affection moving steadily toward its object, she hopes to become his, and to realise, in an everlasting union with him, all that happiness which she sought, all that bliss for which she longed.  His repeated promises confirm her hopes:  embraces and endearments, which increase the ardour of her desires, overmaster her soul.  She floats in a dim, delusive anticipation of her happiness; and her feelings become excited to their utmost tension.  She stretches out her arms finally to embrace the object of all her wishes and her lover forsakes her.  Stunned and bewildered, she stands upon a precipice.  All is darkness around her.  No prospect, no hope, no consolation —­ forsaken by him in whom her existence was centred!  She sees nothing of the wide world before her, thinks nothing of the many individuals who might supply the void in her heart; she feels herself deserted, forsaken by the world; and, blinded and impelled by the agony which wrings her soul, she plunges into the deep, to end her sufferings in the broad embrace of death.  See here, Albert, the history of thousands; and tell me, is not this a case of physical infirmity?  Nature has no way to escape from the labyrinth:  her powers are exhausted:  she can contend no longer, and the poor soul must die.

“Shame upon him who can look on calmly, and exclaim, ’The foolish girl! she should have waited; she should have allowed time to wear off the impression; her despair would have been softened, and she would have found another lover to comfort her.’  One might as well say, ’The fool, to die of a fever! why did he not wait till his strength was restored, till his blood became calm? all would then have gone well, and he would have been alive now.’”

Albert, who could not see the justice of the comparison, offered some further objections, and, amongst others, urged that I had taken the case of a mere ignorant girl.  But how any man of sense, of more enlarged views and experience, could be excused, he was unable to comprehend.  “My friend!” I exclaimed, “man is but man; and, whatever be the extent of his reasoning powers, they are of little avail when passion rages within, and he feels himself confined by the narrow limits of nature.  It were better, then —­ but we will talk of this some other time,” I said, and caught up my hat.  Alas! my heart was full; and we parted without conviction on either side.  How rarely in this world do men understand each other!

August 15.

There can be no doubt that in this world nothing is so indispensable as love.  I observe that Charlotte could not lose me without a pang, and the very children have but one wish; that is, that I should visit them again to-morrow.  I went this afternoon to tune Charlotte’s piano.  But I could not do it, for the little ones insisted on my telling them a story; and Charlotte herself urged me to satisfy them.  I waited upon them at tea, and they are now as fully contented with me as with Charlotte; and I told them