ation to Henry in the strongest manner; and I never,
under any circumstances, will consent to see her relations,
who have behaved, in my opinion, as ill as possible in
hurrying on this marriage.

"Some time hence, it may be advisable to notice his wife; and,
for his sake, to try as much as possible to withdraw her from
the society and the influence of her relations; but this will
be a subject for after-consideration.

"And now, my dear Mary, God bless you. I feel for you, as I
know you will for me, in this unpleasant affair. I hope your
beautiful Ellen will not take to heart this abominable
marriage. Mr. Middleton was perfectly right in preventing her
from throwing herself away on that worthless brother of yours;
but I wish with all my heart they had eloped together.

"Your affectionate Father,

"William Lovell."

Mrs. Tracy's letter was as follows:--

"Madam,

"The announcement of Mr. Lovell's marriage with my
grand-daughter, Alice, will probably have surprised you
disagreeably. As he has, I find, written by this day's post to
communicate it to you, I take the liberty of addressing to you
a few lines on the subject. I grieve that myself or any one
belonging to me should be the means of causing you grief or
annoyance. But, Madam, remember who it was that said, 'Judge
not, and you shall not be judged; condemn not, and you shall
not be condemned.' Obey that injunction now, and visit not the
sins of others on an angel of goodness and purity,--the dust
of whose feet, some whom you cherish in your bosom are not
worthy to wipe off. I love you, Mrs. Middleton, and would not
willingly give you pain; but do not try me too severely by
ill-usage of that child, whom my dying son bequeathed to me,
and who is now your brother's wife. As God will judge one day
betwixt you and me, be kind to her; her presence and her
prayers may sanctify your home, and bring down a blessing on
your head. If you are tempted to say in your heart, 'Why did
this angel of goodness and purity consent to a secret
marriage?--why did this saint, whose prayers are to bring down
a blessing on our home, enter our family without our
sanction?'--if you are tempted to say this, Mrs. Middleton--yet
say it not. Alice has lived alone with her flowers, and
with her Bible. She has never opened a novel; she has never
conversed with any one but me, and with him who is now her
husband, and that but little. She knows nothing of the world
and its customs. She