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ing, and pity and cruelty, but I would rather live in an hospital than with a grumbling wife; a man is not to be expected to be always petting his patients, but with such a near relation as a wife he is expected to be full of kindness; and so he might be for a short season and for a long season : but for life, child, think of that; I tell you, it is not in nature.” Brownrigg grew so eager, that Peggy could not help laughing, saying, " she thanked God she was very well.' Well, take care of yourself, and keep so; and whenever you begin to grumble, think of your poor old master, and don't go on any longer.'

Rose returned, but not alone, for her mistress came with her. “O my beloved uncle! it is the very thing I have thought of before, I do think she will suit you exactly.” The two girls had gone to the

. kitchen—" But how do you know the girl would like it? there is no one to gossip with, it is a very different place from your house, Esther, I am getting older and older, more and more particular.” “Oh, no, uncle, you are every day more dear and more delightful, kinder and better;" she took his hand and kissed it, and they wept together, and the business was done; and the very day after the marriage Rose was settled with Brownrigg, and Kitty went to the Brow.

Michael Meredith, who was always a favourite with Brownrigg, and a frequent visiter at his cottage, was now doubly welcome, as his aunt was established there; and his old friend, who was anxious to have him with James, was often found inquiring how the Latin went on, and regretting he had not made some acquisition of the sort in his youth. “ For you see, my dear boy, I was at an excellent school in the Borough, the Borough of Southwark, a fine extensive place, my dear. We had a great many fine scholars, as I have been told: I wish you had been there, my little Michael, they would have made something of such a boy as you. I was upon the foundation, my dear, had always a taste for enterprize, and was beloved by all my schoolfellows; but this is a great mistake which children make to laugh at the studious. There was one fellow whom we used to call the taper, because he was long and thin, and would study by a little candle at one corner of the school-room in a winter evening. And mind, Michael, this very boy whom we used to laugh at, is become lord mayor of London, and makes such fine speeches to the common council,

and went up with the address to the king; and the king said to some one who stood by, he was very glad that his good city of London had got such an eloquent leader. Now, my boy, such a word as that from his sovereign warms a man-it encourages him, you see, and I was glad our good king should make such a sensible observation

; it becomes the crown to encourage learning."

Michael used to listen to these observations of his friend with the most profound respect; he had often heard stories of the Mansion House and Guildhall, but had very little notion of their magnitude; and when Brownrigg told him that it was four times the size of the church, he could not contain his astonishment - his youthful imagination was fired, and we may venture to say the grandeur of the Mansion House was sometimes an indefinable motive for exertion. Brownrigg's former residence in London had given him evident superiority in the eyes of the village; and when

;; Mr. Ferguson first settled, the only person beyond the Rectory whom he could visit, as he thought, was the cottage of the retired tobacconist: there he was always amused by original communication, and welcomed with unreserved good-humour and hospitality; had a warm seat by the side of his fire, and sometimes read the newspaper.

We must own, there was something of regret when he read there of his juniors rising into notice and command, while he was just getting the bread for the day in a distant part of his native country. But this good man was an acquisition; for though Brownrigg was a kind neighbour, and very chatty, he had not been brought up as an agriculturist, and found it difficult to keep up that sort of conversation with which the village abounded; and while Ferguson supplied this want, Brownrigg was an active and kind friend, assisting, and overlooking every little alteration in his new residence, and supplying that knowledge of mankind in which Ferguson was eminently deficient. Oh, my dear reader, if we were all to extend an arm, where it is wanted ; to supply each other's

; deficiencies, we should not only bestow, but receive comfort. The selfish being, shut up in his own narrow circle, knows little of the pleasure to be enjoyed in this sweet interchange of mutual good offices. As it is sometimes seen that the most unexpected success attends the most unpromising characters, so at this moment the whole family of the Kemp's were surprised by the marriage of Joe to his master's daugh

ter: she was a smart girl, but not very discriminating, it

may be supposed; Joe had known her many years, and he went on so long, so quietly and so steadily, that the father made no objection ; and while his own family were wondering and astonished, the father of the young person was rather pleased than otherwise to have her settled in a house where respectability had so long distinguished them; Joe might really be said to owe this happiness to his connexions, the care they took to keep him from improper society, the influence of his father over his weak mind, the neatness of his mother in his personal appearance.—Reader, it is no small blessing to be respectably connected, and those who link themselves with honourable persons are far happier than those who look for wealth.

This young creature was really pitied by the Kemp family, who thought she was deceived ; and so conscientious was old Joseph, that had not the affair gone so far he would have spoken to his master. Now some little reader will exclaim, “ What, injure his own son ?" “ Yes, my

? dear young friend, Joseph Kemp was under that law. • Whatsoever ye would that men should do unto you, do ye even so to them.'

But he had no reason to

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