Beatrice.

" Do not believe it , " Avas my reply to him , as he looked at me with his archly satirical face . "If Mrs . Mortimer were so foolish as to sacrifice such a girl as Beatrice really is , in all her grace ancl trueheartedness , to the claims of ' ochre , ' or the stern slavery , as the Irishman said , of that' savage baste Pluto , ' she AA'Oidd deserve—Avell , she would deserve the condemnation of the sentimental , and the avenging Nemesis of sad after-consequences . Such a marriage woidd be a folly , a crime , and a scandal . " "Very welldear boy , " replied tlie facetious Teuton : "but you will see it Avill

, be as I have said . De Avomen , since tbe time of Eve downwards , never refuse tbe pressing offers of wealth , position , and the like . Lord , vat is more common than t 3 see youth , and good looks , and undeniable merit all put on one side for wealth , rank , and an estate in the country ? In Germany Ave are more sentimental , and , as far as I know , not the less happy . " " Oh , come , " I ansAvered , " after all , as the Frenchman has it , ' Les femmes sont

toujours les monies partout , ' go AA'here you Avill—east or Avest , north or south : and if we have mercenary marriages in England , depend upon it you are not ignorant of them , old boy , in Germany . And Avbat do yon say of the ' mariage de convenance , ' of tbe ' marriage de famille , ' in France , for instance ? Too often all is settled between the elders before the young people are even consulted . Does such an arrangement , do you think , promote or give the chance of marriages of affectionhappy domiciles ? Nonomy

, , , friend ; on the Avhole , Ave do A'ery Avell in Old England ; and just noAV our young ladies are 'looking out' for themselves more then they did , as in truth it ' concerns them most of all : a fact which some people like to forget . 'Similia similibus '' Like for like , ' said the old Latin adage ; and it is still true of matrimony , besides many other little matters here . "

' Oh , veil , " Avas Brummer ' s placid response , " to say the truth , I look on matrimony in life as something like a lottery . Ton may if you like take an average chance , and draw , a Avinning number ; but the most of us must learu to get on contentedly Avithout prizes ; ancl , as the man once said to me at Epsom in the days of ' Aunt Sally , ' ' Walk in my little dear , you pays your money , and you takes your choice . ' There is always ' compensation' someAvhere for us all in this life , in the good Providence of God ;

and vether we marry , or vether Ave do not , vether Ave have families or remain in harmonious blessedness , it is all pretty much tbe same in tbe long run ; and ' apres tout , ' AA'bateA'er life does , death , as one of your poets says , ' makes tbe odds all even . ' I clo not , myself , care much vether people are married or not . I have seen marriages , begun Avith all happiness , turn out badly enough , God knows . I bave seen incongruous marriages , hasty marriages , and even what the world calls imprudent marriages end very well for the happiness of tbe principal actors in the little genteel comedy . Do not let us , then , take fanatical vieAvs of the question . There is no certainty of absolute happiness here for anyone , any lot . A married life may be happy enough , a single life

may be as comfortable ; a married life may be unblessed , and a single life may be miserable . We can neA'er forecast the future , or reckon even on to-morroAV . The best is to be philosophical , and not to praise or blame any one state too much , —not to expect Avonders , not to look for perfection ; for , as far as I know of this Avorld , it is a very humdrum Avorld , taken at the best , and its ' dramatis persona ; ' are very commonplace , and often very second-rate actors indeed . " This Avas a A'long and rather dull speech for witty old friendbut bo

ery my ; . as took an enormous quantity of snuff , after he bad said Avht't I record , I think there 'mist be " something in it , " and so preserve it for tho improvement of admiring posterit y and for the edification of my patient readers . " On the Avhole , " summing up the arguments , I said , " you Avish to take things easil y , and look on all things comfortably and unexcitedly . Just noAV Ave are all living n a state of fuss and Ave hardlknow what to Avbat to do Avhere

J worry : y say , , or 0 go ! According to you , all things are good , and all things are for the best here , and * nether Ave are married or single , rich or poor , high or IOAA * , learned or ignorant , Ave We _ always , like Japhet , to ' take it coolly , ' and neA'er allow anyone to drh'e us from our position , ' put us out , ' or interfere with our general satisfaction , or private tranquillity