to than it would have been had the dog which inflicted it been in a healthy condition. Mr. White will indeed be a great benefactor to mankind, if he can prove his opinion to be right, that the bite of a mad dog will not communicate the disease of hydrophobia to a human subject; but we are afraid that there are too many fatal proofs to the contrary.-The

same.

GREENWICH FAIR.

The Magistrates and parochial Officers of Greenwich have been for some time active in endeavouring to suppress this fair.

On Easter Tuesday the showmen and stall-keepers at Greenwich fair had notice given them that they would not again be permitted to hold a fair at Greenwich, as the holding of such fair was not established by charter, and was consequently considered in the eye of the law as illegal. This notice, however, was considered as nothing more than a threat, which the Magistrates had no idea of carrying into execution.

Richardson, therefore, commenced erecting his theatre, and was joined by Saunders, the proprietor of the equestrian troop. The proprietors of a number of drinking and dancing booths, and gingerbread stalls, also began their preparations, when the overseers, and other officers of the parish, assisted by forty special constables, proceeded to the spot where Mr. Richardson had commenced the erection of his theatre, and ordered him to clear off forthwith. With this order Mr. Richardson at first refused to comply. The officers next proceeded to the other shows and stalls, and the proprietors all expressed their determination of following Mr. Richardson's example. The officers again went to Richardson's, and, we hear, threatened to pull down his theatre, and all the booths in the place, if they did not immediately save them the trouble by doing it themselves.

Richardson, after some further delay, ordered his men to clear away; and in a short time Saunders and Richardson, followed by the ginger-bread stalls, left Greenwich for Wands. worth, where a fair is held during the week.

It is not surprising that there should be an unwillingness on the part of the shewmen to lay aside their gains. Another year, probably, there will be no attempt to continue the fair; and thus an immense quantity of wickedness and misery will be prevented.

NOTICES TO CORRESPONDENTS. We have received E. W. B.; T-a; and I. P. A.

THE

Cottager's Monthly Visitor.

NOVEMBER, 1825.

REMARKS

On the 27th Chapter of Genesis.

THIS Chapter contains one of the most remarkable instances of the deceitfulness of the heart, that we meet with in Scripture, and strongly teaches the necessity of watchfulness over our spirits, and of making the word of God a lamp to our feet, and a light to our paths. We see Isaac, from a sinful partiality for his elder son, about to confer that blessing on him, which God had declared to be the portion of the younger; and Rebekah, instead of acting the part of a faithful friend to her husband, and recalling to his recollection the prophecy which had been delivered, counselling and assisting Jacob in the execution of a scheme of hypocrisy and de. ceit to obtain it.

V..8.- Obey my voice."-"Children obey your parents in the Lord." The obedience of children to their parents has its limits. They are to obey in all things, however contrary to their own inclinations, which are not clearly opposed to the will of God. But, if a parent commands any thing contrary to the law of God,-as to make an excuse which is contrary to the truth, or to assist in any dishonest transaction, or to break the Sabbath either for profit or pleasure,-the case is then altered, for We ought to obey God rather than man.' But in what is not contrary to the will of God, let

the orders of a parent be ever so irksome or unpleasant, they are still to be complied with, without murmurings and complainings. A pious child's first duty is to shew piety at home. If it has pleased God to make any instructions you may have received, the means of bringing you " to know him, and Jesus Christ whom he has sent," then your first care should be, by your obedience and kindness, and industry, and attention to your parents' desires in all lawful things, to shew them that there is something real in the grace of God. Children are commanded to learn first to shew piety at home-to shew their religion at home-and to requite "their parents." To requite is to make a return to another, according to what he has done for you; but no child can ever requite a parent for the days of toil, and restless nights, the pain and labor, and anxiety he has cost him: but you should do what you can.

When

your parents are out at work, you may take care of the little ones, use the stock of provisions with frugality, and have the cottage neat and comfortable for them when they return at night. It will make a very material difference in their comfort, whether these things are carefully attended to, or whether they are neglected. Then if they cannot read, you should try all opportunities of reading to them, and not be put out of temper if the children interrupt. You should bear with a cross word from a fretted spirit and tired body, though you may be conscious you have not deserved it. This patient continuance in well-doing, will be of great use to yourself, and perhaps to your parents.

"The

The son shall not

V. 13. Upon me be thy curse, my son.' soul that sinneth it shall die. bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son." We are not to imagine that we can throw off our share of guilt, on the shoulders of him who tempted us to commit the sin each of us is to answer for himself; Rebe

Remarks on the 27th Chapter of Genesis. 483 kab's own sin would be sure to find her out, but she could not suffer for her son's.

V. 20-24.-It is one of the instances of the deceitfulness of the heart, that we imagine we can stop short in a course of iniquity, when we will. Probably Jacob did not expect that the difficulty of deceiving his father would be so great as to involve in it the utterance of two such gross falsehoods.

V. 34.-Esau in his lamentations, as men are apt to do when the consequences of their sins come upon them, entirely forgot that he was but eating the fruit of his own devices, that he had been the willing instrument of his own degradation. Having sold the birthright, he had no claim to the special blessings connected with it; and, however criminal were the means used by Jacob to obtain it, it was now clearly his.

V. 37-40. With respect to the peculiar blessing which he desired, Esau found no place of repentance-no change of purpose-in his father's mind, "though he sought it carefully with tears :" but without reversing or interfering with the blessing already conferred on Jacob, Isaac pronounced that Esau's descendants should also be a wealthy, prosperous, and warlike people; and foretold that although, as a general feature of their history, they should serve those of Jacob, yet that there should be a period, when they should break his yoke from off their neck. But what an affecting illustration is Esau's misery, upon the loss of the blessing, of the agony with which the self-deceiver will hear those appalling words, "I know you not." It is presented to us with this very view by St. Paul. (Heb. xii. 15. 17.) Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God"-Lest the unspeakable grace of God in sending his Son to die for sin, should come to the knowledge of any one in vain,

66

without proving the power of God to his salvation. "Lest there be any profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright." By being profane, is clearly meant having a contempt for spiritual blessings: and we do despise spiritual blessings unless we make them our first concern ; for our desire after any thing is in proportion to our sense of its value. We should not say that a man cared for the loss of a large sum of money, if he did not seek for it with a greater diligence than if it had been a very small sum; and so we cannot say that a man cares for his soul, who does not make its salvation bis first concern. Unless the care of the soul be the first concern, it is in reality no concern at all. "For ye know how that, afterward, when he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected: for he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears." I was, some time since, with a number of young people on their way to join their parents in a distant land. As we drew near, the delights of the meeting, and the affection with which they expected to be received, were often the subject of conversation, and often brought to my mind those affecting parables of Scripture, where the rejection of sinners is represented under the emblem of the refusal of admittance to a guest at a marriage feast. I used to think what these young persons would feel, if, instead of receiving the welcome of rapturous affection, they were disowned and thrust from the door, as deceivers and unworthy. We may imagine what tears and entreaties would be employed to reverse the sentence, and how bitter would be the distress if they were unavailing:distress heightened by the expectations entertained of a fond reception. But, terrible as it would be, what is it to an eternal condemnation? What is it to the grief and sorrow with which self-deceiving sinners will hear those awful words, "Depart from