He is still feeble and defenceless; but if one might be allowed to conceive of guardian spirits assuming human shape, sure that is like one, who, in the form of his mother, fondly watches over him. He is kneeling beside his best earthly friend, with lifted hands lisping his evening prayer-learning from her look, as well as from her tongue, the love and reverence that are due to the Lord of life and glory.

His short frock is laid aside, he is dressed in a blue jacket and trousers; nor can he gaze on the buttons or thrust his hands into his pockets without vanity; but his mother is at hand, gently to divert and direct his thoughts. She tells him that the sheep has worn his clothes before him, and that the happy singing birds which are thankful for a crumb of bread, or a berry on the bush, have gayer clothing than he has.

He is taught to remove the crawling snail from the dangerous pathway; to feed the redbreasts in the frosty morning; to carry the basin of food, or the piece of money, to the poor widow; and to divide his sweet morsel freely with his playmates. His faults are not allowed to pass unreproved. The evil of his heart is repressed, and he is trained in the nurture and admonition of the Lord; he obeys his parent, and regards God's holy word with reverence and love.

As a schoolboy he acquits himself with credit, and is welcomed home with satisfaction and joy. As an apprentice he deservedly gains the goodwill of his master, he hears the instruction of his father, and forsakes not the law of his mother. But does he never wander in error's thorny paths? Yes. Does he not sometimes stumble? He does; but his wanderings end in disappointment, and his falls humble his heart, so that he is doubly watchful over himself, and feels doubly dependent on his heavenly Father. He goes to Him as a chastened child, and receives comfort. Oh, what a refuge in temptation, what a cordial in calamity, what a sheet anchor in the storms of the world is the throne of grace!

He

Guarded by prayers and guided by Christian counsel he launches into life. "Seest thou a man diligent in his business? he shall stand before kings," Prov. xxii. 29. Knowest thou one whose delight is in the law of the Lord? "whatsoever he doeth shall prosper," Psa. i. 3. obtains a competency, gains the respect and confidence of the rich, and is regarded as a blessing by the poor; his time, his purse, and his talents are well employed; he is a counsellor in the day of difficulty, a comforter in sorrow, a friend in time of need, and a brother born for adversity.

His manhood has flown, his hairs are gray,

and his brow is furrowed with years, but his trials are borne with patience. "Affliction cometh not

forth of the dust, nor trouble from the ground;" his mercies are gratefully enjoyed, for he sees the Almighty hand that has bestowed them. While in time, he looks onward to eternity while on earth, his desires mount upward to heaven. On the bed of death his faith fails not, for he knows in whom he has believed, and his last faltering accents are, Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word for mine eyes have seen thy salvation," Luke ii. 29, 30.

ON THE

CLOCK IN THE KENDAL MUSEUM.

SOME time ago I received, from an unknown correspondent, written in an excellent hand, the following communication :—

"DEAR OLD GENTLEMAN,-I send you a new text. In the museum at Kendal there is a curious specimen of a clock, said to be one of the first ever made on the pendulum principle. It will still keep correct time. On the dial is the following inscription:

'The gift of James Cock, Maior in Kendall, 1654, to the Maior of the same sucksesively.

'Time runneth ;-your work is before you.' "Dear Humphrey, your sincere well-wisher, one who trusts he has been benefited by your addresses."

Now this motto, and I would fain fling an old man's thanks to the kind heart that has drawn my attention to it, is a very arresting one: it is

a text from which, for a few moments, I would freely discourse.

I said, and truly said, that my communication was written in an excellent hand; but it is not an unfrequent case for good penmen to have their peculiarities; i's are left unspecked, t's uncrossed, or you may look in vain for a full stop, or even a comma, in a whole page. One of my correspondents carries the straight stroke of a g as far above the line as an l or h; another sprawls out the word understanding, or any other word of the same length, so as to occupy with it an entire line: while a third writes so small, that I question if he could not with his pen, or his cedar pencil, write ́a letter, or at least a note, on his thumb nail.

Not being able exactly to decide whether one letter of my correspondent was a c or an o; and liking to be particular in such matters, I addressed a letter to the curator of the Kendal Museum, who, by return of post, kindly gave me the information I desired. It is not often that we send two hundred and sixty miles for the correction of a single letter of the alphabet. But now to the pleasant task that has been committed to me in so friendly

a manner.

"Time runneth!" Indeed it does, and so rapidly, that there is some danger of our not being able to "The days of our years are

keep up with it.