was calculated to extinguish the fire of invention. She thought also that there

were occasions where a harmless falsehood might not only be pardonable, but laudable. But then she allowed, that a falsehood to be allowed must be inoffensive."

Mr. Stanley said, "that an inoffensive falsehood was a perfect anomaly. But allowing it possible, that an individual'instance of deceit might be passed over, which however he never could allow, yet one successful falsehood, on the plea of doing good, would necessarily make way for another, till the limits which divide right and wrong would be completely broken down and every distinction between. truth and falsehood be utterly confounded. If such latitude were allowed, even to obtain some good purpose, it would gradually debauch all human intercourse. The smallest deviation would naturally induce a pernicious habit, endanger the security of society, and violate an express law of God."

"There

"There is no tendency," said Sir John Belfield, "more to be guarded against among young persons of warm hearts and lively imaginations. The feeling will think falsehood good if it is meant to do good, and the fanciful will think it justifiable if it is ingenious."

Phoebe, in presenting her father with a dish of coffee, said in a half whisper, "surely, Papa, there can be no harm in speaking falsely on a subject where I am ignorant of the truth."

"There are occasions, my dear Phœbe," replied her father, "in which ignorance itself is a fault. Inconsiderateness is always one. It is your duty to deliberate before you speak. It is your duty not to deceive by your negligence in getting at the truth; or by publishing false information as truth, though you have reason to suspect it may be false. You well know who it is that associates him that loveth a lie, with him that maketh it."

"But, Sir," said Miss Sparkes,

"if by

a falsehood I could preserve a life, or save

my

my country, falsehood would then be meritorious, and I should glory in deceiv ing."

"Persons, Madam," said Mr. Stanley, who, in debate, have a favourite point. to carry, are apt to suppose extreme cases which can and do very rarely, if ever occur. This they do in order to compel the acquiescence of an opponent to what ought never to be allowed. It is a proud and fruitless speculation. The infinite power of God can never stand in need of the aid of a weak mortal to help him out in his difficulties. If he sees fit to preserve the life, or to save the country, he is not driven to such shifts. Omnipotence can extricate himself, and accomplish his own purposes, without endangering an im

mortal soul."

Miss Sparkes took her leave soon after in order, as she said, to go to the stables and take the Groom's opinion. Mr. Stanley insisted that her carriage should be brought round to the door, to which we all attended her. He inquired which was the lame horse. Instead

Instead of answering, she went directly. up to the animal, and after patting him with some technical jockey phrases, she fearlessly took up his hind leg, carefully examined the foot, and while she continued standing in what appeared to the ladies a perilous, and to me a disgusting situation, she ran over all the terms of the veterinary art with the Groom, and when Miss Stanley expressed some fear of her danger, and some dislike of her coarseness, she burst into a loud laugh, and slapping her on the shoulder, asked her if it was not better to understand' the properties and diseases of so noble an animal, than to waste her time in studying confectionary with old Goody Comfit, or in teaching the Catechism to little ragged beggar-brats?

As soon as she was gone, the lively Phoebe who, her father says, has narrowly escaped being a wit herself, cried out; "well, Papa, I must say that I think Miss Sparkes with all her faults is rather an agreeable woman.” "I grant that she is amusing," returned he, "but I do not allow her to be quite agree

able.

able. Between these, Phoebe, there is a wide distinction. To a correct mind, no one can be agreeable who is incorrect. Propriety is so indispensable to agreeableness, that when a lady allows herself to make any, even the smallest, sacrifice of veracity, religion, modesty, candour, or the decorum of her sex, she may be shining, she may be shewy, she may be amusing, but she cannot, properly speaking, be agreeable. Miss Sparkes, I very reluctantly confess, does sometimes make these sacrifices, in a degree to make her friends look about them, though not in a degree to alarm her own principles. She would not tell a direct falsehood for the world she does not indeed invent, but she embellishes, she enlarges, she exaggerates, she discolours. In her moral grammar there is no positive or comparative degree. Pink with her is scarlet. The noise of a pop> gun is a cannon. A shower is a tempest. A person of small fortune is a beggar. One in easy circumstances a Croesus. A girl, if not perfectly well made, is deformity personified;

VOL. II.

F