MODERN SOCIETY; 1851 OR, THE MARCH OF INTELLECT THE CONCLUSION OF MODERN ACCOMPLISHMENTS. BY MISS CATHARINE SINCLAIR, AUTHOR OF "MODERN ACCOMPLISHMENTS," "CHARLIE SEYMOUR,” etc., etc. "Thus happiness depends, as Nature shows, NEW YORK: ROBERT CARTER & BROTHERS, No. 285 BROADWAY. R PUBLIC LIBRARY ASTOR, LENOX AND THOMAS B. SMITH, STERED YPER, 216 WILLIAM STREET, N. 7 ROBERT CRAIGHEAD, PRINTER PREFACE. AN attempt is made in this volume to contrast the happiness offered to us by our Maker with the happiness which we invent for ourselves, to exemplify a wide difference between the "living fountain and the broken cistern." In our own experience, we find that the one resembles the purity and clearness of the early dawn, which grows brighter and brighter till the perfect day, while the other may be compared to an evening twilight, beginning in still gaudier hues, but growing gradually darker, till it settles into the gloom of night. While thus representing two opposite states of enjoyment, which might justly be called a parallel, since they are lines which can never be made to meet, no hesitation has been felt in representing worldly as well as spiritual enjoyments in the brightest colors, because the superiority of the latter are more conspicuous in proportion to the accuracy with which both can be depicted. Those, indeed, who have experienced the blessedness of Christian peace, require no demonstration of its unrivalled excellence; but the case is otherwise with those who are ignorant of the Gospel, and have never felt that joy" which no man knoweth, saving he that receiveth it." Many, also, who would close at once the page of formal instruction or grave rebuke, may be induced to bestow attention on a familiar narrative, exhibiting the development of taste and feeling in the genuine Christian character, and to acknowledge that the highest achievement of fashionable education is to make us appear amiable, and appear happy, while it is the peculiar province of Christian principle to turn these appearances into reality. Works of imagination have this additional advantage, that they may take cognizance of faults in temper or conduct too trivial for the notice of treatises or essays, yet so frequent in their recurrence as to form the chief moral peculiarities of the individual. Life, as Dr. Johnson observes, is not a series of great events and illustrious actions; it is from minute particulars and casual indications of feeling that we form our estimate of those around us. Mere moralists too readily coincide in opinion with the mistaken poet, that, "his creed can't be wrong whose life is in the right;" while we have equal reason to deprecate a new reading, which would seem to say, " His life can't be wrong whose creed is in the right." It is not the handles of a clock which constitute its actual value; but still, if they do not point aright, during every moment of the day, and every day of the year, we know that something is amiss within; and though it may continue gravely and solemnly ticking the hours, no one will take heed to its admonitions. The superstructure of Christian conduct cannot be justly appreciated without exhibiting the inward machinery of the mind by which external actions are directed or controlled, and therefore the authoress has, with reverence, attempted to portray those thoughts and principles which render the pleasures, the hopes, and the emotions of Christians entirely different from others whose apparent circumstances are exactly similar, and with whom they may be unavoidably thrown into habits of continual association. That fictitious narrative is a proper mode of instruction, is demonstrated to every Christian by the highest of all examples. Some excellent persons, however, who admit the usefulness of little tracts and histories representing, in proper colors, vice, infidelity, and superstition among the lower orders, inconsistently object to similar delineations as respects the higher; yet the success of such writings in the one department seems to encourage the hope of usefulness by corresponding exertions in the other. Mrs. Hannah More remarks, in her novel of Calebs, "how little justice has been done to the clerical character in those popular works of imagination which are intended to exhibit a picture of living manners. So many fair opportunities have thus been lost of advancing the interests of religion, by personifying her amiable graces in the character of her ministers The authoress feels encouraged to attempt this interesting task, from a grateful consciousness that she has enjoyed more than ordinary occasions for appreciating the enlightened devotion, the active benevolence, the disinterested labors, the learning, the consistency, and the zeal of those who are in heart, as well as by profession, the servants of God. At the same time, on no one occasion, in any of her past or present pages, has she drawn the portrait of an individual, and no circumstances can ever induce her to do so. Every reader of a fiction would cast the characters differently; and it is to be hoped that all have known some whom Lady Olivia Neville's imaginary virtues might fairly represent. Three originals for this sketch have been confidently named, any of whom do honor to the success with which female excellence has been represented, though the fancied resemblance in every case is only such as all Christians must exhibit to each other. There are many lively girls like Eleanor, without her faults, and many gentlemen as prosing as Sir Colin, to whom, while the authoress has never seen them, some resemblance may easily be imagined "to give the airy nothings place and name. It is requested that every young lady will believe she was intended for Matilda,-that every gentleman will discover that he is portrayed in Sir Alfred, or Mr. Grant, and that each will feel assured, in whatever quarter of the United Kingdom he resides, that Dr. Murray is certainly intended for the clergyman of his own parish,— "This is a likeness, may all men declare, And I have seen him, but I know not where." With respect to the white poodle, Blanco, he is not meant for any poodle in particular, but is a fair representation of drawing-room dogs in general, with all their faults and good qualities, seeing that they occupy a place of distinction in society now which entitles them to prominent notice in any work professing to take cognizance of the more important actors in fashionable life. Having formerly delineated the progress of education, it is now proposed to trace its results on the character, temper, and morals; but each volume may be read, either in connection, or as a separate story. The original intention was, not to carry the same narrative on, but many readers objected to the want of a regular denouement in the previous work, where, according to established etiquette, virtue ought to be rewarded, and vice brought to condign punishment. This is very appropriately termed " poetical justice," because we observe no such results in actual life. It may be well, however, to exhibit the triumph of virtue in scenes of fancy, where the characters cease to exist with the closing page; but it should be remembered, that while the universal desire for final equity seems to be implanted in the human breast by Him who now promises, and will one |