incurred at Oxford. I have myself seen mothers and sisters enduring the severest privations, to save their sons from the shame and ruin of unpaid debts run up by vanity and weakness, whilst residing at the university. Depend upon it, Mr. Marten, that there are few evils of life more perplexing and humiliating, more debasing to the character, more destructive of honour and usefulness, than those which proceed from negligence of our pecuniary affairs. Oh, my Henry Milner!" he added, "it would break my heart to think that you should ever expose yourself to the irritating varieties of persecutions which arise from debts and duns. If a man has common feeling, it appears to me that he would choose rather to sup on porridge, and breakfast on dry bread, than render himself liable to such an ignoble warfare, as is, I fear, constantly going on between many a young man at the university and the artful tradesman who has beguiled him to his ruin by dishonestly pressing his wares upon him."

In this place the conversation took another turn, and soon afterwards, the whole family retired to rest.

CHAP. X.

Busy Life.

WHEN Marten had written and despatched his letter to his father, he fell at once into the habits of the family-withdrawing to his studies immediately after breakfast, and not appearing till one o'clock-these hours being given to what he called hard, dry reading. From that time he felt himself at liberty to associate with Mr. Dalben and Henry; and it is possible that the hours thus devoted were by no means the least valuable hours of his day.

Marten had acquired, as may have been perceived in the second volume of our history, some ideas which were quite contrary to those of Mr. Dalben. When Henry first knew him at school, he had scarcely ever thought of religion; he had thought much of it since, but he still adhered to some extremely false notions.

Amongst these he had formed a certain hypothesis respecting that quality commonly called

virtue. Virtue, in the original language, is known to signify courage or fortitude; whereas, in the English language, by this expression we understand something more than mere morality. Perhaps its meaning might be defined to be that state of mind in which moral habits are become a sort of second nature, yet being ever capable of receiving additional strength and excellency, soas to admit of every degree of comparison, viz. virtuous, more virtuous, and most virtuous. Now it was a theory of Marten's, that although man was by nature entirely depraved-for Marten was no disbeliever of the divine inspiration of Scripture, and was not able to controvert the divine sentence uttered in Gen. vi. 5, And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually;" yet he still supported the opinion that some human beings had been able to attain, by the force of habit, through the power of education, of example, or of self-exertion, to certain heights of virtue, which lifted them up very far above the ordinary mass of the ignoble vulgar. How far Marten admitted the interference of the Holy Spirit in lifting his virtuous hero to this magnificent position in society was not exactly to be defined, neither could he quite make it appear

what he intended; perhaps he did not know himself. But the result of his arguments were -for he had many arguments on the subject with Mr. Dalben-that it was possible that education, honourable principles, gentlemanly habits, intellectual advantages, &c. &c., might form a character which would be above the common errors and temptations which affect men of less virtuous habits.

"For instance," said Marten, when alone one day with Mr. Dalben," there is our Henry: few young people have had such peculiar advantages of education as he has had: he is of gentlemanly parentage, has a very superior mind, and many personal perfections. Ought we not to expect that he will exhibit many qualities which we could hardly hope from inferior persons? In short, do we not suppose that he will attain to heights of virtue such as I allude to ?"

"Before I reply," said Mr. Dalben, “I must beg you to inform me, my dear Sir, whether you intend to say, that Henry is to be expected to attain these heights of virtue, in consequence of a very superior education, (allowing, for argument's sake, that his education has been so very superior,) acting upon remarkably fine natural qualities; or, in consequence of the

continued influences of the Holy Spirit descending upon his soul, creating a new heart within him, and strengthening and confirming him in all that is right? In short, is he to owe the virtuous conduct which we expect from him, to any of the things which education or habit may have given-education being allowed to have been exercised, in his peculiar case, on a naturally fine mind- or to the continual supplies of grace, which I have taught him to look for, through faith in Christ, from God the Holy Spirit ?"

Marten hesitated a little, and replied, "I do not deny the utter depravity of the human

race."

"Not in so many words,” replied Mr. Dalben, "but, my dear Marten, you refuse to acknowledge that entire weakness and corruption, by which all men are put upon a par by nature one with another. You at least attribute a certain strength to the characters of some individuals, which experience continually assures us they do not possess. Our strength, as men, I am convinced, consists in the knowledge of our weakness, and in knowing where we may find help in the hour of need; and that hour is now and ever. The very security of the redeemed— nay, of the angels and archangels,—and, if in