articles of dress, make their appearance with a rapidity that is lamentable. For, let me add, they are generally of a description very unbecoming their station in life.

"The consequence of such extravagance is, that if out of place time, they have soon literally not a shilling; and, if they are about to settle, they have not a pound to begin the world with. "Then they wish they could recall the sums they so foolishly squandered, and bitterly repent of all their nonsense and dress.

"Some of my servants I have persuaded to put a few pounds annually into the Saving Bank, which soon swelled into a respectable sum; and the comfort it has been to them through life, has richly repaid them for the denial of any fancied gratifications in their younger days."

SIGNS OF MADNESS IN DOGS.

A DOG at the commencement of madness is sick, languishing, and more dull than usual. He seeks obscurity, remains in a corner, does not bark, but growls continually at strangers, and, without any apparent cause, refuses to eat or drink. His gait is unsteady, nearly resembling that of a man almost asleep. At the end of three or four days, he abandons his dwelling, roving continually in every direction; he walks or runs as if tipsy, and frequently falls. His hair is bristled up; his eyes haggard, fixed, and sparkling; his head hangs down; his mouth is open, and full of frothy slaver; his tongue hangs out; and his tail between his legs. He has for the most part, but not always, a horror of water, the sight of which seems generally to redouble his sufferings. He experiences from time to time transports of fury, and endeavours to bite every object which presents itself, not even excepting his master, whom, indeed, he begins not to recognize. Light and lively colours greatly increase his rage. At the end of thirty or thirty-six hours, he dies in convulsions.

VOL. I.

F

(34)

A SHORT SERMON ON FORGIVENESS OF INJURIES.

'Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive them that trespass against us."

THIS is the constant prayer of every man who thinks of eternity, yet how many, with this petition daily in their mouths, suffer days, months, and years to roll on with hatred rankling in their hearts. There are instances, indeed, where the term hatred cannot exactly be applied; yet even here how many little differences often exist between relatives and friends, which a few words would easily explain, or the least overture on one side or other, lead to a reconciliation. What, then, is the reason of this unchristian temper? What is it but pride, and a false feeling of honour? These are the causes which step between, and will not allow either party to make the first advances, and so a fancied injury, or a little coolness, goes on increasing rather than diminishing, till at length it widens into a breach that is sometimes attended with the most unhappy consequences! It is to this feeling, even more than to an unforgiving spirit, that we may often trace the long separation of friends; for most men would gladly hail an advance on the part of an adversary, although they have not enough of proper spirit to take the necessary step themselves. It is true there may be cases attended with a delicacy of feeling which may prevent a man coming forward himself; still if he is sincerely desirous," as far as in him lies, of living peaceably with all men," he can call in the aid of a mutual friend, and the chances are that a happy termination will be the result. "Behold, how good and joyful a thing it is," says the psalmist, "to see brethren to dwell together in unity." Good and joyous, indeed, would be the sight, if men would banish from their minds all bitter and discordant passions, and sincerely practise long-suffering, forbearance, and forgiveness! How, moreover, would it sweeten life, if in all those circles and societies into which men are divided, by relationship, neighbourhood, business, acquaintance, and the various intercourses of life, nothing was to be found but sincerity and mutual kindness, and every one was ever ready to

extend the right hand of fellowship to an offending brother! What, then, can be more noble or becoming in a Christian, than to break down all artificial barriers, and manfully come forward in the true spirit of his Saviour, and at least show his opponent that he bears no malice nor hatred in his heart! How delightful, too, must be the feelings of the man, who, in the language of scripture, can clasp his friend, and in the joy of his heart, kill the fatted calf, saying, "This is he that was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.”

Independently, however, of these feelings, which alone, it might be imagined, would lead to the forgiveness of an injury, the commands of scripture are so positive, that no man, who looks for pardon from his God, dare omit this duty. Christ himself hath said, "If ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your heavenly Father forgive you your trespasses." And he not only said the word, but he has also exemplified it in his own life and conversation, for never was there so amiable a pattern of forbearance and forgiveness, even under the worst of injuries, than that of the Saviour of mankind.

Seeing, then, the plainness of scripture on this head, is it not melancholy to witness the bitter animosity which some men cherish against the author of an insignificant, or perhaps unintentional injury or offence, even to the latest period of their lives? Let all, however, who read this, remember, that if they would have success attend their petition for pardon at the throne of grace, they must also forgive one another, even as God, for Christ's sake, hath offered to forgive them! As a further recommendation of the performance of this Christian duty without delay, let me turn your attention to a practice of the ancient Romans at this period of the year. That nation, though strangers to Christianity and its mild dictates, had so far a foretaste of the blessings of peace, both public and domestic, that when celebrating an annual festival in honour of one of their gods, they had a custom of never proclaiming war while it lasted, of laying aside all private animosities; in short, of doing every thing that might promote the joyousness of the season. Would that Christians with brighter light, and higher hopes, would seize the present time for the performance of such deeds. Would that, in obedience to the apostle's doctrine, "all bitterness and

wrath were put away from them, with all malice," and that they were tender-hearted, forgiving every one with whom they had any difference. Would that, in a word, every one would begin the new year in charity with all men!

H.

FRIENDLY HINTS TO SERVANTS.

THE greater part of our pages was in the press when we received the following communication. We had already, it will be seen, made some remarks on the extravagance of servants, and promised to treat on it more fully; but this letter completely anticipates our ideas on the subject, and at the same time so ably draws what unhappily is too true a picture of the generality of servants, that we give it a place without delay; and we only hope the hints will be taken in the same good spirit in which they are given.

To the Editor of the Family Monitor.

SIR;-There is, perhaps, no class of persons earning their bread by their labour, who have so many comforts as servants, nor any who have so little anxiety about their daily subsistence. I may also add, that there are none who are dependent upon their superiors for support, to whom we are more indebted for our own enjoyments, than to these useful and interesting members of the community; and as I see by your advertisement, that your work is chiefly published for their instruction, I shall endeavour to give a few hints, which I sincerely desire may prove useful to them, and which, as I have always been a friend to servants, I hope they will take in good part. I have been a housekeeper for forty years, and I may venture to say, that in no family are those comforts of domestics, to which I have alluded, more attended to than in mine. They have always been provided with good food and good beds; they have never been oppressed with work, and have had every reasonable indulgence granted to them. As a proof of this, they have all lived with me several, some of them, many years; but I am sorry to see, of late, a tendency in them to squander that money which they

might save in my service, upon articles of dress quite unsuitable to their station. Whenever I observe them falling a prey to this ruinous temptation, I endeavour to check the evil, being directed in the word of God, that we are to warn our brother of his fault, and then, whether he hear or forbear, we acquit our own consciences. Nothing can be more grievous to those, whom that same God has placed over servants, than to find them so blind to their best interests, both in this world and the next, as to be laying out their hard earnings in such extravagant and useless articles, as ear-rings, and other ornaments equally unfit for persons born to labour; and instead of wearing neat and durable printed or stuff gowns, to see them decked out in silk dresses, made precisely in the same fashion as those worn by their mistresses. This rage for dress, which was at one time principally confined to large towns, or perhaps almost entirely to London, is, I am sorry to say, spreading through the remotest parts of England, and is everywhere ruining servants. Can we be surprised that so much distress universally prevails among the lower orders, and that so many families are upon the parish, when servants marry without having laid up a portion of their wages to set them up in any way of business, or (in agricultural counties) to enable them to stock a small farm, or even to purchase a cow? If the poor man has nothing but his labour to depend upon for subsistence, then if he is assailed by sickness, and rendered incapable of working, though but for a week or a fortnight, he has no resource but the parish; and the relief which it affords him is generally very unequal to the supply of his wants. I hope that such considerations as these will prevent servants from saying, as they read these well-meant expressions of concern for their welfare, that "their money is their own, that they work hard for it, and have a right to spend it as they please." Certain it is, that they can make a bad use of it, if they happen to live with a master or mistress who is so indifferent to their interests, as to allow them to do so, or so negligent of the imperative duty they owe to them, as to let them waste their wages in useless finery, without warning them against the danger of it. Many, I doubt not, are led into extravagance by the bad example of others, and still more from the want of that wholesome advice which their supe