their discordant notes, and myriads of bats were fluttering past my window in a ceaseless stream, all putting forth their best endeavors to increase my former aggravation. But they vainly toiled. Some silent whisperings of hope had penetrated my forlorn heart, telling me that I should not long remain desolate.

I had enjoyed no dream. No vision of soothing import had come to cheer my soul. When I looked back upon the last few minutes, I could recall nothing but an uninterrupted blank of deep sleep, unbroken by the slightest shadow of fancy's play and yet I awoke with the persuasion nestling in my heart, that it was incumbent upon me to leave my Manor-House and proceed somewhere in search of a friend. I have myself nothing to do with investigating the nature of such a phenomenon. I leave it to physiologists to determine how a person, having dreamed nothing, can yet awake with a new and exciting thought filling his whole soul. So it was-and the more I tried to banish the idea, the more it rushed in floods upon my mind. And to such an extent did this strange reflection press upon me, that I gradually believed it the result of some supernatural power, and finally determined that it was my duty to obey this imaginary mandate, and that, having done so, I should be led into close contact with some one previously ordained to become a bosom friend to me.

No doubt the idea was but a phantasy of a troubled brain, and what subsequently happened, a mere coincidence, but now, from constant reflection, I became more and more excited as to its reality, and at last, leaping from my seat, made a vow to myself to set off for New York that very night, and hunt up this unknown friend.

"Are there not old and valued names yet left in the city?" I reasoned. "And may not many of these entertain kindred asso

ciations with myself?"

And here a wonder suddenly assailed me. How came I to have made such a startling leap, when, but a few hours ago, I scarcely dared to lift a leg or an arm too suddenly? Was it actually true what iny nephew had told me, that exertion was only necessary to assure me of my freedom from ill? And had I indeed lost three years of active life, passed in moping in a close apartment, afraid lest the blessed air of Heaven might visit me too roughly? Thus sober reason began to dawn upon me, and banish my former foolish fancies. I stood still and remembered that I had never experienced any pain, except the slight aching produced by close and careful confinement; and that all such care had been engendered by the insane impression, that being old, I was naturally obliged to be in feeble health. And then again I called to mind how many there were, older than I, who still rode and walked with the vigor of youth; and why should not I emulate their activity?

"Hurrah!" I shouted, again making a tremendous leap. "Ludwig was right! I, who was never really sick, will now become well again! I, who was never decrepid, will again become young and strong, and mount and ride, as in the good old days of yore !"

And again I stopped my saltatory exercises, and closely consid ered their effect upon my constitution, but could not perceive the least twitch or twinge of pain. A pair of old boots now attracted my attention, as they lay in the corner covered with dust. Three years ago I had last worn them, and had pitched them aside with a malediction upon my fancied rheumatism, and the melancholy expectation of walking in loose slippers during the remainder of my natural term of existence. I sprung to them, caught them up in my arms, embraced them as old and dear friends, and slipped them upon my feet with the most extraordinary ease.

Hurrah! I could once again dance and sing, and I did so with most uproarious glee, until an old negro who had lived for years at the Manor-House, and of whom I have already spoken, stumbled up stairs, alarmed, to see what was the matter.

"Saddle Ruby!" I shouted.

"God bress massa! What for he want de horse when he know berry well dat de rheuma-"

"Do you call this rheumatism?" I demanded, and I seized a heavy book, kicked it up to the ceiling, leaped up and caught it as it fell, and finished by jumping upon my crutches and breaking them to pieces. And then I stopped to breathe and looked around for applause.

But not a bit of it did I get. Old Claes merely shook his white poll and solemnly expressed his opinion that I had seen the devil. "And suppose I have?"

"Dat no reason to break de crutches. To-morrow, maybe, de debil gib back de rheumatism."

Silence! And saddle Ruby!"

Where does massa mean to go?"

"On the road to the city."

"De city" the astonished negro ejaculated, lifting his shrivelled hands. "And it is ebening already!"

"I care not if it were midnight. Saddle the horse, I say." "Claes knows better dan to do dat."

"What! do you refuse to obey me?" I shouted, though my patience still held on by a very fine thread.

Claes do so now and massa be angry. To-morrow massa say, Claes, my leg feel berry bad. You did right not to saddle de horse. Here am silver dollar for you.' Den I say-"

The slender thread broke, and patience quickly flew away. What Claes would have said is uncertain, for at that instant, he caught sight of one of the broken pieces of my crutches, uplifted in the air most ominously, and he vanished from the door-way with astonishing celerity.

Will it be credited that I took no further notice of Claes's disobedience? He had lived so long upon the estate, that I could not bear to chastize or scold him, particularly as I knew that the course he took was one dictated by motives of pure affection towards myself. But how was I to have my desire performed? I knew Claes

too well to imagine that either commands or entreaties would induce him to alter his determination. I also considered, that, if I persisted in pressing my wishes upon him, he would steal away to some secret place and not reappear in sight until the next morning. Finally, I adopted what some might consider a cowardly course, resolving to wait until the old negro was asleep and then steal down to the stable and saddle Ruby myself.

For three hours I waited, and when the full moon arose and shed down her lustre upon the river, and silvered the top of every tree which grew upon the Highlands, I judged it time to proceed to action. Silently I slipped down stairs, crossed the court-yard and opened the stable door.

And now I walked more cautiously, for I heard Claes snornig loudly among the hay, scarcely three yards from me. Softly I stepped along on tip-toes and at length reached the stall of Ruby. Long as it was since I had ridden the noble animal, he seemed to recognize me, for, testifying no fear, he gently rubbed himself against my coat, and essayed a slight whinnying.

I feared lest the sound might awaken Claes, and I thought of the shame I should feel, if the old man were to catch me thus stealing my own property. But the loud breathing did not fail, and, in a minute more, I had slipped the saddle in its place, and had led the horse outside and mounted him.

Then, finding myself once more in a situation to range the fields as I had been accustomed to do in my younger days, the wild exuberance of my feelings could not be restrained, and I burst forth with a loud "tally-ho!"

"Who dat dere?" said Claes, poking his head through a little window which flanked the stable door.

With a muttered curse upon my own heedlessness, I plunged my heels into the sides of the horse and endeavored to make off unseen. All in vain. The negro caught sight of me and dashing through the window-bare-footed and night-capped as he wasgave chase.

66

'On, Ruby, on!"

Stop, massa! Oh, where de debil do you go?"

But Ruby was too powerful a match for the old negro. We rapidly left Claes behind, yet for some minutes I could see him in his white garments, plunging after me and shouting;

"Stop, dear massa, stop! Oh, de ole one has got into massa, sure 'nuff."

At length however, I lost sight of him, and then could not resist a merry laugh, as I thought upon the figure which the oldest representative of the Marschalks made, stealing his own horse, and flying like a thief from his own servant.

[To be continued.]

LETTER TO DUPONT DE L'EURE ON THE POLITICAL POSITION OF WOMEN.

TO THE AMERICAN PUBLIC:

The following letter to Dupont de l'Eure, is an offering laid on the altar of philanthropy. It contains a scheme of human polity before unwritten; made after much reflection and long study of mankind in civil society, in the past and in the present, particularly as regards the condition of my own sex. I had intended putting it into a pamphlet or small volume, but the Editor of this Magazine (with the former numbers of which I have been much pleased) having requested me to write an article for the present number, it occurred to me that every object contemplated by a separate publication might be answered by putting my thoughts into print here.

That all have a right to express opinions, none will deny. Some may be curious to know, whether in this case, it is really expected that the project stated will at all be acted on in France. That will be as Providence directs. God works by means, and may bless those which to human eyes appear the most insignificant. I believe the principles laid down are correct, and that in whatever degree, whether in France or here, they are acted on, society will be benefitted thereby. The present crisis in France seemed to me a fitting occasion to throw them before the public. I held the same views three years ago, when New York by a call for a convention, threw up her former constitution. But I could not then have appealed to political men here; neither would I, if I were a French woman, now appeal them to the French authorities; for it would at once be said, here is an ambitious woman who wants a new order of things to make a high place for herself. But no prejudice of that kind can, under present circumstances, obscure the right. If I have produced any new truth on this great subject, I am not warranted by experience to expect its rapid development in action. Yet the acorn must be planted, though we must wait long for the oak. E. W.

TO DUPONT DE L' Eure,

SIR-Reflections on the momentous position of France, combined with previous trains of thought concerning the political condition of my sex, have wrought in my mind some views applicable to both, which so far as my knowledge extends, are no where as yet expressed. They may be useful. To you, sir, I am impelled to address them no less from a profound feeling of personal respect than from your public station. This I suppose would lead you to throw before the convention for framing a constitution, any hints

which you should judge to be of value. Frenchmen and Americans are in a state of fraternity, because in Lafayette we have had a common political father. Still more intimate is that fraternity among those who have enjoyed his personal friendship. That honor in its highest sense was yours, as I know from his lips; and I believe that you, sir, were aware, though you may now have forgotten it, that it was in some degree mine also. Then, sir, permit me now to address to you, as I would have done to him, my views as to what justice and policy dictate to your convention, concerning the course to be pursued in regard to women. And with no question of more vital importance or of greater difficulty will you have to contend in the immense work of settling a government for France; it may be for the world, for the eyes of the world are upon you. Universal man looks towards you and anxiously awaits the result of your acts.

Boldly have you cast aside a government which oppressed you, fearlessly have you resolved society into its original elements, and with singleness of purpose are you now seeking to reconstruct, and to build a fabric for the human family, where all may find a happy shelter. Sublime spectacle! May the Almighty give you wisdom to accomplish the good, which, as we trust, He has led you to desire; and thus to make a wiser and a better government than any which the world has yet seen.

Doubtless for this you must search deep into the principles of human nature as they stand connected with the moral and physical laws of God. For in order wisely to construct the ship of state you must not only know the nature of the winds and waves, but of the lights of Heaven, by which its course must be steered.

To me it is evident that the science of legislation is far from its perfection, although I believe the framers of the American government made a great advance. They were among the wisest and the best of men; but to construct a perfect government for a nation, as it is the greatest and most complicated, so it is the most difficult of all sciences, and we must expect that it will take mankind proportionally longer to understand it. With all the advantage which men possess to know inanimate agents, (since on these they can experiment as well as speculate) they have but just begun to learn the uses of steam and of the electric fluid. Why then should we doubt that in politics, improvements are not yet to be made, no less signal, than those of the rail road and the telegraph? What would you think, sir, of the mechanician, who having a heavy weight to move by steam, should so miscalculate his force as to make no account of one half, which was generated, but to leave that half so out of reckoning in his machinery as not even to take the pains to know whether it would be, as to his intended direction, a conspiring or an opposing force? His engine must from its nature generate this force, yet he leaves its direction entirely to chance, and when it has so operated as to neutralize that of which he did take note, and for whose proper action he did pro