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only title of a book for girls, written by the Authoress of "Louis' School Days," but also is the theme on which it is composed.

Mrs. M. What is the object, then?

Emm. Its object is to show how a Christian girl did spread sunshine wherever she went; not by any extraordinary exercise of extraordinary gifts, but by the quiet efforts of a calm and affectionate spirit. The Authoress wished to counteract the love of excitement, the religious dissipation, and the mistaken views of the true end and aim of life; too prevalent among a large portion of professing Christians. Her cure is, "Study to be quiet and to do your own business;" and her design is, to show that "a girl's first duties lie at home;" and while she would have her burn with zeal to extend her little sphere of usefulness, never thinking she can be enough and do enough, for the glory of Him who died for her; she would urge her to see that these first duties, which God in his providence has plainly allotted her, be cheerfully and diligently performed, and to learn that the best blessing in this life that a Christian woman can demand for herself, is a spirit of patient waiting

Mrs. M. Is this design properly carried out?
Emm. I think so.

have read it too.

Do you, Mr. Editor? for I think you

Ed. It really is admirably done. I consider it superior to the story of Louis, and, in many parts, equal, in graphic power and gentle pathos, to the "Wide, Wide World." The sketch of the Ladies' Working Party-or, as Tom called it, "The Indian Mission Gossip-Aiding Society "-is life-like.

Aug. What can you know about such things, sir?

Ed. Not much, Augustus, to be sure; but I once established a Juvenile Working Society.

Aug. And attended all its meetings?

Ed. Only the first, to get it going by a few kind words and counsels.

Emm. Did you find they assisted, to use Tom's words, "in the transmission of scandal?

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Ed. So much so, that the lady at whose house the meetings were held, sent for me in much anxiety to know what was to be done.

Emm. What did you do?

Aug. Went, and scolded the ladies, of course.

Ed. No; I recommended one of the party, a good reader, and a not very diligent worker, to read some interesting work. Aug. Did that check the transmission of scandal ?

Ed.

hope it did; at least, I heard no more of it.

Aug. Here is a Second Edition of Samuel Martin's YOUTHFUL

DEVELOPMENT.* It is a sequel to a similar volume, which was found so useful to young men, that the author has been induced to print another set of Discourses to Youth. He now classifies the hearers according to character; and has written thoughtfully, practically, earnestly, with a plainness and home-thrustiness of speech, that many preachers would have shrunk from.

Mrs. M. What is meant by ACCOMMODATED TEXTS? +

Ed. The writer anticipates the reader's difficulty in understanding his title.

'

Aug. He should have used a plainer one, then.

Ed. And he kindly explains it in the preface. He means, passages of Scripture quoted in a sense not intended by the inspired writer; judging from an examination of the words themselves, together with the context in which they stand." Now, it is quite true that there are many conventional applications of the text, which are not sanctioned by any correct principles of interpretation-such as the necessity for Christ's passing through Samaria (although this text is not mentioned by our critic), which as any one with a map will at once see is a geographical necessity -and it must always be a laudable attempt to assign the true sense to Scripture texts. The author deserves praise for his wellintentioned efforts, although I think that he may have difficulty in sustaining all the interpretations he proposes to substitute. Leo. A book for me at last! I don't get many books now; they are all for you grown up people.

Mrs. M. And what have you now, darling?

Leo. SUNDAY AFTERNOONS IN THE NURSERY.

Ed. By a young lady who once told me that she thought she had a vocation to write one book, and only one. Her vocation appears to have been renewed many times, for she is authoress of several works.

Leo. It seems very pretty.

Ed. I have no doubt it is. The simplest language is used, the actual words of Scripture being employed as much as possible; and there are twenty engravings. A book by the author of the "Female Visitor to the Poor" will be sure to be good.

* London: Ward and Co.

† London: Wertheim and Macintosh.

London: Seeleys.

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N New Year's Day, 1560, Queen Elizabeth went in state to St. Paul's. A Prayer Book, splendidly bound, and illustrated with Popish pictures, was placed on her majesty's cushion by the dean. Elizabeth examined it

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with curiosity, then frowned and

blushed. After a moment's consideration she put it

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hastily away, and called to the verger to bring her the old Prayer Book.

As soon as service was over, instead of mounting her horse, as usual, she walked to the vestry room, called for the dean and asked him why he had given her the new Prayer Book. When he explained that he had placed it there as a new year's gift to her Majesty, the queen remarked that he could never have given her a worse, for that she had an aversion to idolatry, to images, and pictures of saints and angels, and the grosser absurdities resembling the Holy Trinity; and reminded him of her proclamation against images, pictures, and Romish relics in churches. When the dean humbly declared that he acted in ignorance, the queen expressed her hope that God would pardon his sin of ignorance, and grant him the Holy Spirit, and more wisdom for the future."

Upon inquiry it was found that foreigners had supplied him with the illuminated, or rather the darkened Prayer Book.

The salutary effect of this spirited rebuke of our first Protestant queen, was soon seen in the careful eradication from the walls of all the London churches of the Popish paintings, and the substitution of Scriptural texts against Romish errors.

Are there no similar attempts, in the present day, to make impressions on the minds of the young, the susceptible, or the influential; impressions which shall give a Popish cast to the thoughts and feelings, and insensibly, but surely, prepare the mind for the full teaching of Rome? And should we not earnestly guard against everything in sculpture, painting, garniture, or rite, which can imbue the soul with any particle of sympathy for the errors of an apostate church?

W. M. W.

LEYDEN:

A TALE OF THE SIXTEENTH CENTURY.

Chapter III.

"IF our country is saved we shall gladly bear all," said Philip; but, having by this time reached the door of his dwelling, he took leave of his companion, and entered, although not without a deepdrawn sigh, and a moment's pause on the threshold.

Pale, anxious, and care-worn, were the faces that met Philip's eye. Lisa, true to her own unselfish nature, looked up and smiled the welcome she had no heart to speak, but immediately afterwards resumed her endless task of sewing, while old Réné sat gloomily watching the two children, who crouched together on the floor, Alphonso vainly endeavouring to amuse his younger companion so as to wile away the pangs of hunger. For some time the group remained in silence; all commonplace words of hope, consolation, or encouragement, had already been said so often that they had lost their power, and the language of complaint was never heard from the lips of any one of that resigned, though sorrowing family, for none would willingly have added a feather's weight to the load of suffering the others had to bear.

Philip broke at length the mournful pause. "Lisa," he said, 'put away that work of thine; it can be of no use."

"Do not speak so, brother," was the reply, "it will give us one day's food at least."

"Thou canst surely spare a few moments from the task to come and breathe the fresh air of heaven. See how beautifully the sun is setting, how richly its golden light is poured even through this narrow window."

Lisa threw down her work, and quickly prepared to comply with his invitation. But it was evidently something more than the fresh air and the evening sun that had tempted her to do so. "Brother," she said, after they had walked for a few minutes together in silence, "I have long wished for this opportunity of speaking to you alone."

“I guess what thou wouldst say," Philip rather hastily interrupted, "Alphonso-"

Nay," answered Lisa, "it regards not him."

"Then I wronged thy generous heart, my sister."

"But my father," she continued, speaking rapidly, and in a slightly tremulous voice, "thou must soon be to him son and daughter both, dear Philip."

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