mind, just entering upon life, than an immoral liberty like this?—and at a period, too, when the passions are strong, and when they require the fostering care of a tender and judicious parent to keep them in proper subordination,―at a time when, if purity of heart exist at all, it should exist in that juvenile bosom; and when, if it surrender itself then to indelicate freedoms, it is in danger of degenerating into profligacy in after life?

"Can anything be imagined more fruitful of infidelities in the marriage state,—of broken vows, and broken hearts, than to have a young wife thus wantonly embraced, sometimes with one arm, at other times with both, by every fashionable libertine that may become acquainted with her? Is not the transition a very easy one, and, considering our corrupt nature, but too natural, from an embrace in public to an embrace in private?-from the license of the drawing-room to the more dishonourable freedoms of the boudoir ?—till, at length, the Court of Doctors' Commons tells the melancholy result, in the disgrace of husband and children?

"The practice I speak of," continued our exemplary moralist, "is the polluter of virtue in its very source. Instead of our daughters being reared up as polished corners of the temple,'-as beautifully expressed in Scripture-to become faithful wives and fostering mothers, they are trained up, as far as the license of manners and familiarities in question are concerned, to resemble, at least in outward appearance, the ancient worshippers of the goddess of Cyprus. The distinctions of right and wrong,-the delicacies of a virtuous emotion, are gradually undermined, till, at length, the once pure-minded youthful daughter is almost led to regard the somewhat equivocal principles of the Owenites with a secret favour, which, under a better training, she would have repudiated with disgust.

"That such unhallowed libertinism should pervade the unholy rites of the temple of Juggernaut, and the impure ceremonies of Indian idolatry, is more to be lamented than wondered at; but that it should receive an unrighteous admission into the societies of civilized and Christian England, is a reproach that makes one blush for our degenerate country.

"The conclusion of my argument, therefore," continued Mrs. Gracelove, "comes to this, that although Scripture may be silent as to any impropriety in the practice of dancing, nay, may even appear to approve of the amusement, yet it does condemn, and in the most unqualified language, all degrees of licentiousness, whether of thought, or word, or deed, and everything approximating thereto. And such is the waltzlicentious in the act, and still worse in its tendencies."

"Upon my word," exclaimed Mrs. Stately, "your unmitigated denunciation has indeed startled me more than I could possibly have imagined. Though I can by no means sympathize with you in the strong opinion you entertain on this subject, yet I almost rejoice that I have no daughter to be exposed to a danger which you have been pleased to depict in such frightful colours."

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'But you have a son, my dear madam," responded her companion ; "and though the consequences, in a worldly sense, of a young man going astray are not so ruinous as in the case of one of our sex, yet, in a moral point of view, sin is precisely the same denounced transgression in each party, and will be equally punished, if unrepented of, without the smallest distinction of persons. Besides, to make any difference between the sexes, as regards the religious principles on which education ought ever to be conducted, is to suppose that the souls of the one class are not as immortal and as precious as those of the other. This is a proposition unheard of except among some few savage tribes, who, in estimating the degrees of

intellectual capacity possessed amongst them, assign a spiritual nonentity to the condition of their oppressed and degraded women."

"And do you really believe," said the lady, in a tone of hesitation which she had not evinced before,-" do you really believe that every kind of dancing is unlawful? I do not mean scripturally unlawful, for I think we are both agreed that the Bible does not declare it to be so, in reference to the simple and pure style of patriarchal dancing; but I mean as being hostile to the welfare, the virtue, and the moral government of society? Am I to understand that you place the quadrille, for instance, in the same category with the waltz, and as equally offensive to virtue ?”

"To prove to you," answered our spiritual heroine, "that I am not a bigot, blindly and fanatically opposed to innocent recreation, I do not think that dancing is actually sinful in itself, as practised in the years of ancient times. I am rather inclined to believe that, like wine, it is not the use, but the abuse of it that constitutes its sinfulness. I will candidly acknowledge that I do not think there is any impropriety in the quadrille, in which a modest decorum does prevail of style and attitude. I am indeed induced to imagine that being taught, for example, to walk through the steps of this dance is calculated to form a graceful carriage, and to give a degree of elegance to the person; and, in addition to this, it affords the benefit of exercise, as well as reasonable amusement, in private parties, in the evenings of a winter's day, when the weather will not permit of exercise being taken in the open air. But in making this concession, I would qualify the allowance within certain prescribed limits. I would neither sanction late hours, which are destructive to health and domestic duties, nor that ostentatious rivalry of dress which is too generally exhibited at such parties. I would not have a lady

or a gentleman degenerate into an opera dancer. In a word, I would have the recreation enjoyed simply as such, and not for display; and restricted within the rigid bounds of moderation, private parties, early hours, and modest demeanour. And here I stop-for as regards the vicious tendencies-the polluting contact of the waltz and similar dances, I would discountenance them with as strong a religious feeling as I would the surrendering of my youthful daughter to temptations and snares which might assault her chastity.

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"I think I need say no more," concluded our christian friend, to show that I am opposed to the modern amusement of dancing for the reasons I have named. On this account I have not permitted my daughters to be taught dancing at all; considering it most inconsistent, though countenanced by many worthy christian mothers, to allow them to learn the art, at the same time that they are peremptorily forbid to join in the amusement. This is indeed to lay a stumbling-block in your children's path."

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Thank you, at all events, for this concession," exclaimed Mrs. Stately," and also for your candour, which, along with your conscientiousness, I cannot but admire. Much, my dear madam, as we differ on this subject, I fully appreciate your motives, and shall reflect, at a future time, on the conversation which that subject has elicited. On the present occasion, however, in whatever degree I might be influenced by what you have said, I cannot withdraw the invitations I have sent out, and which express on my cards the very dance which you so greatly reprobate. The disappointment to my visitors, were I to countermand the announcement, would, I feel quite sure, spoil altogether the evening's entertainment.

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'I am happy at least," rejoined our heroine,-for such in a moral and religious sense Mrs. Gracelove may well be considered, and held up to public imitation," I am happy, at

least, to hear you say that you will reflect on this subject hereafter. And if you will enter on the examination of it in the spirit of sincerity, divested of the prejudice arising from fashion and custom, I have no doubt I shall have the gratification of congratulating you ere long on the alteration of your present views."

"I must allow," said her visitor, "that custom is a stubborn and inveterate principle to deal with, and that we are too much in the habit of doing what the world is doing around And, yet, what all mankind agree in practising can scarcely be very wrong."

"Pardon my interruption," said Mrs. Gracelove," but remember the Scripture which I have already quoted—“ That which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God."

"It is doubtless a strong passage," replied the fashionable lady, " and I almost wish I could think as you do, although I feel confident that Mr. Stately would call me a fool for entertaining what he would term such methodistical notions. I intend, however, at some future time, to take the question into serious consideration."

"Ah, my dear madam," exclaimed our friend of the cottage, "that was precisely the answer which Felix returned to the great apostle of the Gentiles. Permit me for a moment," she said, resuming her Bible, and turning to the 24th chapter of the Acts, " to direct your attention to the passage. St. Paul, as you perceive, had been accused before the Roman governor by Tertullus, the orator, of being a pestilent fellow, and a mover of sedition among all the Jews throughout the world, and a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes.' This charge was brought against the apostle simply for preaching, to an idolatrous world, the doctrine of Christ crucified for the redemption of mankind.

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