addressed to his disciple Peter. Fall low before his feet as Peter did, with an humble and contrite

spirit; plead before his throne of grace with the outpourings of a full heart, and He will raise you, as he did this convicted sinner, and be himself your portion for time and eternity."

Alice had the satisfaction of leaving the afflicted Sarah with her mind more tranquillized and comforted; and henceforth never relaxed in her endeavours, but spent every leisure moment by her side until she saw her undertaking likely to succeed. The medical practitioner who attended Sarah, gave some faint hopes of her ultimate recovery, provided her mind could be soothed; for the agonies of remorse and grief which she endured kept up the irritation of the fever; but Alice was indefatigable with her tender cares and pious counsels, and taught her that by future good conduct she might "redeem her mispent time." She also spoke to the truly penitent girl of the power she would have of becoming useful to her father, and to his children; and this hope seemed to

offer great consolation, should the Almighty spare her life; while fervent prayers for the amendment of her temper, and for assistance and power to do right, were fervently offered up by the afflicted Sarah.

By slow degrees her health amended, and in the course of a few months, Alice had the heartfelt gratification of seeing her established in her father's house, acting really a mother's part towards her brothers and sisters. Not a lingering spark of her former disposition remained, and her father most gratefully joined his prayers with hers, that every blessing might be showered on the kind friend to whom, by the mercy of God, they were indebted for their present blessings.

CHAPTER III,

MRS. SEYMOUR had a brother considerably older than herself, and whom she had never seen since she was a very young child. Her recollections of him offered no very pleasing retrospect; for even in early years, his violent, overbearing, and unyielding disposition, had impressed her mind with terror, while the circumstance of his having left his home in anger, and never having sought any communication with his family, conspired to alienate her affections from him, though now he was the only relative death had spared to her. He had passed his life in India, where he amassed an enor

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mous fortune; and on his return to England placed the bulk of his property in the thriving and respectable bankinghouse to which Mr. Seymour belonged. This act was by his gentle sister construed as a wish of renewing that intercourse so long broken off; and through the medium of Mr. Seymour she expressed her desire of seeing him, and the happiness she felt at the prospect of showing kindness and attention to her only though long-estranged relative. But Mr. Harcourt was a man of extraordinary habits and temper, and had become a complete misanthrope. Nothing would induce him to have an interview with his sister or niece, and he merely saw Mr. Seymour as a man of business. With all this apparent churlishness, he had, however, one redeeming quality, and was in the habit of doing good in a most extensive manner, though even his mode of conferring kindness partook of the singularity and inconsistency of his character; but stubborn in his ideas, and