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"Prevent us, O Lord, who are so ready to prevent Thee !" Remember that your works of faith, are works of faith; your labors of love, exercises of that affection described in God's word itself as stronger than death You are not to see of the travail of your soul; for faith is the evidence of things not seen; you are not to expect love for love; for then your own would not have its perfect work. Go about doing good, and he who is your pattern being with you, do you think you can ever be either misemployed or unemployed throughout the present year?

Even the Bible itself may be

How much more may all the

Work as a student of Christ. read without finding Christ in it. other means of grace be so employed as to yield up none of their life-giving wine and milk to the starving soul! When christianity was young, and pure, and unsophisticated, Christ was all, and in all. Who has dethroned him, making him so little in the gospel scheme, and banishing him altogether from his out-lying provinces of secular and natural knowledge? If there be any crime at all comparable with that highest treason which would remove the spiritual government from His shoulders, is it not that lesser perfidy which removes from Him who made us, the right to be our teacher in things pertaining to our mental and moral constitution? Let it not be said that we have so learned Christ.

THE GREAT BLUE MEADOW.

"Nothing is lost to him who sees

With an eye that fancy gave;

For him there's a story in every breeze,

And a picture in every wave."

Ir was the evening of New Year's-day, and a happier family never were assembled at that festive season, than that which now met together at Stangrove Hall. Mr. Stangrove had, within a few days, returned from a long journey, and had brought with him his children's favorite aunt, his own sister Emma. The boys were returned to spend the holidays at home, and the two elder girls, who had been some time in London for the benefit of masters, had been called for by their father on his way home.

There is always much joy attending the re-union of a scattered family, and for some days the expression of it by the younger

members of the family, assumed almost too boisterous a form. By the day we have named, however, the first effervesence of youthful glee had in some measure subsided. After dinner, the circle closed round the fire, the candles were extinguished, and as the cheerful light fell on the rich crimson window curtains, and glowed on the frames of the many paintings round the room, a picture of domestic comfort was to be seen, which a British heart may be forgiven for believing, can be equalled in no country beyond the seas.

By and bye, a request, originating nobody could tell with whom, was unanimously made, that Mr. Stangrove would tell them a story, He expressed his perfect willingness to do so, but informed his sister that he considered his a very hard case, for he always found his children so sceptical.

Frank said his papa's stories certainly puzzled them exceedingly, but that they always came true in the end, so they must try not to interrupt him.

His sister at length suggested that as he had been so much of a traveller of late, he should tell them of something he had seen while absent.

“Oh!” he said, “we all know what is meant by ‘travellers' tales; but, however, since you wish it, I will tax your credulity, and tell you of something very wonderful which I saw lately; but I must also tell you that when a boy, I read an account of it in a book; so you must not make my imagination entirely responsible for what I am about to relate, since the same wonders have been witnessed by others.

"In my recent journey," continued Mr. Stangrove, "I saw a Great Blue Meadow,-"

Mr. Stangrove paused, for there was a general titter round the circle, from all except Alfred, who said, "Why do you laugh?— of course papa means the sea!"

Katherine remarked, "That were it spring or summer, she could easily imagine a meadow looking quite blue from being covered either with the flowers of hyacinths or flax."

"Change of season makes no difference in the appearance of my meadow," pursued her father; " or if there be any, it is in favor of winter. Year after year finds it unaltered, and richer in beauties than you can imagine. Innumerable flocks of sheep

wander over its surface, although no herbage is to be found there."

"But," said Emily, "why do they stay there, if there is nothing for them to eat? Poor things! they must be quite starved." My sheep," said Mr. Stangrove, are never hungry, and never thirsty."

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They must get very thin then," remarked one of the audience. "Not at all," replied the narrator: "they are as beautiful now, as they were a thousand years ago."

"Oh! papa; " cried Katherine-"sheep a thousand years old? Why they tell me my little lamb will be very old when it is fourteen."

"And yet what I say is very true, my dear; my sheep have lived thousands and thousands of years, and still they are as beautiful as ever far more beautiful indeed than the sheep inin what country are there the finest sheep, Charlie my boy ?” "In Spain, papa."

"Very well; the Spanish sheep are not to be compared to mine, for the whole flock have golden fleeces."

"But papa,” said little Charlie, "won't that be a great weight for the poor sheep to carry?

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"They don't feel it, my dear; they move with such rapidity, that you would be quite astonished; the speed of the fastest railway trains is nothing compared with their's."

"Then a collision must be dreadful," observed Alfred; "what happens when that takes place ?

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Such a thing was never heard of; but it would indeed be a catastrophe such as is too fearful to think of: but they never crowd upon one another, nor indeed ever approach so near as to be in the least danger of coming in contact. This is the more wonderful as, when first you look at them, you would think it impossible but that they must sometimes interfere with each other."

"Are there no black sheep among them?" slily enquired aunt Emma.

"None-there are many different colors observed by those who make them a study;' but to a superficial observer, there is

1. Encyclop. Geograp. p. 70.

a strong family likeness, and all appear equally to be clad in golden array,"

"Have they tails, like our sheep?" said Charlie.

"Not all of them, but some have them, of such tremendous length, I should be afraid to name it; and yet these are the quickest travellers of all; although they have no carriages for the support of their tails, as we read that the sheep in certain lands have. But the vast numbers of which these flocks are composed, is the most remarkable circumstance connected with them. One who has devoted a life to the study of them and their habits, once calculated that fifty thousand passed before him in the space of an hour! ""3

"Are they shy?" enquired Amelia-“ will they allow travellers to come near them?"

"Oh, as for that, you must contemplate them at a distance; there is no help for it. Those who have approached the most nearly to them have suffered so much inconvenience, without gaining any clearer insight into their habits, that I believe we must consider they can be best observed without running such risks; and though little is known of them, yet when we review all the disadvantages under which we labor with respect to obtaining greater information respecting them, the wonder is, not that so little, but that so much, has been ascertained."

"But where are they to be seen, papa?" said Katherine.

Every where: whether you are in the country or in the city; in the house, or on the mountain side-sometimes by day, but more generally by night. You have only to look for them, and they are sure to appear. They appear in the greatest numbers in winter. But I must tell you that their being seen in the day time, is an exception to their general rule of hiding themselves during day-light. Those who frequent mines, however, frequently see them during the day. But still, those who have watched and calculated their opportunities most assiduously, have estimated that there are not above a hundred hours in the year, during which they can be observed to the utmost advantage.

"You asked me if they were shy, Kate; you will perhaps think that they must be so, when I tell you the most favorable

2. Encyclop. Geograp. p. 108.

3. Scientific Irrigator.

of all modes for observing them is to turn the back upon them while they are passing."

"And look over your shoulder at them, papa?"

'By no means; you must look straight before you."

"Do they ever do people any harm ?"

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"No; it used to be imagined that they exercised immense influence upon the destinies of individuals, but this is among the many superstitions which have given way before increasing light and knowledge, although in the East such a belief still maintains its ground. Some of the sheep, I must not forget to tell you, seem to form particular attachments to each other; and it is remarkable that, in most cases, the color of the fleece in the two friends is generally different. I believe about three thousand have been noticed which are never separated from each other." Do they ever bleat, papa ?" said Charlie.

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"No, no; there is never any sound heard from them,, although poets have written much on the subject, and maintained that they utter melodious strains. But to me, the stately, solemn silence in which they march, is most striking,-no tramp of passing feet is heard,—no dust is raised,—but on, on they go, in stillness and in beauty!"

"But now I must tell you something of the fair shepherdess who attends them, and who has been an object of interest to the whole world for ages. She is better known than the sheep, for she ventures much nearer the dwellings of man ; but you will be surprised to hear that she is less than any of her flock! Her beauty has been the poet's theme ever since the first poet sung. Her garments are of silvery brightness, they have never grown dim nor dirty; and well it is that they do not, for some people say she has no water within her reach.1o Mankind, I believe, are more benefited by her than the sheep themselves, and there are few who do not look upon her with love and admiration.

4. Isaiah, xlvii. 13.

5 See Memoirs of Lady Hester Stanhope.

6. Encyclop Geogr. p. 70.

7. Psalm xix. 3.

8. Orpheus, Hymn vii, lines 13, 14,; see also Proclus (on Sacrifice) and Porphyry (on Prayer)

9. Spectator, No. 465, ad. fin.

10. Encyclop. Geogr. p. 89.

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