remind me of people who should kindle a number of little tapers, because they think the meridian sun insufficient to enlighten the world. Ah! put out, extinguish for ever, I would say, to those who would add any thing to the divinely-finished work of the adorable Redeemer, your insignificant, wretched, contemptible lights, and exult in the full splendour of the magnificent beams of the Sun of Righteousness."

"This, papa, would be most agreeable to well-informed reason, as well as to Scripture." "It would, Edwin. Hence Dr. Young exclaims:

Believe, and show the reason of a man;
Believe, and taste the pleasure of a God;
Believe, and look with triumph on the tomb!'

Well did professor Dixon of Edinburgh say to one of his friends on his death-bed, 'I have taken my good deeds, and my bad ones, and thrown them together, and fled from both to the merit of Christ, and in him I have found peace.' There is, Edwin, among the books I have recently purchased, an account of a pious youth*, which I much wish you to peruse. It

* Account of Pretor Whitty, by John Bullar.

is a well-written and instructive little volume. Some of his last words were: 'I am surrounded with nothing but mercies; but the greatest of all mercies is Jesus Christ. I want no other refuge. None beside will suit me,' And when a friend asked him, whether he had not once doubted the divinity of the Saviour? No, Sir,' said he: 'I must have a whole Saviour: a half Saviour will not do for me.' Oh, Edwin, I trust that you will, like the apostle, 'count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.""

CHAP. VI.

WE SHOULD CAREFULLY USE OUR EYES.

MR. WALLACE was an intimate friend of Mr. Howard's: they occasionally visited each other. Mr. W.'s mansion was but little more than three miles from Mr. H.'s. As the midsummer holidays had now commenced, Mr. Wallace

sent to entreat that Edwin might spend a few days with his sons, who were just returned from school. His papa gave him leave, and the servant took him the next morning.

Edwin had been from home only a few times. Mr. H. was so much his friend and companion, as well as his father, that he was quite happy in his society.

It had been a principal object with Mr. H. to call the understanding of his son into exercise. He was of opinion, that most persons who had the charge of youth, injudiciously loaded the memory, and forgot that, in a good education, it is a primary object to teach young people to think with propriety. Edwin was expected, at all times, during his absence from his papa, to give an account how he had spent his leisure hours. For this purpose, he kept a diary, in which he made a brief minute of whatever he saw or heard which he thought worthy of being noticed. This interesting little record he was accustomed to read over to his father.

Mr. H. had so much devoted himself to the education of his son, and he was so commonly with him, that he felt his absence very much, and longed for his return. The hours, however, did not pass away heavily, as they do to some people, who many times do not know what to do with themselves. Oh no: he made a

pastoral visit to a great part of his congrega tion. He sought out the afflicted, and relieved them. He examined into his concerns. And occasionally, as a relaxation from study, he would labour in the garden, or take a walk to meditate and pray. He used to say, that heaven and earth must be blotted out, and become one vast unmeaning blank, before he could be deprived of his pleasures. He would stand for a long time, to mark the setting sun. He admired the clouds around the horizon, beautifully tinged with his glory, and often gazed on them with unutterable delight. He sometimes rose sufficiently early to see him pour his first and softest beams over the wide creation. The sight always reminded him of that fine passage of sacred writ, "The path of the just is as the shining light, shining brighter and brighter to the perfect day."

At length the evening came for the return of Edwin. Mr. H. walked out more than a mile on the road, hoping to meet him. He did not arrive at the time expected, and he began to fear that something had happened to his darling boy. Presently he perceived a servant riding towards him, who put a letter into his hand. Mr. H. knew it was the hand-writing

D

of his Edwin. He opened it, and read as follows.

MY DEAR PAPA,

"I THINK it long since I have seen you. I feel that I much love you; and though I am surrounded here with every comfort, and Mr. and Mrs. Wallace, and my young friends, do all in their power to make me happy, yet I shall be glad when the morning comes on which I shall return to you. You know not how much I have suffered a few times, when I have seen Mrs. W. caressing her children: then I felt that I had lost my dear mamma;-I felt that I had no mother, to care for and love me, and I burst into a flood of tears.

"I do not know that I have ever felt in this way when at home: I suppose it is, because you are both mamma and papa too, to me.

"I hope you are quite well. Please to give me a letter to say so, by William, who will bring you this.

"Mr. W. wishes you to permit me to stay till the beginning of the next week. He has done all in his power to amuse and please me, and my young friends, who are come home for the holidays. We have seen many things, of