And friends! the strongest tie that binds me here, Those loving friends that heaven was pleased to give. Ah! earth is beautiful, and friends are dear,

And life is sweet-would that I yet might live! Such is the wish my faltering soul doth frame; And thus my thoughts in earthward channels flow, When for a moment's space life's flickering flame, Leaps from its socket in a feeble glow.

But when the momentary gleam is past,

And night returns, and light and strength depart, And sick and faint, I seem to feel at last

Death's cold hand groping for my labouring heart-
Then faith takes memory's place—uplifts her eyes
O'er earth's horizon, and exults to see,
Glorious but dim, far other scenes arise,

The heavenly rest where now I fain would be.
Little indeed we know of that blest place;
Little I know, but yet I know 'tis there,
And that its pure felicities surpass

My vain imaginings beyond compare.

Green pastures! living streams! what mortal knows
The heavenly bliss thus called by earthly name?
What tongue describe the stream of life that flows
Out from the throne of God and of the Lamb?

The Lamb!-Oh, let our adoration rise,

Unceasing to the Lamb for sinners slain; At once our great high priest and sacrifice, Jesus who died for us, and rose again.

And friends are there-to us it may be given,

Delightful thought! to meet with and to know Friends whom we loved on earth and grudg'd to heaven, When called to go before us long ago.

A few years spent in bliss will not seem long,
And then I trust those friends I leave behind,
Will gather in to swell that happy throng,

Where all friends are in one Redeemer joined.
Between two hopes my faltering soul doth waver,

That way is best thou Lord shalt lead me by;
Trusting thy love, and happy in thy favour,
May it be Christ to live, or gain to die!

ORIGINAL PIECES BY THE YOUNG.

IN our Prospectus of this Magazine we said, "A few columns will be devoted to Original Pieces by the Young, in prose or poetry-the solving of Enigmas-and the discussion of Queries. Prizes in Books will be offered for the best Essays on given subjects; list of which, for 1859, will appear in the January number." With regard to the Prizes, we regret that want of time to make the necessary arrangements has prevented us from completing the list of subjects. Next month we shall give them, with the names of the books that will be awarded for the best Essays. All we find ourselves able to do this month is to give an Enigma, to which we hope we shall receive good poetic replies from our young friends in due time.

ENIGMA, No. 1.

How d'ye do, my young friends? I am coming again,
With another Enigma to puzzle your brain;

Which if you can answer correctly in rhyme,
I will write you again in a very short time.

There is an old lady, who some people say,

Is courted by all, both the grave and the gay;

And though some all their lifetime are striving to gain her,
There are only a few that ever retain her.

And though on her faithfulness none can rely,
Yet if she but smile they are filled with joy.

But, ah, if her smile should but turn to a frown,

Away goes your honour, your wealth, and renown.

And if you are doubting of what I now say,
The Bible will banish your scruples away;

For if from the shelf the good Book you reach down,
You may there read of one as a man of renown;

While the old lady smiled he had riches in store,

But she frowned and he lost all his wealth and was poor;
Then, because of his faith in that sad trying hour,
She prospered him more than he prospered before.

But perhaps before now you may know the old dame,

If you do you will say she is one of great fame.

But just one more word, though it may provoke laughter,
Some say the old dame hath a terrible daughter;

Though she's always called Miss, there is none but would spurn her,

Though I never knew one that could ever outrun her. Pattishall.

S. S.

Replies in verse are requested. To be forwarded before February 1, addressed, post paid, to the Editor, at Winks & Son's, Leicester.

THE THUGS OF INDIA.

THE Natural Scenery of India is so beautiful, that we are told it is almost impossible to convey to an inhabitant of colder or more temperate regions a full idea of its splendour! There-it may be truly said

"Every prospect pleases,

And only man is vile."

Our young readers have doubtless heard much during the past year of the great mutiny in India, and of the dreadful doings of the rebels in the murder of English women and children, of missionaries, and of native christians. They may wonder how any people upon earth could be guilty of such enormous wickedness. But their wonder will cease when they know that in that land the very religion of the people gives sanction to such horrid cruelties—that the idols they worship are said to demand the lives of human victims, and "smile when the libation of blood is made;" proving the truth of those awful words of Holy Writ, "The dark places of the earth are full of the habitations of cruelty."

Indeed, in India, murder-secret, sudden murder—is a trade, to which many are brought up, and which is known to be pursued by a band of men called Thugs, spread more or less over all parts of the country. Of late years, under the more vigorous rule of the British, it has been to some extent suppressed, and yet it prevails more than many are aware, its movements being hid in the most awful mystery.

That our young friends may know something respecting these monsters of iniquity, who are known in India by the name of Thugs, we shall give them some extracts of a paper published in the United States a few years ago, we believe by a missionary who had lately returned from India; and we hope the horrid tales we shall have to furnish will only produce in our youthful readers a yet more earnest desire to send to the people of that dark and guilty land the gospel of peace and love :—

"Within the last fifteen or twenty years, the Thugs have risen to an unenviable public notice. Though immemorial in pedigree, and scattered over a wide range of Asiatic territory, the existence, previously, of this nefarious band, was not suspected, even by the most suspicious of European residents. How they could have so long contrived to escape discovery by watchful foreigners seems an inexplicable mystery. The countries in which they were most strongly organized had often witnessed the marching and counter