him, long after, confess that there were moments when the remembrance overcame him even to weakness; when, amidst all the pleasures of philosophical discovery, and the pride of literary fame, he recalled to his mind the venerable figure of the good La Roche, and wished that he had never doubted.

O WOMAN'S STORY.

e of things. What sudden turns. icissitudes in the first leaf

story. To-day most happy,

row's sun has set, most abject.

space between these vast extremes-"

Blair's Grave.

rative we are now about to present to is nought to excite astonishment, or emotions of the heart." It is merely tale," calculated to shew the uncervents, and prove, that not even the ce of virtue, nor the best concerted ys rewarded by the attainment of our 3, however, are not confined within f existence. A merciful Creator has er of looking beyond this sublunary us, while enjoying conscious rectitude to view, according to their real worth,

ties of empty greatness;
fears, the joys and pains of life."

Though little infected with the pride of birth, a disorder, said to have been once very prevalent amongst the natives of North Britain, (to which portion of the United Kingdom I have the honour to belong), I will not omit to tell you, our family was one of the most respectable in Scotland, and had invariably preserved its good name and its independent possessions together, during several succeeding generations. My father was twice married, and had children by each of his wives. Those by the first, were one son, and a daughter who died at an early age. By the second, my brother and myself. As our father's eldest son was sixteen years the senior of my brother, he was married, and in the possession of the paternal pro perty, when Archibald was placed at the High School of Edinburgh, and myself at the most respectable se minary of private education our metropolis then afforded.

Our brother was the guardian of our persons and fortunes; and as Archibald was inclined to study physic as his future profession, he was, at a proper age, entered at the university, and in due time commenced his practice in the northern capital, with the fairest prospects of ce lebrity and success. With a heart full of sensibility, generosity and benevolence, his disposition was as amiable as his manners were engaging, and his understanding superior. His feelings were lively, his nature ardent, and his temper hasty: but good sense and sound principles directed all his actions; and though he joined in the amusements of the world, with all the animation

outh interesting, his mind was far above rsuits of the giddy, as it resisted the leasure, when they tended to the subvernd religion, or in any manner served to 1 character.

eighteen, I returned from school, to the stors, where it was purposed I should reer age, or continued in a single state. My large; but it was what in those days was respectable, as Archibald and myself the portion of our deceased mother, and tached for our father's younger children. d no family; for though his wife had hildren, they partook too largely of the own constitution, to remain long inhabith. She was a woman of a truly amiable agreeable manners; but her usually inof health prevented her mixing much in he nature of her complaints often pressed her spirits, that she would pass whole nber, attended only by her husband, who ely attached to her, and to anticipate 1g separation with the liveliest regret and

eat disparity in our ages, and his having 1 to consider me in the light of a child, I he same confidence with my eldest bror him the same strong affection, as linked

me in the bonds of tenderest amity with Archibald, who was only four years older than myself, and from whom I had never been a day separated, until his removal to Edinburgh, where I had still frequent opportunities of seeing him, and strengthening that friendship and similarity of ideas, taste, and inclination, which led us ever to participate in each other's joys and sorrows, and created the most tender affections that ever glowed in the bosoms of a brother and sister.

Though residing at a considerable distance from Edinburgh, I yet enjoyed the frequent pleasure of my beloved brother's company, as there was a magnet in our house, which drew him often thither, in the person of a ward of our elder brother; a young lady, nearly related to both our parents, and possessing in her own right, a handsome independence, of which her guardian only nominally charged himself with regulating, until her attainment of the age of twenty-four; at which period, by the will of her deceased parents, she was to become the sole mistress of herself, and ample fortune.

Placed in a situation which could scarcely fail of creating habits of friendship and familiarity, my brother and Miss M'Donald's mutual affection might be said to have grown with their growth. Their attachment was not sought to be concealed from the friends of either; who, as they advanced in life, concluded the matter would only terminate in a matrimonial engagement. Her father had been the early friend, as well as relative of ours, and