MADAME BOLAND.

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artisan made her bosom swell with haughty emotion.She does not disguise that this feeling caused her to hailthe revolution with greater transport.

It is usual to accuse the lowly of envy, so to casta slur over their motives when they espouse with enthu-siasm the cause of freedom. In all societies there mustbe difference of position, arising from the distribution ofproperty, and no passion is more mean than that whichcauses the poor to view with envy the luxuries and easeof the rich. But the disdain which springs from know-ing that others assume superiority from mere adventi-tious circumstances—that there is an impassable barrier,on the outer side of which the ignobly born must re-main, vainly desiring a career in which to distinguishthemselves — is a noble feeling, and is implanted in thehuman heart as the source of the highest virtues. Hu-man weakness mingled, probably, some pettiness in thepride of the beautiful and studious bourgeoise, but sheknew how to rise above it; and when she sealed her am-bition with her blood, she proved that it was honourable,and that her desire of distinction was founded on agenerous love of the good of her species.

The only child of a prosperous artisan, it was sup-posed that she was an heiress: this idea, joined to herpersonal attractions, elicited numerous pretensions to herhand, and her indulgent parents conceded to her theprivilege of replying to them. Her sensibility was great,and she looked on wedded life as the source of everyfelicity; but this very notion made her scrupulous inher choice. The young men of the quarter passed inreview before her, and were, one after the other, rejected.A little hesitation ensued when a physician proposed—she hoped for more refinement and knowledge in one ofthe learned professions. In the end, he also was refused.— her heart continued untouched; she would havebeen glad if any one had appeared whom she couldhave looked upon as worthy of her; but, as this didnot happen, she rejoiced to escape the proposedshackles, and turned to her peaceful studious home, the