and what is better, she prayed earnestly to God that night to forgive her sin, and to make her love to think of him, and not wish to do anything that would displease him: and ever since that time, whenever she has felt inclined to do what she has not been quite she has recalled to mind that little text, "Thou

sure was right God seest me." And then if it were right, she has been able to do it without any fear, whoever might be present.

I am glad to be able to tell you, that the lady who painted the miniature, had made a copy of it for herself; and as contrary winds prevented her sailing for some weeks, she had time to do another for Aunt Sarah, which was sent to Robinson's to be framed as soon as it arrived, and I need not tell you was very highly valued. L. N.

A LITTLE LEARNING.

THE saying of Pope, which, detached from its connection with his argument, has almost passed into a proverb,

"A little learning is a dangerous thing,"

seems to have led some very benevolent persons to apprehend danger from all attempts at general instruction; for the knowledge which falls to the lot of the greater part of mankind must be little; and if we have not ourselves met with individuals who, on the strength of very little knowledge, have deemed themselves qualified to decide upon matters of which they were entirely ignorant, such persons are, nevertheless, easily to be found: they will sometimes assail the Bible itself, although they have never examined it; and can quote only certain verses, which they do not understand, as if inconsistent with philosophy, of which, frequently, they have no better comprehension. But cases of this sort are not so numerous as to justify a general and unfavourable conclusion, like that which is sometimes built on them; and if we should abide by such a conclusion, it is plain that we must object to instruct in secular learning all persons who, from their situation in life, have not the opportunity to prosecute their studies, and to become considerable proficients; that is, with regard to the mass of the people, we might, and, if we act consistently, must, set our faces against instruction altogether. All knowledge must be little before it can

be great; and the man who can read and write, when his neighbours have not made similar progress, may be as vain of his acquirements, and as absurd in the estimate of his talents, as the student who has dived into the mysteries of arithmetic, who can analyze a chemical combination, or demonstrate the binomial theorem. The "little learning" which they have may have inflated their vanity, but their disposition was naturally vain; and if their intercourse with superior minds, and the opening out to their view of the various departments of knowledge yet to be explored, cannot render them docile, and modest, and humble, we must be contented to pass them by as incorrigible.-Dr. Dealtry.

IDOL-SELLERS.

"I SAW," observes Major Sherer, "as I passed out of Caliaghaut, near Calcutta, a shed with many hundred live kids, which are sold there for sacrifice; and in my way back, I was carried through a street of idol-makers, who make all those small ones which the Hindoos buy for the inside of their houses, and for public festivals. They ran by my palanquin, offering them for sale, with this strange recommendation-" Babo Ko waste, Sahib"-for the children, master!

SCRIPTURE ILLUSTRATION.

"And Elam bare the quiver with chariots of men and horsemen, and Kir uncovered the shield."-Isa, xxii, 6.

KIR is Assyria; and Elam, Persia. Among the " figures upon the windings of the staircase, on the west side, in the royal palace of Persepolis," the ancient capital of the latter country, are sculptured the figures copied in the annexed engraving. In their arrangement they exactly correspond with the order observed in the text, the words of which are printed under the several objects referred to. In the argument to the chapter in which this verse occurs, the prophet is said to foretell "the invasion of Jewry by the Persians," but this people never having invaded Judea, as principals, our best commentators apply it to Esarhaddon's army, amongst which the Persians signalized themselves. Their skill in archery is very highly commended by ancient writers, and hence the propriety of the description which assigns to them, "the quiver."

biold

THOUGHTS ON DYING.

OF all scenes, the death-bed is the most solemn-the most awful! The chief actor in the scene, the dying man, (if aware of his state,) is now sincere and honest, if he ever were; hence the implicit confidence and credit given to the testimony of a dying man, and hence, too, the reverence and veneration we are ever inclined to pay to the last words of departed friends.

How varied are these scenes! Some anticipate in their state of languor and debility the approach of death. The messenger is to them, no "king of terrors," but the harbinger of eternal peace and felicity-a messenger from the King of heaven, inviting the poor invalid to his court above! He can look on the world which he is leaving with calm indifference; he mourns only that it has had so much of his heart; its smiles and its frowns are now alike to him. The "wheat and the tares" here grow together, but he is going where "the wicked cease from troubling, and the weary are at rest." If there be one tie which more than another binds the mind of the dying Christian to this world, it is his children, and the partner of his joys and sorrows; these cling round his heart the longest of any thing he possesses or loves on earth. But even this natural fondness for those who are dearer to him than his own life, is not suffered to overcome him; he is enabled to give them all up to the gracious care and guidance of Him who has promised to be " a father to the fatherless, and a husband to the widow." "This is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith."

Some cross the river of death with a song in their mouth; all hope, and faith, and joy: some tremblingly and mournfully, but just upheld above the waves. In some there may be without, but a slight display of joy or confidence, but within, all is peace; the breast inherits that "peace which passeth understanding:" the "silent heaven of love" is there.

In other cases, it is lamentable to say we discover the reverse of all this. There is the love of the world, its wealth, its affections, its lusts, predominating: there is the snatching hold of every hope which a fond relative, or a medical attendant, may for the purpose of the hour hold out to prolong the voyage, be it but a little. There is the distaste for religious conversation or enquiry, and for every thing else that is called "gloomy;" the things temporal placed before the things eternal; the things seen, before the things not seen;

the clinging to life which refuses to die, and displays the total lack of that grace by which we are saved through faith which is in Jesus; with its accompanying fruits-love, joy, peace. How awful is the end of one who dies rich in nothing but the dross of this world, and poor, and naked, and blind, as regards the things that be of God-the things that make for his eternal peace!

It is a fact, much to be lamented, that any who really love the dying, in their anxiety to prevent alarming communications to be made to the patient tending to disturb him, keep up the delusion that he will recover, until the spell is broken, and the truth of his danger revealed by death itself!

It is impossible to calculate the mischief, the eternal mischief of this reserve. There are the love of the creature, the predominating and habitual influence of this world, the natural clinging to life, with all their signs and symptoms yet vigorous in the poor invalid; nay, possessed of him as "the strong man armed," and all tending to keep him from fearing, or looking, or preparing for death; and those who attend him, know too surely that he is about to take a journey, very soon, into the world of spirits, and yet, from motives of misjudged kindness, they will not discover to him who is so deeply interested in the matter, the probable nearness of death's approach!

In a letter which the writer received, since the present year was ushered in, from a distant friend, apprizing him of the rather sudden death of a man of extensive business, and unremitting worldly labours, well-known to both, is the following passage, which, as it bears so strongly on this solemn and important subject, he makes no apology for inserting here :

"You will be much hurt to hear that poor G- M- died yesterday, after a short illness. What his disease was I do not exactly know, but I think it was brought on by over-anxiety about his business he had no thoughts of dying, not even to the hour of his death, and those around him dared not tell him his danger, although it was known to them a few days prior to his decease. Mr. T— made his will the night before he died, but he said it would be no use:' he should soon be out again !"

On this case it is no one's business to make any particular comment. Our business is not with the dead, but with the living. Thus much we may observe: it is an awful injustice to the dying man not to make him speedily acquainted with his condition, that, if