not cook the simplest meal of victuals, and she was wholly unqualified to superintend the affairs of her household. The consequence was that her house was always in confusion, and that she was worried continually with bad help. Having early acquired a love for dress, and parties, and show, it was extremely burdensome to her to take the supervision of her household affairs, and she entrusted nearly all to the care of her domestics. Being extremely vain, she had a great desire to equal her most fashionable acquaintances in all that was showy. One servant was not enough for her ladyship. Though her family consisted of her husband and one child, she must have a housekeeper, a cook, a nurse, and a colored man to attend the door, the table, &c.! Quite a troop to take charge of three persons!

Mr. Harley was a sensible man, and had not much sympathy with the vain notions of his wife. He often remonstrated against her extravagances, and faithfully pointed out the evils under which they were suffering. But his wife was set, and determined to have her own way. He, therefore, yielded till he found that his home was a scene of waste, that he was the prey of dishonest domestics, and that unless his expenses were curtailed he should soon become a bankrupt. He resolved on reforms. He dismissed the housekeeper, and sent for a relative, famed for her domestic economy, to come and superintend his household affairs. The following extract will show the sad condition in which she found things on her arrival, and the difference between keeping house and house keeping.

"Just at this time Aunt Ruth arrived. Mrs. Harley received her with more cordiality than she felt, having no very great desire that her husband's aunt should witness such poor specimens of housekeeping as would everywhere meet her in the house. Mr. Harley was truly delighted to see her.

6

"Aunt Ruth was not one of your overbearing, fault-finding managers, who assert that things ought not to be done so and so,' but with great gentleness she moved from one place to another, directing here, and assisting there, until she found all her aims accomplished. She proceeded upon such a delightful and easy system, that she seldom changed her help unless they married or died; thus she had acquired the reputation of being a perfect mistress of a family.' To pass a few weeks with her nephew at this time was no very enviable situation; but, assuming no airs, and feeling that she had come into the family for a short time only, and for the express purpose of making herself useful, she had a conversation with Mr. Harley and his wife the very evening she arrived, part of which I will narrate.

"I saw, William,' she began, 'by the tenor of your letter, that you were troubled with faithless servants. Why is it I hear so much about difficulties of this kind in this city? I scarcely see a lady who does not tell me some pitiful tale of her servants' prodigality, want of order and system; of their faithlessness when she is out; of their deceit or theft, and sometimes of their intemperate habits. To me all this is a perfect

riddle, for I never had such trials in my thirty-seven years' housekeeping.'

6

Because you live in the country,' said Mrs. Harley, where servants are better than they are here: they have no temptations to do wrong there.'

66 6

They fear to do it, more likely,' said Mr. Harley, under the eye of such a mistress.'

66 6

No, I think that is not all, William,' said Aunt Ruth; 'I think a part of the trouble results from the employers as well as the employed. Ladies are not sufficiently interested in domestic life; they feel as though it were a weight which they could throw off upon their domestics. Their mothers have been unfaithful in not requiring them to take a part in superintending in their father's family before they enter upon one of their own; and, consequently, they feel as though it were a kind of menial labor, unbecoming their station; while the truth is, by this neglect they become the servants of those whom they employ. I have heard such people often laughed at by the very help in whom they repose all their confidence.'

66 6

well; very

Well, for my part,' said Mrs. Harley, 'I do think it is perfect drudgery to oversee one's affairs; besides, servants always detest those bustling women who are forever looking after them. I should have changed much oftener than I have, had my eyes followed them about their employment. Mrs. Hopkins, my last housekeeper, used to say, Keep yourself up stairs, Mrs. Harley, and your help will do but come down among them, and you lose your dignity at once.' "Who made that remark, my dear?' inquired Aunt Ruth, mildly. "A designing, artful woman,' answered Mr. Harley, without giving his wife time to speak; one to whom we intrusted everything, but who abused our confidence, and whose artifices I was just exposing to my wife as you came in.' Here he gave her the particulars of the grocer's account, and some other deceptions he had discovered.

"But why,' said Aunt Ruth, did you have a housekeeper? Was Mrs. Harley ill, or did she find the cares too great for her?'

"Neither,' said Mr. Harley; 'I suppose she found it fashionable to keep one for appearance' sake. I am sure I saw no good she did. However, I think we have both been taught by experience that we had better be our own housekeepers.' ”—pp. 103-106.

The labors of Aunt Ruth were entirely successful. One reform after another was effected, till the home of Mr. Harley became orderly and happy. His wife, too, soon learned her duties, and acquired a taste for their performance. The great change she experienced may be seen by the following extracts of a letter, addressed to her Aunt, to whom she owed infinitely more than to her mother.

"I believe I never told you to what cause I attributed the superficial mode of thinking I once indulged. When I first entered the world, or 'came out,' as the phrase is, I was too much flattered. I was literally surfeited by the praise of my charms. These I magnified and dwelt upon until I was weak enough to believe them all sufficient.

66

My kitchen was of course beneath my notice, provided my wants

could be supplied; the improvidence of the servants did not disturb me at all, my main object being to move in the fashionable world. And yet that life now appears to me, as I reflect upon it, the most unenviable. I was continually tormenting myself about trifles. If a house was furnished more fashionably than my own, if my acquaintances were more richly dressed, I would worry myself and William about it till I obtained his consent to similar extravagance. This made me a restless, unhappy being; for who that becomes such a slave does not see something to covet which another possesses ?"

"Now I look upon the past as time wasted that I have need to redouble my diligence to fold defects. My duties are now my pleasures. a wife and mother are viewed, I trust, as a them.

*

and misused, and feel atone in part for maniThe responsibilities of Christian should regard

"I have laid aside my novels, and give my leisure to those more profitable books which enlighten the understanding and improve the heart. I devote to my child and my husband those evenings I once frittered away in the gay assembly, and William bids me add that, as you made your first visit when we were only 'KEEPING HOUSE,' he desires you to come and find us HOUSE KEEPING.'

"Your affectionate niece,

"MARY HARLEY."

From the foregoing meagre view of the work before us, it will be seen, that it points out some of the principal evils of domestic life. These evils can be chiefly traced to the erroneous training of young ladies. They are taught only the fashionable accomplishments. They are not instructed at all in the duties that will devolve upon them as the heads of families. It is strange that parents can be so blind, that they can be so misled by a love of show and the pride of fashion. We hope that a reform will be effected here; and that instead of being trained for vain show, they will be trained for the high stations they will be called to fill.

O. A. S.

ELDER TUB, AND THE OLD MAN OF THE HILL SIDE.

Our thanks are due to Mr. Tompkins for a copy of a work entitled "Adventures of Elder Triptolemus Tub, comprising important and startling disclosures concerning hell; its magnitude, morals, employments, climate, &c., all very satisfactorily authenticated. To which is added, the Old Man of the Hill Side." Like all the publications of Mr. Tompkins, this book is very neat. It is printed on good paper, and bound in Mr. Bradley's best style, who does work far better than any other man with whom we are acquainted. The book contains 200 18mo. pages, and contains three engravings illustrative of scenes in the Adventures of Elder Tub.

Triptolemus Tub! There is nothing very significant, poetical, or euphonious in that name; and we cannot imagine why it should have been given to the character whose adventures the writer describes ! Tub! Triptolemus Tub! Who would care about the adventures of an Elder with such a name? We, however, beg our readers not to condemn the book on account of the Elder's name. That is really a trifling circumstance. His adventures are the main subjects of interest, and be assured they are truly marvellous.

We question the propriety of introducing an apparition in the way that Shadrach Paddle is introduced, especially in a work that would be likely to be read by children. We fear that it will perpetuate foolish superstitions, and cause the young to dwell upon fancies rather than realities. Custom, we know, is against our judgment; but we have not much respect for a custom that had its origin in degrading superstitions. Paddle, we grant, is a shrewd fellow, and makes Elder Tub's creed appear in a bad light. With such adroitness does he expose popular errors, and so entirely satisfactory are his exposures, that in reading the adventures of the Elder, we often felt as though Paddle was really a useful character, and as though his services could not be dispensed with. It must be confessed, that, in the adventures of Elder Tub there are to be found some of the best home thrusts against the errors of the popular theology that can be found in any work on our religion. No man can read these adventures and have much respect for any form of Partialism, even though he may be certain that the apparition of Mr. Paddle is wholly an imaginary being, and his disclosures had better been made in some other way.

The story of "THE OLD MAN OF THE HILL SIDE," though it does not exhibit more vigor of thought and aptness at illustration than the other, will, we think, be the more popular of the two. The old man is like thousands in our country. He has strong good sense, great conscientiousness and benevolence, and can clearly distinguish between pretence and piety, error and truth. Besides, he has an independence that prompts him to expose the hypocrisy and cant of the religionists about him. He has strong religious feelings, and these, with his great good sense, prevent his falling into infidelity. Most men, situated like him, would become downright infidels. They would go off to the opposite extreme. They would judge from the grasping selfishness, the mock seriousness, and the general hypocrisy of the pretended Christians of their acquaintance, that religion was utterly valueless. But the Old Man of the Hill Side judged not thus. He would not condemn religion because its friends dishonored it; or the ministry, because min

isters were wolves in sheep's clothing. Happy would it be for others, if they were as consistent.

The above work is from the pen of Br. George Rogers, one of the ablest writers in our Israel.

"DUTIES OF PARENTS."

The third edition of this work has just been issued by Mr. Tompkins. This edition is got up in a much better style than either of the preceding ones. The duties of parents are among the most important duties of life. Solomon says, Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it. All history proves the truth of this remark, and yet few are the parents who act as though the training of their children had any effect upon their course in life. Universalists are sadly deficient in this particular. They do not teach their religion as they should to their children; they do not guard them against evil influences as they should; neither do they seek as they should the developement of their moral nature. We wish all Universalist parents would ask themselves such questions as the following, viz. : Am I giving my children a religious education? Do I set before them a good example? Do I send them regularly to Sabbath School, and make suitable exertions to have them go with good lessons? Do I require them to keep the Sabbath as they should? Am I making due efforts to prevent their falling into evil habits?

The work before us is highly recommended by ministers of several denominations,—Universalists, Unitarians, Congregationalists, Baptists, and Methodists. It is entirely free from sectarianism. Price 371⁄2 cents.

"THE UNIVERSALIST'S ASSISTANT."

A work bearing the above title, from the pen of Br. D. Forbes, has just been published by Mr. Tompkins, No. 38, and Mr. Mussey, No. 29 Cornhill. It contains 234 18mo. pages, and its mechanical execution is in all respects excellent. The object of the work is to examine the principal objections commonly urged against Universalism. Though it contains nothing particularly new, it will be found highly useful as a reference book, and will be a great aid to inquirers, and those called to repel attacks made upon our religion. It contains many valuable quotations from standard writers and lexicographers, on the words usually supposed to teach the eternity of misery. The work is written in ⚫ a spirit of great candor. Price 50 cents.