of research; but if we believe that God the omniscient and omnipotent

God, is a rewarder of those who diligently seek him, we shall be diligent, and take every means of informing ourselves upon a point of so much importance.

I am far from being one of those who feel it a pleasure and consider it a virtue to rail at the world; but I think it my duty to examine the grounds of the world's approbation. Now it does not appear that the world has any business to enquire whether the qualities that render us useful or agreeable to it be genuine or otherwise. Neither is their real value of any importance to the world, so that they answer the purposes of general intercourse to be pleasing in our manners, and so decorous in our conduct as to abstain from all appearance of evil, are, with regard to the world,

world, the only essential requisites. A strict adherence to moral and religious principle, does not necessarily make us at variance with the world, but it makes all the little arts of pleasing it appear contemptible; and obliges us to judge of the merit of our own conduct by a very different standard than the seeming approbation of that floating mass of idleness, impertinence, and vanity which in certain society is called the world!

If we heartily desire to be approved by God, our principles will lead us to be so careful of approaching the confines of vice, that we shall even watch our virtues with a jealous eye, lest they betray us into casual or habitual transgression. And, believe me, my love, this is no superfluous degree of circumspection. In our present imperfect state, our best qualities, unless directed by the firmness of

principle, may betray us into the most fatal snares; and without the exertion of vigilance and fortitude, the firm. ness of principle will never be ob tained. Let then no sophistry persuade you that qualities so absolutely necessary to the preservation of your principles, can ever render you less truly amiable and engaging. If you always act as under the eye of God, they will be exerted naturally and without effort, and never beyond what the occasion calls for. You will then be diffident, where diffidence is becoming; that is to say, upon all subjects on which others may be better informed than yourself; but you will be firm in the performance of duty. The value of the mild and gentle temper which nature has bestowed upon you, will thus be enhanced rather than diminished, as it will give to the fortitude you evince in the cause

of

of truth, a double lustre. The fatal consequences attending the want of the fortitude and vigilance which I have recommended, I shall now, according to my promise, exemplify, in such a manner as I hope may at once give some relief to the powers of attention, and tend to imprint the doctrines illustrated upon your heart.

I shall not, indeed, promise to tell my story with the same spirit as when surrounded by the charming groupe of happy faces whose sparkling eyes used, in expectation of the promised tale, to fix on mine with such avidity of delight: nor shall I be, as then, rewarded by the endearing caress, the kiss of gratitude and love. But as I shall hear nothing to the contrary,

I

may still flatter myself that the story which I am now to relate, may pro

duce the request so often and so sweetly

G 3

sweetly urged, "pray, pray tell us "more." Let us, then, proceed to

The Story of the tame Pigeon.

1

Some years before you were born, a deep and universal regret was excited by the premature death of the Earl of N. a nobleman who had the rare felicity of being very sincerely and very deservedly beloved. An eulogium upon his character given in one of the newspapers of the day concludes as follows: "His Lordship is "succeeded in his

titles and estates

now in the third

The present Earl

"and his sister, who is in her sixth

year, are left to the sole guardianship of their amiable mother, a lady "no less distinguished by exemplary "virtue, than by her exquisite beauty, " splendid