Blanche started from her seat, and threw herself before him; Sebastian bent towards her, and holding her against his breast in the lovely attitude in which she had placed herself, he resumed his discourse. “Cultivate this self-government which ennobles you thus in a parent’s eyes!--O my daughter, self-government is dignity, is happiness, is dominion!--’tis the secret of disarming adversity of its sting--’tis the virtue which comprehends all others--’tis that which will entitle you to a crown in Heaven!--Had I been like thee, my child, at this instant I should have nothing to reproach myself with; I should have been dwelling in the house of my fathers, and I should not have had to send my innocent Blanche into a faithless world in search of that possession which my folly threw away.” He stopt, and several deep sighs followed his words. Blanche kissed his hand with repressed ardour; her timid voice trembled as she spoke. “You have profited by your chastisements, dearest father, or how should I have become the character you praise?--ah me! shall I always remain so? your virtues have sprung up out of your trials; and mine perhaps may die under them.” Struck with the justice of this observation, and charmed with the salutary humility which it proved, her gratified father pursued the theme she had begun, and discoursing on principles and passions, on trials and temptations, forgot the lapse of time. Kara Aziek’s voice near the windows of the apartment in which they sat, roused him to recollection, and taking Blanche by the hand, he went forth to join her mother. By the same impulse, Kara Aziek and her daughter pressed each other in their arms without speaking; Sebastian approached, and drew them towards him! he too was silent: after some moments of extreme emotion, they recovered themselves, and rose from this sad embrace. The faces of Kara Aziek and Blanche were bathed in tears, that of Sebastian was pale, but more composed. As if by tacit agreement, no one ventured to speak of the only subject that engrossed their thoughts: their conversation was serious, and interrupted by long pauses, but it was evidently connected with their most interesting reflections. Not till she was alone with her daughter, a few days previous to her departure, had Kara Aziek courage to name the trial they were about to encounter: at this instant fortitude forsook her, and the weeping Blanche beheld for the first time, her gentle and hitherto patient mother, given up to an agony of despair. Periods like these, are not those in which human comfortings avail: the soul must seek and find its comforter in itself. It must be habituated to believe that all the decrees of Heaven are wise and good; then will sorrow gradually subside, and a consolation past utterance will succeed to distraction. Experience had taught this most precious lesson to Kara Aziek; for often had she had occasion to feel in her own person, and through that of her husband, that