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upwards of eighty persons have been convicted by Doctor Owen, of Highgate, and Williams, Esq. of Kentish Town, the Magistrates, under the Turnpike Act, passed in the fourth year of the present King, cap. 95, section 15. It is there stated, "That from and after the 1st day of October, 1823, it shall not be lawful for any person to keep or use any cart, van, or any other vehicle, without his, her, or their name and address being painted in legible letters, at least an inch in length, on the off-side or shaft of the said cart or other vehicle; and it is further enacted, that the said name and address shall be painted in a straight line or lines, and not in any other shape or form; and all persons not conforming to the stipulations contained therein, upon information being exhibited before any Magistrate, shall forfeit and pay any sum not exceeding 40s. nor less than 10s." The defendants were charged with having their names and address painted on their carts in an oval shape, and not in straight lines, as required by the Act, and one and all were fined in various sums, under 40s.

Method of rendering Glass less Brittle. Let the glass be put into a vessel of cold water, and let this water be gradually heated boiling hot, and then allowed to cool slowly of itself without taking out the glass, Glasses treated in this way, may, while cold, be suddenly filled with boiling hot water without any risk of their cracking. If the glasses are to be exposed to a higher temperature than that of hot water, boil them in oil.-Annales de Chemie et de Physique.

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Dry Rot.-This destructive enemy of buildings, which generally commences its ravages in cellars, may be prevented, or its progress checked, by white-washing them yearly, mixing with the wash as much copperas as will give it a yellow hue.

TO CORRESPONDENTS.

We think a little book upon the plan proposed by "Currente Calamo," and executed by him, would be useful. A good deal of caution is, however, necessary in rhyming with Scripture.

Has T-a ever sent for the parcel left at Waterloo Place? We have received S. S. P. E. W. B. M. J. D. Several Epitaphs. One who wishes to be useful. Joseph Trueman. E. L. M. Veritas. A Constant Reader. Z. Frank Homely. Victoria. Mr. P. and R. B.

THE

Cottager's Monthly Visitor.

MAY, 1824.

A VILLAGE DIALOGUE ON CONFIRMATION. T. I FIND, William, that the Bishop is expected to come soon; and, as I intend my eldest boy to go to be confirmed, I should like to have a few minutes? conversation with you on the subject. I know very well, that all the Services, which are appointed by the Church, have great use and meaning, if we understand them properly; and I therefore think we ought to try to understand them, and not engage in any of them without an anxious desire to see well what we are doing, and an earnest wish that we may be thus helped on in our Christian course.

W. It is very true, Thomas-and I should hope that nobody would go to the Bishop to be confirmed, without well considering, before hand, the solemn work that he was going to perform.

T. Nobody should go, without such consideration; but I know that many do go, without any right consideration at all. I remember, when I went to be confirmed myself, I had none of the feeling which I ought to have had. And yet, it was nobody's fault but my own. The Clergyman examined us all; and I was able to answer the questions which he asked, and so all seemed well;-but he could not see into my heart, and know how very little I thought of the solemn engagement I was entering

upon.

W. No; that belongs to God alone. But the Clergyman was right in asking you such questions as NO. 41.-VOL. IV.

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he believed to be necessary. It was his duty to see that you could say the Creed, the Lord's Prayer, and the Ten Commandments, and answer such other questions out of the Catechism, as he might think fit to ask. In Confirmation, we take upon ourselves the vow which was made for us, at our baptism, by others, so that the Clergyman cannot properly present you to the Bishop, unless you can satisfy him that you know what that vow was. If you could answer such questions, as the Clergyman put to you, he would not wish to keep you from the Bishop,--but whether you went with an honest and sincere desire to engage solemnly in the service of Christ, to whom you here pledged yourselves, for this you must answer to God alone.

T. Why, this is exactly what I feel; and I therefore now see what a sin it was to go carelessly to such a Service. I trust, that, through God's mercy, I am brought to repent of this my sin; and for this and all my other offences, I look for pardon through that Saviour, whom I trust it is now my desire to serve. But, as I see the danger of undertaking such solemn engagements carelessly, you cannot wonder at my wish, that my children should think what they are doing, more devoutly than I did.

W. It is indeed a subject which requires very serious consideration. Every one who goes to be confirmed, should not only understand what he is doing, but should feel the great importance of what he is undertaking.

T. Let us look at our Prayer-Book, William. We shall see, there, exactly the nature of the Service.

W. Here it is, Thomas;-and here is the place, -THE ORDER OF CONFIRMATION, it comes directly after the Catechism.

T. Well, now, here we read exactly what Confirmation is. It is "That children, being now come to the years of discretion, and having learned what their Godfathers and Godmothers promised for them

at their Baptism, may themselves, with their own mouths and consent, openly before the Church, ratify and confirm the same; and also promise, that, by the grace of God, they will evermore endeavour, themselves, faithfully to observe such things as they, by their own confession, have assented unto."These are the words that are addressed to those who go to be confirmed, and, by these, the meaning of Confirmation is plainly shewn ;-it is taking the baptismal vow upon ourselves. The Bishop, then, solemnly asks those who come to him, whether they really come with a sincere desire of renewing with God the covenant into which they were admitted by others when they were infants. He puts this question, "Do ye here, in the presence of God and of this congregation, renew the solemn promise and vow that was made in your name at your Baptism; ratifying and confirming the same in your own persons, and acknowledging yourselves bound to believe and to do all those things which your Godfathers and Godmothers then undertook for you?" And every one is to answer, "I DO." Now this I call something so solemn, that it ought not to be undertaken without much thought and consideration. I was talking to my neighbour, Williamson, yesterday on this matter, and he is so particular about it, that he will not let his children go to be confirmed at all.

W. Why, there I think he is wrong. Whatever belongs to us as Christians, ought to be done; there is danger of doing any of our religious services unworthily; but this is to teach us to watch and pray, and strive, with God's help, to do them with a right spirit, not to serve us as an excuse for neglecting them. When we neglect to perform any known duty, we are sure that we are doing wrong.

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T. So I think: And, for that reason, I mean that my boy should go; and I shall try, with God's blessing, to make him understand why he goes. Now it seems to me that, to understand Confirma

tion properly, we should look at the Baptismal Service.

W. Certainly; because Confirmation is a renewal of Baptism; I mean it is taking upon ourselves the promise made for us at Baptism.

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T. Exactly so and this is just shewing what it is to be true Christians, and pledging ourselves that it is our desire, and shall be our endeavour, to be such: but we cannot be such, without the help of God's Spirit; and we cannot expect to receive such help, unless we sincerely desire to be led by that Spirit, and to make it our study to live according to our Christian profession.

SO

W. We cannot; we must seek earnestly for God's Holy Spirit, to enable us to serve Him: and we may more particularly expect to receive His help, when we are seeking it in his Holy Ordinances; and if we are sincerely desirous of such help, and anxious to live by it, we shail also desire to enter into this lemn covenant, that our faith may be strengthened, and our exertions enlivened. Besides, even though we neglect this ordinance, we are still answerable for our behaviour, just the same. We have the same work to do; and we are giving up a great opportunity of acquiring the needful help.

T. To be sure. If we understand right what a Christian's calling is, we shall gladly embrace every means of acquiring strength for our work. Surely every one who goes to be confirmed, should knowwhat his work is, and he will then be truly thankful that there are such great privileges, and such gracious promises belonging to Christians. He will be anxious to partake of all the great privileges and blessings which the Gospel promises, and he will be full of gratitude for them; and this feeling of gratitude will lead him to desire in all things to act up to his Christian profession, and in every thing to do the will of God.

W. To be sure. A true Christian delights in

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