study the word of God, when they let fall upon the holy page eyes bright with the dewy light of health yet undecaying, it was now more than delightful-it was blessed-to peruse it now together, when they had to give the Bible by turns into each other's hands, that their eyesight might not get dim, nor their voice falter, which would have been, had the same dying Christian read aloud one chapter to the end. When the old minister visited them, he found them always cheerful and composed during his stay they were even joyful in their resignation; and, at parting, if tears were ever shed, it was by the aged for the young who wept not for themselves, except when they thought how that benign old man had stood by their mother's death-bed, and when she had lost her utterance, let her spirit ascend upon his prayers to heaven. Caroline was the first to die. Her character, unlike that of both her sisters, had been distinguished by great spirit and vivacity, and when they were present, had always diffused something of its own glad light over the serene composure of the one, and the melancholy stillness of the other, without seeming ever to be inconsistent with them; nor did her natural and irrepressible buoy ancy altogether forsake her even to the very last. With her the disease as sumed its most beautiful show. Her light blue eyes sparkled with astonishing brilliancy-her cheeks, that had al ways hitherto been pale, glowed with a rose-like lustre. Although she knew that she was dying, and strove to subdue her soul down to her near fate, yet, in spite of herself, the strange fire that glowed in the embers of her life, kindled it often into a kind of airy gladness, so that a stranger would have thought her one on whom opening existence was just revealing the treasures of its joys, and who was eager to unfold her wings, and sail on into the calm and sunny future. Her soul, till within a few days of her death, was gay in the exhiliration of disease; and, the very night before she died, she touched the harp with a playful hand, and warbled, as long as her strength would permit, a few bars of a romantic tune. No one was with her when she died, for she had risen

earlier than her sisters, and was found by them, when they came down to the parlour, leaning back, with a smiling face, on the sofa, with a few lilies in her hand, and never more to have her head lifted up in life.

The youngest had gone first, and she was to be followed by Emma, the next in age. Emma, although so like her sister who was now dead, that they had always been thought by strangers to be twins, had a character altogether different. Her thoughts and feelings ran in a deeper channel; nature had endowed her with extraordinary talents, and whatever she attempted, serious acquisition or light accomplishment, in that she easily excelled. Few, indeed, is the number of women that are eminently distinguished among their sex, and leave names to be enrolled in the lists of fame. Some accidental circumstances of life or death have favoured those few; and their sentiments, thoughts, feelings, fancies, and opinions, retain a permanent existence. But how many sink into the grave in all their personal beauty, and all their mental charms, and are heard of no more? Of them no bright thoughts are recorded, no touching emotions, no wild imaginations. All their fine and true perceptions, all their instinctive knowledge of the human souf, and all their pure speculation on the mystery of human life, vanish for ever and aye with the parting breath. A fair, amiable, intelligent young maiden has died and is buried. That is all. And her grave lies in its unvisited rest. Such an one was Emma Beatoun. Her mother, her sisters, and a few dear friends, knew what treasures of thought were in her soul-what gleams of genius and what light of unpretending wisdom.

But she carried up her pure and high thoughts with her to heaven; nor did any of them survive her on earth, but a few fragments of hymns set by herself to plaintive music, which no voice but her own, so deep and yet so sweet, so mellow yet so mournful, could ever have fitly sung.

The sufferings of this sister were heavy indeed, and she at last prayed to be relieved. Constant sickness, interrupted only by fits of racking pain, kept the fair shadow for the last weeks of

her life to bed, and nothing seemed to disturb her so much, as the incessant care of her dying sister, who seemed to forget her own approaching doom in the tenderest ministrations of love. Emma's religious thoughts had long been of an almost dark and awful character, and she was possessed by a deep sense of her own utter unworthiness in the sight of God. It was feared, that as her end drew near, and her mind was weakened by continual suffering, her last hours might be visited with visions too trying and terrible; but the reverse was the case, and it seemed as if God, to reward a life of meekness, humility, and wisdom, removed all fear from her soul, and showed her the lov ing, rather than the awful mysteries of her Redeemer. On her dead face there sat a smile, just as pleasant and serene as that which had lighted the counte nance of Caroline, when she fell asleep for ever with the lilies in her hand, The old nurse, who had been with them since their infancy, alone observed that she had expired, for there had been no sigh, and the pale emaciated fingers moved not as they lay clasped together across her breast.

Louisa, the eldest, was now left, and although her health had always been the most delicate, there seemed, from some of the symptoms, a slight hope that she might yet recover. The fatal hectic flush did not stain her cheeks; and her pulse, although very faint, had not the irregularity of alarm ing fever. But there are secrets known but to the dying themselves; and all the encouraging kindness of friends was received by her as sweet proofs of affection, but never once touched her heart with hope. The disease of which both her sisters had died was in the blood of her father's family, and she never rose up from her bed, or her couch, or the gray osier-seat in the sunǹy garden, without feeling a deathlike lassitude that could not long endure. Indeed, she yearned for the grave; and her's was a weariness that could only find entire relief in the perfect stillness of that narrow house.

Had Louisa not felt death within her bosom, there were circumstances that could not have failed to make her de

sire life, even after her mother and sisters had been taken away. For she had been betrothed, for a year past, to one who would have made her happy. He received an account of the alarming state of the sisters at Pisa, whither he had gone for the establishment of his own health, and he instantly hurried home to Scotland. Caroline and Em, ma were in their graves; but he had the mournful satisfaction to be with his own Louisa in her last days. Much did he, at first, press her to go to Italy, as a faint and forlorn hope; but he soon desisted from such vain persuasions. "The thought is sweet to lay our bones within the bosom of our native soil. The verdure and the flowers I loved will brighten around my grave→→ the same trees whose pleasant murmurs cheered my living ear will hang their cool shadows over my dust, and the eyes that met mine in the light of affection will shed tears over the sod that covers me, keeping my memory green within their spirits!" He who had been her lover-but was now the friend and brother of her soul, had nothing to say in reply to these natural sentiments.

After all, they are but fanciesHenry-but they cling to the heart from which they sprung-and to be buried in the sweet church-yard of Blantyre is now a thought most pleasant to my soul.”

In dry summer weather, a clear rivulet imperceptibly shrinks away from its sandy bed, till on some morning we miss the gleam and the murmur altogether-and find the little channel dry. Just in this way was Louisa wastingand so was her life pure and beautiful to the last. The day before she died she requested in a voice that could not be denied, that her brother would take her into the church-yard, that she might see the graves of her mother and sisters all lying together, and the spot whose daisies were soon to be disturbed. She was carried thither in the sunshine on her sick chair, for the distance was only a very few hundred yards, and her attendants having withdrawn, she surveyed the graves with a beaming countenance, in presence of her weeping friend. "Methinks," said she, "I hear a hymn--and children singing in

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the church! No-no-it is only the remembered sound of the psalm I heard the last Sabbath I had strength to go there. Oh! sweet was it now as the reality itself!" He who was to have been her husband was wholly overcome, and hid his face in despair. "Igo-my beloved to that holy place where there is neither marrying nor giving in marriage-but we shall meet there, purified from every earthly stain. Dry up your tears and weep no more. Kiss -Oh kiss me once before I die!" He stooped down, and she had just strength to put her arms round his neck, when, with a long sigh-she expired.

THE many and very important benefits that have been derived from the appointment of visiting missionaries in Canada and Nova-Scotia, have strongly recommended the adoption of the same measure in Newfoundland, where the circumstances of the country, and its scattered population, point out its peculiar expediency. The indefatigable zeal manifested by Mr. Leigh on various occasions, the local information of that gentleman, and the high sense entertained by the governor of his extended usefulness, pointed him out as a fit person on whom the appointment should devolve, and from whom the society might expect to derive the various be nefits which the experience of other provinces had proved might arise from such a commission. The want of ecclesiastical authority had often been felt as a great discouragement to the labours of the society; and although the island is considered as forming a part of the diocess of Nova-Scotia, yet its geographical situation would naturally deprive it of many of those advantages which an active and vigilant superintendance alone would secure to the religious concerns of a newly-established colony;

and under the present unfortunate circumstances of the serious indisposition of the head of the church, which have incapacitated his lordship from the effectual discharge of many of his duties, this province was altogether deprived even of the very forms of church government. Influenced by these motives, and considering that much benefit would be derived from connecting with the visiting missionary the ecclesiastical authority, the society recommended to the bishop the appointment of Mr. Leigh as commissary for the affairs of the church, and he is now empowered to act accordingly.

It is due to the character of Mr.Leigh to publish the certificate which was submitted to the board on his return to England last July, as it speaks the sense entertained of his services by those who were best qualified to estimate their value. It is signed by the churchwardens, and more than sixty of the most respectable part of his mission, and dated May 28, 1821, and addressed to Mr. Leigh:

you

"We the undersigned inhabitants of Harbour Grace, having heard of your intention shortly to visit England, cannot refrain from expressing our regret at your departure, although for a limited time; and we beg to assure you of our unfeigned gratitude for the unremitting zeal and assiduity with which have discharged the important duties of your mission to this extensive and populous district. It will be a source of consolation to us to reflect on the purity of your doctrines as a minister of the gospel, and the excellence of your example as a member of our society. We cannot suffer the present opportunity to pass, without declaring the satisfaction we all experienced during the time you filled the arduous duties of resident sur rogate for the administration of justice, and the regret which we felt at hearing of your determination to resign it. In taking leave of you as our valued pastor and friend. we have to wish you a safe and agreeable passage to England, and to hope that you will soon be enabled to return amongst us. We now conclude with wishing you health and happiness, and with respect subscribe ourselves,"

&e.

In his last communication, the Rev

John Leigh reports, that he arrived at his mission at Harbour Grace on the 10th November last, after a fine passage from England of 29 days: nothing material had occurred during his absence, with the exception of the death of Mr. Lampen, an old and valuable servant to the society for thirty-six years, as a schoolmaster in Harbour Grace. Great indeed was the number of those who received their sole education from him, and his memory will long be retained with respect and gratitude.

Nova-Scotia.

The Rev. Dr. Inglis, ecclesiastical commissary, continues his unwearied exertions, and with equal success both in the discharge of the duties of his extensive parish, and in the active superintendance of all ecclesiastical affairs, a duty which has devolved upon him by the unavoidable absence of the bishop of the diocess. His reports assure the society, that he derives unmixed satis faction from the spiritual state of his parish, where, though the population has suffered some diminution, the cir, cumstance has not affected his congregation. The galleries which were erected in the church have been enlarged, and now contain two hundred children. The parsonage house has been repaired at the expense of the parish; and more than three hundred persons communicate at various times throughout the year.

Although there is nothing to justify or encourage the least diminution of that constant labour, and watchfulness, and prayer, which are necessary to the discharge of the numerous and heavy duties of the missionary, there is no abridgment of the comforts which, by the blessing of God, have constantly attended the performance of those duties, and lightened their burden. The attendance of the children upon public worship has been more regular, and evidently more satisfactory to the children themselves. St. Paul's church, though large, is quite insufficient to accommodate the congregation, and he has the mortification to hear, every week, of persons who neglect public worship, solely because they cannot obtain room for themselves and families. He cannot venture at

present to suggest any remedy for this serious evil; but as its magnitude is daily increasing, it seems necessary to think seriously of some cure; for its longer neglect will inevitably diminish the attachment of many persons for the church, and gradually withdraw them from her communion.

The expectations which had been formed of Mr. Gore's capability to conduct the national school at Halifax, have been fully realized: upon the resignation of Mr. West, and the establishment of a school upon similar principles, under the direction of Roman catholics, a considerable diminution had taken place in the number of scholars; but when it was seen that the present master was fully equal to the arduous task he had undertaken, the parents readily availed themselves of the advantages the institution offered, and it has become equally popular and flourishing, as in the days of its first establishment. It may be said, indeed, that it now offers advantages which are seldom if ever found in similar foundations in England. The rich, as well as the poor, eagerly avail themselves of its means of education. The instruction embraces a wider scope than is the practice in England. The higher branches of arithmetic, and the practical branches of mathematics, grammar, and geography, are taught by the present master, without which extension of its advantages, it would lose much of its respectability. The expenses of the buildings have exceeded 20007.; and the unavoidable outgoings which attend the conduct of the school amount to 200l. per year, independently of the salaries which have been paid by the society. Since its establishment eight hundred and eighty-one children have been received into the school, of whom five hundred and five have at tended the church, one hundred and fifty-seven the Catholic chapel, one hundred and fourteen the Presbyterian meeting houses, one hundred and seventy-five the Methodists, and thirty the Baptists. More than one hundred children have within the last year received rewards for regular attendance at school and public worship.

Thirty-three schoolmasters and seven schoolmistresses have been instructed