till she could undeceive me without giving
me too much pain. What mystery is this?"

"March 7th. Alfred announces his unalterable
determination to marry Julia. I read the letter
to papa directly. He was silent for a long time:
and then said, 'All the worse for both of them.'
It was all I could do to suppress a thrill of
carnal complacency at the thought this might in
time pave the way to another union. Even to
think of that now is a sin. 1 Cor. vii., 20-4,
plainly shows that whatever positionD of life we
are placed in, there it is our duty to abide. A
child, for instance, is placed in subjection to her
parents; and must not leave them without their
consent."

"March 8th. Sent two cups of cold water to
two fellow-pilgrims of mine on the way to
Jerusalem, viz.: to E. H., Rom. viii. 1; to Mrs.
M., Philipp. ii. 27.

Prayed for increase of humility. I am so
afraid my great successE in His vineyard has
seduced me into feeling as if there was a spring
of living water in myself, instead of every drop
derived from the true fountain."

"March 9th. Dr. Wycherley closeted two hours
with papa—papa had sent for him, I find. What
is it makes me think that man is no true friend
to Alfred in his advice? I don't like these
roundabout speakers: the lively oracles are not
roundabout."

"March 10th. My beloved friend and fellow-
labourer, Charlotte D——, ruptured a blood-
vesselX at 3 P.M., and was conveyed in the chariots
of angels to the heavenly banqueting house, to go
no more out. May I be found watching."

"March 11th. Dreadfully starved with these
afternoon sermons. If they go on like this, I
really must stay at home, and feed upon the
word."

"March 12th. Alfred has written to his
trustees, and announced his coming marriage,
and told them he is going to settle all his money
upon the Dodds. Papa quite agitated by this
news: it did not come from Alfred; one of the
trustees wrote to papa. Oh, the blessing of
Heaven will never rest on this unnatural
marriage. Wrote a faithful letter to Alfred while
papa was writing to our trustee."

"March 13th. My book on Solomon's Song
now ready for publication. But it is so difficult
now-a-days to find a publisher for such a subject.
The rage is for sentimental sermons, or else for
fictionF  under a thin disguise of religious
biography."

"March 14th. Mr. Plummer, of whose zeal
and unction I had heard so much, was in the
town and heard of me, and came to see me by
appointment just after luncheon. Such a sweet
meeting. He came in and took my hand, and in
that posture prayed that the Holy Spirit might be
with us to make our conversation profitable to us,
and redound to His glory. Poor man, his wife
leads him a cat and dog life, I hear, with her
jealousy. We had a sweet talk; he admires
Canticles almost as much as I doZ: and has
promised to take my book and get it cast on the
LordG for me."

"March 15th. To please, one must not be
faithfulH. Miss L., after losing all her relations,
and at thirty years of age, is to be married next
week. She came to me and gushed out about
the blessing of having at last one earthly friend
to whom she could confide everything. On this
I felt it my duty to remind her she might lose
him by death, and then what a blank! and I was
going on to detach her from the arm of flesh,
when she burst out crying and left me abruptly;
couldn't bear the truth, poor woman.

In the afternoon met him and bowed, and
longed to speak, but thought it my duty not to:
cried bitterly on reaching home."

"March 17th. Transcribed all theI texts on
Solomon's Song. It seems to be the way HeJ
has marked out for me to serve him."

"March 19th. Received this letter from Alfred:

'Dear Jane,—I send you a dozen kisses and a
piece of advice; learn more; teach less: study
more; preach less: and don't be in such a hurry
to judge and condemn your intellectual and moral
superiors, on insufficient information.
                  Your affectionate brother,
                                                  ALFRED.'

A poor return for me loving his soul as my own.
I do but advise him the self-denial I myself
pursue. Woe be to him if he rejects it."

"March 20th. A perverse reply from J. D.
I had proposed we should plead for our parents
at the Throne. She says she fears that might
seem like assuming the office of the mediator:
and besides her mother is nearer Heaven than
she is. What blindness! I don't know a more
thoroughly unhealthy mind than poor Mrs.K
Dodd's. I am learning to pray walking. Got
this idea from Mr. Plummer. How closely he
walks! his mind so exactly suits mine."

"March 22nd. Alfred returned. Went to meet
him at the station. How bright and handsome
he looked! He kissed me so affectionately; and
was as kind and loving as could be: I, poor
unfaithful wretch, went hangingM on his arm and
had not the heart to dash his carnal happiness
just then.

He is gone there."

"March 24th. Stole into Alfred's lodging when
he was out; and, after prayer, pinned Deuteronomy
xxvii. 16, Proverbs xiii. 1, and xv. 5, and
Mark vii. 10, upon his bed-curtains."

"March 25th. Alfred has been in my room,
and nailed Matthew vii. 1, Mark x. 7, and Ezek.
xviii. 20, on my wall. He found my diary, and
has read it, not to profit by, alas! but to scoff."

[Specimen of Alfred's comments. N.B.
Fraternal criticism:

A. Nolo Episcopari.

B. It's an ill wind that blows nobody good.

D. The old trick; picking one text, straining
it; and ignoring six. So then nobody, who is not
born married, must get married.

E. Recipe. To know people's real estimate of