Mark, how Flor Silin acted. Having called the poorest of his neighbors about him, he addressed them in the following

manner:

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My friends, you want corn for your subsistence ;-God has blessed me with abundance-assist in threshing out a quantity, and each of you take what he wants for his family."

The peasants were amazed at this unexampled generosity; for sordid propensities exist in the village as well as in the populous city.

The fame of Flor Silin's benevolence having reached other villages, the famished inhabitants presented themselves before him, and begged for corn. This good creature received them as brothers; and, while his store remained, afforded all relief.

At length, his wife, seeing no end to the generosity of his noble spirit, reminded him how necessary it would be to think on their own wants, and hold his lavish hand, before it was too late. "It is written in the Scripture," said he, “Give, and it shall be given unto you."

The following year Providence listened to the prayers of the poor, and the harvest was abundant. The peasants, who had been saved from starving by Flor Silin, now gathered around him.

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Behold," said they, "the corn you lent us. You saved our wives and children. We should have been famished but for you, may God reward you,-he only can,—all we have to give, is our corn and grateful thanks."

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I want no corn,

my harvest has

at present, my good neighbors," said he ; exceeded all my expectations; for the rest, thank Heaven, I have been but an humble instrument."

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They urged him in vain. No," said he, "I shall not accept your corn. If you have superfluities, share them. among your poor neighbors, who, being unable to sow their fields last autumn, are still in want-let us assist them, my dear friends, the Almighty will bless us for it." "Yes," replied the grateful peasants, our poor neighbors shall have this corn. They shall know that it is to you they owe this timely succor, and join to teach their children the debt of gratitude due to your benevolent heart."

Silin raised his tearful eye to heaven.-An angel might have envied him his feelings.

At another time, fourteen farm houses were burnt down in an adjoining village-to each sufferer Silin sent two roubles and a scythe.

Some time after, a like misfortune happened at another village it was entirely consumed; and the inhabitants, reduced to the last degree of misery, had recourse to Silin; but his former benevolence had impoverished his means, he had no money to help them,-what was to be done," Stop," said he, suddenly recollecting himself, "here is a horse-I do not actually want him-take and sell him."

He set at liberty two female slaves, whom he bought in' the name of the lord of the manor, educated them as his own daughters, and when they married gave them a handsome dowry.

As long as thou continuest, noble Silin, to inhabit this world, so long will thy life be spent in acts of generosity and benevolence towards thy fellow creatures; and when thou hast exchanged this for a better life, the recording angel shall proclaim thy virtues in heaven; the Almighty will place thee high above kings and princes, and thou wilt still be the friend of the comfortless, and a father to the poor and indigent on earth. If ever I revisit that country, whose ornament thou art, I shall approach thy cot with reverence, and pay homage to thy virtues; but, if the minister of peace hath removed thee into bliss, I will visit thy grave, sprinkle it with my tears, and place a stone upon the spot, on which, with my own hand, I will write

Here rest the bones of a noble man !

LESSON XIX.

PARENTAL INSTRUCTION.-LAW.

PATERNUS had but one son, whom he educated himself. As they were sitting together in the garden, when the child was ten years old, Paternus thus addressed him :-Though you now think yourself so happy because you have hold of my hand, you are in the hands, and under the tender care of a much greater Father and Friend than I am, whose love to you is far greater than mine, and from whom you receive such blessings as no mortal can give.

You see, my son, this wide and large firmament over our heads, where the sun, and moon, and all the stars appear in their turns. If you were to be carried to any of these bodies, at this vast distance from us, you would still discover others as much above you, as the stars which you see here

are above the earth. Were you to go up or down, east or west, north or south, you would find the same height without any top, and the same depth without any bottom.

Yet, so great is God, that all these bodies added together are only as a grain of sand in his sight. But you are as much the care of this great God and Father of all worlds, and all spirits, as if he had no son but you, or there were no creature for Him to love and protect but you alone. He numbers the hairs of your head, watches over you sleeping and waking, and has preserved you from a thousand dangers, unknown both to you and me.

Therefore, my child, fear, and worship, and love God. Your eyes indeed cannot yet see Him, but all things which you see, are so many marks of His and power presence, and He is nearer to you than any thing which you can see.

Take Him for your Lord, and Father, and Friend: look up unto Him as the fountain and cause of all the good which you have received from me, and reverence me only as the bearer and minister of God's good things to you. He that blessed my father before I was born, will bless you when I am dead.

As you have been used to look to me in all your actions, and have been afraid to do any thing, unless you first knew my will; so let it now be a rule of your life to look up to God in all your actions, to do every thing in His fear, and to abstain from every thing which is not according to His will.

Next to this, love mankind with such tenderness and affection, as you love yourself. Think how God loves all mankind, how merciful He is to them, how tender He is of them, how carefully He preserves them, and then strive to love the world as God loves it.

Do good, my son, first of all to those who most deserve it; but remember to do good to all. The greatest sinners re ceive daily instances of God's goodness towards them; He nourishes and preserves them, that they may repent and re turn to Him; do you therefore imitate God, and think no one too bad to receive your relief and kindness, when you see that he wants it.

Let your dress be sober, clean, and modest-not to set off the beauty of your person, but to declare the sobriety of your mind, that your outward garb may resemble the inward plainness and simplicity of your heart. For it is highly reasonable that you should be one man, and appear outwardly such as you are inwardly.

In meat and drink, observe the rules of Christian temperance and sobriety; consider your body only as the servant and minister of your soul; and only so nourish it, as it may best perform an humble and obedient service.

Love humility in all its instances, practice it in all its parts, for it is the noblest state of the soul of man; it will set your heart and affections right towards God, and fill you with whatever temper is tender and affectionate towards men.

Let every day therefore be a day of humility; condescend to all the weakness and infirmities of your fellow-creatures; cover their frailties; love their excellencies; encourage their virtues; relieve their wants; rejoice in their prosperity; compassionate their distress; receive their friendship; overlook their unkindness; forgive their malice; be a servant of servants; and condescend to do the lowest offices for the lowest of mankind.

It seems but the other day since I received from my dear father the same instructions which I am now leaving with you. And the God who gave me ears to hear, and a heart to receive, what my father enjoined on me, will, I hope, give you grace to love and follow the same instructions.

LESSON XX.

PICTURE OF A YOUTH.-HARDIE.

The

SHALL I relate to you a sad tale of corrupted virtue; the melancholy fate of him, whom the example of profligate companions has seduced from the maxims of prudence? days were, when he was taught to tremble at the way of the wicked, and to lisp the prayer of infancy to Heaven. The days were, when he could boast of a mind unpolluted by the world, when he resisted the allurements of corruption, and was a joy to the hearts of his parents. As he rose in years, he rose in promise. His parents poured out their souls in gratitude to Heaven, who had given them such a reward for their toils and anxieties, and looked forward in rapturous anticipation to the time when he would be the pride and comfort of their declining age. But the day comes, when he must leave his home of peace and innocence. He must attempt his fortune in the walks of active life. He must brave the dangers and seductions of a deceitful world. He must go,

and the best blessings of his father go with him. "Thou art young," says the aged father, " and it is a dark world thou art entering, but I trust that Providence will guide thee through its deceitful mazes. It has pleased God to deprive me of many children, and I bow under his dispensations. He has left thee for a staff and for a comforter. May his fear reign in thy heart, and may he preserve thee a joy and ornament to our family." He leaves them in tears and in silence. His heart swells with the purposes of virtue. He looks forward to the day, when he shall return to his mansion of piety; when his presence shall enliven the last days of a venerable father; when he shall weep over him in his dying hours, and close his eyes in peace. But, O Heaven! how mysterious are thy counsels! O man! how wretched the inconstancy of thy purposes! O example! how powerful and how fascinating thy seduction! For a while he firmly resists every allurement; he contemplates, in horror, the dark scenes with which he is surrounded; he turns, in disgust and indignation, from the corruption of his acquaintance, and sighs, in affectionate remembrance, over the temperance and simplicity of his father's house. But how shall the innocence of his youthful heart stand against the torrent of example? How can he resist that innumerable host of enemies, who conspire against his virtue? Here one practices his deceitful insinuations, and assures him, with a smiling countenance, that there is no harm. There, another turns against him the weapons of ridicule, and tries to laugh him out of his dull and spiritless sobriety. There, a third invites him to the repast of hospitality and friendship, only to expose his ears to the conversation of a licentious company. He at last falls a reluctant sacrifice to the arts of an unprincipled ingenuity. The disgusting features of vice soften down by the familiarity of habit. To shelter himself from the contempt and hostility of his acquaintance, he is forced to accommodate to their example. In the bowl of intoxication, he drowns the painful remembrance of a father's advice, and a father's anxiety. His soul maddens in the pursuit of pleasure, and he plunges headlong into all the infatuation of guilt.

Who can tell the sufferings of that hour, when the tidings of his fall reach the ears of an affectionate father; and when he hears that the boy of his heart has been allured into the paths of destruction? The pillar of his hope is now overthrown, and he is left like a tree in a desert. He sinks to