3RD REASON.-All men have their trials and afflictions, but a contented mind accommodates itself to every vicissitude of life; neither poverty nor distress, neither losses nor disappointments, neither sickness nor sorrow, can affect its equanimity: As the elixir of the ancient philosophers converted the baser metals into gold, so contentment converts the severest trials into subjects of thanksgiving.

4TH REASON.-A contented mind is free from the distressing passions of ambition, covetousness, jealousy, envy, and the like, which prey like vultures upon the peace of the discontented.

5TH REASON.-The habit of a contented mind is to compare its state with the condition of those worse off than itself; but the habit of a discontented mind is to compare its state with the condition of those better off than itself: The former habit is the source of perpetual gratitude and joy, the latter of carking desires and unremitted regrets.

6TH REASON.-There is an action and a re-action in contentment reproducing and enhancing the pleasures of each other: Thus, contentment produces gratitude, peace of mind, and humility, which in their re-action engender love to God and man, a good opinion of others, a lively sense of being estimated and rewarded according to merit, and a good will towards man; these feelings again re-act upon the mind with beneficial influence, and refine its pleasures as gold is refined by the refiners.

7TH REASON. THE CONVERSE.A discontented mind is always hankering for something it does not possess, which, however, is no sooner acquired than it is despised, and some new desire springs up to cast a shade over the mind and vex it with fresh disquietudes.

SIMILES. The Town and Country Mouse.-A fable.
The Ox at plough and the Calf.-Esop's fable.
The Contented Porter.-A well-known anecdote.

As a boat glides down a stream; so a contented mind glides through life smoothly, silently, and without obstruction.

As the sun shining on the lowliest cot gives to it a charm which gladdens the heart; so contentment gives a charm to the mind which acts upon it as a moral sunshine.

As oil poured on the stormy ocean serves to pacify the troubled waters; so contentment diffused through the mind serves to smooth all the troubles of life.

The cow may be looked on as an emblem of contentment; all she eats is turned to useful and nutritious food: Whereas the asp may be considered an emblem of discontent, "whose food is turned to gall in its own bowels."

HISTORICAL ILLUSTRATIONS.-St. Paul says, "I have learned in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content," which he calls "great gain ;" and adds that "they which covet money pierce themselves through with many sorrows."-Compare Phil. iv. 11. with 1 Tim.

vi. 6. 10.

Job, having lost all his substance and all his children, exclaimed with pious resignation, "The Lord gave and the Lord hath taken away, blessed be the name of the Lord!"

Alexander having told Diogenes, " He would grant him whatsoever he asked, even to the half of his kingdom," received for reply, Diogenes asks Alexander to stand

out of the sunshine."

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Solon being asked by Croesus, "Who was the happiest man?" referred the king of Lydia to a poor cottager of Greece, who never desired greater wealth or a better condition than he possessed.

Marcus Curius Dentatus was three times consul of Rome, and having obtained most brilliant victories over Pyrrhus, the Samnites, and several other adversaries, retired to his small Sabine farm. On one occasion the Samnites sent to him a most costly present, and the messengers found him sitting at his hearth, roasting

turnips. When offered the gift, he rejected it, saying, "While he remained poor he governed himself and others, but by accepting their present he would sell himself to the Samnites and their gold."

Lucius Quintus Cincinnatus was so contented with the homely independence of his little farm, that he returned to it after serving the office of Dictator, although he was offered kingly state and honours by his grateful country

men.

Caius Fabricius, surnamed Luscinus, was frequently called from his farm to fill the highest offices in the Roman Republic; but always returned to his Sabine cottage immediately his services could be dispensed with ; being contented with his humble lot he was greater than a king, but had he coveted regal pomp, he would have been no better than a slave.

A poor shoemaker who used to sing all day over his work, attracted the notice of a rich prince, who was so delighted with his cheerful temper and steady industry, that he made him a present of 5007.: after the receipt of this present, the merry son of Crispin lost all his mirth, and became so woe-begone and wretched, that he took the money back, saying, "before the gift came he was contented and always happy, but since he had received it he had known no peace of mind, and was most miserable."

QUOTATIONS. A contented mind is a continual feast.
True happiness is to no place confined,
But still is found with a contented mind.
Among good things I prove and find
The quiet lyfe doth most abounde;
And sure to the contented mynde
There is no riches may be founde.

Let not what I cannot have

My cheer of mind destroy;

Songes and Sonnetes.

While thus I sing, I am a king,

Although a poor blind boy.-Colley Cibber.

Poor and content is rich, and rich enough;
But riches endless are as poor as winter,

To him that ever fears he shall be poor.-Shakspeare.
Contentment opes the source of every joy.-Beattie.
Contentment is, to the mind, what light is to the body.
The greatest wealth is contentment with a little.
Contentment, parent of delight, &c.-Mrs. Barbauld.
N'est heureux que qui le croit être.
Qui cum fortunâ convenit, dives est.
Non esse cupidum, pecunia est.

Lætus sorte tua vives sapienter.-Horace.
Leve fit quod bene fertur onus.- Ovid.
Felix est qui sorte sua contentus vivit.
Felix est qui nihil cupit.

CONCLUSION. Hence it is for man's happiness, as well as for his goodness, to obey the commandment, "Thou shalt not covet."

THEME XXXI. Take care of the Pence, and the Pounds will take care of themselves.

INTRODUCTION. By avoiding petty extravagances and economising the little daily expenses of life, a competency will be realised more surely and more honourably than by parsimonious savings or inordinate profits.

1ST REASON. A man who is careful of small expenses, will be at least equally careful not to indulge in extravagant follies.

2ND REASON. "Many a little makes a mickle," says the Scotch proverb; by which is meant, that little extravagances soon accumulate into a great loss, and little savings into great gains.

3RD REASON.-Extravagance is a habit which grows in strength by indulgence, as a river increases by flowing. He who wastes his pence one year, will not be satisfied with the same amount to squander the next; but wasted copper will increase to wasted silver, and squandered silver will be supplanted by squandered gold.

4TH REASON.Extravagance and economy are not isolated habits, but rather the handmaids or parents of others: Thus extravagance is the companion of idleness, and indicates a mind more fond of pleasure than of business; economy, on the other hand, is the companion of industry and temperance, and shows a disposition more fond of business than of pleasure.

5TH REASON.-The habit of hoarding small savings has a great effect upon the mind, the appetites, and the conduct. It superinduces a carefulness, cleanliness, and vigilance, which prevent great waste: Whereas, the habit of extravagance superinduces a wanton recklessness, a gaudy unsubstantial taste, and an indifference to the wise caution of "a stitch in time."

6TH REASON.-Pence are the integers of pounds, and if the parts be preserved, the whole must of course be safe; but if the parts be wasted, the integrity of the compound is destroyed, and it ceases to be a sovereign: on the other hand, if the integers be saved they will accumulate into pounds; and therefore, if the pence be taken care of, the pound, which is composed of those pence, must be perfectly

secure.

SIMILES.-All plants grow from small seeds, and unless those seeds are preserved with care, the plants themselves will soon become extinct.

If the oak sapling be carefully nursed, the full-grown tree will thrive by its own inherent vigour.

If the spring of a river be stopped when it first bubbles from the hill, the current will be effectually destroyed: But if the spring be suffered to well out freely and join with tributary streams, the full river will flow on fearless of obstruction.