e
and happiness! is too frequently found mixed up in the pure ore of her
nature.

The childish delight with which poor "Margaret" contemplates the
trinkets presented by her lover; the baleful ascendency acquired over
her by her female companion; and her rapid descent in the path of evil
when, as is ever the case, the commission of one sin entails so many,
render this drama a very effective moral lesson.

Of all Goethe's works, _Faust_ is the one I most like; and, of all his
female characters, "Margaret" is that which I prefer. A fine vein of
philosophy runs through the whole of this production, in which the
vanity of human knowledge without goodness was never more powerfully
exemplified.

"Faust," tempted by the desire of acquiring forbidden knowledge, yields
up his soul to the evil one; yet still retains enough of the humanity
of his nature to render him wretched, when her he loves, and has drawn
ruin on, suffers the penalty of his crime and of her love.

Exquisitely has Goethe wrought out the effects of the all-engrossing
passion of the poor "Margaret"--a passion that even in madness, still
clings to its object with all woman's tenderness and devotion,
investing even insanity with the touching charm of love. How perfect is
the part when, endeavouring to pray, the hapless "Margaret" fancies
that she hears the gibbering of evil spirits interrupting her
supplications, so that even the consolation of addressing the Divinity
is denied her!

But the last scene--that in the prison--is the most powerful of all.
Never was madness more touchingly delineated, or woman's nature more
truly developed;--that nature so little understood by those who are so
prone to pervert it, and whose triumphs over its virtues are always
achieved by means of the excess of that propensity to love, and to
believe in the truth of the object beloved, which is one of the most
beautiful characteristics in woman; though, wo to her! it is but too
often used to her undoing.

The feelings of poor "Margaret" are those of all her sex, ere vice has
sullied the nature it never can wholly subdue.

Mr. and Mrs. Hare left Paris to-day. I regret their departure; for she
is lively and agreeable, and I have known him so long, and like him so
well, that their society afforded me pleasure.

A large party at dinner, yesterday; among whom, was Mr. M----, who has
acquired a certain celebrity for his _bons mots_. He is said to be
decidedly clever, and to know the