never more disgusted with the selfishness and dishonesty of principle at work under the assumed garb of fairness and respectability, and crowned withal with much suavity and kindness of manner. I felt relieved on getting my liberty; and having no other business to attend to, started on a little solitary tour of discovery.

The first part of this was over-I may almost call it-a mountain of deposit, consisting of cinders and residuum from the blast furnaces, some of which was a very pretty blue vitreous substance. On this new formation several houses had been built, and shops opened. I bent my way toward Dowlais, the works of Sir J. Guest, having, on a previous visit to Merthyr, being much gratified with an inspection of the Cyfarthfa Works, through the kindness of one of the Messrs. Crawshay. In passing, I had, from the road, a very advantageous view of the Pen-y-darran iron works: my position being elevated above the works, and yet close to them, rendered the sight exceedingly interesting. The many chimneys-some belching out flame, others steam-the large circular blast furnaces, each being literally a vortex of intense fire-scarlet liquid metal running in moulds on the ground-red-hot lumps of iron passing and repassing between rollers, and being anon converted into heavy railroad bars—ponderous forge hammers exerting their prodigious power on half-melted masses of the same material and other operations, rather confusing to the sight and mind of the stranger, going on at one and the same time, and all taken in at one view, together with the noise necessarily attendant, and the very peculiar position of the works which are situated in the bosom of a small valley-the blast furnaces being backed by the rising ground, and the side of the valley rising high above them behind-the men, whose duties were to attend these furnaces, walking about near the top of them, engaged in filling, &c., being intercepted by the vapour, and sometimes by the flames-all were objects which chained me to the spot for some time, and composed a sight altogether exciting in the extreme to persons interested in mechanical pursuits, and fond of contemplating the sources whence flow our national

ments.

wealth and greatness. After having to some extent satisfied my curiosity, I proceeded towards Dowlais works, and was surprised at the great number of men and boys whom I met sauntering home from their employI had not walked far before I saw a placard announcing a meeting of the British and Foreign Bible Society-Sir J. Guest in the chair. I at once remembered that when I was in Merthyr before, I saw a similar announcement, and found then that the meeting had taken place two days before. I was now much disappointed to find that this meeting had been held only the evening previously, and the feeling was much increased on finding that one of the deputation was the Rev. A. Brandram, whom I knew from having heard him preach and speak several times in my own parish, and who was acquainted with my own dear pastor. As I went slowly on, ruminating, a Roman Catholic chapel, in course of erection, met my eye. This did not revive any pleasurable feelings. Yet, while the Bible Society does its work energetically, and, in dependence upon God's blessing, places God's truth in the hands of every man, woman, and child who can read that holy word, it is diffusing that which will fortify the heart against all the insidious attacks of Romanism, and before which all its errors and delusive mockeries must eventually fall.

On my return from Dowlais works, I saw, at a distance, another placard, printed mostly in Welsh, from which I could gather that a meeting of the Bible Society was being held at the very time I was reading it, at Hermon Chapel, Dowlais. I enquired for the chapel, was wrongly directed; enquired again, and found that I was either not understood or that the persons I enquired of were ignorant of the existence of the place. Having wasted much time in this way, and finding the evening closing in with appearances of rain, I enquired of a shopkeeper, who kindly left her business, contrary to my request, and took me within sight of the chapel. I entered, and was very kindly beckoned to a pew. I found the chapel a very large one, filled with just the class of persons intended to be called together. I anxiously looked for the only person whom I expected

to know the clergyman before named-and soon discovered his well-known face, and waited not less anxiously to hear his well-known voice. I asked a person next to me if he had addressed the meeting, but could get no answer that I could understand. The speaker then standing was a Welshman. His address I knew nothing of, but was amused-or as I may more properly say, much interested by it. I had never before heard so much Welsh: the strange words, singular pronunciation, and peculiar intonation of voice, kept me almost as closely attentive as if I had understood it throughout. The speech being concluded, singing followed. In this a number of young persons engaged-I supposed them to form the Sunday-school in connection with the chapel. I was equally unedified by the singing as by the speech, neither knowing words or tune, and so of course remained mute. Still, I must say, it gave me much pleasure, being so nicely done. The females and males sang parts of the piece alternately, then the entire choir united in a chorus. I felt additional pleasure in noticing the audience catch the spirit of it, and join in it to a great extent.

:

Another speech followed, in Welsh. The speaker commenced in a very deliberate and measured manner, and in a low, clear voice. This continued but a short time he very soon became energetic and loud; and this soon increased to vehemence. It reminded me of the rushing of a wild torrent, bounding and foaming, and impatient of all control. He completely enchained his audience. The flow of language, the attention given to it, and the deep effect it produced, were altogether remarkable. I judged it to consist in a great measure of anecdote. It was the speech of the evening. In the course of it, I heard the Welsh words, "Heb. Dduw;" i.e. in English, "without God." They were the only Welsh words which, in the whole course of the evening, I understood. They gave rise to many a thought, and were certainly the cause of my attempting these papers : but little did I think when I began that they would extend to so great a length.

Singing followed this speech also, and, as before, in Welsh; but I happened to know the tune-"Rousseau's

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Dream" a pretty tune-I wish it was graced with another name. I had great pleasure in joining; and could "sing with the spirit" if I could not with the understanding." My singing drew the attention of some near me, and they appeared rather surprised. A thrill of feeling passed through me as the happy voices of the children reminded me of home, and the emotion with which I have many times overheard my own dear little ones' voices engaged in singing those beautiful lines

"I love my Shepherd's voice:
His watchful eye shall keep
My wand'ring soul among
The thousands of his sheep.

He feeds his flock, he calls their names,
His bosom bears the tender lambs.

"Jesus, my great High Priest,

Offer'd his blood and died:
My guilty conscience needs
No sacrifice beside.

His powerful blood did once atone,
And now it pleads before the throne.

"My advocate appears

For my defence on high;

His plea the Father hears,

And lays his thunder by.

Not all that hell or sin can say,

Shall turn his heart, his love away."

How beautiful the sentiments! how affecting and precious the truths! how delightful the assurances! how holy and life-giving the doctrines which these lines contain! And how very appropriately expressed to convey religious truth to the mind of the young: and how do their beauty and importance seem heightened when expressed in the simple melody of childhood's voice!

Very often, my dear young friends, does a Christian parent's heart throb with deepest anxiety while thinking of his endeared offspring with reference to eternity. Often does he yearn over them as he watches the opening buds of intellect, bears the expression of their sentiments and feelings, has to attend to their singular and simple, yet frequently important, and sometimes unanswerable questions; and while with sorrow he notices

the often recurring ebullitions of innate depravity, and thinks of the entire change of nature which they must undergo to render them happy here and to fit them for the enjoyment of eternal blessedness hereafter. Thought crowds upon thought with overwhelming accumulation while he looks onward a few years-views them moving in their several spheres of active duty-most certainly either advancing in the path of eternal life and bliss or in the downward road that ends in destruction: exerting all along an influence for good or for evil on that part of society with which they are in contact-an influence which will either spread moral and spiritual blight and desolation among their fellow-immortals-thereby helping to fill up the measure of the world's sins, and to increase its ultimate downfall and ruin--or else, which will tend to stem the deep and overflowing streams of ungodliness, to diffuse a healthful and reviving atmosphere of pure morality and true religion-an influence delightfully enlightening and renovating, which will silently yet effectually expand, and tell upon all within its reach. How distressing the one view! how lovely the other! And you, my dear young friends, if you have Christian parents, give rise to one or other of these trains of thought in your parents' mind very frequently. And you do even now, to some extent, and will in after life, if it please God to spare you, exert in a much greater degree one or other of these influences on those around you. I could illustrate this to you in a variety of ways, had I space. O! do, my dear young friends, even now, while young, choose the "one thing needful;" "lay hold on eternal life;" make sure of it for yourselves; and then earnestly endeavour to make others take of its precious privileges and ennobling prospects. But to return from my digression. I was much amused and gratified by my attendance at this meeting, and left the chapel with happy feelings; the chief ingredient in which was, I believe, the unexpected gratification of seeing so many of the labouring classes assembled, and taking so lively an interest in the proceedings of the evening, I had been drawing a gloomy picture of the religious condition of the great masses of people at these

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