Frugality may be termed the daughter of Prudence, the sister of Temperance, and the parent of Liberty. He that is extravagant will quickly become poor, and poverty will enforce dependence and invite corruption. It will almost always produce a passive compliance with the wickedness of others, and there are few who do not learn by degrees to practise those crimes which they cease to censure.

Diffidence may check resolution, and obstruct performance, but compensates its embarrassments by more important advantages: it conciliates the proud, and softens the severe; averts envy from excellence, and censure from miscarriage.

The folly of allowing ourselves to delay what we know cannot be finally escaped, is one of the general weaknesses which, in spite of the instruction of moralists, and the remonstrances of reason, prevails to a greater or less degree in every mind: even they who most steadily withstand it, find it, if not the most violent, the most pertinacious of their passions, always renewing its attacks, and though often vanquished, never destroyed.

THO

heart, are under the special protection of a good God, and have reason to hope for a good issue.

True greatness is that alone which is allowed to be so by the most great; and the difficulty of attaining perfection is best understood only by those who stand nearest themselves unto it. For as he that is placed at a great distance from an object is a bad judge of the relative space that separates other objects from it, which are comparatively contiguous unto it, so also those that are a great way off from excellence are equally liable to be misled, as to the respective advances which those who have nearly reached it have made. The combination of research, of deducion, and of design, developing itself at last in the

discovery of the safety - lamp for the miner, and muzzling, as it were, in a metallic net, as fine as gossamer, the most powerful and destructive of the elements, was an effort of mind that can be fully appreciated only by those who are thoroughly aware of the vast difficulty of the end, and of the beautiful simplicity of the means. Sir Humphrey Davy will receive the eternal gratitude of the most ignorant ; but the civic crown he has so nobly earned will be placed upon his head by the admiration and the suffrages of the most wise. The truly great, indeed, are few in number, and slow to admit superiority; but, when once admitted, they do more homage to the greatness that overtops them, even than minds that are inferior and subordinate.

It is not the order of my mind, nor does it agree with my principles, to speak of all men as on a level. I believe the gospel does not teach it; it bids us give honour where honour is due. It bids us reverence the powers that be, and that because "they are ordained of God." But place a man upon the highest pinnacle of this world, without this " unspeakable gift," compare him with the poor believer in Jesus, and what is he? Oh! how it reduces the greatness of this world to nothing!

I think it is Warburton who draws a very just distinction between a man of true greatness and a mediocrist. "If," says he, "you want to recommend yourself to the former, take care that he quits your society with a good opinion of you; if your object is to please the latter, take care that he leaves you with a good opinion of himself."

The truly great consider first how they may gain the approbation of God; and secondly, that of their own conscience: having done this, they would then willingly conciliate the good opinion of their fellowmen. But the truly little, reverse the thing: the primary object with them is to secure the applause of their fellow-men; and having effected this, the approbation of God and their own conscience may follow on, as they can.

There are many who know their own wisdom, but there are but few who know their own folly.

The wise are they who distinguish clearly between the law court and the equity court.

To do good to men is the great work of life; to make them true Christians is the greatest good we can do them. Every investigation brings us round to this point. Begin here, and you are like one who strikes water from a rock on the summits of the

mountains; it flows down all the intervening tracts to the very base. If we could make each man love his neighbour, we should make a happy world. The true method is to begin with ourselves, and so extend the circle around us. It should be perpetually in our minds.

An elevated purpose is a good and ennobling thing, but we cannot begin at the top of it. We must work up to it by the often difficult path of daily duty—of daily duty always carefully performed.

W

THE PROMISES.

HAT God has promised, we must pray for; we

need not be so unreasonable as to ask more,

we need not be so modest as to ask less.

Fresh favours call for fresh returns of thanks; nay, we must praise God for the mercies we hope for by His promise, as well as those we have received by His providence.

"I will pray the Father for you." Had such an announcement been made to the patriarchs and prophets of old, what an impulse would it have given to