Observance of the Sabbath,

465

is in the heart, and assuredly it will bring forth its fruits of bitterness to our families, our friends, and our country.

The Committee cannot close this Report without announcing, that they have received information of a Branch Society, which is about to be established at Wakefield, and another at Liverpool."

ON THE OBSERVANCE OF THIE SABBATH.

BEGIN with this examination, brethren,-put yourselves to this proof: Do you indeed" call the Sabbath a delight?" Are you sincerely disposed to say, when it returns, "this is the day which the Lord hath made, we will rejoice, and be glad in it ?” Do you feel happy in the services it enjoins, and grateful for the privileges it brings with it? These privileges are indeed important to those whose views and feelings are as they should be in this matter; they do not merely give us rest from ordinary cares and daily labours, but they lift the spirit above that necessity of minding earthly things which hinders and represses its efforts when it would soar heavenwards. This, to a serious Christian, whose desires are such as become his profession, is indeed an inestimable privilege. He makes it a point of conscientious duty never to shrink from any service which is required from him in the pursuit of his lawful calling; whatever his hand findeth to do, he does it with all his might. But, though the Apostle's maxim, "not slothful in bu siness," has its due weight and influence with him, he is never unmindful that the believer must also be" fervent in spirit, serving the Lord," and he is, above all things, thankful for the provision which has been made for his spiritual need, and the encouragement which was held out to the Lord's ser

vice by the appointment of the Sabbath. Diligence in his social calling will never be urged by him to excuse carelessness in his calling as a Christian. Important as the duties of his station may seem, and in truth may be, he knows that these will soon be at an end. Here he has no abiding place, his thoughts therefore, are ever running forward to that" city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God." And, when he finds his spirit overladen with many cares, and cumbered, as it were, with much serving, how ready will he be to call that sabbath a delight, which allows him to cast himself at the feet of his Lord, and listen to his heavenly teaching.-From Sermons on the Observance of the Lord's Day, by J. M. Turner, M. A. Swinnerton's, Macclesfield; Hatchards, London.

ADVICE PICKED UP IN THE STREET.

THERE is a set of ballad singers, who are in the habit of frequenting fairs and other places of resort, where the demand for loose songs and proffigate stories is great. In a shabby street in London, such people will get a crowd round them to listen to the vile trash with which their basket is filled. There is however a great improvement within these few years in the hawker's basket. A poor ragged ballad singer, a few days ago, was delivering the following halfpenny-worth of advice to a crowd of listeners in a London street. If my readers think it worth their reading, it is at their service.

OLD ENGLISH MAXIMS,

WITH MORAL REFLECTIONS,

Cut your Cloak according to your Cloth. "This direction is not only tailor's work but a good lesson over and above to all mankind; and

Advice picked up in the Street.

467

gives an exact measure of their actions as well as their shape, substance, and bodies. It is the best advice that can be given to people of all ranks and degrees, whether of the nobility, gentry, or commonalty of the kingdom, from the highest to the lowest, to balance accounts betwixt their expences and their income, to adjust their lives and liberties to the real worth of their estates, and never to let their fortune become so indebted to their extravagancies for a shew, a figure, or fine clothes, as not to be able to pay the bill at sight, or discharge it on demand with credit and reputation.

This good old saying, is so great a maxim of prudence and frugality in all families, that people should do well to carry it always about with them in their minds, as a cautionary guard upon their pockets in the laying out of money, for fear of running into debt. They ought never to go to market without it, nor buy more than they can really afford. They should eat and drink and clothe themselves according to the direction of it. Parents by the wise instruction of this doctrine are only obliged to give their children such an education, as is answerable to their birth and quality. It would look ridiculous for Mother Huff, who keeps a little ale-house at the sign of the Last Shift, to put her daughter Bridget either to a boarding school for breeding, or to a dancing school for carriage and court qualifications. A barber would be laughed at if he should pretend to set up his son for a fine gentleman. There are ten thousand instances of pride, foppery, and extravagance, in all trades and professions, where the cloak is not cut according to the cloth, and people pay dear at last, for transgressing this frugal proverb.

The general complaint is, Times are hard! Why then make them harder still? A good man in bad times will live ten times better than a bad man in good times. We often say taxes are heavy; that

is true, but by whom are we taxed most? Let a man reckon whether many are not taxed twice as much by their folly, and three times as much by their drunkenness, and four times as much by their idleness, as they are by government, and then say whether they have any right to complain because the shoe pinches, when they made it on their own last.

Desire not riches, they bewitch;

Contentment makes a poor man rich.

Industry will make a man a purse, and frugality gives him strings to it, the purse will cost him no thing, they that have it need only draw the strings as frugality directs, and they will always find a useful penny at the bottom of it. The servants of industry are known by their livery, it is clean and wholesome.

Were many women and servant girls to take as much time in mending their clothes as they do in curling their hair, there would not be half so many rag shops every where.

Look at the ragged and dirty slaves of idleness, and then ask who serves the best master. The fear of God will make a man think and act well, and when he needs it, God will find him a friend; the man who tells you to laugh at the fear of God, is your worst enemy, and teaches you to your injury also.-Beware of such.

Remember sin is the greatest evil, salvation by Christ is the greatest good, and grace to change the heart a poor man's greatest treasure. Let the poor man find his way to the cheapest market on Saturday, to a place of worship on Sunday, and, like an honest man, to his labour on Monday. Follow these simple rules, and you will be in a way to be happy twice over, happy in time, and happy in eternity.

Drunkenness expels reason, and drowns the memory; defaces beauty, diminishes strength, inflames the blood, causes external and internal

wounds, is a witch to the senses, a devil to the soul, a thief to the purse, a beggar's companion, a wife's woe, and children's sorrow. He is the picture of a beast, a self-murderer, who drinks to others good health, and robs himself of his own.

HOLLY HEDGES.

To the Editor of the Cottager's Monthly Visitor. SIR,

THE variety of subjects with which you treat your readers, can hardly fail to afford something that may interest them, according to their different pursuits and situations. Your 4th volume has some letters on the excellence of Holly Hedges, and on the best means of quickening their growth. This last consideration seems to me to be important, as objections are likely to be made to them from the slowness of their growth; and your correspondent, therefore, who has shown the quickest method of bringing them forward deserves our thanks. At the time of reading these letters, I own that I did not take much interest in them, never having had much opportunity of witnessing the beauty and advantage of these hedges, and moreover, being, like many other stupid people, more willing to go on in our old way than to try a new one, although it should be likely to be better. We do very well, I thought, as we are; quick hedges, and stone walls, or brick walls, or rails or palings did very well for our grandfathers, and they may do for us. The truth, indeed, is, that a quick hedge is an excellent fence, if it be properly attended to, but a holly hedge is a better, and much more ornamental, especially for gardens, and plea