“Never!”—And what provision hast thou made for thy entertainment there, whither thou goest?" "None at all."

"No!" said the fool; "none at all! Here, take my staff then. Art thou going away for ever, and hast taken no order nor care how thou shalt speed in that other world, whence thou shalt never return? Take my staff, for I am not guilty of any such folly as this?"

B.

LITTLE THINGS MARK THE CHARACTER. It is curious to observe the different ways of acting among the different people that we "Visitors" see in the course of our travels; and we sometimes are able to discover the real character of a person from what appears to be a very trifling circumstance. In fact, it is often in little matters that a man's character is found out. These appear so trifling to him, that he does not think it necessary to be on his guard

Thus it is, that when a man has no regard for religion, we discover this in a very few minutes' conversation. There will be a trifling jest, perhaps, on Scripture, or there will be the name of the Almighty coming out of the mouth, in a sort of careless manner. We often hear this from persons who would be ashamed of being thought common swearers. But this carelessness shews that there is no proper reverence for sacred things. It marks the disposition of the man.-Some persons say, Why need we be so particular about such trifles?" The reason is that these are not trifles; for they mark the character,' they shew what is within." Thus we find how distinctly the Holy Scriptures condemn "every idle word," and tell us that "by our words we shall be condemned, and by our words

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we shall be justified." The truth is, that the words express the feelings, the state of the heart; "out" of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh." Words then, as well as actions, will prove "what we are ;" and, therefore, by words, as well as by our actions, shall we be judged.

In the same way, a very trifling circumstance will shew us whether there be a real principle of upright honesty within. I visited some females not long since, in a lodging, where every thing was as com fortable as could be wished; but I observed there was a sort of backwardness in stirring and replenishing the fire. This did not seem quite of a piece with their disposition in other respects. I disco vered, however, during my visit, that their landlady was to find them coals at a fixed price. If they had burned double the quantity, they would still have had nothing more to pay. The saving was not for themselves; their care was for another-this is honesty.

Another person would have said, "Come, let us have a grand fire this cold day; it costs no more!" ! When a bargain of this nature is made, there is no reason why a person should use less than is needful; but to use more, because the loss falls upon another person, is dishonest.. The Scripture rule, on this point, is perfect. "Whatsoever ye would that men should do unto you, do ye even so to them." Imagine yourself in the situation of the other person, and consider how you yourself would wish to be treated. This ought to be well considered by clerks, journeymen, servants, and all who have the care of the property of others.

I must record a mark of honesty which was shewn by a servant girl a very short time ago. This girl had lived, almost from a child, with a widow-lady at Kensington, and the agreement between them was, that the girl should be supplied with sugar

housekeeping, she recommended the girl to another. place. In this second family, the servants all found their own sugar; and this girl, out of economy, left off drinking sugar in her tea. The widow-lady, however, as it happened, did not leave her house; and the girl, after a time; returned again to her service. The lady observed that the girl no longer came to fetch her supply of sugar for her tea, and she asked her the reason. It then came out that the girl then abstained from sugar, thinking it wrong to accustom herself to an indulgence at the expense of her mistress, which she had denied herself at her own. This is a piece of delicacy and honesty which deserves to be recorded.

There are some persons who would not, on any account, be guilty of what they considered a direct robbery they would not take any thing that they thought of much consequence; but they say, "This little will not be missed," "the loss of this trifle cannot hurt my master or my mistress." The question, however, is not how it affects your master or mistress, but how it affects yourself. Here is a temptation to do wrong; will you be drawn into the snare or not? The question is of the greatest possible importance, because it is," Are you a sincere Christian, or are you not?"

V.

AN OBSTINATE BOY.

As I was walking in the street not long ago, I heard a mother calling to a boy, of about six years old, to "come home." The child seemed to take no notice. The mother called again. Still the child did not move, as if determined not to obey. It did not choose to leave its play; and though the mother then raised her voice to somewhat of a passionate

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tone, the obstinate little creature still persisted in having its own way. The mother then left him with a threat. "Very well then, I'll go and send the Beadle to you." She went away, as if to put her threat in execution. The child, however, went on with his play, as if nothing had been said; not in the least seeming to fear that the Beadle, or any body else, should come to disturb him.

The truth is, that the boy did not believe his mother; she had evidently been in the habit of threatening him with terrors that she never meant to execute: the boy had got to know this, and therefore paid not the least attention to any thing she said.

Now all such threats ought to be carefully avoided. Many parents talk of "calling the watchman," or "fetching the great black dog," or, "putting the children into the dark hole," and very often something much more frightful than these. This is all wrong. At first these threats frighten the children: this is in itself bad; but, when the children find that nothing is meant by these threats, the fear is over, and they then see that their parents have spoken falsehoods; which discovery will have the ruinous effect of making them think ill of their parents, or will teach them falsehood too. Now, if, instead of threatening, the parents shew that they will be obeyed, and never, in a single instance, allow the child to have its own way by persevering obstinacy, this firmness of conduct will do a great deal more than all the frightful threatenings in the world. parent should try to lead on a child in a course of constant obedience. A child will soon fall into a habit of cheerfully obeying all the commands which reasonable parents would require: and, when this child feels assured that its parents require nothing unreasonable, it will submit, although something very contrary to its own inclination should be required. I am no friend to harsh measures; they are seldom

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required: they seldom do any good: and I would be careful not to lead a child into a wish to resist, by requiring what I knew would be disagreeable, unless I felt that it was a thing of real consequence. But in what I thought needful, and had required to be done, I should persevere in my determination of being obeyed. If the mother I spoke of had made this her rule, her boy would not have thought of resisting her commands. She need not have had recourse to threatenings,-which, after all, meant nothing. Gentleness, and perseverance, and kind instruction, will succeed a great deal better. This method can hardly be begun too early. A parent has constant opportunities of shewing kindnesses to children, unasked. This wins their affection, and makes them wish to please their parents, whom they look upon as their best friends. But nothing should be given to a child because it cries for it. It soon finds out that it gains something by crying, and therefore it will cry again. And this teaches it, too, that it can get the better of its parents, and have its own way by perseverance. It had probably been thus with the boy that I saw in the street, and he will probably be a headstrong, obstinate fellow, as long as he lives. All angry, violent expressions to children, all swearing, and frightful language will do nothing, compared to firm and gentle treatment. Violence may frighten children, and make them attend to you, whilst they are in your sight, and whilst their fear continues; but right feeling and right principles alone can make them really desirous to obey you and to please you. But how can they learn either of those when they see so much that they know to be wrong, in those whom they ought to honour, to esteem, and to love?

V.