every day for his mercies;-for health, and food, and raiment, and friends, and his kind care over you; and, above all, for Jesus Christ, his unspeakable gift. Implore his blessing on all you do. Call upon him each morning and evening. Do not live without him in the world: this is practical atheism. Acknowledge him in all thy ways, and he will direct thy paths.' "Especially and frequently pray him to pardon your manifold sins, for Jesus' sake, who has died for us.

"Forget not, that you have parents who sincerely long for your welfare, and who will be delighted to hear that you improve in useful knowledge, and are deservedly beloved;-who, through many a sleepless night, have anxiously watched over you, when you were an afflicted babe;-who have been constantly solicitous for your real good, and who will as soon cease to breathe, as cease to pray for and love

you.

"When you look over this letter, you may think it very difficult to attend to all my wishes. I am sure, however, you may do so if you sincerely try. And, depend on it, the task will be comparatively easy, if you fervently and constantly ask the blessed God by his good Spirit, to help you in the discharge of your duty, and to work in you to will and to do of his own good pleasure.'

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May God bless you, my dear Charles: expect in a little time again to hear from

"Your affectionate father,

"C. W."

"This is a beautiful letter, Emma."

"It is, I think, likely to be a very useful one, Edwin. It did Charles good."

"If you will lend it me, I will copy it, and show it to papa. I am sure he will like to see it." "You shall have it. But see! yonder is my papa coming down the hill in his gig. Let us

go and meet him."

"Are you sure it is your papa, Emma? I hope it is not."

"Oh yes: don't you see, it is the grey mare. Oh, I am certain it is."

Presently Edwin came up to him, and exclaimed: "No, Sir, pray do not take Emma home yet."

"How did you know I was come for her?" said Mr. W.

"I feared, Sir, that this was the case."

"You are right, Edwin. Her mamma wants her. She has had a long holiday."

By this time Emma had come up.

"Well,

my dear," said Mr. W. "make haste and get ready: you must go home with me. Are you better, my love?"

"Yes, thank you, papa, I am well-quite well. I shall be soon ready, papa:-by the time you have taken a little refreshment."

Emma having bade Edwin farewell, accompanied her papa home; and Edwin returned to the alcove, and wrote his papa the following letter.

"MY DEAR PAPA,

"YOUR letter about poor George grieved me and Emma very much. I long for to-morrow, to hear again how he is. I hope he will not die, for his own sake, and especially for the sake of dear aunt. I hope to hear that he is better. Do pray, dear papa, that God would raise him up to health again.

"I am sorry to tell you, that Emma is gone home. Mr. Wallace came on purpose to fetch her. She had got quite well. We were very happy together, and now I am all alone. We were not idle, papa. We propped up the flowers that were beat down by the rain. We solved most of the problems on the globes, which are mentioned in my system of geography. We read two chapters in the French Telemachus, and nearly the whole of Joyce's Scientific Dialogues. I do not mean that we have read all this since you have been gone, but during Emma's visit.

"Please to return as soon as aunt can spare

you. From your

"Ever dutiful son,

"E. H."

CHAP. XV.

SOON after Mr. Howard received the preceding letter, he again wrote, and informed Edwin of the improved state of his nephew's health. But here is the letter.

"MY DEAR EDWIN,

I

"Your letter of yesterday, like all you ever wrote me, gave me pleasure. wish Emma had staid till my return. You, however, will not be melancholy. It has been one great object with me in your education, to teach you to know what to do with your time, so that it may never hang heavily on your hands. I should be exceedingly sorry if it could be ever justly said, that my Edwin did not know what to do with himself. This would show, not only that he was not what he ought

to be, but that he had been educated very improperly.

"Surely, if education be what it has been briefly defined, the establishment of good habits, it must be of the highest importance that we should early acquire a habit of improving our time. But, as this prime quality of a good education is already yours, I shall not enlarge on it.

"You are very anxious about poor George: I was sure you would be so. His fever is abated, but he is so very weak, that we say but little to him. Our medical friend begs he may be kept quiet, and, indeed, it is essential to his recovery. We sometimes hope he is out of danger, and then, in a few hours, life appears about to close.

"Your aunt, I am happy to inform you, is more tranquil and resigned in this great affliction than she was, or than, indeed, could have been expected. She commits poor George, by ceaseless prayer, into the hands of a gracious God. If ardent, importunate supplication can avail on any one's account, he will be saved; if not in reference to the present world, in a nobler and more important sense, in the glorious state that awaits the believing penitent, before the throne of God in glory.

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'I yesterday, as he appeared calm and col