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Let truth and sincerity be the only ornament of your language; and study how to think of all things as they deserve.

Let your dress be sober, clean, and modest. In your meat and drink, observe the rules of christian temperance and sobriety; consider your body, as only the servant of your soul and only nourish the one so as it may best perform an humble and obedient service to the other.

Let every day be a day of humility; relieve the wants, and rejoice in the prosperity of your fellow-creatures; compassionate their distress, everlook their unkindness, and forgive their malice.

The time of practising these precepts, my child, will be soon over with you; the world will soon slip through your hands, or rather you will soon slip through it: it seems but the other day when I received these same instructions from my dear father, that I am now leaving with you.

THE HAPPINESS OF CULTIVATING A GOOD

TEMPER.

A GOOD temper is one of the principal ingredients of happiness. This, it will be said, is the work of nature, and must be born with us: and so in a good measure, it is: yet it may be acquired by art, and improved by culture. Almost every object that attracts our notice, has a bright and a dark side. He that habituates himself to look at the displeasing side, will sour his disposition, and consequently impair his happiness; while he who beholds it on the bright side, insensibly meliorates his temper; and, by this means, improves his own happiness, and the happiness of all about him.

Eliza and Mary are two friends. They are alike in birth, fortune, education, and accomp lishments. They were originally alike in temper too; but by different management, are grown the reverse of each other. Eliza has accustomed herself to look only on the dark side of every object. If a new literary work makes its ap pearance, with a thousand beauties, and but one

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or two blemishes, she slightly skims over the passages that should give her pleasure, and dwells upon those only that fill her with dislike. If you shew her an excellent portrait, she looks at some part of the drapery, that has been neglected, or to a hand or finger which has been left unfinished. Her garden is a very beauti ful one, and kept with great neatness and elegance; but if you take a walk with her into it, she talks to you of nothing but blights and storms, of snails and caterpillars, and how impossible it is to keep it from the litter of falling leaves, and worm-casts. If you sit down in her summer-house, to enjoy a delightful prospect, she observes to you, that there is too much wood, or too little water; that the day is too sunny, or too gloomy; that it is sultry, or windy and finishes with a long harangue upon the wretchedness of our climate. When you return with her to the house, in hopes of a little cheerful conversation, she casts a gloom over all, by giving you the history of her own bad health, or of some melancholy accident that has befallen one of her children, Thus she insensibly sinks her own spirits, and the spirits of all around her; and at last discovers, she knows not why, that her friends are grave.

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Mary is the reverse of all this. By habitu ating herself to look on the bright side of objects, she preserves a perpetual cheerfulness in herself, which, by a kind of happy contagion, she communicates to all about her. If any misfortune has befallen her, she considers that it might have been worse, and is thankful to Providence for an escape. She rejoices in solitude, as it gives her an opportunity of knowing herself; and in society, because she communicates the happiness she enjoys. She opposes every man's virtues to his failings, and can find out something to cherish and applaud, in the very worst of her acquaintance. She opens every book with a desire to be entertained or instructed; and, therefore, seldom misses what she looks for.-Walk with her, though it be but on a heath or a common, and she will discover numberless beauties unobserved before, in the hills, the dales, the brooms, brakes, and variegated flowers of weeds and poppies. She enjoys every change of weather, and of season, as bringing with it some advantages of health or convenience. In conversation, you never hear her repeating her own grievances, or those of her neighbours, or (what is worst of all) their

faults and imperfections. If any thing of the latter kind is mentioned in her hearing, she has the address to turn it into entertainment, by changing the most odious railing into a pleasant raillery. Thus Mary, like the bec, gathers honey from every weed; while Eliza, like the spider, sucks poison from the fairest flowers. The consequence is, that of two tempers, once very nearly allied, the one is for ever sour and dissatisfied, the other always pleased and cheerful: the one spreads a universal gloom; the other a continual sunshine.

INGRATITUDE TO OUR SUPREME BENEFACTOR, IS HIGHLY CULPABLE.

ARTABANES was distinguished with pe culiar favour by a wise, powerful, and good prince. A magnificent palace, surrounded with a delightful garden, was provided for his resi dence. He partook of all the luxuries of his sovereign's table, was invested with extensive authority, and admitted to the honour of a free intercourse with his gracious master. But Ar

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