beneficial results, to which the wishes of every good parent invariably point. It is, however, to be feared, that even good parents do not always guard against inconsistency in their wishes, with regard to the effect they desire to produce on their children's minds. They forget that the love of God and of Mammon are incompatible: and that if the affections and desires of the heart are early and powerfully directed to the latter, the influence of the former principle will be totally unfelt.

Of the strength of those associations, which give a direction to the desires or aversions of the infant mind, we have abundant proof. It is in this respect, that the influence of the mother produces the most lasting and the most important consequences. So fully has this truth been demonstrated, that I am supported by the first authorities in asserting that, could the biographers of illustrious men attain a perfect knowledge of all they had received from early education, such a lustre would thereby be thrown on the maternal charac ter, as would render additional proofs of its influence superfluous and absurd.

The causes which obstruct the operation of that influence, which the instructions of a virtuous mother ought invariably to possess, deserve our attention, and may be best understood by inquiring into the circumstances under which the most permanent associations appear to have been formed. HAMILTON.

It is well for us that we are born babes in intellect. Could we understand and reflect upon one half of what most mothers at that time say and do to us, we should draw conclusions in favour of our own importance, which would render us insupportable for years. Happy the boy whose mother is tired of talking nonsense to him before he is old enough to know the sense of it.

GUESSES AT TRUTH.

ON EARLY CULTIVATION.

THE susceptibility, the tenderness of heart and conscience, which exist in childhood, constitute a most interesting, desirable, and useful preparation of the mind to receive evangelical truths and religious impressions, and invest it with all the variety and fertility of spring. Almost every thing which the eye discerns is then fair, delightful, and promising. Let no person to whom God has committed the useful, honourable, and happy employment of cultivating minds, be idle at this auspicious season. On faithful, wise, and well directed labours, busily employed at this period

of the human year, the mildest winds of heaven breathe, its most fertilizing showers descend, and its softest and most propitious sun-shine sheds its happy influence. He who loses this golden season, will, when the autumn arrives, find nothing in his fields but barrenness and death. DWIGHT.

SEEING such a train of blessings, both as to this life and that which is to come, follows upon a holy education of children, I will not dismiss the point till I have discharged my duty, in exhorting parents and children to their duties. And first, I beseech you who are parents, to remember how heavy a duty lies upon you. Consider how near the relation is between you and your children; how much you are concerned in their happiness and misery. Consider that God has charged you with their souls as well as their bodies. This appears by two sorts of precepts; precepts laid directly upon you. Deut. vi. 6, 7. "And these words which I command thee this day shall be in thine heart, and thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and thou shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up." Eph. vi. 4. "And ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath, but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of

C

the Lord." And by precepts laid on them to obey you, Eph. vi. 1. "Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right." Which plainly implies your duty as well as expresses theirs. What shall comfort you at the parting time if they die, through your neglect, in a Christless condition? Oh this is a cutting consideration, My child is in hell, and I did nothing to prevent it! I helped him thither! Duty discharged is the only root of comfort in that day. If you neglect to instruct your children in the way of holiness, will the devil neglect to instruct them in the way of wickedness? No. If you will not teach them to pray, he will teach them to curse, swear, and lie. If ground be uncultivated, weeds will spring up. If the season of their youth is neglected, how little probability is there of any good fruit afterwards! How few are converted in old age! A twig is brought to any form, but grown limbs will not bow. There is none in the world so likely as you to be instruments of their eternal good. You have advantages which none other has; the interests you have in their affections, your opportunities to instil the knowledge of Christ into them, being daily with them, Deut. vi. 7, and your knowledge of their tempers. If therefore you neglect them, who shall help them? The consideration of the great day should move your bowels of pity for them. Oh remember that text, "I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God, and the books

were opened, and another book was opened, which is the book of life; and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works." What a sad thing will it be to see your dear children at Christ's left hand! Oh do your utmost to prevent this misery! FLAVEL.

LET the consideration of the universal sinfulness and corruption of mankind, awaken thy spirit, and stir up thy diligence, and endear all the watchfulness in the world for the service of God, for there is in it some difficulty, and an infinite necessity. JEREMY TAYLOR.

THE only solid and true foundation of all morality, is found in the first relations between the mother and the child. Mothers! think much of this! it is from your influence upon your babes that all their future lives depend. If it be your duty to give a just direction to their first ideas, it is still more so to develope and fix their earliest sensations, and moral affections. The same means should be employed for both; simplicity, truth, precision. Let the idea precede the expression, and cause the want of it to be felt; and let the