It is sad, and almost humiliating, that the world should so establish jurisdiction over life's holy of holies, and claim a share in the disposition of that which is, or ought to be, within the veil. And yet, so powerful is the influence of custom, that conventional mourning is often used to give expression to that which is real.

Many, after a severe affliction, shut themselves up-not merely according to a conventional rule, but from the great effort necessary to go forth, even for a solitary walk or drive. But this is not right; for sorrow is very unfavorable to health, on which, therefore, particular care should be bestowed. The effort should be made; and, like all efforts in a good direction, will have its reward. For, besides its benefit, as a sanitary measure; next to religious faith and hope, and the sympathy of friends, there is nothing more grateful, more soothing, more elevating, to the sorrowing heart, than communion with our mother nature. There are moods, indeed, to which her companionship is better suited than that even of one's nearest and dearest.

Here I am reminded to warn you, that a period of partial skepticism is not an improbable consequence of a first severe bereavement. It is not universal, and it may not be frequent; but it is probably much more so than may be supposed; because there is a great absence of real freedom of

communication between man and man, and any unusual individual experience is almost sure to be concealed.

When mankind shall have become good enough, when they shall be fully infused with the spirit of human brotherhood, so that perfect love will cast out fear; then, no doubt, great benefit will be derived from mutual confidences; and persons, in circumstances of singular perplexity and trial, will cease to be dismayed with the idea that their case is entirely exceptional. Death is such a palpable event, all its accessories are so impressive to the senses that the grave seems the natural and sure terminus of the race of man-beyond which all is vagueness, darkness, nothingness. A butterfly may come forth from a grub-but how can a living soul be developed from these poor remains. Is not the material, the only instrument of the spiritual? If other creatures, exhibiting more or less of intelligence, die forever, why not man? Of such sort are the questions perpetually arising. All this may have partly to do with the reaction that comes from the first excitement of violent grief, by which, for a little time, the sufferer is greatly sustained.

One feels that the foundations of his faith are giving way, and is dismayed at the discovery. If he be of a patient spirit, he sets himself steadfastly, if possible, to lay them over again by all the

means in his power; and perchance they may become more stable than ever. It is for this class, and many others under the various distressing exigencies of human life—that the touching petition, "Lord I believe-help thou mine unbelief,” was put on record. If it is fervently uttered in word and in effort the unbelief will surely be helped.

On the subject of a mourning dress, I have little to say. It seems to me, I confess, that a true instinct must have led to its adoption, but I may be mistaken. It may be owing to custom, only, that I regard it as fitting; and that I could not dispense with it, in my own case, without missing its shelter and protection. Like every other usage it is liable to abuse-in proof of which, it is only necessary to hear a clerk, behind the counter of a shop where mourning goods, only, are sold, recommending different "styles"-and different shades of color, to different ladies, according to a graduated scale, supposed to correspond in its descent to the gradual abbreviations in the prescribed period of mourning, and the waning of sorrow with the lapse of time; or to hear an exclamation not unfrequently made. "Oh dear, I shall never get

rid of my black dress!

Just as I am going to lay

it aside, some one else dies. I do wish it was not the custom to wear mourning!"

CHAPTER XV.

PREJUDICE AND HARSH JUDGMENTS.

THERE are two classes of people-radicals and conservatives-or enthusiasts and their opposites, who, holding each other in mutual contempt, are, nevertheless, in the present state of society, essential to one another, and form an important part of the system of checks and balances by which God's world is kept in harmonious operation, and man's world is saved from tumbling to pieces.

The mission of the enthusiast I conceive to be, that of going beyond the proper natural line of advancement in the continual progression of society, in order to bring others up to it, if possible; while, but for this necessity-this clog, they would be in danger of irregular, lightning-like modes of proceeding, which would defeat the very ends they wished to secure. Yet, I confess that my sympathies are much more with enthusiasts, than with their antagonists.

It is difficult to bring one's mind to the necessity of so slow a progress as the world is making. It is difficult to forgive the narrowness, almost

universally characteristic of the human mind in all ages, which makes it instinctively reject every novelty in theory, practice, or opinion, whether important or insignificant in its influence, whether in regard to things trifling, or things of moment, merely because it is new. Puny man sits by the shore of the ocean of knowledge and says to its waves: "Thus far shalt thou go, and no farther," until he finds that truth is as mighty in its advance, and as irresistible, as the waves of the sea at high tide; while, unlike them, it has no assignable limit.

In all probability, it was this spirit of resistance that confined Galileo in a prison, under the surveillance of the Inquisition, for asserting the revolution of the earth, the before supposed stationary centre of our system, around the sun; for, did not that luminary stand still, in opposition to its customary habits, on the day when Joshua fought with the Gibeonites; and did it not move, every day, from east to west, in the face and eyes of men? It was this spirit that raised such an opposition in the minds of his brother physicians, to Harvey's wonderful discovery of the circulation of the blood, as subjected him to hatred and persecution. It was this that made them oppose the adoption of that God-revealed remedy for a dreadful disease, vaccination. How could such a remedy exist, if they had never known it? Some