odd, and assured her there was no danger of their being guilty of so great an act of cruelty; but it was difficult to pacify her, and when put to bed she passed a restless night. On the following day she had a fever, during which she frequently exclaimed, "Do not put me in the cellar!" "he fourth day after, she was taken to Sir Astley Cooper, in a high state of fever, with delirium, frequently muttering, "Pray don't put me in the cellar!" When Sir Astley inquired the reason, he found that the parents had learnt the punishment to which she had been subjected. He ordered what was likely to relieve her; but she died in a week after this unfeeling conduct.

Another case, from the same authority, may be here cited. It is the case of a child ten years of age, who, wanting to write her exercise, and to scrape her slate-pencil, went into the school in the dark to fetch her knife, when one of her school-fellows burst from behind the door to frighten her; she

was much terrified, and her head ached. On the following day she became deaf; and on the next, 80: much so as not to hear the loudest talking. Sir Astley saw her three months after this had happened, and she continued in the same deplorable state of deafness.

A boy, fifteen years of age, was admitted an inmate of Dundee Lunatic Asylum, having become imbecile from fright. When twelve years of age he was apprenticed to a light business; and some trifling article being one day missing, he was, along with others, locked up in a dark cellar. The children were much alarmed; and all were let out with the exception of this poor boy, who was detained until past midnight. He became from this time nervous and melancholy, and sank into a state of insensibility from which he will never recover. The missing article was found on the following morning, exculpating the boy of the guilt with which he had been charged.

CONTENTMENT.

Marcus Curio, when he had bribes sent to tempt him to be unfaithful to his country, was sitting at dinner with a dish of turnips, and they came and promised him rewards. "Well," saith he, "that man that can be contented with such fare as I have, will not be tempted with your rewards. I thank God, I am contented with this fare; and as for rewards, let them be offered to those that cannot be content to dine with a dish of turnips, as I do."

The truth of this is apparently seen as the reason why men do betray their trust, and by indirect means strive to be rich, is because they cannot be contented to be in a low condition. Whereas the man that is contented

with a hard bed and a bare board, is shot-free from thousands of temptations that prevail against others, even to the damning of their souls.-Jeremiah Boroughs.

THE AFFECTIONS.

He that rideth a fierce horse, let the horse keep what pace he will, so long as the rider commands him by the bridle, we say he rides strongly. But if the horse get the bit in his mouth, and run away, the faster his pace the weaker the rider, because he cannot check him. Our affections are just like that fierce horse, and our reason should be as a strong bridle. Stir they never so much, if reason command, we are strong. But if reason

have no power, and they run loose, then certainly the more violent they are, the more weak are we.-B. Lake.

ETERNITY.

Zeuxis, the famous painter, was observed to be very slow at his work, and to let no piece of his go abroad into the world to be seen of men, till he had turned it over and over, this side and that side, again and again, to see if he could espy any fault in it; and being upon a time asked the reason why he was so curious, why so long in drawing his lines, and so slow in the use of his pencil, he made this answer: "I am long in doing what I

take in hand, because, what I paint, I paint for eternity." As for our parts, we write, we read, we sing, we pray, we labour; whatsoever we say, whatsoever we do, whatsoever we think, all is transmitted to eternity; all to be viewed by a most judicious and allseeing eye; so that no fault can escape; and being viewed and considered, they are to be committed, either to be eternally punished or eternally rewarded. We must labour, therefore, to be perfect; so to live to God, that we may live with God; 80 to live on earth, that we inay live in Heaven; so to live for eternity, that we may live to all eternity.-Drexelius.

AH! well I mind me of a child,
A gleesome, happy maid,

Who came with constant step to church,
In comely garb array'd,
And knelt her down full solemnly,
And penitently pray'd.

And oft when church was done, I mark'd
That little maiden near

This pleasant spot, with book in hand,
As you are sitting here,-
She read the story of the Cross,
And wept with grief sincere.

Years roll'd away,-and I beheld
The child to woman grown;
Her cheek was fairer, and her eye
With brighter lustre shone;
But childhood's truth and innocence
Were still the maiden's own.

I never rang a merrier peal,

Than when, a joyous bride,

She stood beneath the sacred porch,
A noble youth beside,
And plighted him her maiden troth,
In inaiden love and pride.

I never toll'd a deeper knell,
Than when, in after years,
They laid her in the churchyard here,
Where this low mound appears-
The very grave, my boy, that you
Are watering now with tears!

It is thy mother! gentle boy,

That claims this tale of mine; Thou art a flower whose fatal birth Destroyed the parent vine!

A precious flower thou art, my child-
Two LIVES WERE GIVEN FOR THINE!

One was thy sainted mother's, when
She gave thee mortal birth;
And one thy Saviour's, when in death
He shook the solid earth.
Go. boy! and live as may befit
Thy life's exceeding worth!

The boy awoke, as from a dream,

And, thoughtful, looked around,
But nothing saw, save at his feet,
His mother's lowly mound,
And by its side that ancient Bell,
Half hidden in the ground.

ARTHUR WILLIAM, after he was laid down in bed one night, said to his mamma, "It sometimes comes into my mind, perhaps there is no God. But then I think of this world. Who

made it? Whoever made it must be God." His mamma was surprised and pleased to hear her little son utter these words. She was surprised, because he was very young-only five

years and a half old; and because the doubt was spontaneous. He had always been told there was a God, and no one had ever said to him, "Perhaps there was not." The doubt sprung up in his own mind, or Satan put it there. She was also pleased, because he met the doubt in such a rational and firm way. The argument is the best that man ever thought of. It is so strong that no one can overturn it, and very few try. This argument, or reason, was as much the child's own, as was the doubt. They both sprung up in his own mind. His mamma, therefore, was pleased, because as soon as Satan put a bad thought into his mind, God put in a good one, which turned the bad one out. And she was pleased also, because she saw that her child's faith in God was resting on an intelligent conviction. Children will remember this argument, because it is a child's own. Parents will learn from it, how early in childhood the foundation of a rational and firm faith in religious truth may be commenced. The tale, moreover, though short and simple, shows how near a child's first thoughts approach to atheism, and how carefully we should watch the germination of error, that it may be stopped in the bud. It teaches, moreover, how soon and effectually intellectual error, or error of the head, may be neutralized by common-sense inference drawn from plain matter of fact. Let facts, therefore, wisely chosen, be deeply impressed upon the youthful intelleet; and these furnished ready to hand, will be of great use in keeping the mind from erroneous conclusions.

Arthur William said to his mamma one evening, "When I lie down, I feel so comfortable; because an angel seems to come and say to me, quickly and softly, that I am safe, I am safe,' and then go off again directly." Arthur William, when he goes to bed, reads "Little Scripture Stories," written by the author of "A Peep at Day," and

says the little prayer on the cover of the books which contain them, commencing, "O Father in heaven, thou hast made all things." Sometimes he sings a hymn, and is rather fond of the sweet lullaby

"Hush, my dear! lie still and slumber;

The

Holy angels guard thy head." This he and his younger brother sometimes sing by themselves when their mamma is gone down stairs; and in this way his mind holds converse with spiritual themes and spiritual beings before his eyes close in sleep. remark quoted above shows that the converse is real; that is, his thoughts have communion with unseen beings. There is fellowship between his mind and God. Children! how much better is this than to lie down without thinking of God and heaven! How much better to sing some sweet pretty hymn, than to talk and laugh, or quarrel and cry! How nice to feel, when you are falling to sleep, that God, by his holy angels, is keeping you safe! And let MOTHERS learn from this, what a powerful influence for good they may exert over their children, by kindly, devoutly, and intelligently leading their thoughts to divine things when they lie down to rest. Every mother should awaken some spiritual emotion in the breast of her child, at least once a day; and there is no better time than when that child prays, and lies down to sleep.

CHILD'S EVENING PRAYER. JESUS, tender Shepherd, hear me ! Bless thy little lamb to-night; Through the darkness be thou near me ; Watch my sleep till morning light.

All this day thy hand has led me,

And I thank thee for thy care; Thou hast clothed me, warmed me, fed

me;

Listen to my evening prayer. Let my sins be all forgiven;

Bless the friends I love so well; Take me, when I die, to heaven. Happy there with thee to dwell.