The Judge laughed at both from the bottom of his heart, and then the conversation turned again on the hard and disputable ground of education; all conceding, by general consent, the insufficiency of rules and methods to make it available.
Evelina laid great stress on the self-instruction of the teacher.

"In the degree," said she, "in which man developes in himself goodness, wisdom, and ability, he succeeds commonly in calling out these in children." All the little committee, without exception, gave their most lively approval; and Elise felt herself quite refreshed, quite strengthened by the words which showed her so clearly the path to her great object.

She turned now, therefore, the conversation to Evelina's own history and development.

It was well known that her path through life had been an unusual one, and one of independence, and Elise wished now to know how she had attained to that serenity and refreshing quiet which characterised her whole being.

Evelina blushed, and wished to turn the conversation from herself--a subject which she least of all would speak about, and that probably because she was in harmony with herself--but as the Judge with his earnest cordiality united in the wish of his wife and Mrs.Gunilla, that Evelina would relate to them some passages in the history of her life, she acceded, remarking only that what she had to relate was in no way extraordinary; and then, after she had bethought herself for a moment, she began, addressing herself more especially to Elise, and in the mean time Mrs.Gunilla hastily jotted down the narrative, which we will here designate EVELINA'S HISTORY.
Have you ever been conscious, while listening to a beautiful piece of music, of a deep necessity, an indescribable longing, to find in your own soul, in your own life, a harmony like that which you perceived in the tune ?--if so, you have then an idea of the suffering and the release of my soul.