Vinet here lays down the true principle of a thoroughly good life at home: "Wherever we advance in the path of marriage and of life, with eyes lifted up toward a Saviour we love, with a salvation we hope for, with a spirit of prayer and supplication through which Jesus Christ constantly intervenes by his Spirit between the husband and wife--there, indeed, a marriage may be happy; nay, must be infallibly so. The union between two converted hearts is necessarily sweet and unutterable; without this there is no security." The new home consecrated by prayer--daily prayer--will become what that beautiful home of Sir Thomas More was--"a school and exercise of the Christian religion." THE HOME BEAUTIFUL. Great art is required in making beautiful the new home. The house need not be large and stately in order to be attractive to the eye. More attention has been paid of late in this country to the adornment of homes than in former years. We Americans begin to see, as never before, that the enjoyment of the occupants of a house is in some way connected with the furnishing and general effect. Let every room be used. Let the inner doors be kept wide open. In this way the atmosphere will be uniform and of free circulation; the interior of the house will appear to its full size, and the general effect will be more cheerful. Even the humblest means need not prevent some simple hangings and a few prints on the walls. I would let the sunlight pour into the new home. The old dread that the carpets will get faded and the curtains get spoiled is an abomination. My own habit is, so soon as I get down stairs in the morning--and I am an early riser--to draw aside the curtains, to let the shades fly up, and to throw the sashes wide open. By and by, if from the street this airy appearance is considered a little unfashionable, and those within choose to shut out the sunlight in a measure, I rejoice that I have had my unfashionable way, and the sun has had his golden way, for a while at least. Gladness comes into the house with the blaze of the blessed sun. Let all the rooms share the joy. I suppose a carpet somewhat faded will wear as long as if the colors were fresh. But if the penalty for having bright and sunny rooms is to be some faded carpets and window hangings, let the full penalty be paid, and cheerfully, too. No price is too great for a bright and sunny home.