happy I shall be; for I do really love them."

At this moment I struck the hawthorn tree, when the dew drops upon it fell in a glittering shower on Lucy Clark, who looking up with her bright eyes, gave me a smile that was as good as sunshine. I gazed at her with affection, both for her sweet words and her sweet spirit, for it seemed to me as though she had leaped up from her morning prayer to walk abroad, or had just been reading the new commandment, "Love one another."

The

There! Now you know why last May day appeared so beautiful to me. sweet prattle of little Lucy put me into such good humour, that the sun seemed to shine brighter, the birds to sing sweeter, the cuckoo to call louder, the young lambs to be wilder in their delight, and the wood, the bank, the tump, and the flowers to look fresher and fairer than ever they did before.

I wish all the children in the world loved their parents and relations as little Lucy loved her father, her mother, and her sister. If I remember right, the following words are to be found in the 13th chapter of John: "A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another."

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THE SCRIPTURES.

2 Tim. iii. 15; Prov. xiv. 6.

CHILDREN, be thankful to the Lord,
That you may understand his word:
He makes instruction there so plain,
The weakest shall not seek in vain.

There you may learn the heavenly way,
To love the Lord, and praise, and pray ;
To keep the heart, and rule the tongue,
And shun deceit, and pride, and wrong.

There, too, you read of Jesus' love,
Who left his glorious throne above,
Died for our sins, and rose again,
To save us from eternal pain.

THE VOICE OF PRAYER.

THE carol of the merry bird,
The murmur of the breeze,
Are joy to me; yet have I heard
A sweeter sound than these.

Soft melody breathes all around,
And music fills the air;
Yet still there is a sweeter sound,
It is, the voice of prayer.

The saint his way to heaven wings,
In bliss he enters there;

The voice that now in triumph sings
Was once the voice of prayer.

And he that lifts the voice of prayer
Will surely find relief;

"Twill calm his spirit, soothe his care, And bear away his grief.

While happy angels from above
Shall see him kneeling there,
And gladly listen; for they love
To hear the voice of prayer;

The saints rejoice, nor this alone,
For Christ himself shall bear
Thy suit to God's eternal throne:
Such is the voice of prayer.

We know there never was expressed
One humble faithful prayer,
In Jesus' name to God addressed,
That did not enter there.

Oh come in childhood, come and share
His mercy and his truth;

Oh come and lift to God, in prayer,
The gentle voice of youth.

Is ignorance your only plea;
You know not what to say?
Let this your first petition he,
Lord, teach us how to pray.

LUCY.

"I HAVE not forgotten, uncle, the account you gave me about the learned doctor getting no farther than Beverley, in Yorkshire: it was a droll story."

No. 78. JUNE, 1844.

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It was, Edmund; but I hope, that while you remember my droll stories, you will not forget the lessons they are intended to convey. Tell me what instruction you obtained from my account of the learned doctor."

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Why, that I should not run into the error of tiring people, by telling them the same thing over and over again.'

Very well. In learning to converse, you will profit much by observing the conversation of those who converse well, and also by attending to the manner in which good writers express themselves. In the Holy Scriptures we have the best lessons, and the best language in the world. Very few

young people know much of the real value of God's word, both in great and little things. It is not only able to make us wise unto salvation, through faith in Jesus Christ; but also to add greatly to our understanding. He who would converse well, should be well acquainted with the letter and the spirit of the word of God. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom,'" Col. iii. 16.

"You take great pains to tell me every thing that will help me forwards."

"Think for a moment, Edmund, on the gentleness and excellence of God's word: it is said, My doctrine shall drop as the rain, my speech shall distil as the dew, as the

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