overcoming the enmity of the heart; and, if it be a part of the character of hell, unbelief is more confirmed, because the mind is less open to impressions from the truth. The affections, when ĥabitually misdirected, clothe the soul as with impenetrable armour against all assaults of the truth. It is this armour which Isaiah describes, when he predicts the rejection of Christ by the Jews; "Make the heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes, lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and convert and be healed." Isaiah vi. 10. This passage is quoted in the New Testament by St. John, who attributes the unbelief of the people to the state of mind here described. John xii. 39, 40.—Erskine.

God will deal with his servants as we deal with ours, never trust them with much, whom we find unfaithful in a little.—Burkitt.

Would men be faithful in improving a little, God would entrust them with more.-The Same.

No man can serve God and the world, but he may serve God with the world.-The Same.

The world's slaves, while such, can be none of God's freemen.-The Same.

Divine mercy will not only meet a penitent, but embrace him also.-The Same.

The joy that Christ's religion brings, is an holy and spiritual joy, a solid and substantial joy, a wonderful and transcendant joy, an increasing and never-fading joy.-The Same.

EXTRACTS FROM THE PUBLIC NEWSPAPERS. ANOTHER COACH ACCIDENT.-As a stage coach was entering New-street, Huddersfield, on its return from Manchester, it was overturned with a tremendous crash, and se veral of the passengers seriously injured. A female passenger had her hip-bone fractured, and was otherwise much

bruised, and is not unlikely to lose her life, in consequence of the abominable practice of furious driving. The whole of this alarming scene was witnessed by Joseph Haigh, Esq. and on the following morning, the coachman was summoned to appear before that magistrate and Mr. Horsfall, to answer for his conduct. No defence was made, and the penalty of ten pounds was imposed for "furious driving."- Leeds Mer.

eury.

BIRDS,-Birds are generally considered as very mischievous creatures, and very destructive to seeds, buds, fruit, &c. The care of man is required to guard against these enemies, which would render his labour fruitless, and this is probably intended to shew us that nothing is to be done without industry. However, it is not perhaps true, that birds do so much harm as is generally supposed. May not a bird which seems to be cropping the bud, or devouring the fruit of a tree, be, in fact, seeking for an insect, which would itself destroy that bud or fruit?

The following remark is taken from the Agricultural Report for February.

Our letters from different parts of the country complain of great damage done to the fresh-planted beans, peas, and wheat, by the crows; meaning, we suppose, rooks. This is an unavailing complaint, in fact essentially the same as to complain of the mildness of the winter. A mild season inevitably conduces to the procreation of extraordinary mul titudes of insectile vermin,-slugs, grubs, wireworms, &c. These are the peculiar prey of the rook, and, in detaching them from the roots of the plants, many must necessarily be torn up and destroyed on some spots, even to thinning the crop. This, however, is the least evil; for, without the thinning of them effected by the rooks, the vermin would increase to such myriads, as absolutely to devour our whole crops, and expose us to those periodical famines to which other countries are liable.

The Chancellor of the Exchequer's opinion of Smuggling.There is no end to the devices which are practised in this way. There is fraud-there is perjury-there is the probable result of every species of wickedness. Crime begets crime-nay more, it goes on in au accelerated ratio; it is a parent continually bearing a race growing worse and worse. Smuggling is likely to lead to offences of a deep character. A man will begin with smuggling in a piece of silk, to present to a female friend. One step taken against the laws, there is less reluctance in all the rest: there is, by and by, no difficulty in going a little further, and taking a false oath for the purpose of concealment; the act then becomes familiar to the individual, with

t

all its train of immoral consequences: the gain perhaps will be great; he will then extend his practices, and upon a larger scale introduce gloves, shoes, silks, and all other articles-his avarice will be excited he will embark in the most desperate undertakings rather than consent to the failure of his forbidden traffic. What is the real consequence Ships are fitted out, manned, and armed, to keep smuggling in check actions are fought—and to all the other crimes are added the horrors of battle, and murder, and death.

Last week, a girl, about thirteen years of age, the daughter of Mr. Fullick, in Brighton, was severely burnt. The accident was caused by some bees' wax, and turpentine, which the girl was employed in melting, boiling over into the fire, and the flames unfortunately caught the girl's clothes. She rushed into the shop to her father, who used every endeavour to extinguish the flame without effect; he then took her into the street, where a passenger, with great presence of mind, pulled off his coat, and wrapping the sufferer in it, succeeded in subduing the fire. The girl was burnt very much about the face and shoulders, but hopes are entertained of her recovery. In all such cases, something should be immediately thrown over the flames to keep out the air. Thus the progress of the fire will be checked.-Brighton Herald.

The Richmond Inquirer, an American Journal, states, some curious facts respecting rattle-snakes. A Frenchman, M. Neale, being in North Carolina, endeavoured to procure some rattle-snakes, with a view of forming a collection, Several observations induced him to believe that this animal was capable of being tamed. The means which he employed to effect this object are unknown. He ascribes his suceess entirely to the power of music, and pretends that a tender melody is sufficient to tranquillize the greatest irritation on the part of the animal. M. Neale is now at Richmond (Virginia). He has two rattle-snakes. The male is four feet eight inches long, and has eight rattles in his tail, which shows that he is nine years old. The female is smaller, and bas but five. Their docility is so great, that having talked to them a little, and stroked them with his hand, he takes them as if they were rope's-ends, and puts them up his breast until they wind round his neck and kiss him. Far from injuring their master, these dreadful reptiles seem to emulate one another in evincing their attachment to him. Besides the education of these snakes, M. Neale reposes his security in another cause; for he has a remedy for their bite, of which he makes no secret. The first thing, he says, is to wash one's mouth with warm oil, then to suck the wound, afterwards to drink plentifully of a decoction of snake root, which ope

rates as an emetic. M. Neale opens the mouths of his snakes, and shows their fangs. They are in the upper jaw, two on each side; and, if extracted, are renewed. They are pointed, bent behind, and lie flat towards the throat when the animal does not want to make use of them. The venom exudes from a little bladder which is at the root of the tooth. These animals change their skin, in summer, once every two months. Every year, except the first, they acquire a new horn rattle, whence they derive their name. They seldom shake them, and only when they are irritated, or rather when they want to fix the attention of their prey; that is to say, of the most lively animals, such as birds and squirrels. M. Neale maintains the truth of the charming-power which these snakes have been said to possess, having observed an instance of it in bis garden, on the part of his own snakes; the victim, conquered by his fears, falling from branch to branch, and rock to rock, until his enemy darted upon him.

TO CORRESPONDENTS.

When we have sent any communication irumediately to the press, we have thought it unnecessary to acknowledge its recept, in our notices to Correspondents. Such articles have, however, sometimes been omitted by the Printer, for want of room, and we have thus appeared guilty of neglect. To prevent this, we intend to acknowledge the receipt of every letter, whether inserted or not.

We are much obliged to several of our Correspondents for their excellent Sermons; but the small size of our book will seldom admit of articles of that length.

We have received the communications of T. B. P.;— E. L. M.;-E. W.;—H. S. ;—W. T. ;—E. W. B. ;—T. ;— Oxoniensis;-G. H.;-A London Apprentice-T. L. S.;— Prospectus of a Cottage Bible;-C. C. W.;-History of a Servant Maid;-A. B. C.;-C. W. B.;-N. C. T.;—and an anonymous Collection of Anecdotes, &c.

New Editions of the Numbers out of print are now in the press.

The little tract called "The Lucky Chimney Sweeper" which our Correspondent W. T. has sent us, is well calculated to excite compassion and to do good. Much has been done towards bettering the condition of chimney sweepers, and much more may be done. The tract is published by Evans. We have not room for an extract in this Number.

THE

Cottager's Monthly Visitor.

JUNE, 1824.

Remarks on the 18th Chapter of Genesis.

V. 1-2. THE 1st Verse of this Chapter informs us that the Lord appeared to Abraham; and the 2d shews the manner of the appearance. He appear ed in the form of a man, and he was accompanied by two angels, who also bore the likeness of men."Abraham lift up his eyes, and looked, and, lo, three men stood by him."

V. 3. "My lord." One of them, being evidently superior to the others, was particularly addressed by Abraham, who seems to have taken them for tra vellers.

V. 2-5. The fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, and righteousness, and truth.” “Be pitiful, be courteous." "Use hospitality one to another without grudging." How beautiful is the exhibition of these precepts in Abraham's conduct on this occa. sion! Observe the extreme courtesy of his manner and language! So great is his desire to shew hospi tality, that he represents the kindness offered them, as a favour done to himself. True religion always has an effect on the manners; for where love reigns in the heart, the words and actions will be kind and gentle; and, if we are "clothed with humility," if we feel our own weakness and unworthiness, it will shew itself by our modesty, and distrust of ourselves. "Make the tree good, and its fruit good." Rude ness and roughness of manner, are a sure proof NO. 42.-VOL. IV. M