some future opportunity of encouraging him to repeat, yet without pressing him, if he should not be inclined.

It would be more advisable to persuade him to relate it to one of his younger brothers, sisters, or companions, as in this manner it would have less the appearance of a lesson.

When sin and perverseness can no longer be concealed, she points out the dreadful consequences of disobedience, and the evils that have arisen from perverse desires and passions in the histories of wicked men. Then may be mentioned the name of Jesus Christ, speaking of Him as of the most perfect pattern of every virtue, as of a Being animated with the purest sentiments of filial love, obedience, self-denial, humility, and submission. The Mother tells him, that she herself is far from being what she ought to be, but that she is striving to become so, and that Jesus is to be her pattern for imitation.

She takes care to describe Him as the greatest Benefactor to mankind; that He is all love, wisdom, and goodness; and imparts the history of his life and deeds, as far as is necessary to prove it. This is done in some hallowed and tranquil moment, with all the effusion of endearing maternal love. It may be hoped

that those solemn hours, in which the Mother has dwelt on this subject, must make such an impression on the mind of her child, that the recollection of them, even in a more advanced period of life, will prove most salutary and gratifying. She must shew the most sincere and unfeigned interest for Jesus, as the model of all perfection, who, inseparably united to, and in perfect harmony with God, appeared on earth to be the Saviour of mankind.

Lastly, he is to be made acquainted with the plan of the whole; the Mother showing him the intimate connexion between the Old and New Testament, and in particular how a series of prophecies of the former have been accomplished throughout the history, life, and death of the Saviour, who brought light into the world, and who is the theme of the latter*.

The greater interest and warmth the Mother manifests for the Saviour, the easier will she interest and warm her child's heart; the more she is herself impressed by Christian feeling, the more successfully will she inspire him

* "The Old Testament arranged in historical and chronological order," by the Rev. G. Townsend; "The Church in the Wilderness," "The Church in Canaan," by W. Seaton, and "Sacred History," by Miss H. Neale, may be found extremely useful.

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with similar sentiments, and without it never! Not enough to profess religious sentiments, to feel an interest in the Deity, in Jesus Christ, in his life and atonement; the Mother must also manifest them before the child, by hourly striving to live up to the rules of Christian perfection.

But, alas! why is it that children are so frequently indifferent towards the holy precepts and doctrines of our religion? It is, because Parents set them the example, train them in tempers and habits directly contrary to the spirit of the Gospel, and bend their hearts more towards earthly than heavenly objects. Religion exists in their heads, but the world has possession of their hearts.

May any such Mother tremble at the mo ment when her children will rise up against and reprove her for having taught them to copy the frailties, to conform to the ways, and to admire the wisdom of a world, which the Christian religion characterizes as foolishness, calls upon us to despise and renounce; and warns us to strive to enter through the STRAIT gate into a life of everlasting happiness and glory. Better for her she tremble now, than hereafter !

Thus far have I endeavoured to give some general though very slight and imperfect idea of parental instruction, or, as the venerable Pestalozzi, the friend of Parents and of Children, calls it, the instruction of the fireside or domestic circle, a most important period of the child's life.

But every attempt at giving advice, laying down rules, furnishing exercises, &c. must necessarily be wanting in the spirit, which can alone exist in the administration*.

A child's mind must be awakened by its instructor's MIND, not by its instructor's book-life must act upon life—the heart is the seat of life, and the heart of the child must be acted upon by the heart visible in the countenance, the voice, the manner, the whole expression of the instructor.

In order gradually to exterminate the evils which have arisen from neglected or perverted education, children from their earliest age must no longer be treated with disregard, but as beings holding a high rank in creation; beings endowed with the heavenly spark of reason, which in the domestic circle should be

* Il faut, comme Pestalozzi le demande, en chercher l'esprit, et en oublier les formes.

fostered by the united efforts of the Father, Mother, elder Brothers and Sisters, so as to embrace the whole child, or, in PESTALOZZI's words, to engage at once the powers of HAND, HEAD, and HEART *.

Could PARENTS be inspired with the necessary courage to think for themselves, to use their powers, and personally to undertake the development of their children, they would soon find that there is not a more exquisitely delightful office than that of an INSTRUCTOR and EDUCATOR of youth

let

* "Rousseau de ce ton de prophète auquel nul ne peut résister, avoit appris aux Mères la necessité et la sainteté de leurs premiers devoirs.

"Pestalozzi leur en apprend encore mieux l'étendue et la dignité; il leur fait toucher aux doigts que tout l'avenir de leurs enfans dépend d'elles, et que dans quelques circonstances qu'elles soient placées, rien de ce qu'il leur demande ne leur est impossible.

"Rousseau, gloire lui en soit rendue, par ses pages éloquentes, a su engager les Mères à nourrir leurs enfans. Grâces à Rousseau, il a été permis à Pestalozzi de ne pas supposer que les Mères puissent volontairement se dispenser de ce devoir; ainsi ne le leur recommande-t-il pas; seulement il leur dit, 'Mères, apprenez à vos nourrissons combien le Seigneur est doux ; ou craignez qu'ils ne l'apprennent jamais.''

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