she would not go back, and her mother encouraging her in it, she left.

Esther now had her own way. During the week she occasionally assisted her mother, or went gossiping among her friends. On the Sunday she went to a school for all denominations, where, in a short time, being a good reader and writer, she was made a teacher. The places of worship where she attended were various. Sometimes she went to the parish church, sometimes to St. James's; at other times she was to be seen at some of the different meeting-houses in the town, all of which in their turns-New Connexion, Old Connexion, Baptist, Independent, Unitarian-she visited; and once or twice it was whispered about that she had been observed coming out from the Roman Catholic chapel. The consequence of all this was, of course, that poor Esther's mind contained as complete a jumble in matters of faith as can well be conceived.

Some few months after she had become a teacher at the school for all denominations, Esther one evening surprised her mother by stating that she was going to be dipped. Dipped!" exclaimed her mother: "why, what in the world has put that in your head? "No matter what has put it into my head, I am determined to be dipped. One of our teachers at school has shown me that I ought to be, so I shall." "Well, but Esther," remarked her mother, "what will your father say? I'm sure he'll not like it, and I'm sure I dont like it; and therefore I suppose you will not go and act so contrary to our wishes as to do it."

Mrs. Simmonds knew that she was touching on doubtful ground, for she had several times observed lately that Esther had a will of her own, and was but little influenced by any other considerations. Once or twice, indeed, when subjects of difference had arisen between them, and they had gone to high words, Esther had plainly told her that she would do as she liked-that she was able to get her own livelihood if she pleased, and she would not stay at home if she was to be crossed and

vexed at every thing she wished to do. It was, therefore, with some degree of hesitation that Mrs. Simmonds suggested to Esther the propriety of deferring her wishes on this subject of dipping, to those of herself and her father.

Her doubts were not without reason. "I dont know," said Esther, "what my father's and your wishes may be, but this I know, that on Sunday week, I am going to be dipped in the river with three other girls, who will join with me." In the river!" screamed Mrs. Simmonds; "what! in the river, before all the men and boys in the town? but you sha'nt go, I'll take care of that." "Wont I," said the daughter; "see if I dont, that's all." With which words, rising from the table, she put a stop to the conversation by a plan which of late she had often adopted, having learned it from her mother, and finding it from her own experience very efficacious for the purpose, namely, walking out of the house, and slamming the door after her, as hard as she could. Well; the dipping day came, and Esther and her three companions were dipped; and for the fourth time changed, as it is said, her religion. Her father and mother had done every thing that they could to prevent it, but all to no purpose.

CHAPTER III.

"Our wise parent both instructs his children in piety, and with correction blasts the first buds of profaneness in them. He that will not use the rod on his child, his child shall be used as a rod on him."-FULLER.

JOHN SIMMONDS was what is called a quiet inoffensive man, and did harm to no one. He was often witness to the violent scenes which took place between his daughter and her mother, but he wished to live a quiet easy life, and therefore always left them to fight it out by themselves. In his earlier days, shortly after his marriage, he had discovered that his wife was a violent-tempered woman, and that he must either make up his mind to contest the supremacy with her—which appeared likely to be a long and somewhat disagreeable process-or at once quietly to submit. The latter, as being less troublesome, he chose; and provided she let him alone, he did not much care what she did. From this it happened that the education of their children mainly devolved upon her; and in all the changes that had occurred in Esther's case he had taken but little interest, except an occasional protest against what appeared to him a very unsatisfactory and improper mode of proceeding. He had perhaps been annoyed at Esther's removal from the vicar's school, as it was called, and his wife's quarrel with Mrs. Short, and her unbecoming conduct to Mr. Clare, more than at any thing else. This, at the time, had moved him a good deal; and, at one period, he had almost resolved to take the management of his children into his own hands, and see that they were brought up as they should be; but his intention did not last long; he soon relapsed into his former state of indifference, and was a quiet witness of all the successive movements which had subsequently taken place.

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At the present time he went to church as he had always done, not as often as he ought, but still often enough to satisfy his own mind that he was a churchman. Poor Simmonds! often and often had Mr. Clare told him when he was speaking of the grief he felt at his wife and daughter leaving the Church, that he himself had little to congratulate himself upon. 'Tis true," said the vicar, when speaking to him on this last event of poor Esther's dipping, "tis true that like them you have not broken the Body of CHRIST by an act of schism; but 'tis also true that you are not a faithful member of the body to which you profess to belong. I see you, indeed, come occasionally to church, although seldom, if ever, at the morning service,-never at the Holy Communion; and, when here, your conduct betrays but too clearly how little interest you take in what is going on. But, independently of what takes place in church, you do not live, Simmonds, as a churchman should live; remember, we are not good churchmen simply because we go to church instead of going to any other place of worship; it is not calling out the Church, the Church,' that should satisfy us. To be worthy of that high and holy name-to be worthy of being called a member of CHRIST'S Church, we must live holy and godly lives, and that not in one or two things, but in all. Now this, Simmonds, you well know is not the case with you. There are many things in which you are constantly indulging yourself, which should make you very cautious in boasting of your calling; indeed, should make you deeply feel how unworthy you are of the holy name you bear. With regard to your wife and daughter you will remember, probably, that I have very repeatedly spoken to you on the subject, and more than once have brought to your notice that instance of Eli, whose sin consisted in not restraining his children from doing evil. You should, in the first instance, have exerted that authority with which ALMIGHTY GOD has invested you, over your wife and child. You should have checked the first step which they took; this you were too careless to do, and

you see to what it has come. Your wife has joined in turn two or three different classes of religionists, and is now I believe a member of the Independents; and your daughter Esther, after passing through a somewhat similar number of changes, has consummated what you conceive her disgrace,-she, her independence and right of private judgment,-by being publicly dipped in the river, and becoming a member of the Baptists. I am very sorry for you, Mr. Simmonds, but I would speak plain; the fault is your own, and unless you learn some wisdom from what has taken place, you may expect something still worse in store for you.'

For about two years Esther remained among the Baptists, regularly attending their services, and teaching in their schools. To an outward observer during this time she was a religious good girl. She was regular in her attendance at the public services of the meeting-house, and very diligent in her duties as a teacher. She was free from those grosser sins which are so commonly to be found among the young females as well as males of our manufacturing population. But she had that within, which to the eye of the Unseen stamped her as an alien to Him; she had a cherished bosom sin, which, inasmuch as it was a spiritual sin, and therefore less liable to detection, and more subtle, was more dangerous. She had pride-indomitable pride, which marred all she did, and blighted all the harvest which to her unthinking admirers appeared so rich and fair. That germ which we saw just bursting forth at the commencement of our narrative, had now gained much growth; from her earliest years, it had gone on increasing more and more, entirely unchecked; it had led her from school to school, -from one place of worship to another, till it had become within her a principle of action which would not be controlled. Once or twice during her stay with the Baptists it had very nearly burst forth, but the forces opposing her gave way, and it fell back, having gained fresh strength for the period when circumstances should call it forth. That period had now arrived.