places there have been some excellent people who have shown that they were resolved to keep it, whatever it might cost them.

Abdool-Radir, a Persian boy, the son of a widow, desired leave of his mother to take a journey to Bagdat to seek his fortune; she wept at the thoughts of the parting; then, taking out forty of the gold coins called dinars, she gave them to him, telling him that was the whole of his inheritance. After this, she made him swear never to tell a lie; then she bade him farewell.

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The boy set out upon his journey. On the road, the party with which he traveled was suddenly attacked by a great troop of robbers. One of them asked Abdool-Radir, what money he had got. 'Forty dinars," he answered, are sewed up in my garments." The robber took this for a jest, and laughed. Another asked him the same question, and he made the same reply. When they began to divide the plunder among them, he was called to the chief, who was standing on an eminence, and he too asked him what he had got. "I have told two of your men already," said he, "that I have forty dinars carefully sewed up in my clothes." The chief immediately ordered the clothes to be ripped up, and the gold, was found. He was astonished. "How came you," said he, "to discover what had been so carefully hidden ?" "Because," replied Abdool-Radir, "I will not be false to my mother, to whom I have promised never to tell a lie!" What, child!" said the chief, "hast thou, at thy age, such a sense of thy duty to thy mother, and have I, at mine, so little sense of my duty to my God, as to lead the life of a robber! Give me thy hand, innocent boy, that I may swear upon it to forsake my evil ways." And he swore it; and his followers, all struck like him with sudden repentance, made the same vow; and, as the first fruits of it, returned to the travelers whatever they had taken from them.

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LESSON XII.

THE SEASONS.-MRS. BARBAULD.

WHO is this beautiful virgin that approaches, clothed in a robe of light green? She has a garland of flowers on her head, and flowers spring up wherever she sets her foot. The

snow which covered the fields, and the ice which was on the rivers, melt away when she breathes upon them. The young lambs frisk about her, and the birds warble to welcome her coming; when they see her, they begin to choose their mates, and to build their nests. Youths and maidens, have ye seen this beautiful virgin? If ye have, tell me who she is, and what is her name.

Who is this that cometh from the south, thinly clad in a light transparent garment? Her breath is hot and sultry; she seeks the refreshment of the cool shade, she seeks the clear streams, the crystal brooks, to bathe her languid limbs. The brooks and rivulets fly from her, and are dried up at her approach. She cools her parched lips with berries, and the grateful acids of fruits. The tanned haymakers welcome her coming; and the sheep-shearer, who clips the fleeces off his flock with his sounding shears. When she cometh, let me lie under the thick shade of a spreading beech-tree,-let me walk with her in the early morning, when the dew is yet upon the grass, let me wander with her in the soft twilight, when the shepherd shuts his fold, and the star of the evening appears. Who is she that cometh from the south? Youths and maid

ens, tell me, if you know, who is she, and what is her name?

Who is he that cometh with sober pace, stealing upon us unawares? His garments are red with the blood of the grape, and his temples are bound with a sheaf of ripe wheat. His hair is thin, and begins to fall, and the auburn is mixed with mournful gray. He shakes the brown nuts from the tree. He winds the horn, and calls the hunters to their sport. The gun sounds. The trembling partridge, and the beautifui pheasant flutter, bleeding in the air, and fall dead at the sportsman's feet. Youths and maidens, tell me, if you know, who is he, and what is his name?

Who is he that cometh from the north, in furs and warm wool? He wraps his cloak close about him. His head is bald; his beard is made of sharp icicles. He loves the blazing fire high piled upon the hearth, and the wine sparkling in the glass. He binds skates to his feet, and skims over the frozen lakes. His breath is piercing and cold, and no little flower dares to peep above the surface of the ground when he is by. Whatever he touches turns to ice. Youths and maidens, do you see him? He is coming upon us, and soon will be here. Tell me, if you know, who is he, and what is his name?

LESSON XIII.

THE NESTS OF BIRDS.-STURM.

How curious is the structure of the nest of the goldfinch or chaffinch! The inside of it is lined with cotton and fine silken threads; and the outside cannot be sufficiently admired, though it is composed only of various species of fine moss The color of these mosses, resembling that of the bark of the tree on which the nest is built, proves that the bird intended it should not be easily discovered. In some nests, hair, wool, and rushes, are dexterously interwoven. In some, all the parts are firmly fastened by a thread, which the bird makes of hemp, wool, hair, or more commonly of spiders' webs.Other birds, as for instance the blackbird and the lapwing, after they have constructed their nest, plaster the inside with mortar, which cements and binds the whole together; they then stick upon it, while quite wet, some wool or moss, to give it the necessary degree of warmth.-The nests of swallows are of a very different construction from those of other birds. They require neither wood, nor hay, nor cords; they make a kind of mortar, with which they form a neat, secure, and comfortable habitation for themselves and their family. To moisten the dust of which they build their nests, they dip their breasts in water, and shake the drops from their wet feathers upon it. But the nests most worthy of admiration are those of certain Indian birds, which suspend them with great art from the branches of trees, to secure them from the depredations of various animals and insects. In general, every species of birds has a peculiar mode of building: but it may be remarked of all alike, that they always construct their nests in the way that is best adapted to their security, and to the preservation and welfare of their species.

Such is the wonderful instinct of birds with respect to the structure of their nests. What skill and sagacity! what industry and patience do they display! And is it not apparent that all their labors tend towards certain ends? They construct their nests hollow and nearly round, that they may retain the heat so much the better. They line them with the most delicate substances, that the young may lie soft and warm. What is it that teaches the bird to place her nest in a situation sheltered from the rain, and secure against the attacks of other animals? How did she learn that she should

lay eggs, that eggs would require a nest to prevent them from falling to the ground, and to keep them warm? Whence does she know that the heat would not be maintained around the eggs if the nest were too large; and that, on the other hand, the young would not have sufficient room if it were smaller? By what rule does she determine the due proportions between the nest and the young, which are not yet in existence? Who has taught her to calculate the time with such accuracy, that she never makes a mistake, and produces her eggs before the nest is ready to receive them? ~ Admire in all these things the power, the wisdom, and the goodness of her Creator!

LESSON XIV.

PART OF CHRIST'S SERMON ON THE MOUNT.

TESTAMENT.

BLESSED are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted. Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness for they shall be filled.

Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God. Blessed are the peace-makers: for they shall be called the children of God.

Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment:

But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause, shall be in danger of the judgment; and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council; but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell-fire.

Therefore, if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath aught against thee;

Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.

Again, ye have heard that it hath been said by them of old time, Thou shalt not forswear thyself, but shalt perform unto the Lord thine oaths:

But I say unto you, Swear not at all: neither by heaven; for it is God's throne:

Nor by the earth; for it is his footstool: neither by Jerusa lem; for it is the city of the great King:

Neither shalt thou swear by thy head; because thou canst not make one hair white or black.

But let your communication be Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil.

Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbor, and hate thine enemy:

But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;

That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven for he maketh the sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.

Judge not, that ye be not judged.

For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.

Therefore, whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock :

And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.

And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man which built his house upon the sand.

And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.