I had attained or were already perfect, but I follow on :'

'Go on to seek to know the Lord,

And practice what you know.""

Strange to say, yet true it was, that this young mother was rather teased than profited by all this; she knew it, she practised it, but as yet the tide of nature in the dear little ones was too strong for her, and the fond parents were precisely in the same state, waiting and wanting some little plan of counteraction to be immediately executed for the benefit of the young ones; and this short scriptural plan of the dear old Christians seemed to Esther a repetition of admitted truth, and not to their present purpose. But when she got home, when she considered it, she could not but acknowledge to herself, that though some little scheme for present practice might be suggested, its eventual success depended on the very advice she had received. Thus it is with the best; Christians are sometimes desi- . rous of a short cut to their purpose, forgetting that, like the husbandmen, they must wait for the former and latter rain, for the sun to shine, and the dews to descend, ere their plants shall thrive, and their seed ripen for life and glory. But there never was a sincere believer, however weak, who sought the eternal arm, but sooner or later

found the support he sought. Never one who desired light but that promise was fulfilled, This is the way, walk ye in it."

While they were pausing, and seeking the best method to avoid worldly associa tion for their little ones, an event happened which seemed favourable to their wishes. The war was over, and a lieutenant in the navy with a large family, who had been long known to Mr. Lascelles, wrote to him, to inquire if there was any cottage in his parish to which a poor man might bring a large family; family; it must be reasonable, because his means were very limited; but it must not be small, because he had many children. Indeed, he had thought of adding to his income by tuition, teaching some branches of mathematics, the first rudiments of Latin; "and as for French," said he, "a long residence in that detestable country, though a great part of it was spent in prison, has made me very competent. If therefore, dear Sir, you could find a resting-place for a tired warrior, you would confer a lasting benefit on me and mine. My family consists chiefly of the wrong sort: the two younger only are boys, one in arms. Now it is not that I doubt of his providing care, but unless I can add something to our li

mited means, we shall find it a hard matter to live, and my wife is not strong, and really wants some indulgences which I would gladly give her. A line soon will oblige, dear Sir,

Yours very faithfully."

"Now, what shall we do about this, Mentoria? I don't know that we want schoolmasters, do we? Have we not a redoubtable doctor in the next village, and have we not national schools for our other classes.' " Mrs. Lascelles declared she did not know, but she should be so glad to serve poor Mrs. Ferguson. "No one can doubt, my love, but what you would be glad to serve all whom you know," said Mr. Lascelles, "but we must find a nest for these parent birds, and we must get a class for this tutor; eleven mouths to feed is no trifle, he must not starve them. But we will do nothing in a hurry, love.”

It was some weeks after the receipt of this letter before Mr. Lascelles ventured to hope he could be of any use to his friend Ferguson, and even then he acted cautiously and timidly, as one afraid of injuring those whom he wished to serve. But when Michael called upon him to ask his counsel respecting his young ones, and when he stated how anxious he was to

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keep his little nephew from the every-day walk to the next village, which exposed him to wayside acquaintance; Why, this might do indeed," said Mr. Lascelles; "but do you think, my good friend, you could raise enough?" Michael wondered. "Enough,Sir;" "Ah! sufficient numbers of pupils; I forgot I had not consulted you. He then related what was pending in his own mind. Does not this seem providential, Sir?" said Michael. Why, my good fellow, at your age I should have said so, but with warm feelings and an immature judgment, sometimes too much in a hurry to wait for clear guidance, I have made some mistakes, and found that in my haste there were tares among my wheat. This has given me an unnatural sort of caution, and I perhaps walk more carefully than many men of slower temperature. One thing that makes me hesitate is, that my good friend says nothing of religious advantages; certainly he knows my principles, and that I would not willingly mislead my hearers; but he utters no word upon the subject, which ought to be the grand mover in every Christian parent who seeks an abiding residence for his children."

Michael's hopes outran his fears in this business, "he could not help thinking," he

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told Mr. Lascelles, "that such a man that sought a residence in his parish could not be adverse to true religion.' My good friend, I do not think he is adverse, but a man who trains youth should be warm and zealous in the best of causes. Michael agreed that it should be, and the affair stood over so long, that Mr. Lascelles received another letter more pressing, and the concluding clause seemed to settle the business. It was to this effect: "I am the more anxious to come into your neighbourhood, as I feel the importance for my rising family of those principles which I know you have long taught. A ship is a village at sea, and I am sure I have reason to be thankful that I ever sailed with my captain, whose consistent life and example awed the profligate, and confirmed the sober. What he was to me I can never know in this world; he is gone to that Saviour whose despised disciple he was, and even those who basely called him bypocrite and cant, well knew that he was one of those of whom the world was not worthy." Mr. Lascelles was at his breakfast table when he received this letter, in that very room where his mother had delighted to train the myrtle over her parlour window; and Mrs. Lascelles was at that moment standing with her back to him,