The following beautiful piece we insert, by permission, from "JUVENILE SONGS," by Thomas Hastings, published by D. Fanshaw, at 148 Nassau-strect and 601 Broadway, New-York.

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For the Mother's Magazine.

STAFFORD, (Genesee Co. N. Y.) June 5, 1843. Accompanying the first Annual Report of our Maternal Association, we send you an Address, which was delivered before our Society at its Annual Meeting, by the Rev. D. D. Buck, of the Methodist Episcopal Church of this place, and which was listened to with interest and profit. Our Society send a copy of the Address to you, if it meet your approbation, we wish to have it published in the Mother's Magazine. Our Methodist sisters have come forward in this important enterprise with praiseworthy decision, and have afforded us much assistance by their counsels and encouragement. We thank the Lord, and trust that the time may be near, when all mothers may see eye to eye in the great work of training the young and teachable mind to usefulness, happiness and heaven.

May God give his Spirit of grace to direct those who have the editorial charge of the Magazine, that through your efforts many, very many, may be profited for time and eternity.

In behalf of the Association,

M. W. S. W., Cor. Sec.

LADIES OF THE MATERNAL ASSOCIATION,-In compliance with your polite invitation, I arise to address you. But diffidence of my own ability leads me to fear that your edification and profit will not be proportionate to your anticipation.

Nothing less than conviction of duty has influenced me to un

dertake a labor so unfamiliar and yet so important. Appropriate to your Association may be found subjects numerous and extensive; and there will be no difficulty in finding something to say: the less easy task is in selection. Therefore it is quite possible that my inexperience has led me into error, in choosing for the present address a few observations in relation to Maternal Influence. And I design to confine my observations principally to the Mother's influence in shaping the dispositions of her children.

By selecting this theme we shall not have the advantage of novelty; for this subject has occupied a prominent position in the instructions of the moralist and philosopher from the earliest ages. For this reason, perhaps, the restless spirit of curiosity may cause some to think, that on a subject so trite nothing can now be spoken worthy of notice.

It is not a minister's province to pamper a morbid craving for novelty; if it were, an ordinary genius would have nothing to fear from the attempt; he would find material in abundance; and the viands might be seasoned to please the most fastidious palate. But although it may bring me less creature applause, I would much prefer an approving consciousness of having set before you a few morsels of wholesome instruction, than a wreath of laurel for having pleased a taste vitiated and dangerous.

And now, ladies, I solicit your attention to a few reflections. 1. In this mode of being, we are called in the Providence of God to sustain various relations in the human family. These relations have an importance proportionate to their necessity and influence. And a little attention will enable us to perceive, that, of all others, the maternal relation exerts the greatest influence in shaping the destinies of the human race. This relation, therefore, claims particular consideration.

2. It is evident that the All-wise Creator designed that this relation should be sustained by a portion of the human family, notwithstanding the inexplicable mystery and the sacred delicacy in which it is veiled.

His design will appear, Firstly, from the absolute necessity of that relation in the family of man in its present organization. The Lord does not now, as at first, fashion the human form of

the literal dust; he has established an order of dependencies, in the observance of which, man, in a secondary sense, is his own sustainer. But in this divinely established order, the maternal relation is of first and absolute requisition.

The design of the Creator will also appear, Secondly, from the perfect adaptation of the constitution for this relation. And this adaptation, it is evident, is not an unintended phenomenon; not a chance discovery of what nature would admit of; but a most skilful contrivance of the original Framer of the creation; developing his wisdom, power, and goodness. This design and adaptation were complete in the original pair, while they inhabited Paradise, before sin had defaced the moral image of Jehovah. Here it may not be amiss to say, that the most honorable, useful, and exemplary women mentioned in sacred or common history sustained the maternal relation. And our Savior himself honored and sanctified this relation, by making it the medium of his own glorious incarnation.

3. But some may call in question the sentiment we advanced relative to the unrivalled influence of this relation in moulding the destiny of mankind. We are so accustomed to attach the greatest importance to those influences which are direct and visible, that deep-working, indirect causes, are deemed scarcely worthy of notice. As a familiar illustration, consider how a direct and visible blow aimed at our persons will awaken our fears and instinctively put us on our defence. At the same time, the sure but gradual and silent advances of death hardly lift the eyelid with alarm. We allow him to hold steady his aim at our very hearts with his keenest arrow, drawn to its utmost limit: but because his aim is so deliberate, and he draws near with such a moderate step, we smile in his presence, and suspect no danger. But when we perceive his encapturing snare woven around us, and feel his dart pricking through the heart's covering, then we tremble, for we discover his agency. But danger infinitely less than we thus pass, in supposed security, if it be only visible and direct, will silence the cry of thirst and hunger, and drive sleep from our eyelids. But is an influence less mighty because it lays its foundation too deep to be suspected? Is it less influential because it is

gradual and indirect in its operations? To answer this, let history tell what death has accomplished in his gradual and silent operations. Let it speak of the heroes he has conquered, and of the philosophers he has outwitted; of the glories he has sullied, and of the beauties he has blasted.

Popular philosophy is generally inclined to overlook the most extensive and important agencies in operation around us, because they are too deeply founded for the superficial observer. The mind is prone to form opinions from hasty and superficial inspection. It too often walks by sight, not by faith. It is apt to build upon the surface, instead of digging for the rock. The angle of intellectual vision is too defective to form distinct images of distant objects, although it has no difficulty in perceiving a mote on the eyelash. To take an example: Napoleon on the pinnacle of glory rivets the world's attention. To see kingdoms tremble at his nod, and thrones totter at his frown; to behold temples rise at his bidding, and mountains paved for his pathway; then the agency is so visible, and so direct, that in the conspicuousness of that we lose sight of all others. But how happened that furious comet of blaze and blood to dash through the political heavens, deranging all its machinery, and crushing spheres of resistance? Not merely because he had a frame of iron and a genius of fire; nor was it because a theatre of conspicuous action opened before him, and that he had talents for political tragedy. Others had the same nerve, genius, and opportunity; and yet the world has hardly heard of their names.

Napoleon's notoriety, however, is doubtless founded upon his actions, but his actions were a result as well as a cause. Where then shall we look for the cause or spring of his actions? doubtless to his disposition. But where shall we look for the cause of his disposition which thus eventuated in unrivalled notoriety? was his disposition an effect without cause? a stream without fountain? did it spring up uncaused, and mature like the creations of fancy? By no means; his disposition, like every thing earthly, had an embryo existence and a gradual growth. It did not receive its strength from once feasting, or its inspiration from one mighty cup. It was fed sparingly, a crumb at a meal; and