me of us manually
employed, who are at leisure to converse, and if the visit is not very
short, part of it is generally spent in hearing one of the girls read
aloud, who take it by turns through a great part of the day; the only
difference made for this addition to the company is a change of books,
that they may not hear only part of a subject, and begin by a broken
thread. Thus they give no interruption, and therefore neither trouble
us, nor are themselves scrupulous about coming, so that few days pass
without our seeing some of them, though frequently only time enough to
accompany us in our walks, or partake of our music.'

'Have you not,' said Lamont, 'been obliged to expel many from the
community? Since you do not allow petulancy of temper, nor any lightness
of conduct, I should expect a continual revolution.'

'By no means,' answered Mrs Maynard, 'since the establishment of the
community there has been but one expelled; and one finding she was in
danger of incurring the same sentence, and I believe inwardly disgusted
with a country life, retired of her own free choice. Some more have
rendered themselves so disagreeable, that the question has been put to
the ballot; but the fear of being dismissed made them so diligent to get
the majority on their side, before the hour appointed for decision
arrived, that it has been determined in their favour, and the earnest
desire not to be brought into the same hazard again has induced them to
mend their tempers, and some of these are now the most amiable people in
the whole community.

'As for levity of conduct they are pretty well secured from it, by being
exposed to few temptations in this retired place.

'Some, as in the course of nature must happen, have died, and most of
them bequeathed what little they had towards constituting a fund for the
continuation of the community. More of them have married; some to
persons who knew them before, others to gentlemen in the neighbourhood,
or such as happened to come into it; to whom their admirable conduct
recommended them.'

I could not help exclaiming, 'In what a heaven do you live, thus
surrounded by people who owe all their happiness to your goodness! This
is, indeed, imitating your Creator, and in such proportion as your
faculties will admit, partaking of his felicity, since you can no where
cast your eyes without beholding numbers who derive every earthly good
from your bounty and are indebted to your care and example for