d how
sedulously we avoided the petty inconveniences which these duties
involved."

"By kindness," resumed Mr. Stanley, "we gradually gained Lady Aston's
confidence, and of that confidence we have availed ourselves to give
something of a new face to the family. Her daughters, good as they were
dutiful, by living in a solitude unenlivened by books, and unvaried by
improving company, had acquired a manner rather resembling fearfulness
than delicacy. Religious they were, but they had contracted gloomy views
of religion. They considered it as something that must be endured in
order to avoid punishment, rather than as a principle of peace, and
trust, and comfort; as a task to be gone through, rather than as a
privilege to be enjoyed. They were tempted to consider the Almighty as a
hard master, whom however they were resolved to serve, rather than as a
gracious father who was not only loving, but LOVE in the abstract. Their
mother was afraid to encourage a cheerful look, lest it might lead to
levity, or a sprightly thought, for fear it might have a wrong tendency.
She forgot, or rather she did not know, that young women were not formed
for contemplative life. She forgot that in all our plans and operations
we should still bear in mind that there are two worlds. As it is the
fault of too many to leave the _next_ out of their calculation, it was
the error of Lady Aston, in forming the minds of her children, to leave
out _this_. She justly considered heaven as their great aim and end; but
neglected to qualify them for the present temporal life, on the due use
and employment of which so obviously depends the happiness of that which
is eternal.

"Her charities were very extensive, but of these charities her sweet
daughters were not made the active dispensers, because an old servant,
who governed not only the family but her lady also, chose that office
herself. Thus the bounty being made to flow in partial channels, the
woman's relations and favorites almost entirely engrossing it, it did
little comparative good.

"With fair understandings the Miss Astons had acquired very little
knowledge: their mother's scrupulous mind found something dangerous in
every author who did not professedly write on religious subjects. If
there were one exceptionable page in a book, otherwise valuable, instead
of suppressing the page, she suppressed the book. And indeed, my dear
Charles, grieved am I to think how few authors of the more entertaining