doned, the pleasures and vanities of the world; that her heart is set on the discharge of her domestic duties. Even her recreations are identified with home. If she walks abroad for the air, she wishes for the company of her husband; or, if his engagements preclude this gratification, she observes and collects whatever she thinks will gratify him: as her family comes on, they become her companions.

The cultivation of a garden is one of the most innocent and rational recreations, and peculiarly suited to a married woman; because it affords her air and exercise, without taking her away from home. Then there are intellectual pleasures. To an intelligent and affectionate couple, it seems superfluous to recommend the fireside enjoyment of reading together, and blending their observations on books. If a young wife has ability and leisure, she will, perhaps, gratify her husband, as well as herself, by cultivating her taste for elegant accomplishments, or scientific pursuits. These, together with social intercourse and benevolent activity, will furnish abundant recreation for the matron, whose circumstances leave her most of leisure to pursue them. It will require the exercise of Christian discretion and moderation to keep them within proper bounds, in subserviency to every known duty, and in rivalry with none; and a right-minded young woman, who thus regulates her engagements, will most likely soon forget expressly to seek recreation. She will find her pleasures in her duties, and her recreation in passing from one duty to another.

CHAPTER X.

OUTWARD CIRCUMSTANCES-PROSPERITY-ADVERSITY

-SICKNESS-BEREAVEMENT-WIDOWHOOD.

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THIS is a changing world; and though the great duties of any particular relation in life are substantially the same, they are somewhat modified by difference or change of circumstances. racter is drawn out by circumstances. racter of a wife peculiarly so; and it exerts a most important influence on all around her. How immensely important is it, that she should be actuated by Christian principles, and that in every varying scene she should be enabled to display their efficacy; that she should leave those who observe her no room to doubt, that she is passing through the world as a stranger and pilgrim, born from above, and bound for glory! Solicitous not so much about the accommodation of the way, but that she may have a useful residence in the world, a safe passage through it, and a happy passage out of it into everlasting life.

Are the circumstances of the family prosperous? It is hers to cultivate, and exemplify, and diffuse a spirit of Christian humility, moderation, benevolence, and superiority to the world. To her

influence it will, under God, be mainly attributable if the family is preserved from being conformed to this world, in its pomps and vanities, its pride and luxury, and forgetfulness of God. If a due sense of responsibility is cherished; if the uncertain and unsatisfying nature of worldly possessions is not only acknowledged in words, but habitually acted upon; if the prevalence of that faith which overcomes the world, and of a spirit of watchfulness and prayer against its temptations be manifest if these happy dispositions, and this holy consistency, pervade a family, it will almost invariably be found, that its female head is a woman, not only of decided, but of eminent piety, and that her quiet but holy influence distils like the dew, and sheds a blessing through all the happy circle. Hers is the spirit of cheerful, holy gratitude, that recognises the hand of God in all, and receives all as his gift, to be employed for his honour. She desires that the Lord may be honoured with the substance of worldly possessions, and with the first-fruits of all increase; and she cultivates and encourages the confidence, that so shall the barns be filled with plenty, and that blessing of the Lord abound towards the family which makes rich, and adds no sorrow. Hers is the spirit of active, considerate, zealous beneficence. She suggests and carries out many a scheme of usefulness, and encourages many a liberal device, which, had she been otherwise minded, would never have existed, or would soon have withered and died. How great are the responsibilities of the female head of a prosperous family--to God, the Author and Giver of pros

perity-to her husband and family, the sharers of her prosperity; that her example and influence may lead and stimulate them to receive, and employ, and improve it wisely and faithfully-to society at large, that all the good, temporal and spiritual, may be diffused through her instrumentality, for which the means are put into her power to herself, that she use the world as not abusing it; and, amidst all her prosperity, have her affections set above!

But it may be that, instead of prosperity and success, the young reader and her beloved partner may be called to suffer adversity and disappointment. Here, then, her duties are not less peculiar, and binding, and important. Often will it devolve on her to soothe the troubled mind of her husband, and win him to submission and acquiescence in the Divine dispensation. Does history celebrate the fortitude of Arria, who, under a false sense of honour, plunged a dagger into her own bosom, and then presented it to her husband, saying, with her dying breath, "Pætus, it is not painful?" and shall not the Christian female display a nobler heroism, and when the providence of God presents the cup of adversity and privation, cheerfully accommodate herself to circumstances, and say to him who shares them with her, "The cup that our Father giveth us, shall we not drink it? Sweetened by his love and sympathy, it is not bitter."

It is said, that "a brother is born for adversity," and truly it might be said, that a wife is also. The season of adversity and affliction is peculiarly calculated to call forth the female character, and to show a man the real value of his conjugal pos

session. Some women, under such circumstances, give way to murmurings, repinings, and reproaches; and, like the wife of Job, add bitterness to the cup of affliction, and even endeavour to infuse into it the poison of sin. How cruelly were Job's afflictions aggravated by the conduct of his wife! and how much did it tend to ruffle his spirit, and lead him to join her in rebellion against God! Happily, the temptation did not prevail; Job was enabled to maintain his submission and resignation to the afflicting hand of God; but his wife was degraded in his esteem: he regarded her as one of the foolish women," and his greatest cross instead of his greatest comfort, Job ii. 9, 10.

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But there are other women, whose worth was never known till they were brought into circumstances of affliction and privation. Many a husband has been agonized at the thought of a beloved wife becoming the sharer in his afflictions ; a wife, perhaps, brought up in the lap of ease and indulgence, and little inured to trial. He has dreaded to communicate to her the distressing secret that was rankling in his own bosom, that soon the family must part with the various elegances and comforts to which they have been accustomed, and descend into circumstances of destitution and obscurity. But, instead of producing the overwhelming distress and agitation which he apprehended, the tidings have been received with calmness and submission. Far from murmuring at sharing the afflictions of her partner, she has been concerned to pour consolation into his mind, to reconcile him to the dispensation, and, with promptitude and energy before unknown, to make