such wise hear them, read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest them, that by patience and comfort of thy holy word, we may embrace, and ever hold fast the blessed hope of everlasting life, which thou hast given us in our Saviour, Jesus Christ. Amen*.

Collect for the Second Sunday in Advent.

HARRIET REECE,

A TALE.

Give not yourselves unto vanity. Psalm lxii. 10.

It happened in the year, that an elderly gentleman of the name of Hughes, was induced to become a lodger in the house of Mr. Dallas, a tradesman, who lived in an airy part of London, and let ready-furnished apartments. The accommodations offered Mr. Hughes were all that gentleman desired. His landlord was a tailor, in tolerable business, and apparently a man of sober, regular habits: he was, moreover, civil in his address, attentive to the comforts of his lodger, and one of those who never promise more than they mean to fulfil. His wife (or Mrs. Dallas, as we shall in future call her,) quite delighted Mr. Hughes, by her rational way of managing her household affairs; though quite a young woman, she seemed to regulate every thing with the steadiness, and good method of an experienced person.

Her manners were modest and

engaging, her dress neat and creditable, and her whole conduct seemed that of a useful, well-educated member of society: I say well-educated, because she seemed to have been taught the importance of practising the duties of her station. She kept a servant, it is true, to perform a part of the domestic labour; but she never made that an excuse for not working herself: on the contrary, every meal of which Mr. Hughes partook, was prepared by Mrs. Dallas; and in the evening, she might always be found sitting in the parlour, employed, either at her needle, or in assisting her husband in the concerns of his business.

Mr. Hughes had resided under the roof of this worthy couple for several months, when, one Sunday morning, having sallied forth, according to his constant practice, to attend Divine service, at the parish Church of St. George's, Hanover Square, he found the congregation assembled on a most solemn and interesting occasion, for it was the anniversary, or the day on which the annual sermon is preached, for the benefit of the National School appertaining to that parish. Every zealous member of the Church of England, there present, felt impressed with the reflections which such a meeting could not fail to excite. The instruction of the poor must indeed be a subject of the deepest interest to every one who considers the great end for which it is designed, namely, the communication of

religious knowledge, which can alone render them deserving members of society, which alone can make them humble in prosperity, patient in adversity, and conscientious children of their Almighty Parent. What must be the situation of the ignorant poor? What the situation of the instructed rich, who, possessing the "talent" of knowledge, bear no love to their ignorant neighbours? These ideas rushed forcibly on the mind of Mr. Hughes, as his eye rested on the children, who were the peculiar objects of his charity: he had frequently noticed, with heartfelt satisfaction, the proper and devout behaviour they manifested during Divine service; and if any thing had been wanting to influence him in favour of the system which he was now called on to support, their attentive demeanour would have afforded him a sufficiently convincing proof of its efficacy.

a seat.

The first lesson of the service was hardly concluded, when the attention of Mr. Hughes was accidentally directed towards a young woman in deep mourning, who, with a child in her arms, was standing in one of the aisles, as if unable to procure The congregation assembled on this occasion was unusually large, and the benevolent gentleman had no sooner observed her distress, than he rose, and, opening the door of his pew, gently directed her attention to a vacant seat beside him. She slightly hesitated, but in another instant ad

vanced, and with a look which fully confirmed her faintly uttered thanks, she entered the pew, and took her seat next Mr. Hughes. As the service proceeded, the young woman appeared to lend an attentive ear to every word the minister uttered, and the proper readiness with which she joined in the prayers, seemed to evince that the dispositions with which she had entered the house of God, were those of a devout and humble individual. She took her part in the responses of the service calmly and audibly, but tears started in her eyes, as she rose with the rest of the congregation, and joined those children, who, with mingling voices, sung forth the praises of her Maker, in the Psalms allotted for that day's service. A most excellent and appropriate discourse was afterwards delivered by the Bishop of, from the following text: "I have taught thee in the way of wisdom, I have led thee in right paths."

Having enumerated the various blessings which must necessarily result from the diffusion of religious knowledge throughout every rank of society, the excellent Prelate next addressed the scholars who had been brought up under these peculiar advantages, exhorting them to study every precept of their religion, with as much care as if the eye of their instructor was constantly upon them; that when subsequently called to act for themselves, they