r for a while it may appear
so. Suffering is the plough which turns up the field of the soul, into
whose deep furrows the all-wise Husbandman scatters his heavenly seed;
and in Leonore, also, it already began to sprout, although, as yet, only
under the earth. She was not aware of it herself yet; but all that she
experienced in life, together with the spirit which prevailed in her
family, had already awakened the beauty of her soul. She was possessed
of deep feeling, and the consciousness of her many wants made her, by
degrees, the most unpretending and humble of human beings; and these are
virtues which, in private life, cannot be exceeded. If you come near a
person of this character, the influence on you is as if you came out of
the sun's heat into refreshing shadow: a soft coolness is wafted over
your soul, which refreshes and tranquillises you at the same time.

In the period at which we have now to meet Leonore, she had just
recovered from the scarlet fever, which had left behind it such an
obstinate and oppressive headache as compelled her almost constantly to
remain in her own room; and although her parents and her sisters visited
her there, it afforded her but little pleasure, for as yet she had not
learned how, by goodness and inward kindness, to make herself agreeable
to others.

But, poor Leonore! when I see thee sitting there in deep thought, thy
weak head supported by thy hand, sunk in sorrowful reflections, I am
ready to lay thy head on my bosom, and to whisper a prophesying in thy
ear--but this may as well remain to a future time. We leave thee now,
but will return another time to thy silent chamber.

And now step forth, thou, the joy and ornament of home, the beautiful

EVA!

Eva was called in the family, "our rose," "our beauty." There are many
in the world like Eva, and it is well that it is so; they are of a
pleasing kind. It is delightful to look upon these blooming young girls,
with smiles on their lips, and goodness and joy of life beaming from
their beautiful eyes. All wish them so well, and they wish so well to
all; everything good in life seems as if it came from themselves. They
have favourable gales in life--it was so with Eva. Even her weakness, a
desire to please, which easily went too far, and an instability of
character which was very dangerous to her, exhibited themselves only on
their pleasing side, within the circle of her family and of her
acquaintance, and helped to make her mor