mighty should roar, though the winds in their wanderings should overturn the proud castle of your ambition, there is a voice heard louder than the tempest's howling, one which no worldly mortification can still, no disappointment overwhelm; there is left to the sufferer the approval of a good conscience. Wherefore it is, Lady di Lucia, all high minds love to give liberty to the chained negro, that his soul, unfettered by the mortifying thoughts of the chained body, may have freedom to follow the dictates which the all-guiding voice of conscience instils into his imaginings. There is something repulsive to virtue in slavery; it is when the heart, mind, and body are free, that we feel most acutely the all-wise and bountiful power of our Creator. You say your slaves do not know the meaning of the word freedom. Possibly not yet; but tell me, know they not too bitterly the mean

ing of the word slavery - not only the word, but every letter which constitutes its whole part? Their tongues can express the word, their writhing bodies can bear testimony to its rigour; their weary souls longing to be at rest, must daily, hourly, remind them of the gall of their existence."

"But," said Anna, "does this prove they will know how to value freedom ?"

They will soon know it. Oh, freedom is a word which sounds sweetly upon the human ears; it thrills through each warm pulse of the heart. There is freedom in Nature; there is freedom amidst the plants which grow in unchecked luxuriance on the green sward; there is freedom amongst the choral songsters of the groves; there is freedom on earth, and freedom in the air. Oh, then, how sweet the same affinity to the Negro, how beatified the words, We are

free!"

Oh, I have been taught so differently," said Anna; "I am taught to believe there is a necessity for all men to be kept subservient to each other by different grades. I know that we all grasp at freedom as the sweet fruit shrined in the garden of Hesperides, but I apprehend, like my guardian, much wrong from the freedom of those whose understandings are very limited."

"The Negroes are fearfully ignorant," said the governor; " that cannot be denied."

Anna cast her eyes to the ground musingly; she thought that many efforts might have been made on her guardian's part to ameliorate the condition of his slaves, but still that native pride which chequered the growth of Anna's virtues kept her from acknowledging all the justice of the worthy governor's words.

On his part the nobleman did not interrupt the young girl's reverie; he fondly

hoped that his words were sinking in that wilful heart; for a man of intellectual virtue cannot bear the idea of youth coupled with excessive beauty going ignorantly astray; he feels, probably, how beautiful would be the tout ensemble if the bijou were perfect, if the gem of the heart within were as lovely as the rich casket.

At length the guests departed; Anna affectionately thanked the governor for his patience with her; the house was quiet, and Anna sought her own chamber. Almost bitterly she surveyed herself in the large mirror before her, wondering if there were not more beautiful beings who could captivate her guardian. Poor girl, it was no vanity if she silently confessed she did look lovely. The chaplet of white roses twined round her jet black hair, softened the lustre of those Italian eyes, and her slender form, shrouded in its ample azure drapery, was most graceful and interesting.

With a sinking sigh she withdrew from the mirror. "Am I only twenty," she thought, "I feel older than that."

Dismissing her maid, she buried her face in her jewelled hands, whilst many thoughts crowded through her brain, and she vainly endeavoured to feel less wretched.

With all a woman's keen penetration, she felt assured that Cunnington was already in love with her, she knew it would be wrong to encourage him, and she had not courage to act as she ought.

To marry the baron was her destinyher reason whispered it was; for to marry without his consent was a baseness no power of young love would ever make her guilty of. She owed the baron gratitude; and she was too proud to have incurred an obligation, and to return it by ingratitude.

How she could have loved him in his