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wretched but too often experience. The most lively interest was excited by her appearance, which if possible was increased by the manner in which she told the tale of her short but unhappy life.

The watchman stated, that on the preceding evening he saw the young woman followed by a crowd of boys, who were annoying and teasing her in a variety of ways: she appeared strange in her manner; and, on his being desired by some of the inhabitants to take her for protection to the watchhouse, he had done so.

On Mr. Hardwick requiring her to give some account of herself, she said, that she had resided with her mother, and that about twelve months since, she became acquainted with a young man of her own religion, named Barnett. From their first interview, he paid her great attention, succeeded in gaining her affections, and at last, under solemn promise of marriage, accomplished her ruin. Her mother on hearing of her daughter's disgrace, and that a child was likely to be born, became disturbed in her mind, and at last a perfect maniac, in which state she continues to the present moment. The poor victim herself, hearing of her mother's derangement, while she was weak in body, and broken in spirit, with a mind torn with bitter shame and remorse, became herself unsettled in her reason, and is now an outcast and a maniac.

When found in the street by the watchman, she had been to the house where her mother lodged, but had not been permitted to see her; and that denial had excited her grief and anger, and had led to her apprehension. This account was confirmed by the owner of the house where the unfortunate mother lodges, who said the reason he denied the daughter entrance, was, that, at sight of her, the disorder of the mother becomes outrageous.

The worthy magistrate, and all present, felt most truly for the hapless and abandoned girl: he

Self-Examination.

491

ordered her to be taken good care of at the workhouse, till proper application could be made to her father; and, with his accustomed liberality, he contributed to her immediate wants.

The unhappy girl is not likely to be long a burden to any one, as she appears in the last stage of a rapid consumption.

T-a.

THIS afflicting account speaks in strong language to the tempter and to the tempted. To the one it says, "Think of the misery you are inflicting." To the other," Beware of the misery into which you may be brought.”

T-a,

A SABBATH PICTURE.

Methinks I see the sacred morn ascend
That calls on man his duty to attend;
That bids him, on the Sabbath day, repair
To his devotions in the House of Prayer.

.

Deep in the bosom of a valley green,
A smiling cot is in the distance seen,
Whence a fair family, in neat array,
To yonder house of worship bend their way.
The aged father of the flock precedes,
And onward his obedient offspring leads;

Children, and grandchildren, compose the troop

That follow him,-an interesting group.

Morning Post.

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Did I my time and thoughts engage
As fits my duty, station, age?
Did I with care my temper guide,
Checking ill-humour, anger, pride?
Did I my lips from aught refrain
That might my fellow-creature pain?
Did I with chearful patience bear
The little ills we all must share?
For all God's mercies through this day
Did I my grateful tribute pay?

And did I, when the day was o'er,
God's watchful aid again implore?

Sent by E. M.

CLIFTON NATIONAL SCHOOL

SEVERAL of our Correspondents have favoured us with accounts of National Schools, and with Reports of their progress. Few subjects are more interesting; but our difficulty has been to know from which to select such matter as might be the most interesting or useful. The following extracts are from several different Annual Reports of the Clifton National School, which we have reason to believe is particularly well conducted.

"Let a person be early taught to peruse, and revere, and love the Scriptures, and he will see that the man who would persuade him to deny their truth, to scoff at their holy doctrines, or to despise their precepts, is his greatest enemy. He will see also that the same authority which enjoins him to fear God, no less imperatively requires him to honour his King, and to obey the laws of his country. Let a person be taught from the Scriptures that patience under poverty and sufferings is alike his duty and his interest, and he will then be convinced that those who would excite a spirit of rebellion and disaffection towards his Government, only propose that which will aggravate his present misery, and bring upon him the just displeasure of Almighty God."

"A most interesting question forces itself upon проп

Clifton National School.

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493

every conscientious and considerate mind, What is the duty of the higher classes of this country with respect to the poor? And how shall they best use their influence to promote a spirit of contentment and subordination so exceedingly wanting amongst many? It will not surely be maintained by any one, that to withhold the privileges of a Christian education will produce the desired result. Ignorance is the parent of no good. A man cannot make a better subject, or better servant, or better member of society in any relation, in consequence of not having been taught in his youth, from the Word of God, his duties and obligations. There is Divine authority for the sentiment, Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old, he will not depart from it."

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"The Committee have the satisfaction to state that the School has attained to a degree of discipline exceeding that of any former period. In consequence of the pains taken to secure regularity of attendance, the children are become much more punctual, and their progress during the last year has been very considerable."

"The improvement of the children is strikingly apparent, and the discipline such as cannot but gratify those who appreciate the admirable system of Dr. Bell. In proof of these points, they appeal to the late public examination of the children on the 21st of December. It is essential to remark, that the examination furnished a faithful exhibition of the state of the School, the children not having been allowed to make preparation for it, or having been questioned in what constitutes their daily work."

"The school presents a spectacle of more than four hundred children of the Parish, rescued from habits of idleness and insubordination, and from that religious ignorance which exposes them more than any thing else to the malignant efforts now made,

to alienate the poor from the government of the country and the religion of Christ. These children brought under the constant eye of their appointed Ministers, and others of their superiors-having their minds, while tender, imbued with Christian truths and Christian precepts their conduct being watched their faults corrected-the good amongst them encouraged, and the bad discountenanced;these numerous children trained to the habit of observing the Sabbath, and attending the worship of God, it surely cannot be doubted, by any reflecting mind, that, through the Divine blessing, which may be expected on such an Institution, much good may be accomplished, and much evil prevented."

"The Committee of the School have the high gratification of assuring the Subscribers that there are many young persons of both sexes, who, having passed through the School, are now, within the limits of the Parish and neighbourhood, filling those humble stations which the Providence of God has assigned to them, in a manner satisfactory to their masters and employers, and evincing the benefits of the instruction imparted to them."

"It is but too true, that, in a Parish of so large a population, there will still be found young persons of vicious, disorderly habits, but the Committee have the spontaneous testimony of inhabitants, that the number of these is sensibly diminished; and they are able to affirm, from their own knowledge, that those who are complained of, as being obnoxious to their neighbours, are children who have either never been at the School at all, or have soon left it, the parents or the children themselves refusing to submit to the necessary discipline."

"All denominations of Christians in the community are providing education for the children of their poor, and while we wish to exhibit that spirit of tolerance which breathes through our Constitution in

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