children in the way they should go," and she pays liberal salaries to the best nursery governesses and school-room governesses that she can procure; spares no expense on toys, books, music, &c., and expects her children will grow up perfect models of what the human race ought to be, in this enlightened age. All goes on quietly, until Miss Noland informs her ladyship one fine day, that the Honourable Mr. George Lovesport (the son and heir) now ten years old, is become so unruly that she can no longer manage him; that he is only spoiling the other children, and that he ought to be sent to school. He is forthwith sent to Eton, from thence to Oxford; and as his father is wealthy, several hundred pounds are expended on his education until he has arrived at the age of twenty-one, when he is a finished gentleman, and is able to enjoy horse-racing, hunting, shooting, billiard-playing, &c.; and is only anxious for his father's death that he may enjoy the earldom. The second son of this noble family is sent to a military college, in order that he may learn the most scientific method of breaking the sixth commandment, "Thou shalt do no murder."

He afterwards gets a commission in a hussar regiment, and is killed in a duel.

Lady Grace, and Lady Julia, the daughters of the countess, have had a great deal of money spent on their education, know several languages, and are as good musicians, as a woman of their mother's exquisite taste could wish them to be; but Lady Grace caught cold at a ball-room window, and died of consumption; and Lady Julia ran away with a cornet in her brother's regiment, which caused much affliction to all her family. Such are the fruits of this cabbage-leaf system of training, of which I have seen such frequent examples, that what I

E

have stated, can hardly be called a fiction. Let us now enquire what are the occupations in which the servants of the Lord may be engaged, consistently with the precept, "Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect." *

When Adam was placed in Eden, his occupation was merely to dress and keep a garden; therefore as he was formed in the image of God, and as God appointed him this as his chief occupation, there was no danger of his defacing the image of God, by spending as much of his time in this pursuit, as was necessary for his individual sustenance, and that of his wife and children, until his sons were old enough to learn from him, how to contribute to their own support by assisting him in his labours. He was also given an exercise for his intellectual faculties, by finding out names for the different creatures of the animal, vegetable, and mineral kingdoms which he was made king over. Thus we learn that the

study of the book of nature is a fit occupation for one of the kings of the creation. He was also commanded to rest every seventh day from the labours of his garden, in order that he might have time to worship his Creator, and to reflect on his wonderful works. This was his priestly occupation. Solomon is given us as an example of a wise king, and we find, by referring to the inspired volume, how he obtained his wisdom: In Gibeon the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream by night, and God said, ask what I shall give thee. And Solomon said, thou hast showed unto David my father great mercy, according as he walked before thee in truth, and in righteousness and in uprightness of heart with thee; and thou hast kept for him this great kindness, that thou hast given him a son to sit on his throne, as it is this day. And now, O Lord

* Matthew v. 48.

my God, thou hast made thy servant king instead of David my father; and I am but a little child; I know not how to go out or to come in. And thy servant is in the midst of thy people which thou hast chosen, a great people that cannot be numbered nor counted for multitude. Give therefore thy servant an understanding heart to judge thy people, that I may discern between good and bad; for who is able to judge this, thy so great a people? And the speech pleased the Lord, that Solomon had asked this thing. And God said unto him, because thou hast asked this thing, and hast not asked for thyself a long life; neither hast asked riches for thyself, nor hast asked the life of thine enemies; but hast asked for thyself understanding to discern judgment; behold I have done according to thy words; lo I have given thee a wise and an understanding heart; so that there was none like thee before thee, neither after thee shall any arise like unto thee. And I have also given thee that which thou hast not asked, both riches and honour; so that there shall not be any among the kings like unto thee all thy days. And if thou wilt walk in my ways, to keep my statutes and my commandments as thy father David did walk, then I will lengthen thy days. And Solomon awoke; and behold it was a dream." *

We find in the next chapter how the prayer was granted, and the promise fulfilled. "And God gave Solomon wisdom and understanding exceeding much, and largeness of heart, even as the sand that is on the seashore. And Solomon's wisdom excelled the wisdom of all the children of the east country, and all the wisdom of Egypt. And he spake three thousand proverbs: and his songs were a thousand and five. And he spake of trees, from the cedar tree that is in Lebanon to the hyssop that

* 1 Kings, iii. 5—15.

springeth out of the wall: he spake also of beasts, and of fowl, and of creeping things and fishes. And there came of all people to hear of the wisdom of Solomon, from all kings of the earth, which had heard of his wisdom.” *

We may learn from these texts of Scripture that the study of natural history, was part of the occupation of Solomon; and by proceeding on to the Book of Proverbs, we may perceive how much pleasure he derived from this study. "Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding: for the merchandise of it is better than the merchandise of silver, and the gain thereof than fine gold. She is more precious than rubies: and all the things thou canst desire are not to be compared unto her. Length of days is in her right hand; and in her left hand riches and honour. Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace. She is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her; and happy is every one that retaineth her. The Lord by wisdom hath founded the earth; by understanding hath he established the heavens. By his knowledge the depths are broken up, and the clouds drop down the dew.” †

The author of "Self-Formation, or the history of an Individual Mind," thus speaks of the effect, that the perusal of two books, which led him to study "In Nature's Temple, Nature's God," had on the development of his organ of Veneration, and his observing faculties at the same time.

"One day, just as I had returned from Church, and was sitting under my usual Sunday cloud, it occurred to me, that a little volume of extracts from Paley, which had been given to me a short time previous, would be a good book to read. I opened it, and read a few pages with enough of interest to keep my attention alive. At

* 1 Kings, iv. 29, 30, 32, 33. † Proverbs, iii. 13-20,

last I struck upon a passage, that, like the trap door in the Arabian Nights, opened a treasure to my enjoyment. It was the recommendation of Paley, given in more expressive language than now occurs to me, that we should get the habit of filling up our leisure time, our hours of idleness, by the contemplation of God in his works, and through them, and by them. The thought struck me instantly. I saw that it was good; it was one of those ideas which the soul recognises at once, by a kind of familiar sympathy, as being of its kindred. I got up from my chair in a sort of surprise, as one that has just received intelligence of hope or pleasure from a sudden messenger. I paused not long upon the prospect, I took up my hat and went out upon the impulse, determined not to lose a moment of the promised happiness, from default of making trial. One would hardly think that the impression on a boy of seventeen should have been so deep and immediate, but such it was. The mollia tempora', must have been prevalent with me-the mood of feeling and susceptibility. I went out, and found to my surprise, that by virtue of my new talisman, I saw with other eyes, and felt with other feelings than I had been used to do. The veil had fallen from before my sight. I stood in immediate presence before the Lord and all his works. Every thing had a meaning for me; from every object that met my eyes there seemed to go forth a voice, to breathe a spirit of holiness. I followed my first step. I resigned myself to the imagination; and still as I dwelt upon it, would it develop itself more and more vividly, till my soul was enlarged within me, swollen into the fulness of space, blended with immensity. I was penetrated with sympathy. Objects that I had never before noticed, soulless and insensible things, as I should then