a real transport to the mind, which dissipation mimics only for a moment-a sweetness to the disposition, and a lustre to the manners, which all the airs of pretended politeness study but in vain. Easy in yourself, it will make you in perfect good humour with the world; and, when you are diffusing happiness around you, you will only be dealing out the broken fragments that remain after you have eaten. P. 133–137.

LETTER FROM A FATHER TO HIS SON, AN APPRENTICE BOY.

MY DEAR BOY,

August 7th, 1824.

EVERY letter which I receive from you, shews that you attend to what I write, and that you remember it; I shall, therefore, go on with my little account of English history, which now begins to come so near to our own times, that a few more reigns will bring us to a conclusion. We saw, in my last letter, that, when James the Second abdicated the throne, King William and Queen Mary were chosen instead of him. The people of England had such a wish to have a true Protestant King, that they rejoiced at getting rid of James, and having William and Mary in his stead. But it was not so in Ireland; there were many Papists there, who still supported King James. He, therefore, went and joined his friends in Ireland: he found the old army steady in his cause, and he raised a new one in addition to it. This army harassed the Protestants, who were friends of William, and caused many of them to fly for protection to Scotland and to England. About ten thousand of them, however, got into the town of Londonderry, in the north of Ireland, and there resolved to make a

stand against their enemies. James then attacked the town, and there never was a braver defence than that which was made by the friends of William. The town was weak in its fortifications, but the men were brave and resolute; and they were determined to hold out to the last moment in defence of the town and of their Protestant King. After defending the town for a long time, they began to be in great distress, and there was a great deal of disease among them for want of food. They supported their lives by eating horses, dogs, and all kind of vermin: at length, very happily, a ship with provisions was sent to their relief, and it succeeded in reaching the town, notwithstanding all the difficulties of the undertaking, and all the pains which were taken to prevent it.—After this, the siege was given up.

Still, however, James and his friends continued to harass the supporters of the Protestant cause; till at length, William determined to go over to Ireland himself. The two armies met near the river Boyne they were encamped on opposite sides of this river, and expected soon to come to an engagement. Whilst William was riding along the bank of the river, he was seen by the enemy, and a cannon was fired at him. The shot killed several of his attendants, and wounded the King in the shoulder and there was a report that he was dead-which caused great grief in his army. But William presently rode through his camp to shew himself to his men, at which they were all restored to their good spirits, and ardent desire of victory. The next morning King William determined to try to force a passage over the river; and this the enemy resisted, and so the battle began; and it ended in favour of King William and the English. This put an end to the hopes of James. Some of his friends, indeed, continued for a time to support his cause with great bravery, but they were at

length obliged to yield to the superior power of William.

James was all this time in France; for the King of France was his friend, and did all he could to restore him to his power in England. But every attempt failed. James lived a life of religious retirement till the the year 1701, when, after a very tedious sickness, he died.

William was a great soldier, and he employed almost the whole of his reign in wars against France. His constitution was not strong, and his constant anxiety and exertions seemed to be wearing him away. He rode much on horseback for the sake of his health; and, one day, as he was riding from Hampton Court to Kensington, his horse fell under him, and his collar bone was broken. He was then carried back to Hampton Court, where his fracture was attended to. the evening he proceeded to Kensington in his carriage, the jolting of which separated the bones again. They were afterwards replaced; but the King was in a bad state of health at the time, and every thing turned out ill. He died in the fiftysecond year of his age, in the fourteenth of his reign. This was in the year 1702.

In

Queen Mary died in the thirty-third year of her age, of the small-pox. This, as you know, is a very dangerous disease if taken in the natural way. Since those days, the art of inoculation became generally practised, and this made the disease much milder: and, in our own day, vaccination has been discovered, which gives a disease still more mild, and, indeed, almost nothing. We seldom hear now of great people having the small-pox, for they are all vaccinated, when they are children, in order to prevent it; and I believe it but seldom fails if perly done and attended to.

I am, your affectionate father,

pro

J. S..

Character of William the Third.

William the Third was of a middle stature; thin, and of a delicate constitution; subject to an asthma and continual cough from his infancy. He had an aquiline (hooked) nose, sparkling eyes, and a large forehead. He was a great warrior, but not a pleasing companion. He was considered to be religious, temperate, and sincere; but his ambition led him into continual wars.

REFLECTIONS

On a Visit to St. Paul's at the Time of the Anniversary of the Charity Schools.

STRANGERS, in their visit to London, are tempted to a thousand new sights and wondrous shews. Many are the sights which there claim the attention, the interest, and the consideration of the stranger; the difficulty lies in making a proper selection, so that the time may not be frittered away in useless occupations, or in the empty round of dissipated amusement. Though a stranger, however, my time was not much in danger of such intrusions; my engagements were so numerous, and my stay so short. Yet one sight there was for which I found time ;it was a view of the children assembled in St. Paul's, at the time of the Anniversary of the Charity Schools.

On entering this magnificent and spacious Cathedral, the mind is naturally raised to high and devotional feelings, particularly when the sound of the organ, and the voices of the choir, strike the ear. What a solemn, what a sweet, what a sacred retreat from the bustle, the noise, and confusion of the surrounding world!

The effect, however, was greatly heightened by the thousands of children assembled. The spacious dome seemed studded with human countenances.***

The voices of the many thousands thrilled through my ears, as they, with equal response, gave praise and honour to Jehovah, or sung the joyful hallelujah to the Son of God.

There are enemies to every thing that is good, and there are enemies to the god-like work of instructing children in Christian knowledge: but let the enemies of this labour of love only see what effects are here produced; let them attend the Anniversary at St. Paul's, and then let them judge what is to be said in favour of ignorance, wretchedness and vice. Behold, gathered together, twelve thousand children; twelve thousand heirs of immortality! See the cleanliness of their appearance; the devotion of their conduct; the order and the cheerfulness which reigns throughout! Hear them offering up their petitions at a throne of grace, and singing the praises of their Creator!

Examine them with respect to their knowledge of the Scriptures, and doctrines of the Gospel; and consider this in connection with their future life and their everlasting state of being: then ask, what would have been the condition of these twelve thousand children, if there were not schools thus to train them up.Look at London! Vice meets a person in every street; temptations to sin assail at every corner; allurements to evil are present wherever you go, especially to the young. Follow some of these children home, and mark the ignorance, wickedness, and wretchedness which often prevail there. What examples are frequently set them by ungodly parents! how greatly they are tempted to walk in the broad way which leadeth to destruction! If these children were left without religious, and moral culture, what could you expect,