THE Conjectures we may make are often widely different to the event. And here it is that the historian brings out in the developement circumstances which surprise the expectations of the reader. In this respect we think we shall disappoint the calculations of the young, but perhaps gratify the conclusions of experience. The young generally conclude, that what is commenced in affection and carried forward with increasing esteem, should terminate in a union of the parties. But in this description of "Truth without Fiction," we have a tale to tell of facts between intellectual and considerate persons, where reason rules the dictates of love, and experience prescribes the safer path to comfort and happiness.

Charles and Eugenia had now been upon terms nearer than mere friendship for three months; but this is not surprising, as Eugenia was six years older than Charles; but they had long formed a friendship for each other. They had already interchanged letters on some religious subjects -the difference between Calvinism and Arminianism, as we have already shown. At length Charles requested

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Eugenia to send him her promised letter on friendship; with this request she complied. As the letter is very ori ginal in its sentiments, and was peculiarly suited to Charles's character and circumstances, I here insert it; and there are few readers of taste but will admire the beauty of the composition:

EUGENIA'S LETTER TO CHARLES, ON FRIENDSHIP,

Friend

"The recollection that I once promised to write a theme for the inspection of my learned friend, has never been entirely erased from the tablet of memory: a twofold motive induces me now to lay before him a specimen of my composition, and at length discharge the debt, though my thesis will be changed, and my subjects various. The oné you gave me I have lost, but the one I shall first give myself is of earlier date than yours, and I most sincerely hope and believe will never share the same fate. ship is the important subject to which I allude, and that portion of it existing between us I now particularly wish to examine and to analyze; accustomed to make frequent search into the secret grounds and motives of my sentiments and conduct, I have not permitted the late conversations we have had to pass the vigilant eye of self-examination unnoticed; they very clearly evidence that I have used with you the freedom of a long-tried friendship, both in giving you advice, making various critical remarks, and inducing you to lend me, in its native state, the first composition of yours I ever saw; they also evince that in the latter case you complied with reluctance; when I once applied to you the name of friend, you repeated the word with that degree of expression which novelty excites ; and I can very readily suppose you have been sometimes sur prised at that degree of confidence and freedom I have

used towards you, which my intimate friends ever inspire: because, though it is several years since we became acquainted, the very long intervals of absence, and short opportunities of converse we have had, have been truly unfavourable to the growth of that sentiment which properly deserves the name of friendship; for what is its true foundation and only lasting basis? esteem-from whence does that arise? from a knowledge of merit in the partyhow is that knowledge to be gained but by opportunities of discovering it? In order to prove, therefore, that my friendship is worth having, it requires an explanation ; and consistency requires me to give the motives of my conduct also, that the root and the fruit may both be proved genuine; for extraordinary circumstances alone will justify extraordinary measures. When I trace back to the origin of our acquaintance, I find myself acquainted with the outlines of your character, before I knew you personally; and when I had an opportunity of judging for myself, I discovered good sense, unaffected humility, and the dawnings of a cultivated mind-qualities, which never fail to gain my respect and esteem; thus a basis was formed for friendship, which I have never yet known to change, excepting in stability; but these qualities alone, though admirable, are not sufficient to form a friend whom I can rank in the first class, amongst those that I esteem the excellent of the earth-for, however valuable are natural, and educational advantages, as far as they go, they are but precarious foundations for solid and lasting worth; no, it is the peculiar property of religion alone to render a character truly estimable, it gives stability to principle, and sheds a radiance over the whole mind and condućt. The assurance, therefore, that your mind has long been illumined by divine grace, and that it is daily renewing by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, is the immortal basis of

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my friendship, and the sole cause of that unreserved inte rest I feel in your improvement and concerns; Moam, consequently, justifiable in having treated you with the freedom I should not think of doing any, but those with whom I am on terms of intimacy. I have produced am ple reasons for so doing for though all who believe in the Gospel do not instantaneously excite our brotherly love yet where it is cordially embraced, as the influential motive of our sentiments and actions, it naturally produces a union of mind. I flatter myself, therefore, that on the same ground I shall receive a return of esteem, which, I most sincerely hope ever to possess, and which I highly value. In you I behold a chosen vessel of honour, fitting by our great Master for his use, to publish his name, and proclaim his glorious Gospel to the sons of men. He has, in a peculiar manner, marked you for his own;uand, flike the young Timothy, early gave you the knowledge of the Scriptures. Oh may the epistles of Paul, addressed to his spiritual son, be indelibly written on your heart, and ex emplified in your future life, during the intermediate period when you will go into the world, bearing the sacred character of ambassador from the King of kings to his guilty enemies; may you be indefatigable in storing your mind with every branch of knowledge that can make you wise to win souls to Christ, of every rank and station viewing you in this important light, I most ardently desire your improvement, and, with unceasing watchfulness, would never suffer the most trivialnopportunities to pass without contributing my mite to your increasing stock of knowledge and experience; and when those opportunities no longer occur, the ideas you have, or will gain during your residence amongst us, may still enlarge and adorn your mind; there is little probability, in my opinion, that you will continue here long, and perhaps you may never

again live so near us. I shall consider that as a real deprivation, because there is no substitute of converse I can justifiably adopt; I should much have liked to correspond with you while you were at Oxford, but for various reasons it would have been both improper and impracticable; as the same objections still do and will continue to exist, I must not adopt that mode of improvement and pleasure, but age wears down many obstacles, and perhaps in the course of fifteen or twenty years, if we live so long, when the various stations providence designs for each are fixed, we may, without transgressing the bounds of propriety, enjoy a friendly correspondence, which death only shall interrupt for a while, to be again renewed in the regions of glory in intimate, heavenly, and eternal communion, where we shall indeed be filled with all the fulness of God, infinite and incomprehensible to What words are these! for what a state are we preparing how does, and how ought it to fill our souls with ardour in the contemplation, and inspire us with undaunted courage in the christian warfare! Bought with a price of infinite value, let us daily behold ourselves the peculiar property of Jesus our Saviour, and regard every thought, word, and action, that begins in self, as a robbery from our Redeemer of his own; let us lose ourselves wholly in him, that his will may be ours, our law and supreme delight; that his cause may be our first best care, the object of our jealousy and ardent zeal, which, by every possible means, we should spread, and the spreading of which should be our joy and consolation, and that his heavenly example may be written on our hearts and lives; this is indeed the life and walk of faith! I am each day more convinced that we can never rise to any great attainments in the school of Christ till we study ourselves, and become intimately acquainted with the deceitfulness and desperate wickedness of our