have hitherto sought and won, just for this very reason is Serena so enchanting to me; it is her gentle young maiden dignity which stamps her whole being with such moral beauty, and binds me to her, as it were, with magic force. Just because she is so free from the desire of pleasing, do I love to bend the knee before her and worship her. My eyes repose with indescribable delight upon those lips which no wanton kiss has desecrated, no word of anger and falsehood has polluted. Purity-a word, the meaning of which, I have learned too late. Purity is the heaven beaming upon her forehead, the spirit which is breathing from her lips, and for her purity do I worship her, I who...... Yes, I can worship, and in this is my salvation. What is there beautiful, what divine, that is not also pure? Light, virtue, heaven, eternal brightness! dark was my life, but in her do I now adore you!

Serena appears, and with her the angel of life, her whom I have profaned and despised! Tranquil virtues, peace, domestic life, sacred ties, which I have ignorantly mistaken and injured, how enrapturingly inviting do they become to me through her.

Do not say that it is too late. I have wrestled with the wild spirits of life; like Faust, I have danced with the witches of Blocksberg, the body of one which I embraced was ashes; and from the lips of another which I kissed, sprung a disgusting monster; the third changed itself into a serpent in my arms, and thus I stood at the brink of precipice and looked around me, and behind me, and everything was terrible and dark. I felt yet the same restless fire, the same thirst but it sought other springs to quench it. I was con

strained to lead a life of toil and strife. In the battle field, in contending against the raging elements, I felt a higher power, a mightier life, but then-all was blank, blank! I had no belief that the fullness of life could be found in the human breast. A human heart expansive, loving as heaven, faithful, gentle, and pure-oh, such a heart is a world of fullness, beauty, and eternity! There the fire is purified, but not extinguished; disquietude is hushed to repose; power is elevated and strengthened.

Were a wife with soul so noble and loving to walk through the path of life by my side, were her heavenly spirit to pass over my soul every hour of the day like a breeze of spring, were every object that surrounds me to be imbued with her pure harmonious life, when I could rest on her as-Oh, God! I cannot say, as on a maternal bosom, for mine repelled me; but if I could press a wife in firm indissoluble embraces to my heart, and say, "thou art an angel, and thou art mine!" would you not believe that those former sins might be expiated, bitter recollections forgotten, and the wavering heart firmly established in entire love? Would you not then believe it possible for a paradise to blossom upon the devastated soil? I look at Serena, and I must deem it possible I have said to myself, "she must become mine, then shall I find peace upon earth!" But she-the pure, the kind, the lovely, can she love me? will she unite her destiny with mine? and those who have the guardianship over her, those who value purity of character, civil and domestic virtues above all else, will they be willing to give the loveliest and dearest which they possess, to a man whose reputation is stig

matized from his youth up, whose life is wrapt in obscurity?

This question seems to come from you, and this is my reply. There is in me-call me presumptuous, proud, or what you like-but I know that there is a something in me which is not easily to be withstood; a power, a will, capable of breaking iron, of fire which can consume everything, which is able to blaze in the air which it seeks. I have often tried it; no one has been able to withstand it except my mother, for my blood also fills her veins. But our struggle is not yet

finished, mother!

I have seen my mother. She did not know me, and I scarcely recognized her. She was once a handsome woman. She is greatly altered, and it seems to me not alone by age. I longed to try to see her; I felt constrained to see her; but when I stood there as a stranger, when I heard the well-known voice, it was more than I could bear. I do not yet know when I shall discover myself to her. She is not in any way yet prepared for it, nor I either. My soul swells up violently and painfully in her presence, therefore I shun her till some future time. I love and fear her. I pant after her, and flee. Thus I remained in painful conflict, when Serena appeared; I flew to her side; from that instant I grew calmer: a hope, a ray of light, glimmered forth. Should even my mother.. not pardon me................

........

my mother Cain committed a greater crime than I; on him rested too the curse of his mother, and notwithstanding into the desart, whither he wandered, his wife followed him! An angel of comfort accompanied him.

But I will
With all

Serena, Serena! did I not love you so ardently, I should have lamented over you, for I feel that my looks of love have found their way to your heart. love you as no woman has yet been loved. the charms of life will I surround you. Every day you shall contribute to the happiness of some fellowcreature, and your noble heart shall breathe and live in the atmosphere of benevolence. Hagar must reconcile herself to her destiny. She has already long since left off making demands upon me, and this, indeed, she must, if we are to live together. She will and must make herself happy with another without murmuring. She knows me; she will not venture.......... Curse upon her, if she should breathe poison upon her whom...... But I get desperate when I think of this woman; and that I would not be, I would rather be kind, loving as Serena could wish me. There is a fount of goodness and tenderness within me, yet the spring is not yet irretrievably dried up; it will only be purified, but an angel must, must touch the water.

But can an angel approach him whom the curse..... My mother! if she should not pardon!Thought of destruction!

my heart, away-away!

Vulture, which gnaws at

Soon everything will be made known and decided, for my soul longs for certainty. It would, perhaps, be more prudent to defer, to abide the time; but I neither can nor will. I have always taken my fortune by storm: so let it be now!.......

II.

TENTH LETTER.

FRANCISKA W. TO MARIA L.

Rosenvik, August 17th.

Yesterday was a wondrous-an eventful-a joyful, and yet disagreeable day. We spent it at Ramm. We were invited thither a few days ago, together with several of the neighbours. Ma chère mère also received an invitation, but declined, on the plea that she had not visited for many years past, and was unable at present to think of making any exception to her rule. Serena had spent the day previous with her grand-parents, and was to accompany them to Ramm, where they had been urgently invited by Bruno, who on account of the new school, and other business, has established a close connection with the old Dahl.

On our arrival at Ramm, we found every thing according to outward appearance unaltered; the trees grew as formerly, wild and thick round the dark walls. Bruno came out on the staircase, and received us with sincere cordiality. There is occasionally something so winning in his countenance! Björn was agitated and pale, when he shook his brother's band. Not one of us spoke, and Bruno silently conducted us into the upper rooms, where I was suprised by a luxurious