"The doctor says you are very ill, and must be kept quiet," said the nurse. "Lie down, like a good lady, quietly, and sleep."

"And who had a right to send for a doctor, and use such measures with me," said Mrs. Bertram.

"Lie down, lady, and sleep-the doctor desires it," was the reply.

"I'll never sleep again till I sleep my last sleep, unless I am restored to my rights, and you leave me,” said Mrs Bertram.

"I'll leave you when I am desired by the doctor, but not till then," said the nurse doggedly.

Mrs. Bertram felt so much agitated, that she really felt as if her senses were forsaking her. She used every art of persuasion with Sarah, who attended when the nurse took rest, but received no answer, but the same positive reply, "I must obey the doctor."

To attempt to reason with a person without understanding is impossible; indeed, Mrs. Bertram was the only person in the house actually in a sound mind. Finding all her attempts in vain to obtain deliverance, she endeavoured calmly to resign herself to the will of God, and prayed earnestly for deliverance, and for grace, heartily to forgive those who had been the means of plunging her into this unlooked-for calamity. Though to forget it I never can, oh, may God enable me to forgive it. Remember, oh! my soul, that nothing happens without his permission; the very hairs of our head are all numbered; search thy own ways, and see why this has happened to thee." And when she thought of those she considered her enemies, she thought of David's forbearance to Shimei,

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"Let him curse, because the Lord hath said unto him, curse David." "Surely if I survive this treatment, it will be my duty never to put myself in the power of such people again.”

Mary, in the meantime, was perfectly satisfied with herself, and the admiration of the doctor, for her strict adherence to his orders. She came to the door of Mrs. Bertram's chamber several times, but never ventured in ; but Mrs. Bertram heard her well known voice without.

Sarah, have you put on another blanket ?"

"No, Madam," replied Sarah," Mrs. Bertram complains of being too warm."

"Never mind that, Sarah, put it on; she must learn to obey the doctor, and so must you, and so must all of us."

Mrs. Bertram now became exceedingly nervous; the incessant contradictions, the intensity of her thoughts, the being left in almost total solitude, all united to fill her with the most alarming apprehensions. Who could tell to what excess their folly might run? She thought it likely that death would terminate, and prayed earnestly to Heaven for deliverance. It was indeed the prayer of faith, and presented by our great intercessor, was heard by God, who sent help and deliverance from a quarter she little expected it.

CHAPTER XI.

THE practice and practitioners of physic, have perhaps, more than any other profession, come under the lash of the satirist. There have been, no doubt, many noble minds, and possessed of the highest gifts and talents, who have devoted themselves, who have studied, with great success, the science of medicine. And it requires no ordinary share of natural and acquired endowments, to form a master in this science,— so dangerous when misunderstood. In the hands of Providence, unassisted nature, may recover from even the most mortal disease,-but in the hands of a rash and ignorant physician, death and the doctor almost inevitably go hand in hand. A skilful physician should understand the history and arcana of the mind of a patient, as well as the constitution of his body; whereas it is too often the baneful practice, in systems of medicine, as in theories of education, to treat all subjects alike. The naturalists acknowledge, that in the botanical kingdom, no two blades of grass are found precisely to correspond; and so will the philosopher assert with regard to the various forms in different individuals, assumed by that subtle quality called mind; and such will the candid leech confess to be the result of his experience and observations on matter, body, and constitution. How many well educated but injudicious doctors, from ignorance of the nervous system, have been the indirect cause of depriving their patients of reason. What accurate

knowledge of the disease, of the cause which has produced it, on the constitution on which it operates ; and, above all, of the mind whose mighty influence works upon the whole, before a medical man can become acquainted with the remedies fit to be applied, and to escape the censure of Voltaire, who says, "An apothecary is one who pours drugs, of which he knows little, into a body of which he knows less." While Mrs. Bertram was kept in durance-vile by her injudicious kinswoman,-her judicious friend, Miss Spike, who had returned from her country visits, and hearing that Mrs. Bertram was alarmingly ill, repaired without delay to Bertram Lodge., Mary was sitting in the parlour, happy in conscious power and virtuous exertion, when Miss Spike entered. Mary did not half like the arrival of that lady; but had any one asked her why, she would have found it difficult to define her sensations to her own satisfaction.— Truly, the heart is deceitful above all things." She had an instinctive presentiment that her reign was at an end. The love of power is a prevailing and strong passion in almost all human beings, and perhaps exists in the strongest degree in weak minds. After the first salutations and inquiries were over, Miss Spike expressed a wish to see Mrs. Bertram.

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"It is impossible for me to express the pain it gives me to refuse you," said Mary; "but the doctor positively forbids any one to see her."

"No doctor shall prevent my access to her," said Miss Spike," and nothing but orders from herself shall prevent me going to see her."

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'Alas!" replied Mary," she is not in a state to give

orders to any one.
some days."
"That

may be

I myself have not seen her for

very true," said Miss Spike; "but who takes charge of her, then? and how can you be qualified to judge of the state of her health, if you have not seen her? Do you know the nurse in whom you choose to place such perfect confidence ?"

Mary tossed her head indignantly at being thus questioned, and replied, "I cannot express my surprise, Miss Spike, that you should doubt my taking every care of my dearest aunt. I alas, have had too much experience in sickness with good Mrs. Drawley, to do anything rashly or without a doctor's advice; and Dr. Pittulloch knows Mrs. Cundell, the nurse, very well, and gives her an excellent character; and it is impossible for me to express the relief it is to my mind to know that such an excellent person is with her night and day."

"But does Mrs. Bertram herself like her?" said Miss Spike.

"Oh! I do not know as to that," said Miss Fribble; "but certainly the doctor's liking her is much more important."

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Notwitstanding the doctor," said Miss Spike, walking towards the door, "I am determined to judge of the state of my worthy friend for myself." Here Mary made violent but vain remonstrances to prevent Miss Spike from such rash and dangerous measures; but Miss Spike was firm and determined, and making her way to Mrs. Bertram's chamber, commanded them at their peril to open the door.