persevere; it was all because "father bid me;" and at last she began to delight in the opportunity of taking an offering to her father and mother, in such a pretty spirit of love, as gave a new motive for exertion. I think this is to "honor thy father and mother."

It is a very pretty interpretation of the feeling of the little girl, and I do think a true one; it is however evident that the child is well trained; -we will go on and see if any other incident will afford us instruction.

We took our station near Thomas and his children; he touched his hat as we approached, and the boys followed his example, Jane also made her curtesy; the children were a little tempted to gaze at my young party, but Thomas said,

Don't be rude, children, mind your work; they renewed their application, and as they filled their baskets, emptied them into two barrows, one for the stones, and the other for the weeds.

You are right, Thomas, to bring up your children to habits of industry.

It is my duty, Sir, and it is part of the training we ought to bring them up in, if we would desire them to be useful members in society, or happy either; there's none so miserable as idle people, and they're sure to be ungodly too.

How do you manage with them to make them so industrious?

I can hardly say, Sir; I think it comes natu

rally, as a part of the duty they owe to their parents.

Do you take the fifth commandment as a motive to present to your children?

Why, Sir, as far as regards the mother and me I do, at least I try to do it; only telling them that it is the will of the Lord; so that they may understand it is not a rule of my own making.

How then do you teach them to know the exact duties they owe?-you must excuse my asking you, but my young friends and I are just now particularly engaged in the consideration of this commandment.

I ask your pardon, Sir, I've but little to say, I think it is all in that explanation in the Catechism; he looked kindly at my companions, and added, "to love, honour and succour my father and mother;"I think they must mind these three things, and our Lord explains it something in the same way, from which, I take it, the explanation in the Catechism is framed.

Do you try to fix these principles in their minds?

Yes, Sir, I do, and I find it as great a lesson to myself, as to them; for I think to myself,— How can they love me if I do not behave so as to win their love; and how can they honor me if I do not show them that the principles I act are honorable; and how can they succour me if I do not make them like little partners in all that concerns us, so that they lend a helping hand in every thing: in short, Sir, I find the work must begin at home.

on

The children frequently looked at their father whilst he spoke; as if it was a principle of reasoning which they were accustomed to hear, and in which they agreed.

Turning to Louisa, I said, I think we can trace these principles to have been operating in little Sarah's mind. Do you know, Thomas, that your little girl has been gathering the gooseberries.

I did not know it, Sir; but I thought she would go in time, she's very apt to be fondling about me, and would spend her time in talking about loving father and mother, but I always tell them, love must be proved; and for that reason, I set her to gather the gooseberries, to teach her what I mean by practice, and she has minded the rules. But, Sir, if you would like to hear a man of God talk about the duty of children; I think you'd be pleased to hear my old father tell you what he thinks. I owe my instruction to him, and he greatly helps me to discharge my duty to my own. He's old and infirm now, but his grey hairs are full of godly wisdom.

Where does he live?

Oh! ever since my mother died, he lives with my wife and me, and a blessing we find him; he often hears my children read in the Bible, and it's a sight I love to see, when he puts on his spectacles, and opens our large Bible, and gets the young ones round him, and talks to them of God's word, and of the love of Jesus.

If you will allow me, we will come another

day; at present we will make our way home through this path-way of the garden, which will take us round through the village with a little variation in our walk.

Whenever you please, Sir, you'll always find him at home.

Uncle, said Charles, as he walked on, what do you think of Thomas?

Why, my dear Charles?

Do you not think he loves, honors, and suc✩ cors his father?

Indeed I do; it is quite evident he knows in his own heart the principles he wishes to inculcate on his children; and what an advantage does this give him, for the children cannot fail to behold the practice of the precept he teaches, and they must be persuaded of the truth of his lessons.

Look, uncle, said George, there is a boy hard at work; only listen to the clinking of his loom, how quick he must throw the shuttle.

The poor allow us the privilege of looking in upon them; we will go and talk with the boy. You are working hard, my boy; how much at this rate can you weave in a week?

I always gets my web out on Saturday night, he answered, without stopping his hand.

Then you are able to help your father and mother?

Yes, I pays them so much for my board and lodging, and for my washing; and I finds myself with clothes, (going on with his work.)

The mother who was knitting at one corner of the room, was induced to draw near, and seemed much pleased that we had noticed the boy.

Your son seems very industrious; it is a comfort to you, no doubt!

Ay, Sir, that it is; he's a good lad now, and he's found the sweets of working hard; but you see, Sir, it's only of late that we've got him to work, he used always to be idling about, and we couldn't get him to earn aught to help us, and when he grew such a big lad, he took a deal of supporting out of my husband's wages. I'm knitting these stockings for him, and he'll pay me for doing it.

What changed him to this industrious habit? Why you see, Sir, my husband hit on this experiment, as a bit of encouragement for him, and told him he should have all he could earn for himself, and pay us out of it for his meat and washing, and such like. So he fell to working, and the first week's wages he got into his own hands, he jumped about like a mad thing with delight; only he's this fault, he grudges a bit giving me enough for his meat, for now he's so big he takes a deal more keeping, and besides working so makes him more hungry.

Do you think this is a good plan?

Why yes, I do, Sir, many of our neighbors does the same; you see it makes 'em feel a bit independent, and puts a bit of spirit in them, and it's one way of making 'em help us, you see,

I doubt whether you'll find it a good plan in