We can form but little idea of the sacrifices our ancestors made, to obtain even a small portion of the scriptures. They who were able among the Reformers purchased copies, and those who were not able procured transcripts of particular parts of the Bible. So scarce were the scriptures in the reign of Queen Mary that we read of two young women who gave a considerable part of their estate for a few leaves of the Bible. In her reign the protestants, who were nicknamed Lollards, were persecuted on account of their religion; many of them were burnt and frequently such parts of the scriptures as were found in their houses were put into the fire with them.

How greatly are we indebted to the kindness of Divine Providence, that we live in an age in which Bibles are common, and in which the poorest people may obtain them. How great is our folly and impiety, if we neglect to read this holy book: can we be careless and indifferent about that book which comes from Heaven? which is written by God himself? which above all other books, is calculated to make us wise and good and happy? which indeed is able to make us wise unto salvation. Could all the pages of all the volumes of the Youths Magazine. be employed in describing the many hours of pure joy which have been experienced from studying the scriptures, they would yet want more leaves added to them, and still it might be said, the half is not told. David said, and many besides him have found it so, "Thy word is a light to my

feet,

feet, and a lamp to my path." "Thy statutes have been my song in the house of my pilgrimage.” "By the word of thy lips I have kept from the paths of the destroyer."

That each of my readers may pay an increasing attention to this all important voluine, is the very earnest wish of their friend

MELISSA.

To the EDITOR of the YOUTH'S MAGAZINE.

SIR,

PERMIT me to recommend for insertion in your highly useful Miscellany, the following affecting Narrative, extracted from the Evangelical Magazine, for the present month, to which it had been communicated by the Rev. T. Lewis, of Islington. The perusal of it may induce some of your readers to refrain from a ̧ species of amusement, the dangerous consequences of which they have never before considered; and while it must increase the gratitude of every one the exercise of whose mental powers is continued, I feel assured that the appeal in favor of the unfortunate object will not be made in vain to the benevolent Youth, upon whom Providence has conferred the means of alleviating distress.

March, 1815.

I am,

Sir,

Yours respectfully,

W. B. G.

Lamentable EFFECTS of a FROLIC.

SOME years ago a handsome and very intelligent youth whose name is Henry Pargeter Lewis, the son of a respectable attorney in Dudley, was placed for a probationary time previously to an intended

intended apprenticeship with a surgeon and apothecary, of the name of Powell, in the immediate neighbourhood of one of our great public schools. He had not been there long before one of the scholars who lodged at the surgeon's, in league with the servant boy of the house, devised the following stratagem to frighten him. One night, during the absence of the master, the servant boy concealed himself under the bed of Henry before the latter retired to rest, and remained there till the hour of midnight, when on a pre-concerted signal of three raps at the chamber door, it suddenly opened, and in stalked the school boy, habited in a white sheet, with his face horribly disguised, and bearing a lighted candle in his hand; the servant boy, at the same moment, heaving up the bed under Henry with his back. How long this was acted is not known; it was done long enough however 'completely to dethrone the reason of the unfortunate youth, who, it is supposed, immediately covered himself with the bed clothes, and so continued till the morning. On his not rising at the usual time, some of the family went to call him, and not answering, except by incohe rent cries, he was discovered in the state described. The melancholy tidings of his situation were conveyed to his friends; on his removal to them, the facts having been disclosed partly by the confession of the servant boy, and partly by the unfortunate youth himself, during the few lucid intervals which occurred in the course of the first year after his misfortune. His father and mother were then living,

Vol. x.

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