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the talents of the family; but then, again, I remember when we were at play he was always at work.'"

Mr. Burke had to contend, at the outset of life, with unusual difficulties; but he triumphed over them all; and, before thirty years of age, he bounded, with one spring, to the very summit of fame, leaving behind him the whole Aristocracy, and all his other more advantageously situated competitors, finely exemplifying his own expressions:-" He that wrestles with us strengthens our nerves and sharpens our skill. Our antagonist is our helper."

It is a fact that, at the University, Burke did not carry off a single prize, although he was incomparably the first man in the College of Dublin. He exemplified, as one of his Biographers has finely expressed it, the lofty spirit of Alexander, who refused to run in the Olympic games, on the ground that the racers were not sovereigns; proudly saying, "Were kings competitors, Alexander would run." While the other students, and-many of them sprightly ones, too-were fighting for prizes, Burke was satisfied with simply a respectable appearance in the classes, but devoting every moment to replenishing his capacious understanding with all manner of human knowledge; and hence, when the First Prize Men were forgotten-lost in night-Burke shone as the sun in the firmament of political and moral wisdom.

Prize Men! Beware of the temptations to aspire to wit, and of the admiration of those who are deemed such. They are dangerous. Seek to be workers, not wits. Sir Henry Wotton, the famous provost of Eton College, we are told by Aubrey,

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could not abide wits. When any young scholar was commended to him as a wit, he would say, • Out upon him! I will have nothing to do with him! give me the plodding student. If I would look for wits, I would go to Newgate for them; there be the wits!" " Be it yours to aspire after solidity! Do not covet the power of raising laughter. To laugh at is not to admire; but often, in the heart, to despise a man. Be it yours to covet the honour of having men say, We never meet and talk with him but we part the wiser, and the more convinced of our own deficiencies. Let your appeal be to the understanding, not to the risible faculties. Be satisfied to be reverenced, feared, loved, admired; seek the honour of being, however humble in station, Christian Philosophers, not Merry Andrews! It is of the utmost importance to have your mind stored with principles and facts. On this question Roger North says, "I have heard Lord-Keeper Guilford often repeat a lesson the citizens used to their apprentices, Keep your shop, and your shop will keep you,' as being no less true of a lawyer with respect to his chamber." There are more aspirants after honours that fail through a weakness of the will than through a weakness of the mind; who, while they are ambitious, are slothful-would win the crown, but not run the racecovet the glory of success, but will not endure the fatigues of the struggle.

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much otherwise; and honour and great-dustry for the most part wins the way to ness will wait upon none but such as preferment: and IT IS THE SWEAT OF

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FRIENDLY HINTS TO EVERYBODY.

We have to address our readers, to-day, on certain matters of great practical moment, which deserve their best attention. To the thousands of them who are teachers we have a word calculated to make for their comfort and usefulness. We are increasingly convinced of the importance which attaches to their competency for their high office, and have therefore to entreat them to give us their ear.

We have something, also, to say in answer to the question, What can I do for Society?—an inquiry which, we hope, many will put, while we are ready to answer it. These are times in which everybody should put this question. All should aspire to usefulness, and remember that the great Head of the Church was himself an itinerant benefactor of man. What an expression is that which inspiration uses concerning him: " HE WENT ABOUT DOING GOOD!" Blessed Benefactor! Illustrious example! Oh! that the Young Men of England, and their Fathers—Oh! that all our readers would but imitate Him!

We have likewise to address another class, as to how they ought to look at life. Of all subjects presenting themselves to the eye of the mind, this is the most important. You ought all to read the value of life in the light of eternity, ever remembering that this brief, uncertain hour is your seed-time, and that the crop which is to rise from this seed will grow and grow for ever; and that you will continue to reap and reap for ever-to reap through everlasting ages! To the saint, this truth is most momentous; to the ungodly man, it is unutterably terrible!

THE BEST TEACHER. EVERY teacher should be not only an enthusiast, but a student-not only a student, but an enthusiast. The union of these qualities is indispensable to eminent success. The enthusiast, with slender parts and very moderate attainments, may achieve great things,

vastly greater than men of shining parts, but without enthusiasm. Again; the mere student, whatever his gifts, will be but a sorry teacher. He will be too abstracted-too absorbed with his own pursuits. When his body is in the school, his mind will be elsewhere. He will be selfish and unsym

pathetic, and the work in which he is engaged will not prosper. Such men are not fit for teachers. The most successful Mathematical Professor we ever knew was but a very superficial mathematician, but he had enthusiasm-he had affection for youth. The less brilliant lads, and those that were backward, he invited to his own table, assisted them in the preparation of a given lesson for the morrow, called them up before the class, where they made a goodly appearance, and thus cheered and animated, they forthwith toiled like negroes to get on, and they rarely ever failed of success. Sundayschool Teachers would do well to ponder this fact. We want enthusiasm with intelligence-prudence to regulate zeal-zeal to animate prudence.

"I am becoming very much interested in my business," said a teacher friend of mine, a few days ago, in the presence of several others of the same profession; "it delights me to see the sparkling eye-the index of a mind grasping at new ideas. And then, as week after week, and month after month pass away, I find that many whose attention could, with all my efforts, scarcely be arrested at first, begin now to drink in knowledge with pleasure- yes, even with eagerness. Their minds seem already to have undergone an important change-they seem to grow stronger and stronger at every step as they progress."

"If I could enjoy the same pleasure in my school," said another of less zeal in the cause of education, "teaching would no longer be an up-hill business with me. But even when my scholars have the question printed at the bottom of the page, and have every opportunity to prepare answers beforehand, there is a dulness about their recitation which makes it an irksome task to listen to them."

This is enough of the conversation that passed between those gentlemen to show that they must have been teachers of very different character; else that their schools must have differed widely in capacity. I have some acquaintance both with these teachers and their schools. The schools are about equal as regards number and age of pupils, and in every other re

spect, except the progress they are making in mental improvement. The difference is found elsewhere. One of the teachers is in every sense a student -the other is not.

WHAT CAN YOU DO FOR
SOCIETY?

THE real importance of any man to society is determined by the amount of good he can confer upon it; and the esteem in which he is held should depend upon the measure, character, and tendency of his labours. Thus tested, many who glitter in drawing-rooms and loll in chariots would be brought very low in the scale of society.

A company of individuals united themselves together in a Mutual Benefit Association. The Blacksmith comes and says, "Gentlemen, I wish to become a member of your Association." "Well, what can you do?" "Oh, I can shoe your horses, iron your carriages, and make all kinds of iron implements." "Very well, come in, Mr. Blacksmith."

The Mason applies for admission into the Society. "And what can you do, Mr. Mason?" "Oh, I can build your barns and houses, and stables and bridges." Very well, come in; we can't do without you."

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Along comes the Shoemaker, and says, "I wish to become a member of your Society." "Well, and what can you do?" "I can make shoes and boots for you." "Come in, Mr. Shoemaker; we must have you."

So, in turn, apply all the different trades and professions, till lastly an individual comes and wants to become a member. "And what are you?" "I am a Rum-seller." "A Rum-seller! and what can you do?" "I can build jails, and prisons, and poor-houses." "And is that all?" "No, I can fill them; I can fill your jails with criminals, your prisons with convicts, and your poor-houses with paupers." "And what else can you do?" "I can bring the gray hairs of the aged to the grave with sorrow; I can break the heart of the wife, and blast the prospects of the friends of talent, and fill your land with more than the plagues of Egypt." "Is that all you can do?" "Come,

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Come!" cries the Rum-seller; "is not bility that he shall not reach the last that enough?"

HOW TO LOOK AT LIFE. A YOUNG man that wishes to live for eternity, and to have always at hand the stimulus to action, which the sluggishness of nature requires, will very much find his account in writing from one to seventy upon so many successive lines, drawing his pen from year to year through those he has lived, and always remembering how great is the uncertainty that he shall ever see another, and the vastly-increased proba

of these seven tens! The following rhymes well deserve the meditation of worldly men:

LIFE OF A SINNER. Seven years in childhood's sport and play,

7

14 21

Seven years in school from day to day,
Seven years at trade or college life,
Seven years to find a place and wife, 28
Seven years to pleasure's follies given, 35
Seven years by business hardly driven, 42
Seven years for fame a wild goose chase, 49
Seven years for wealth a bootless race, 56
Seven years in hoarding for your heir, 63
Seven yearsin weakness spent and care, 70
Then die, and go-you know not where !

The Fragment Basket.

A WARNING TO HUSBANDS. A FEW years ago a respectable tradesman was married to an amiable and talented young lady. She had received a religious education, and was respected and beloved by all with whom she was acquainted. She devoted much of her time and means to the poor, and to the instruction of a Sabbath-school; and was foremost in every good work and labour of love. Her husband had a good capital and an increasing business, and was in the way to honour, wealth, and independence. When their relations or friends visited them, they presented them with the usual mark or emblem of hospitality, and intoxicating drinks were always indulged in, though slightly at first, at the dinner-table. The lady gradually acquired a desire for strong drink, and in three years she became a confirmed tippler. Her chief delight was in company, in the gaiety of the saloon, and the excitement of the theatre. She became a drunkard, and before her death, which was caused by intemperance, she declared that her ruin was occasioned by her yielding to the solicitations of her husband, to take a little wine and toddy after dinner.-Rev. John Knox.

THE USE OF RICE.

IT is a subject of wonder to many why the article rice, which has for a long time been so extremely plentiful, and

consequently cheap, does not enter into more general consumption in this country. I think the true answer to this is, because very few amongst us know how to prepare it for table, for not one cook in ten can even plain-boil it fit to be seen and eaten, and not one in twenty (strange as it may appear) can make a rice pudding.

Now, the first may be accomplished by using only so much water as the rice will absorb in boiling, by which each grain will be kept free and separate, and the mass not made into starch or paste, as is generally the case; and the second can be perfected by putting one tea-cup full of rice to one quart of milk, adding sugar to suit the taste, a small quantity of chopped suet, butter, or dripping; grating a little nutmeg on the top, and baking as usual. This will be found one of the cheapest, lightest, and most delicious puddings that can be eaten, and very far superior to a rice pudding as generally made, with eggs, &c., which not only add to its expense, but destroy the character of the dish. In most parts of Ireland, where, during the summer season, milk can be had for almost nothing, the above simple receipt would, I think, be invaluable, and no doubt generate a taste for this most wholesome grain, to the especial benefit of the poorer part of the population.

Poetry.

THE BREVITY OF LIFE.
Behold

How short a span

Was long enough of old

To measure out the life of man;

In those well-tempered days, his time was then Surveyed, cast up, and found but threescore years and ten.

Alas!

And what is that?

They come, and slide, and pass
Before my pen can tell thee what:

The posts of time are swift, which, having run
Their seven short stages o'er, their short-lived task is done.

Our daya

Begun, we lend

To sleep, to antic plays

And toys, until the first stage end;

Twelve waning moons, twice five times told, we give
To unrecovered loss: we rather breathe than live!

We spend

A ten years' breath
Before we apprehend

What 'tis to live, or fear a death:

Our childish dreams are filled with painted joys, Which please our sense awhile, and waking, prove but toys.

How vain,

How wretched is

Poor man, that doth remain

A slave to such a state as this!

His days are short at longest, few at most;
They are but bad at best, yet lavished out or lost!

They be

The secret springs

That make our minutes flee

On wheels more swift than eagle's wings;
Our life's a clock, and every gasp of breath
Breathes forth a warning voice, till Time shall strike a death!

How soon
Our new-born light

Attains to full-aged noon!

And this how soon to gray-haired night!

We spring, we bud, we blossom, and we blast,
Ere we can count our days, our days they flee so fast!

They end

When scarce begun;

And ere we apprehend

That we begin to live, our life is done!

Man! count thy days, and if they fly too fast

For thy dull thoughts to count, COUNT EVERY DAY THY LAST!

HERBERT.

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