hour's foolish trifling! What would he say of any one who threw about his gold watch as if it were a ball, or sported with his wife's jewels as if they were marbles? And yet his own folly is infinitely greater. The creatures whom he is placing in such danger for his sport, are infinitely more precious than gold, which perisheth; and pearls and diamonds are worthless compared with them. One would think that mere selfishness might restrain such absurdity even in a man who did not extend his view beyond this world. The time may come, when the evil fostered in the child will be a scourge to the parent; and when his sufferings will excite the less compassion in others, from their recollection that these scenes of egregious folly had undermined that natural respect which would otherwise have been a check to ill conduct on the part of his child. May parents, then, never relax with their children? Must they always sustain the grave character of a tutor? Most certainly they may, and ought frequently to relax with them, and even to take pains to make them happy by joining in their little amusements: but they may combine this course of proceeding extremely well with a constant recollection of the immortal nature and high value of their children, for whom Christ died, and with a suitable behaviour towards them. A father will soon learn, in such playful moments, according to our English Proverb, to be merry and wise;' and he will rank such seasons among those which are most important for checking what is wrong in a child, fostering what is right, instilling good principles, infusing a just appreciation of things, and a taste for what is lovely and of good report. All the good seed sown on such occasions will be so combined with the child's pleasures and affections, as, with God's blessing, to take deep root in the soul, and promise a vigorous and permanent growth. 3. In managing a child, let a parent always have the child's good, rather than his own ease, in view.

When parents speak to their children in a tone of dissatisfaction, what is heard so frequently as, 'Don't be so troublesome?' It is true, children ought not be suffered to be troublesome, since both kindness and propriety forbid them to be so: but the tone of the complaint generally shews very clearly that the great grievance is, not that the child has those dispositions which make it troublesome, but that others, and particularly the complainant, are troubled. Thus the child soon discovers that it is corrected rather for the ease of its parents, than for its own good; and it has before it an example and a lesson of selfishness, which may do it as much harm as it receives benefit from the check given to a bad habit.-What ought to be done on such occasions? Undoubtedly the troublesome practice should be prevented; but this should be done in such a way as to shew the child that the parent would willingly submit to trouble to promote its good; but that such dispositions as lead it to trouble others, are unholy, and must be eradicated. The pleasure a Christian will have in giving pleasure, and his pain in occasioning pain, must be pointed put, and proved, and illustrated.

4. In correcting a fault, look to the heart rather than to the outward act.

How common is it for parents to pursue the opposite course! They are satisfied with condemning and preventing wrong conduct, without much attending to the temper of mind in which their animadversions are received, and the child is often left unhumbled and discontented, and in a state as displeasing to God as when it was committing the fault in question. This mode of proceeding appears to me essentially wrong, and productive of serious evil. It does not bring the child to repentance before God, and to peace with Him. It directs its view to the maintenance of decency in externals, rather than to a jealous scrutiny of its motives and dispositions, and an earnest desire of reconciliation with its God, after having offended Him. Though these marks of true repentance cannot be expected at so early an age in their full extent, yet a broad foundation for them is often laid during the two or three first years of infancy. On the other hand, when we see a child scowl, or snatch up his shoulders, or pout and redden, on being blamed, can the rebellious and unbending spirit within be doubted? Is he humbled for his fault, and in a spirit to forsake it and seek forgiveness? Is there any putting off of the old man, and putting on of the new man? And yet, can it be denied, that this is the only temper to which the promise of pardon is made? It is the temper in which grown persons must come to Christ for pardon and peace; and it is therefore the temper to which, from the very dawn of reason, we should endeavour to bring children.

5. Be on your guard against the little wiles and artifices which children will soon employ to obtain their ends.

It is surprising how ingenious and adroit they will be in this way. They will endeavour to do, as mere play, something which they know to be wrong and forbidden; and to put you off by a laugh and a joke, when you require them to acknowledge that they have done wrong. These little tricks lead to much evil. They undermine sincerity and simplicity of character; and instead of being amused by them, as is often the case, a parent should view them with concern, and in that spirit carefully repress them. It is a good general rule in early youth, that nothing should be said or done in joke which would be wrong if in earnest. It is of the greatest possible importance to preserve the mind from the taint of cunning and deceit; and therefore we ought to be more anxious to avoid doing too little than too much to secure this point. Simplicity and integrity of character, the great foundation of every thing good, depend upon it.

6. Do all you can to secure a consistency of system in the management of your children.

It is quite apparent how indispensable it is that the father and mother should at least not counteract each other. If they do not and cannot think alike on the subject of education, by mutual concessions and accommodations they should pursue a similar plan with their children. Grievous are the consequences when they proceed

differently, The children presume to erect themselves into judges between their parents: they play off one against the other. Not only one parent sinks in their esteem, but they often lose respect for both, and are disobedient to both. Thus the Fifth Commandment is habitually broken; and bad principles and bad habits are as likely to be established by education in a young family, so circumstanced, as good ones.

ON EXPOSURE TO COLD.

(From Parkinson's Villager's Friend.)

A SUDDEN exposure to extreme cold, when the body is much heated, is so well known to be dangerous, as to require to be only mentioned, for the sake of reminding you. But a greater degree of danger is frequently produced by a practice, the ill consequences of which are not so generally known. When extremely chilled by exposure to bleak air, and perhaps to freezing sleet; when the blood is driven from the external, upon the internal parts, the practice is too common to drink freely of heating and spirituous drinks, and to hover close over the fire. The blood, expanding by the heat, still further distends the vessels in which it flows, its course being at the same time rendered more rapid by the strong and heating liquors; hence it is forced into vessels into which it ought not to flow, and there excites pain and dangerous disease. In proof of the propriety of this caution, as respecting the too sudden exposure to the heat, I must inform you, that if any part of the body be so long exposed to the cold that it has become frozen, and in this frozen state be brought near to the fire, a mortification will succeed, and the part will separate and fall off. But if the heat be more slowly restored, first by rubbing the part with snow, then with water, then with a dry cloth or flannel, and lastly by allowing it to be exposed to the warm air, it will speedily be restored to its healthful state.

From what I have said, it may be inferred, that similar caution should be employed in restoring the warmth of the whole body, when chilled. The clothing, if wet, should be exchanged, and either moderate exercise persisted in uirtil the heat is again restored, or the approach to the fire should be gradual. If the exposure has been long, and the cold severe, it will be best to go to bed, and drink freely of moderately warm barley water or gruel, by which means heat will be gradually restored, and all dread of disease removed by a free perspiration. He who wishes to get rid of life, in severe agonies, should, when thoroughly wetted and chilled, dry himself before a large fire, and toss down a glass of spirits. It may be true, that many of you have done this repeatedly, without having sustained any injury; but that is no reason why you should persist in that which a little consideration must shew you to be certainly dangerous. This you may be assured of, that there would be less

chance of injury from allowing the wet clothes to dry on the back, whilst continuing in exercise, than thus suddenly to expose yourself to heat, and to drink of spirituous liquors when chilled with cold,

The first notice of mischief having been produced by the too sudden change from one extreme of heat to the other, may not occur until several hours after; but then,

'Cold tremors come, with mighty love of rest,
Convulsive yawnings, lassitude, and pains,

That sting the burdened brows, fatigue the loins,
And rack the joints, and every torpid limb:

Then parching heat succeeds, 'till copious
Sweats overflow.'

ARMSTRONG.

The symptoms thus accurately described never occur but when some alarming disease, generally fever, is about to succeed. To prevent this should be your endeavour, for

• Prevention is the better cure;

So says the proverb, and is sure.'

The means for accomplishing this are those which have just been enumerated: warm diluting drinks should be taken freely, and even profuse sweating should be promoted by the aid of treacle posset, or white wine, or vinegar whey, and by breathing under the bedclothes.

Since injury, from exposure to the inclemency of the weather, is in a great measure prevented by the due management of clothing, attention to a few words on this subject may be well repaid. Observe the horse, and other cattle, and you will perceive, that as the winter sets in, nature furnishes them with warmer clothing. Profit by the observation, and adapt your clothing, as nearly as you can, to the change of seasons in this variable climate. Take care, also, that your clothing be regularly disposed, not much thinner in one part than another; for how absurd is it to wrap the body in thick woollen, and to cover the legs with stockings of thin texture. liable to pains in any particular part, that part indeed may be aided by additional clothing, and particularly by wearing flannel next the skin; but with this, and indeed with every part of clothing which applies immediately to the skin, the utmost cleanliness is necessary, not only for the sake of comfort, but of health; since there cannot be a doubt that fever itself may be generated by the filth suffered thus to accumulate.

If

By an attention to what I have already said, you will be enabled to do much towards the preservation of your health. It is true, you̟ must make some sacrifices, but consider,

Nor love, nor honour, wealth, nor power
Can give the heart a cheerful hour,
When health is lost."

GAY.

HINDOO SUPERSTITIONS.

There are many persons in this Country who still entertain a belief that the People of India are a mild and innocent Race, whom it is impolitic and unnecessary to meddle with.-They therefore are disposed to look with indifference upon the noble exertions now making for converting them to Christianity. The Editor, who has himself witnessed in the Countries of the East many of the abominations of the Hindon Idolatry, is desirous to lay before his Readers the following particulars extracted from the Quarterly Review of Forbes's Oriental Memoirs. No. 24.

[James Forbes, Esq. the author of the Oriental Memoirs, from which the following Extract is made, resided at Bombay in the Civil Service of the East India Company 17 years, during which period he was distinguished by the undeviating integrity of his conduct in public and private life.

He amassed an extensive Collection of valuable particulars regarding the History and Customs of the East, of which he published an abridgement in 4 vol. 4to. -He died much respected in 1818.]

THE Pooleahs of Malabar, a country where monkeys are worshipped and pampered with sacrifices, are so completely banished from human society, that they have neither houses nor lands, but, retiring into solitary places, hide themselves in ditches, and climb into trees for shelter. 6 They are not permitted,' says Mr. Forbes, 'to breathe the same air with the other casts, nor travel on the public road;' if by accident they should be there, and perceive a Brahmin or Nair at a distance, they must howl aloud to warn him from approaching till they have retired or climbed the nearest tree. If a Nair meets a Pooleah upon the highway, he cuts him down like a noxious animal. When hunger compels them to approach the villages to exchange what they may have collected for grain, they call out to the peasants, tell what they want, leave their articles of barter on the ground, and then return to take what the villagers may please to deposit in exchange for them! Constant fear and misery have given them a squalid and savage appearance, and entirely, says Mr. Forbes, debased the human form!

Yet the Pariars are said to be still more abject, so that a Pooleah is defiled by their touch! and the Brahmins of Malabar have been pleased to place Christians in the same rank with Pariars! So be it; it is one reason the more why we should feel and act towards them as our brethren. Of all the silly and hard-hearted arguments which have been used against any attempts for the conversion of these idolaters, one of the silliest is that which says converts are only made from these despicable casts: as if in the eye of Religion all casts were not alike! As if Christianity has not a double boon for these poor wretches, offering them tangible, temporal, direct benefits, or relieving them from the burthen of that superstition by which they are so intolerably oppressed.

But even the Pariars are not the most wretched cast in India. In the lowest depth of misery and oppression there is a lower still. The Molungres, or salt-boilers, in the Sunderbunds, exist under the government of Bengal, and that government derives nearly a million annually from the most shocking system of slavery that ever has