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school fellow-"I wonder my teacher took away my ticket for being asleep, when he slept himself all sermon time."—(American Sunday School Magazine.)

We extract the following old and interesting anecdote from an English paper, and present it to our readers as the most minute and apparently authentic account of one of the most excellent and amiable kingly examples ever offered to the world.

A ROYAL EXAMPLE.

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Mr. Brisket was a great favourite with his late majesty, George III., and among other anecdotes he relates of him the following: "I had a boy in my employ in the capacity of a shepherd. On a summer's day, while he was seated on a bank by the road side, watching the flock with his book in his hand the king walked that way unattended, as was usual at that period; his majesty marched up to the youth, saying, what, what book is that?' the lad replied, 'a spelling book'' aye!' said his majesty, Dyche-Dyche, is it ?—a good author-can you spell my lad? come, let us try words of two syllables.' Then taking the book, the king gave out several words that were properly and correctly spelt by the boy. His majesty then asked if he could read-and if he read the bible; my mother is too poor to send me to school,' replied the lad, and we have only a piece of a bible, and that so much worn I can't well read it.'-'That's a pity—a pity,' said the king, who then took down in his tables the name and residence of the lad's mother, and walked on. On his majesty's return to the castle, he called for the gentleman who then acted as his private and confidential secretary, and said, There is a great want of education among the poor people in our neighbourhood, and this ought not to be. Deliver this packet according to direction, and the woman must be expressly told it is a gift from me, as a reward for her perseverance in teaching her son to read. Her circumstances must be inquired into, and her children sent to school.' The monarch then put a five pound note in a common printed bible, and wrote with his own hand on the title page- The gift of George R. to Hannah

Potts,' and delivered it to the gentleman, with these words, 'hand this to the poor woman, for it is my wish that every subject in these realms should be able to read the bible.' Since his majesty's decease, this poor woman has been offered various sums for this precious volume, which she constantly refuses to sell, and often declares she will never part with it while she lives, and that she hopes to die with it under her pillow."

66 THE SOLITARY PLACE MADE GLAD.

In a former number, a very interesting anecdote, designated as above, was admitted to our pages, and we regret to find that it was not circumstantially correct. The writer of that article dictated it from memory some time after having heard it. The place of the occurence was not known at the time of communicating it. The knowledge of the fact (since learnt) that it was near the flourishing little town of Fredericksburgh, Virginia, would have enabled the writer to have given it a more just colouring. We cheerfully hasten to correct that statement, by briefly adding that the moral improvement there produced by the influence of Sunday Schools, though happy in its effects, was not from such destitute circumstances as there stated; neither was it "alone and unaided," that an individual advanced a work of benevolence and piety, the circumstances have been imperfectly remembered, which has led to the mistatement. We hope in a future number to give a more correct account of those interesting facts. It is well here to state that we are of opinion, (and endeavour to practice accordingly,) that no Sunday School anecdotes should be given unless precisely facts, and without the least additional colouring. Those we select for our pages are always accredited to the publications whence they are taken; and we are careful to admit only such, as according to our experience, have an air of probability. We hope that all that have heretofore appeared are materially correct. As to those we have given ourselves, having personal and confidential knowledge of their correctness, we vouch for their authencity, with the exception only of the one in question" The solitary place made glad."

358

IMPROVEMENTS IN SUNDAY SCHOOLS.

A Plan of Annual Rewards.

"The Superintendent shall keep a continual record of the conduct of the children, and at the close of the year shall insert the names of the most deserving, in a book to be entitled the WHITE BOOK, which shall be opened the first sabbath after the anniversary celebration, the record read, and the rewards publicly distributed."-(Extract from the By Laws of S. School No. 23, New-York Union.)

NOTE. The public distribution of rewards to children, is a matter of difficult management. Deserved praise is a desirable means to stimulate even the virtuous heart to emulate nobler and purer deeds. But being injudiciously and too liberally bestowed, produces an effect in the cultivation of the mind similar to enriching the soil, and forcing a rapid and beautiful vegetation to be followed only by disappointment, as the expanded growth of the plant has wasted its vigour, and the fruit, if any, is either imperfect or useless, or the soil springing up with innumerable noxious weeds, they steal its nourishment, and choke it in its early growth. This also is the effect of praise even on the most deserving if incautiously given; and such the consequences of public rewards when injudiciously or too liberally bestowed. Their effects too often become highly injurious even to the humblest and most ingenuous minds, while with those of a proud and envious disposition they excite a spirit of jealousy, covetousness and arrogance. But we have long considered that this defect in the public distribution of rewards lay in the injudicious application of the principle, exciting the young mind to emulate its fellows as competitors, rather than stimulating it to the ardent pursuit of virtue, by an imitation of their worthy examples. In the practice of the plan above alluded to, a nice observance has been made of this principle, and the rewards at that time bestowed are exhibited rather as the enjoyment of virtuous attainments, than a distinction of character, or the reward of the pre-eminence of virtue. Every effort is made to control the injurious influence of praise in young and ambitious minds, by endeavours to convince them that the rewards are not so much rendered to their high claims, as they are the

*This book has a white cover with the following inscription, "the reward of merit,"—" a praise to them that do well," 1 Peter 2-14.

spontaneous expressions of a love and reverence for virtue, and a memorial of its worth. The distributions are carried no farther than the day of rewards, and the gift no longer dwelt upon than at the moment of bestowing it. The meritorious are pointed out to their teachers and school fellows as objects of affection and reverence, rather than marks of emulation and rivalship, well knowing that to excite an affectionate regard in the youthful bosom for the amiable and virtuous, will the soonest lead them to an imitation of their worth; thus naturally leading to the de sired effect, rather than to be dictated to it by any previous admonitions. Experience and observation of its good effects, have made us decidedly favourable to this beautiful plan of public rewards, which is both economical and judicious, as it lessens the expense and number of rewards, while it continues the stimulus to their attainment, and if public rewards are indeed of a doubtful character, and yet so sanctioned by custom, that altogether to withdraw them would be injurious; then this plan is judicious, for it lessens the evil. Our present limits will allow of no farther observation on this important subject; it shall claim our attention in a future number.

REVIEW AND NOTICE OF SUNDAY SCHOOL PUBLICATIONS. "The Rose," a Fairy Tale, by Mrs. Sherwood, author of "Little Henry and his Bearer." Boston, S. T. Armstrong. J. P. Haven, NewYork.

Is this by the author of Little Henry and his Bearer ?—We regret indeed that it should be; and the more so that it should be thus noticed on the title page; feeling assured of its proving a ready passport for its extensive circulation among Sunday schoJars a passport not at all needed to render it a welcome reward to juvenile hands, while it bears the enticing title of " The Rose,' under the tempting character of "A Fairy Tale.” The well designed and pleasantly written stories for young minds, by Mrs. Sherwood, whom we would emphatically call the children's friend, have hitherto been of that judicious cast of character, and withal so sprightly; and written with such tenderness and simplicity, as to have won the reliance of the guardians of the rising race, who seek for, and receive with eagerness any productions of her pen; and “by the author of Little Henry and his

Bearer," is a proclamation from which they are always led to anticipate both pleasure and instruction in the perusal of them. But we have laid down the few pages of" The Rose," (and glad that they were few,) both with surprise and disappointment, having at first supposed the title, "Fairy Tale," had been chosen as a specious and innocent lure to attract the attention of our young readers. Mrs. Sherwood, who must be very conversant with children, should be aware that allegory is very engaging to the juvenile mind; and as instructive as engaging-conveying every sentiment with peculiar force to their understandings. But it should also be remembered that the tendency of an allegory is injurious when it is made to assume the garb of truth. The simple and beautiful scriptural visions of Bunyan, we have always observed, are the most enticing of any productions that fall into the hands of children; and are reperused by them with Jan untiring pleasure. But they are well understood by them as being only a narrative of dreams. Not so "The Rose," Mrs. Sherwood's "Fairy Tale ;" it opens with relating that a young gay girl, not being able to compose her mind in sleep, "with spirits light and airy," actually takes a midnight ramble by moonlight to an adjacent wood, observes a fairy ring, and is spectator to their visible meeting at the court of their queen Gloriama— each putting in their claim for the prize of an amaranthine rose. The humble and retiring Miranda is closely catechised by her queen; and though refusing all claims of merit is adorned with the rose, the reward of industry, and faithful exertions to instruct her children. The moral conveyed is the worth of virtuous humility and industry, and the esteem to be attached to careful instructers; but the mediam, through which these sentiments are conveyed, is very objectionable; as it is much to be feared that such fairy tales may distract the minds of our piously instructed youth in regard to that ruling Providence of whom they are taught that his hand is over all his works, "and so clothes the lilies that toil not neither do they spin ;" "and feeds the young ravens when they cry ;" "and who is about their path

and about their bed, and spics out all their ways."

We earnestly desire that the press may be so guarded as to be a source of pure productions for young readers, to virtuously

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