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This little stone is a bit of mosaic, taken from the floor of the old temple dedicated to Ceres, at Eleusis, twelve miles from Athens. Anciently this temple was visited by the Athenians annually, in great processions, to pay their adoration to the goddess Ceres; the road to it was called the "sacred way."

Now, Mary, we come to a shelf full of Turkish things, from Smyrna, Asia Minor. Some large dolls, representing the Turks and Armenians in their different costumes; the chibouc or long pipe; and the nigaele, which is a glass vase beautifully painted. When used, it is filled with water; and it has a little fireplace in the top, where the tobacco is burned, and from which the smoke comes down into the water, keeping it constantly bubbling, and then passes off through a long elastic tube, the end of which the smoker has in his mouth, and may sit across the room if he like. This and coffee-sipping, you know, are the Turks' greatest luxuries. By the way, here are some of their cups and saucers, not saucers, but zarfs, little metal stands for the cups, gold or silver, as they can afford. This cup holds about as much as an American would drink at one swallow, but a Turk would be an hour sipping it and blowing it into the smoke of his pipe. Not long since, a traveller from our country called at the house of a Pacha in Smyrna; when helped to this mark of hospitality, instead of holding it gracefully between his thumb and finger, and sipping it gently, he seized it with his whole hand, and drank it off at once, much to the annoyance of the good Pacha, who of course thought his guest greatly wanting in etiquette, and asked his attendants, "Who is this barbarian?" "Let us do what we are going to do quickly, and be off," is every where the characteristic motto of the American.

Dear Mary, you will be weary if I take time to tell you of all these curiosities, and their many associations. But these little Turkish amulets are so very curious. They are made of glass, like small bells, and are worn upon the donkeys and camels, to keep off the "evil eye," as they say, or the influence of jealousy and envy. The children wear them also, for the same purpose. A little daughter of one of our missionaries, who, of course, wore no such badge of oriental superstition, was visited by some of the natives; who, after lavishing upon the fair one their extravagant praises of her beauty, spit in her face, to prevent her being flattered, which was doubtless a very effectual preventive to her vanity.

Matthew says of the Pharisees, "they do all their works to be seen of men, and make broad their phylacteries." Well, here is a phylactery too, and a great many other Roman relics, among which is a box of choice needlework of gold and silver embroidery, which we could appreciate better if we could see. Beside, Mary, we would like to take a peep into this case of minerals, which extends across the entire room. Like every thing else, this cabinet had its beginning. Twelve years ago a gentleman presented the Preceptress a few stones picked from a quarry in this neighborhood, which have been gradually accumulating, until now this room is a casket of curiosities. About that time, the school was founded by Miss Marietta and Miss Emily Ingham, from Massachusetts -- and ever since they have been gradually enlarging and improving their building and increasing its advantages, until at present there are few schools in the United States which afford greater facilities for the education of young ladies. Its libraries are large and select, and the conservatory is of itself a little world of beauty and thought. Professor Stanton, who is at the head of the school, is a well-known Artist. His gallery and studio are hung with choice paintings, both by the old Masters, and the work of his own hand. A teacher of painting here, is a lady who has been always deaf. They say when she is kneeling at the easel, her whole soul seems inspired with the beauty of her art, and the forms she leaves upon canvas appear to kindle at the glances of her eye.

Mary, I do sometimes really doubt whether or not, when properly considered, it is a misfortune to be blind. Is not our whole nature improved, and our immortal being elevated through this privation? Our sense of feeling becomes so delicate, and such a source of instruction and new pleasure. Only think of Miss Cynthia, she can feel distinctly the lines and spaces of ordinary printed music. And our hearing is so quickened, and our imagination so fleet, and memory too, what new power she possesses, and how tenaciously she clings to every thing, often astonishing even to ourselves. And beside, we know that our feelings are more sensitive, and our attachments stronger and more lasting; and there are few fields of intellectual research in which we may not enter and compete successfully with those who see. * * *

Rochester, April 11, 1848.

MY GOOD FRIEND MR. D.: -- Your long looked for, and thankfully received letter has till now remained unanswered, but not because I have been unmindful of its kindly contents. I was indeed both sorry and surprised to learn that you have resigned your station as one of the managers of the ---, knowing as I do your former devotion to its best interests. But my acquaintance with you, Mr. D---, assures me that you took not such a step, without good reasons for so doing.