you that still my wonder grew that one small head could carry all you knew.'"

Sara took no notice; neither blushed nor smiled at the compliment.

"You have a great quantity of books," said Henry, taking up two or three from the table. "I suppose, you subscribe to some library in London ?"

"Yes;" said Margaret at last, as Sara would not answer.

"And do you read a great deal?"

Yes, I think a good deal, for we have so much time, especially in the winter. But I am afraid that we don't profit much by it-at least, I mean that I don't-Sara does; it does not make me a bit more sensible, does it, Mr. Wilmott?" and she looked up in the old man's face.

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No, my dear," he replied fondly, "I can't say that it does."

"I don't think one ever learns much sense from books," said Henry; "that has always been my opinion."

"Sir," cried Mr. Wilmott, in astonishment, and fixing on his spectacles, that he might look

well in the face of a person capable of such an observation, "I have always been of opinion that reading is the noblest employment of the human mind.”

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"A very amusing employment, I dare say; but I don't think you will find that reading ever made a stupid person clever."

"I would not use those words; but you are wrong, my dear Mr. Bruce,"-excitement was coming on; "utterly wrong!-cultivation is to be held in the highest admiration — out of the rough stone it makes the polished marble."

"You ought to know a great deal better than I do, so I will not contradict you; but it has always seemed to me that observation of men and manners makes a much more agreeable and enlarged mind than mere reading can do. But I am not a great reader myself; so my opinion may be a prejudiced one."

"Prejudiced, my dear young friend!—you are indeed, you strike at the very root of life" He spoke in a most melancholy tone"Who should I see, who should I converse with, if it were not for my books!-I, who have been accustomed to say—

'My thoughts are with the dead: with them
I live in long past years;

Their virtues love, their faults condemn―
Partake their hopes and fears;

And from their lessons seek and find
Instruction, with an humble mind.""

"I retract, Mr. Wilmott," said Henry; “at least, I will say that those who read in such a spirit do gain a great deal by what they read."

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They do, they do." Still in a most melancholy tone," they gain everything-knowledge, goodness, happiness. My dear Miss Margaret, what do you say to this strange man's opinions?"

"I really don't know," said Margaret, smiling; "he has disordered all my ideas — I have always till now been under the impression that I was doing a very virtuous act, when I read a good deal in the day."

"So you are, my dear, so you are; don't let your ideas be disordered."

Sara looked up-she could not refrain. "Are not you and Mr. Bruce both right?" she said. "It must be useful, it must improve the mind to read; for by reading we learn what could

not be learned by observation; but, unless we apply what we read to what we see-Mr. Bruce is right-the mere reading is no profit; the mind is as weak as it was in the beginning." For a moment she forgot herself, and her face brightened as she spoke, but only for an instant.

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True, true, my dear," said Mr. Wilmott, you speak like a Solon. Well, Mr. Bruce, are we agreed, are we friends?"

"Quite friends, I hope," he said, laughing. "If I still have something to say after considering Miss Woodvile's opinion, will you let me have another argument with you?"

"You could not give me greater pleasure,” said the old man, earnestly. "Discussions make me alive, make me young again.'

"What are you all gossiping about?" cried Sir Richard Woodvile, approaching; "here am I left to talk to myself; James is gone to see the kitchen-maid, who has got a headache, and therefore thinks she is going to die, of course. Go and play, one of you, and go and make tea the other, and let me get in one word, if you please."

CHAPTER IX.

And yet, believe me, good as well as ill,
Woman's at best a contradiction still.

POPE.

"Did you ask papa about Miss Grant?" said Margaret Woodvile to her sister, the following morning at breakfast.

Sara shook her head.

"Miss Grant desired Mr. Bruce to ask us to go to luncheon to-day; do you like us to go, papa?"

"Do you like to go, my darling?"

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Yes, papa, if Sara has no objection."

Then, go, by all means, and give my compliments to Miss Grant, and tell her that we liked her young man very much, and that we hope he will soon come again. Wilmott, will you squire the girls? You seemed curious about Miss Grant, the other day."

"It will make me perfectly happy," said