for weeks past. You may think I speak wildly, when you remember my late excess-but one more scene of misery, one more lesson of penitence was necessary to confirm the resolution— and oh! what distraction drove me to it. I can deny myself a few weeks without any great effort, but when appetite is once awakened, none but those who have experienced them, know anything of its pangs. Go to our public institutions of reform, our prisons and our hospitals -they will tell you how the mightiest intellects have yielded to the subtile foe-intellects that have struggled, and striven, and been mastered !'

'But Mr. Clifford, they did not strive long enough; they failed from a want of perseverance. Patient contest will prevail against the mightiest foe-persevering warfare will make you a victor-persevere then, my dear sir, persevere, and let the world know that the monster can be conquered.'

'Do not fear me-the pledge shall never be broken-sooner the silver cord of existencesooner the hopes of eternity!'

Clifford bore the sneers and reproaches of his dram-shop associates with philosophic composure, and urged them with serious and affection

ate earnestness to join with him in instituting a league against the artful foe of their firesides; but he pleaded in vain. A reformed drunkard is truly a rara avis-a new thing under the sun -and far greater in the value of his conquest is that man who subdues his passion for the bacchanalian bowl, than even the conqueror of an empire.

8

CHAPTER IX.

'The only sure foundation of human virtue is religion, and the foundation and first principle of religion is in the belief of the one only God, and a just sense of his attributes.'

MRS. CHAPONE.

'COME, Ellen,' said her father, one Sabbath morning before the ringing of the church-bell, 6 come sit down here and let us reason together. You are something of a philosopher, and a great deal of a christian; now I would ask you, has God given his children any natural appetites which it is wrong for them to measurably gratify? ›

I believe, papa, he has given them certain kinds of appetite to whose gratification he has affixed a penalty. At the same time that he placed in the garden of Eden the tree of forbidden fruit, he gave its occupants an appetite to partake of it. People, however, are too apt to confound the appetites with the laws of nature.'

'Well, Ellen, is not our appetite for food a law of our nature?'

'I think not, papa, itself a law, but connected with a law, to render obedience easy and pleasant. In this connection of pleasure and necessity we have an admirable illustration of the benevolence of our Creator. The laws of nature require obedience, and them suffers the penalty.

whosoever disregards Appetites were given us to make obedience pleasant, and so long as they are faithful to these laws, so long indulgence is safe; but the moment they exceed the limits, that moment we should disclaim their guidance.'

'Then you are not an ultraist in temperance --you think we may safely indulge in moderate drinking?'

'Yes, sir, in moderate drinking of water, or of any simple, wholesome beverage-but not of alcoholic liquors. I believe that any appetite strictly obedient to the moral and physical laws, may be indulged in; but there is no law of our natures which requires us to make use of spiritous drinks—indeed facts prove their use to be very detrimental to our constitutions when in health.'

'Then let me ask you one question more, and if you answer it to my satisfaction you will

be wiser than I am, for it puzzles me confoundedly. Why did God give us appetites which it is unlawful for us to gratify?'

'I think, sir, for subjects upon which to exercise our moral powers-for enemies over whom we may gain the merit of victory. He gave us reason and conscience, noble qualities of mind and heart, and in our weaknesses and wayward propensities, he gave us facilities for their exercise and development.'

'If such was the design of God in my existence, how miserably have I mistaken it. Was his purpose, then, so high, so wise, so good? How you have exalted him in my estimation! given me a vicious appetite that I might show my moral strength in conquering it! made me subject to vanity that I might prove my own greatness in spurning the onerous chains! Why did I not realize it sooner? Alas! when will man learn his kindred to his Maker, and feel himself his son, his image, and his heir?'

'Not, papa, till he learns to look upon him as the Friend and Savior of sinners-not till he feels in his heart that God is not only possessed of all a parent's tenderness toward his offspring, but that that very tenderness infinitely