the next house where its master usually applied. When a halfpenny was thrown from a window, the beggar, being blind, could not seek for it; but the dog never failed to search it out: he always took up the coin in his mouth, and put it into the blind man's hat. Sometimes bread was thrown from windows, and here it might have been expected that the poor animal, being probably ill fed at home, would be inclined to take the morsel to himself. But, however hungry he might be, he never tasted the least bit of food, unless it was given to him by his master.

Such conduct in a human being, springing from the right motives, would be highly commendable.

GENERAL WASHINGTON.

General Washington, President of the United States of America, had a friend, who had fought with him in the war against Britain, and continued in peace to be his almost daily companion. This friend was a pleasant, sociable man, of unobtrusive manners, but possessed of no great qualifications for business. A lucrative office in the gift of the president chancing to fall vacant, many conceived that this gentleman would have no difficulty in obtaining it, thinking that Washington could never refuse such a favour to a man who had not only served the state well as a soldier, but was almost necessary to his own domestic happiness.

Another candidate for the office appeared. This was a political opponent of Washington, but a man of decided integrity, and great talents for business. Every one considered the application of the second person hopeless. No glittering testimonial of merit had he to present to the eye of Washington; he had done much to thwart the measures of the president, and he was opposed by one whom Washington regarded as his dearest friend. What was the result? The enemy of Washington was appointed

to the office.

A mutual friend, who interested himself in the affair, ventured to remonstrate with the president on the injustice of the appointment. The reply of that great man was as follows:" My friend I receive with a cordial welcome; he is welcome to my house and welcome to my heart; but

JUDGE GASCOIGNE.

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with all his good qualities, he is not a man of business. His opponent is, with all his political hostility to me, a man of business; my private feelings have nothing to do in this case. I am not George Washington, but President of the United States; as George Washington, I would do this man any kindness in my power; but as President of the United States, I can do nothing."

JUDGE GASCOIGNE.

The Prince of Wales, son of Henry IV., king of England, was not incapable of feeling what was right, but of hot temper, and attached to the company of profligate men. One of his companions, being indicted for an offence before Sir William Gascoigne, was condemned, notwithstanding the interest which the prince made in his favour. The prince was so much enraged at the condemnation of his friend, that he struck the judge as he sat on the bench. Though this was a very violent and wicked action, many men would have feared to complain of or punish it, from fear of the prince, or of his father. But Sir William Gascoigne knew his duty, and resolved to execute it at all hazards. He instantly ordered the prince to be committed to prison.

The culprit, now sensible of his error, submitted to the order, for he had sufficient sense to know that, in law, there ought to be no favour on account of rank.

The conduct of the king, when informed of the circumstance, was not to be less admired. He exclaimed, "Happy am I in having a magistrate possessed of courage to execute the laws; and still more happy in having a son who will submit to such chastisement!"

THE CONSCIENTIOUS ELECTOR.

The royal burghs in Scotland are united in fours and fives for the election of their representatives in parliament, every four or five electing one representative. Formerly, the electors or voters in each burgh were the members of the town-councils, who were generally in each case about sixteen or eighteen in number. When the electing burghs

were four, and two were for one candidate and two for another, the election was settled by a casting or double vote given by one of them; and this right of giving a double vote was enjoyed by each in its turn.

It chanced, in 1807, when a general election took place, that, in a burgh which had the casting vote on that occasion, the members of the council were so equally divided between the two candidates, that the choice came to depend on the vote of one man; and he was only a poor blacksmith. The agents of one of the candidates went to this humble artisan to endeavour to secure his vote; but he frankly informed them that he had made up his mind in favour of the other candidate. They used every argument they could think of, to induce him to alter his resolution, but in vain. They then held out hints, that, if he would vote for their friend, he should be rewarded with a good post, besides having his children provided for; but still he remained firm to his purpose. He said his vote was a trust he enjoyed for the benefit of his fellow-citizens; he was bound to use it in the way his conscience told him to be best for their interest; it was not a thing to be disposed of for his own advantage, or to gratify any other single individual, and he therefore would not so dispose of it. The agents, still persisting, offered him a large sum of ready money, in addition to their promises of future favour; but with the like ill success. They increased the sum from five hundred to a thousand pounds, and from a thousand to fifteen hundred; but all was in vain, although the smallest of these sums was much more than the poor man could hope ever to gather by honest industry in the whole course of his life. They then took their leave, and he next day voted for the opposite candidate, who had conscientiously abstained from offering him any bribe.

Ye shall not respect persons in judgment; but ye shall hear the small as well as the great; ye shall not be afraid of the face of man; for the judgment is God's.-Deuteronomy, i. 17.

He that saith unto the wicked, Thou art righteous; him shall the people curse: nations shall abhor him.-Proverbs, xxiv. 24.

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It would be an unspeakable advantage, both to the public and private, if men would consider that great truth, that no man is wise or safe, but he that is honest: all I have designed is peace to my country, and may England enjoy that blessing when I shall have no more proportion of it, than what my ashes make.-SIR WALTER RALEIGH.

CONSCIENTIOUSNESS—AS TO DEBT.

WHEN any one accepts of any service, or purchases any thing, from another, without making immediate payment, the sum owing becomes a debt; and he who accepts the service or makes the purchase, becomes a debtor; the other party being a creditor.

In business, the convenience of the parties makes it unavoidable that one party should often become the debtor of another. In the affairs of private life, people are also obliged sometimes to be debtors and creditors to each other. It is quite fair and proper that one person should give credit and another contract debt, when it is for their mutual convenience to do so, and when there is little reason to fear that the debtor will be able to make payment at the proper time. But for any one to contract debt which he has little or no hope of ever discharging, is very wrong. One man thus makes use of another's means for his own benefit. He lives by the labours of another. It is, in fact, only a mean kind of robbery.

Ån honest man only contracts debt when it is necessary to do so, and when he is quite sure of being able to pay his creditor. He does not forget his debt. He remembers it carefully; and if unexpectedly he finds a difficulty in discharging it, he is distressed in mind on account of it, and never relaxes in his efforts until he has acquired the means of clearing it off to the last farthing.

THE MARGRAVE OF BAREITH.

George Lewis, Margrave of Bareith [sovereign of a small state in Germany], who lived nearly a hundred years ago,

found himself deeply in debt, with an empty treasury. It was suggested to him that the proper way to relieve himself from his difficulties, was to lay new taxes on his subjects. A less conscientious prince would not have hesitated to adopt this plan, which would appear to him as the only one consistent with his own dignity and ease. But the Margrave, reflecting that his people had not been the cause of the debt, resolved that they should not be burdened with its payment. He immediately dismissed a useless and expensive train of servants and horses, retired to live economically at Geneva, and caused the money which he thus saved from his ordinary expenses, to be applied to the discharge of the debt. When the whole was paid off, he returned to his country, to enjoy his former state, and the increased love of his people.

MR DENHAM, AN HONOURABLE DEBTOR.

It sometimes happens that, owing to disappointments and losses in business, a merchant or trader finds his means far short of the amount of his debts, and, despairing of ever being able to pay them, he calls together his creditors, and divides amongst them all he has, for which they generally grant him a full discharge. A merchant who does this is said to be bankrupt; and an honest bankrupt is entitled to pity, rather than liable to blame. But, though clear of his debts by law, he is still bound in conscience to pay in full, if that should ever be in his power. Few are so fortunate as to be able to do this, and still fewer have done it; but those who have, deserve to be greatly honoured for their conduct.

Dr Franklin relates the following anecdote of Mr Denham, an American merchant :- "He had formerly been in business at Bristol; had failed in debt to a number of people; compounded, and went to America. There, by a close application to business as a merchant, he acquired a plentiful fortune in a few years. Returning to England in the ship with me, he invited his old creditors to an entertainment, at which he thanked them for the easy composition they had favoured him with; and when they expected