sent for and married the young lady, and the author of his kappiness frequently during her stay in the metropolis, witnessed it with delight, and received his thanks and those of his worthy spouse, for being the instrument of it.

NAUTA.

An Afflicting Family Picture.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE CHEAP MAGAZINE.

SIR,-IN order to cherish the virtue of Contentment in our bosoms, we should frequently reflect upon the many comforts and enjoyments which we possess beyond our deserving,—and frequently compare our advantages with the privations of thousands of our fellow-creatures, less favoured than we are. Contentment is well termed natural wealth; while luxury is artificial poverty.-Contentment begets a cheerful resignation to the will of heaven, and promotes the health of both soul and body at the same time. The affluent are as much disposed to assist and befriend the grateful and the contented, as they are to neglect the peevish and discontented. I send you a couple of Tales*, calculated to inspire contentment and gratitude to providence.

Sn, 8th Feb. 1813.

PS.

THE minister of a country village, was called upon to baptize an infant just born. The cottage was situated on a lonely common, and as it was in the midst of winter, and the floods were out, it was absolutely neces sary to wade in water through a lower room to a ladder, which served instead of stairs. The chamber (and it was the only one) was so low that you could not stand upright in it; there was one window which admitted air as freely as light, for the rags which had been stuffed into the broken panes, were now taken out to contribute

* Of which the following is one.

to

66

mam

to the covering of the infant. In a dark corner of the room stood a small bed-stead without furniture, and on it lay the dead mother, who had just expired in labour for want of assistance. The father was sitting on a little stool by the fire place, though there was no fire, and endeavouring to keep the infant warm in his bosom. Five of the seven children, half naked, were asking their father for a piece of bread, while a fine boy, of about three years old, was standing by his mother at the bedside, and crying as he was wont to do, "Take me, take me mammy."-"Mammy is asleep," said one of his sisters, with two tears standing on her cheeks; my is asleep, Johnny; go play with the baby on daddy's knee." The father took him upon his knee, and his grief, which had hitherto kept him dumb, and in a state of temporary insensibility, burst out in a torrent of tears, and relieved his heart, which seemed ready to break. "Dont cry, pray, dont cry," said the eldest boy, "the nurse is coming up stairs with a two penny loaf in her hand, and mammy will wake presently, and I will carry her the largest piece.". Upon this, an old woman, crooked with age, and clothed in tatters, came hobbling on her little stick into the room, and, after heaving a groan calmly sat down, dressed the child in its rags, then divided the loaf as far as it would go, and informed the *poor man that the church wardens, to whom she had gone, would send some relief, as soon as they had dispatched a naughty baggage to her own parish, who had delivered herself of twins in the Esquire's hovel. Relief indeed was sent, and a little contribution afterwards raised by the interposition of the minister. If he had not seen the case, it would have passed on as a common affair, and a thing of course.

KNOX's Essays.

An Essay on Happiness.

HAPPINESS is the main object of pursuit to every man; but few obtain it, from a mistaken notion that happiness exists in high titles, in empty honours, and fame. Some place their chief happiness in the enjoy ment of wealth, and frequently deny themselves the necessary things of life, in order that they may obtain the more. Others again run into the opposite extreme, and seek for happiness in the midst of riot and dissipa tion; a greater number travel about through every clime, and from one kingdom to another, in quest of happiness, (I mean in search of wealth ;) they will say to them. selves, "If I were possessed of a certain sum I would be happy and contented. I would not desire to be possessed of more." He considers not, that as his wealth increases, so will his desires. Behold, how weak and unstable are all the resolutions of man! Sometime or other he finds himself possessed of that object which he so long wished to obtain. Behold him now in the midst of business, his affairs are so complicate, and the tempt ations to wealth so strong, that he is unable to combat with them. He is not satisfied with what he has already obtained, but his views reach far beyond their former compass, for no sooner has he obtained his desires, than he is ambitious for more. Thus he goes on to the end of his days, plodding and laying up wealth, in which he can have no true enjoyment or happiness. But this is not the only way in which we endeavour to obtain possession of this happiness. I feel myself unequal to the task of barely mentioning the various projects of men, who all wish to obtain this blessing; suffice it to say, that what I have mentioned is the most fre

quent

quent, and it clearly shows the foolishness of seeking hap piness in earthly things where it can never be found for in every situation of life man has his disappointments, his sorrows, and his cares. Few indeed are altogether contented with their situation. Some may be ready to say, "O, if I were in this man's place, how happy would I be : his condition in life is easy, yet he seems to be unhappy: for who can penetrate the bottom of his soul, and there behold his secret griefs; perhaps he has crimes to account for, which you have not; he perhaps envies you your poverty and heartily wishes to be in your situation. Nothing raises my indignation more than to hear people constantly complaining of the evil of the times, of their troubles and their cares, while they do nothing to make them better. It is sinful to repine at the dispensations of Providence, for is it possible to conceive, that the greatest, the wisest, and the best of beings, would wilfully afflict and distress his creatures? No:-Your situation is no worse than that of others, perhaps better than some around you. If we would but impartially consider our own conduct, we would soon perceive, that all those evils which we complain of are comparatively trifling or imaginary. They all proceed from our own ungovernable passions or appetites. We speak of trials which we never endured, and of afflic tions which we never suffered. If we would conduct ourselves in a becoming manner, many of the real evils which surround us would be considerably lessened. In order to render ourselves, in some respects, happy here, we ought to look upon the things of this life as a secondary consideration we ought not to set our affections too much upon them, but our affections and hopes ought to raise us above the things of this world; our thoughts and our affections should be placed on things above,

where

where perfect happiness for ever reigns. In short, we should be alike indifferent to the world, both to its smiles and its frowns; remembering always that this is not the place of our rest; that we continue here but for a season; Those and that the fashion of this world passeth away. trials which we now endure, are the forerunners of future bliss; they are kindly sent us by our heavenly father, to wean our souls from the perishing things of this world, and to prepare us for the enjoyment of a most perfect and eternal happiness in heaven, where only happiness can be found. A. M.

On the Conjugal Duties.

TO THE EDITORS OF THE CHEAP MAGAZINE.

GENTLEMEN,

PROVIDENCE has cast my lot in a part of the country, inhabited chiefly by the lower orders of society, where your Useful Publication has an extensive circulation, and is read with avidity-I could wish you, therefore, to insert the following Remarks on Domestic Life, which I trust, through the blessing of God, may be an useful hint to some of your readers.

Transfortha, 30th March, 1813.

IT

T is the duty of married persons to regard each other as one flesh.—But do they so when they are selfish, making as it were separate interests? and each caring for self, so as to have little regard for the other.

Do they regard each other in this light when they fall to sinful contentions and brawlings; the man tyrannically using his superiority in violence and bitterness,

and