CHAPTER XX.

On Conversation - Mr. Desmond departs - National Music - Irish Resemblance of Spanish and Irish Music Kurd Music

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THE sheep-shearing produced a happy effect on Evelyn, for she had perceived that the usually grave and pensive countenance of Mrs. Manvers could occasionally relax into an indulgent smile of sympathy with the gaiety of youth. Recollecting that her beloved grandfather had appointed Mrs. Manvers in consequence of her misfortunes to her present office, Evelyn began to be conscious that her cold haughtiness was not only unfeeling to a person dependent on her, but disobedient to the wishes of one whose memory she so gratefully cherished; and, resolving therefore to lay it aside, she met Mrs. Manvers the next morning with much less disdainful reserve, though not yet with the warmth and kindness natural to her disposition when unclouded by pride.

Her father was to return home that day, to her great regret, and in their last walk together after breakfast she expressed to him her consciousness of her own waywardness in regard to Mrs. Manvers, declaring her resolution to behave with more kindness to her.

"Very right, my dear Evelyn," said he, "but let your kindness and politeness be such as spring from the heart; let it not be mere artificial politeness without benevolence. Recollect that true politeness is founded on the golden rule'Do as you would be done by ;' and also that it is the character of youth to be open and unreserved; and then your attentions will flow not only from conviction, but from your own good feeling. Consider Mrs. Manvers as your near relation, and that while here her happiness must in a great measure depend on you. She has quitted all for you, and if she be miserable

no weak excuses will release your conscience from the recollection of unkindness and ingratitude to her."

"I will try, dear papa, not to cause her any unhappiness, but as a companion she is so much older and graver than I am, that I do not know how I can be at ease with her."

"My dear Evelyn, Mrs. Manvers is not so very aged as you would imply; her mind is still flexible, her body active, she is free from any of the infirmities which mark the decline of life; and you must allow that there is no appearance of severity in her manner or her opinions. But tell me, why should not you, though young, try to converse with the aged? Is it not a very inconsistent weakness of the youthful to avoid the society of those whose experience and observation may convey instruction as well as entertainment? Why not converse with her as with me?"

Mr. Desmond paused, and they walked in silence, for he was unwilling to say too much, however anxiously he wished to make some impression on his daughter's mind.

After some minutes, with a hesitating voice, she observed that it is very difficult to find conversation for old people, adding "who are not dear friends like you."

"Do you not know, Evelyn," he replied, "that to be able to converse with strangers is a proof of that good breeding which enables persons, however different their pursuits and habits, to mix with ease in society and make use of the general knowledge which is the result of a good education?"

"Yes, papa, but that requires an effort; and as I cannot be supposed to feel any love for Mrs. Manvers, and do not much like her, why should I give myself so much unnecessary trouble?”

"Loving or liking her, Evelyn, is not the question: you have been thrown into a close connexion with her by the same will that threw this noble property into your hands: in accepting the one you cannot refuse the other; and, thus situated, it appears to me that common sense, quite independently of what you owe to your grandfather's desire, would lead you study her character before you give way to your likes or dislikes; and that common good nature would induce you to see whether there may not be some amiable and agreeable points

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about her which you might condescend to cultivate for your own sake if not for hers."

“I cannot deny that, my dear papa; but then I am sure you will admit that to a person with such a grave and melancholy countenance I cannot talk as fluently and familiarly as to one of my own age."

"Yes, I allow it is natural that you should feel some diffidence in conversing with those who are much older and wiser than yourself, but I hope that all grave subjects are not disagreeable to you. As to her melancholy air, much of it is in your power to remove."

"In conversing with older people I feel, papa, that my own ignorance produces another difficulty."

"Then, my dear child, make use of the opportunity to learn. But I think the difficulty of which you speak more frequently arises from want of attention than from ignorance. Young people, of inquiring minds like you, read on a great variety of subjects, from which they might acquire much substantial knowledge if they had the habit of classifying the facts thus collected and nothing strengthens so much the power of doing this as conversation. To impart our ideas we are obliged to make some arrangement of them,—that is to say, we class them according to the point of view in which we desire to bring them to the notice of other persons, or in which we propose to compare them with the ideas they have expressed. This habit of arrangement has other advantages: besides supplying us with materials for rational conversation, it enables us, when listening to those who are older and better informed than ourselves, at once to appreciate and apply what drops from them. But it is time for me to be gone."

"What shall I do without you, papa? Oh, how I wish you could stay with me," said Evelyn; "Mrs. Manvers will be so very

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"So very agreeable and kind, Evelyn, that you will soon value her as a companion, if you make yourself agreeable and kind to her. Much will depend on yourself. Remember that it is generally by our own temper that our happiness is either made or marred. Adieu! my dear child; you have a wide field for action in this place, where improvement is requisite

both within and without, so that you can never want occupation of either mind or body; and I am sure you will find Mrs. Manvers something more than an agreeable companion, -a very useful assistant.”

"A very useful assistant," repeated Evelyn to herself after his departure; "useful! very likely; but I do not want a companion of more than three times my own age! My father thinks otherwise; but he does not know me yet-and I can assure him I am quite able to amuse myself—and I am determined to do so. Poor Mrs. Manvers companionable indeed!"

But this return to her foolish thoughts, so inconsistent with the resolutions she had made an hour before, was suspended by the sudden recollection that she could now have the relaxation of music, at all times a favourite occupation, and which would be particularly welcome in her present situation. Her grand pianoforte had arrived, and had just been put in order after its voyage and journey, and she now flew to the drawing-room where it stood, and hastily opening it touched the keys with the delight one feels at meeting an old friend. Her hands as it were involuntarily played the sweet air of The Old Woods of Truagh.' How truly Cowper expresses the effect of music :

"Some chord in unison with what we hear

Is touch'd within us, and the heart responds."

Her grandfather, whose last gift had been that instrument, seemed almost present to her, and her heart was at once filled with tender recollections. That song had been one of his favourites-she remembered with painful pleasure how much, when suffering, he was soothed by the plaintive music of his own country and such was its power over Evelyn at this moment, that her discontent and proud perverseness all subsided as she dwelt upon the airs which he had loved.

She had just uttered with great feeling the last note of "If to a foreign clime you go," when, looking by chance at Mrs. Manvers, who had not been in her thoughts for a long time, she perceived that her eyes were full-and fixed upon her. After a pause Mrs. Manvers said, as she endeavoured to stop a falling tear

“That was the last song your dear mother ever sang to me; and you looked so like her, Evelyn, that it brought back many thoughts of times past, when we used to sing it together. Besides, the air is in itself touching-it goes to the heart."

"Indeed it does; I never before felt the effect so strongly. Grandpapa delighted in the music that recalled former times, and he used to make me sing that song so often, that I love it as much as you do; perhaps he too thought I looked like my mother when singing it."

"Very probably, my dear."

"But I did not know that you were musical; I hope you will sing for me?"

"Willingly," replied Mrs. Manvers; "but I cannot to-day, my nerves are a little unstrung. However, my enjoyment of music is extreme; and you cannot indulge me more than by singing some of those sweet ballads of our own country, so dear to me as well as to the friends who are gone!"

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"It will be a great pleasure to me to sing for one who feels them so much," replied Evelyn. "Does any other music interest you besides the Irish?"

"Oh! yes, certainly ;-and, indeed, it is remarkable how easily the different styles of national music may be distinguished," said Mrs. Manvers.

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"I have never attended very much to that subject," said Evelyn; nor considered the styles peculiar to any other nations."

"The spirit of national music is an interesting study," said Mrs. Manvers; "I consider it in the same light as poetry; if the words and rhythm of the one are expressive of our feelings so also are the tones of the other, whether grave or gay. The influence of martial strains, which incite the soldier to the most daring exploits, is a proof of what I mean.'

"Oh! yes. I have felt a thrill at hearing military airs, though I know not why. I wish musical instructors would lead the minds of their pupils a little more to reflect upon the true character of music; it would help to form the taste much more than a mere mechanical method of teaching."

"Perhaps it might," replied Mrs. Manvers; "but the first object with the teacher-though it too is sometimes neglected