an opportunity for the rambles in which she delighted.
But her time was not all dedicated to these calm
pleasures. Soon she had won the confidence of several
of the inmates of the place, who imparted to her their
heart histories, seeking that aid and counsel which she
was so well able to give. She mentions the holding of
two conversations during this visit, in both of which
she was the leader. The first was on Education, a
subject concerning which her ideas differed from those
adopted by the Community. The manners of some of
those present were too free and easy to be agreeable to
Margaret, who was accustomed to deference.
At the second conversation, some days later, the circle was smaller, and no one showed any signs of weariness or indifference. The subject was Impulse, chosen by Margaret because she observed among her new friends a great tendency to advocate spontaneousness at the expense of reflection.” Of her own part in this exercise she says:—
“I defended nature, as I always do,—the spirit ascending through, not superseding nature. But in the scale of sense, intellect, spirit, I advocated to-night the claims of intellect, because those present were rather disposed to postpone them.”
After the lapse of a year she found the tone of the society much improved: The more freakishness of unrestraint had yielded to a recognition of the true conditions of liberty, and tolerance was combined with sincerity.
