Febuuahy l!J. 
COUNTRY GENTLEMAN'S GOI^IPANION. 
300 
CONSEQUENCES. 
Bj the Aiilhoreas of “ Mij Fluicti's.” 
! {Cviiliinicd from pogc M'-l.) 
“ A ciiANiiii: came o’er tlie spirit of my dreama groat, and 
apparently liappy, change took place in the outward circum¬ 
stances ot ]Mr. and Mrs. Grosvenor. Events occurred by 
which Mrs. Grosvenor became again possessed of her full 
annuity; and the long period of privation, anxiety, and se- 
. elusion ceased. Ease and prosperity again returned, and 
I the fetters that had so long crippled their movements were 
I taken oil'. 
The real Christian possesses the blessed privilege of 
knowing that “ all things work U)gether for the good of tliose 
who love God.” The men of the world—tliose who scramble, 
as it were, through life—who toss about upon circumstances 
without rudder or compass, that fear the otl'ects of tlie ever 
shifting wind, yet know not whence it corneth, nor whither 
it goeth ; these men know nothing of the wisdom and good¬ 
ness of the Lord's dealings, nor can they sec the lieauty and 
harmony of all Ills de.signs. Nominal Christians, even 
those who sometimes “ for a pretence make long prayers,” 
do not always perceive His gracious dealings citlier. They 
do not view tlie treasures contained in trials, nor the advan¬ 
tage of adversity; and when prosperity comes, they grasp 
at it blindly and greedily, little dreaming of the thorns that 
lurk beneath the dowers, I believe Mrs. Grosvenor entered 
upon her new circumstances as soberly and thankfully us 
most persons do who arc not decided Christians ; but, poor 
thing! she soon found that when riches do not make them¬ 
selves wings, they often make themselves troubles; and 
that when she quitted the soft breezes of ^Valcs, and the 
wild beauty of its retirements, she had left better things 
than these behind. 
The lirst feelings of release and independence must have 
been c.xquisito to the Grosvenors. The world was all before 
them; they had no one to consult but each other; they 
might go and do exactly what they pleased. Mixed feelings, 
however, are the portion of this world. The loightest 
colours are ever shot with black in the looms of life ; and, 
very likely, Mrs. Grosvenor sighed secretly as the chaise 
jolted down the narrow 'Welch lane wdiich led from the gate 
of the long, steep garden at the back of their pretty cottage, 
to w'hich nothing beyond a Welsh cart could lind any other 
waj'. She was going forth into the world with a very violent, 
headstrong, irreligious partner; and it must have been 
something like a fresh setting out in matrimony w-hen their 
lovely retirement faded in the blue distance. 
When people have no particular drawing to any place or 
situation they are sure, in case of an uprooting, to settle in 
Bath. It is a beautiful city ; cheap, pleasant, cheerful, 
come-at-able, in the way of almost all ones frieuds, and very 
convenient as to lodging, food, and every other requisite. 
There is another advantage—the greatest of all put together 
—a sound, faithful, and earnest ministry; only that, was not 
the one thing Mr. Grosvenor sought. To Bath, however, 
they directed their steps ; they had lived there years before ; 
and again they planted themselves within its mild and shel¬ 
tered walls. Very soon a little society drew round them. 
Mr. Grosvenor attached himself to the Unitarian congrega¬ 
tion, with a thin, pale, clean, cold, hopeless looking pastor at 
its head, and, of course, the members of that body gladly 
I'eceived a fresh addition to their melancholy ranks. I have 
reason to believe Mrs. Grosvenor was drawn in to leave her 
own communion in the course of time ; not as agreeing in 
their tenets, but somewhat in the spirit of those, who—to 
use the actual words of a lady of birth—“ When in Turkey, 
do as the Turkies do.” Some ladies among the upperrauks 
were of the number of those wdio denied “ the Lord that 
bought them ; ” and very possibly the example and persua¬ 
sion of such companions might have had influence where 
views were not clear, and opinions not decided, It is of the 
very highest and deepest importance, dear reader, to have 
clear and decided views in religion. Many amiable, excellent, 
serious-minded persons, anxious to do right, and to be true 
Christians, are yet so unlearned in the Scriptures, so un¬ 
settled in their opinions, and so foggy in their spiritual 
vision, that they are impressed by any arguments that are 
earnestly and with subtlety enforced, and, consequently, are 
easy to be silenced, overcome, or led away. Knowledge of 
the httcr of God’s Word is no security for us; we must bo , 
acquainted with its sjdrit and its pnirer to make it eflica- ! 
cions. The teaching of the Holy binrit alone can enlighten ; 
our eyes and understandings, so as to be able to discern 
between truth and error; to be enabled to “ try the spirits, ' 
whether they be of God ;” for we are forbidden to “ believe i 
every spirit;” and how can we try the teaching of men, but 
by the Word of God through the teaching of tho Holy 
Spirit ? It is a fearful thing when we cannot contradict the 
arguments we hear, though wc nuiy feel them new, extra¬ 
ordinary, or wrong. It is a fearful thing when God’s own : 
Word is hrought l)eforc us by Satan, as he tempted the Holy 1 
One of God; and yet that we cannot confound him by the f 
spiritual ui)plication of it, as did He “who was tempted like I 
as we arc!” This is the grievous cause of tho many depar- ! 
turcs from the truth we see around us. 
Mr. Grosvenor was fond of company and cards. He liked 
little tea-drinkings and rubbers; and, as he was grown old and 
disinclined to more active pursuits, he used to amuse himself 
more in visiting and being visited than IMrs. Grosvenor 
began to relish. She had ever been inclined to jealousy; 
she knew her husband of yore, and ago did not diminish 
h(,>r affection or her fears. Her temper was sharp, her 
retorts biting, and disagreables ensued. Mr. Grosvenor, 
when he found the uneasiness of his poor little wife, de¬ 
lighted to exasperate and torment her; and miserable indeed 
became the heart that had been so quiet and happy among 
the rocks and retirement of South Wales! 
Mr. Grosvenor, too, became parsimonious in his prosperity. 
He began to starve his wife and himself, too, by slow but 
increasing degrees; and her distressing situation, at last, 
became no secret to the person with whom they lodged, and 
who was a kind, stout -hearted, shrewd woman, with a 
character that kept Mr. Grosvenor somewhat in check, 
although he regarded her highly. Mrs. Grifiiths felt deeply 
for poor Mrs. Grosveiior; she saw and understood her vexa¬ 
tions, and did all she could to comfort and cheer her. It 
was a real relief to her to slip down into the kitchen, when 
her husband was busy, or from home, or get her kind land¬ 
lady up into the parlour, to take snuff together, and have a 
few minutes’ chat; for her own equals had become obnoxious 
to her, as objects of her husband’s attentions, and, of course, 
she could possess no sympathies with them. Alas! alas ! 
when people marry uuadvisedly, where do the consequences 
end’? In my next paper the scene will close more darkly 
still. Let the young ponder, pause, and pray, before they 
go and do what can never be undone. 
{To be continued.) 
TUE POTATO DISEASE. 
PKitcEiviNG in No. 381 of The Cottage Gardener an 
article upon the Potato Murrain, wherein the wi’iter solicits 
the opinion of other cultivators of this useful esculent, as to 
whether this mysterious disease is influenced by frost, or 
whether frost is the cause of it; now, the opinions as to the 
origin and cause of this malady have been so numei'ous, 
and the cures suggested so various, one would fancy the 
subject to be exhausted, consequently, unnecessary on my 
part to ott'er any further remarks; but so long as the Potato 
is liable to this disease, or until we find another vegetable of 
a like nature to supersede it, the subject will be open to 
public discussion. After every nook and cranny of it has 
been explored, and every possible remedy prescribed by the 
Potato-eating millions, it is still without any decisive result; 
but, doubtless, there is a cause, or a combination of causes, 
and these may be more readily observed than is generally 
supposed. In this scientific age w’e are apt to overlook the 
simple working of nature, and seek for the explanation of 
certain results from the abstruse logic of some famed savant, 
which, however valuable in itself, is not always the most 
direct route to a favourable termination. The importance of 
investigating this subject must be evident to every philan- j 
thropic person ; for if we could possibly thereby provide the | 
public with a daily supply of this general favourite, we i 
should, doubtless, confer a valuable boon upon society in I 
these expensive times, i 
In this, as in every other Providential visitation of a like | 
