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the affairs and change the destinies of empires. Not some new theory of economic potency, which was to direct the stream of commerce and open new sources of the wealth of nations. No: these were not the sort of communications most suited to the grandeur of his nature or the exigencies of ours- To man he saith-Behold the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom, and to depart from evil, that is understanding.' It required the revelation of God to settle this question, 'What is wisdom?'-and he has settled it once and for ever. This wisdom is RELIGION. This is man's highest wisdom as a rational, moral, and immortal creature. It is his wisdom on earth and will be his wisdom in heaven. It is his wisdom in time and will be his wisdom through all eternity. Philosophers of every country hear it! Shades of Pythagoras-Socrates-Plato-hear it! Divines and moralists, hear it! And ye, young men, the objects of my solicitude and my address, hear it! The fear of the Lord that is wisdom, and to depart from evil, that is understanding.

"This is the subject and design of the Book of Proverbs. It opens with this glorious theme, and continues it throughout the book, where wisdom herself, by a beautiful personification, is represented as disclosing her own nature, and teaching her own lessons, in piety towards God-and all the moralities--the charities-amenities-and courtesies of social and domestic life. Here the basis of all sound morality is laid in the fear of God. On this broad, deep foundation of religion, is raised a superstructure of morals, which combines the duties and the excellencies of the good monarch-the good subject--the good neighbour-the good master-the good husband--the good son-the good servant.

"It may help you better to understand this extraordinary book if you are enabled to perceive the parts into which it is divided; and which though not very noticeable by a superficial glance, yet really exist. These parts are three. The first includes the nine first chapters, in which wisdom, or the practical knowledge of God, is set forth with great copiousness and variety of expression, as the only source and foundation of true virtue and happiness. This portion seems to be principally addressed to, and intended for youth. The sins, temptations, and dangers, incident to this period of life, are exhibited

in the most striking descriptions-the most glowing colors. All the beauties of diction and of metaphor-all the charms of eloquence and the ornaments of poetry-all the persuasions of tenderness-all the expostulations of love-and all the commands of authority, are employed to induce the young man to turn away from sin and to practise holiness.* This part may

be designated "A manual for youth."

"The second part extends from the tenth to the end of the twenty-fourth chaper, and comprises precepts which seem intended for those who have advanced from youth to manhoodprecepts relating to all the duties of social life. Here the transactions of secular business are alluded to, and the whatsoever things are true, and just, and honest, and pure, and lovely, and of good report, are stated with a minuteness, and enforced with an earnestness, that are most edifying and impressive. This may be called "The tradesmsn's directory."

"The third part begins at the twenty-fifth chapter and goes on to the end of the book, and contains the appendix of miscellaneous Proverbs, collected after Solomon's death. The two last chapters having been written very probably by separate hands, but preserved by divine care, and under divine inspiration were added to the sacred canon. And this may not inappropriately be called " A mirror for females."

The Editor of "Pleasant Pages" has just issued a joyous, intelligent, graphic, Christmas present for the young, entitled "Little Henry's Holiday at the Great Exhibition."†

Mr. Newcombe's former works are so extensively known and highly valued, that little more need be said of the present elegant little volume than that it is fully worthy of his clever pen. As a writer for children, we scarcely know his equalhe is at once racy, exact, scientific, and popular, knowing not only what young folks are, but how to please them.

Reflective and intelligent parents have always known how

* Mr. Bridges, whose admirable exposition of the Proverbs supplies a few of the remarks of this sermon, has published the first nine chapters of his work, separated from the rest, which he entitles "A Manual for Youth," which I most strenuously recommend as an admirable guide to young men.

+ London. Houlston and Co.

to value such writings as "Pleasant Pages;" but many in the present day are led too much by fashion and precedent. For the benefit of this latter class, we may mention that "Little Henry" has been accredited to all courts. Her Majesty has been pleased to express her gratification at the work; to order a copy which had been sent to be presented to the Prince of Wales, and subsequently to order six copies for the use of the royal children. To us, this fact is peculiarly significant and gratifying. Mr. Newcombe is the successful pioneer of a suggestive school, and has done much to shew how easy and delightful it is to think. To parrotizing discipline and wordknowledge, he is at once the most uncompromising and most amiable opponent. His books rightly used cannot fail to interest and instruct the young; and what is far better, must put them on the work of instructing themselves, as their influence cannot cease with the perusal. But an illustration will explain this far better than any criticism. Let us follow our author through his third chapter. "How the Idea of the Palace arose."

"Yes. When any one struggles through difficulties it does him good. He feels himself strong, and greater; and has greater ideas. So the ideas of the Royal Commission' began to enlarge. There came grand thoughts of teaching other things to men by means of the Great Exhibition; and there also came the thought 'We will have a splendid house for our friends, when they come over to see us.' So, architects were wanted now,-men to draw plans of the building; and the architects came. 245 Plans were made; 188 were made in Britain; 27 came from France, and a few came from Belgium, Holland, and other parts; and with them there came new difficulties for the Royal Commission.

، The plans were all examined, and none of them suited. So the Commissioners sent for other architects and engineers, to make a new plan for the purpose. But when the people saw the idea of a great brick and mortar building which was to cost £200,000, they asked 'where are you going to put it?' They were told that it was to be placed in Hyde-park, but thousands of people said 'no!' And the newspapers made a noise; and angry men made speeches; and many said 'twas a shame their

park should be spoiled by a large brick and mortar building. And the Commissioners

"H. I should think they were puzzled.

P. Perhaps they were; but somebody was always sent to help them. MR. PAXTON came this time.

"Rose. What was the gentleman's name Henry?

"H. MR. PAXTON. Let us hear about him.

"P. Mr. Paxton thought about the building. This gentleman is a landscape gardener, and he is very clever in writing books, and in making houses, it seems. He made a beautiful garden for the Duke of Devonshire, and as the Duke had a new and enormous water-lily, Mr. Paxton made an immense conservatory of iron and glass for it to grow in. And, when he heard that the building of the Exhibition did not please the public, he thought to himself, perhaps, 'why should not a glass house be as good for an exhibition as for a house of plants? If I were to make them one, like that of the Duke of Devonshire, I'm sure they would like it. They could have a house higher than the trees, and the large trees could grow inside it. So, on the 18th January, 1850, when Mr. Paxton was engaged on a Railway Committee, he hastily sketched his idea of the building on a sheet of blotting-paper, which happened to be near him. He then went home, and from his sketch he formed a finished drawing, working all that night, and working on still at all the plans and particulars for ten days, when he set out for London by train to see the Commissioners. He thought that his plan had been made too late to be of any use, but he happened to meet in the railway-carriage, a gentleman named Stephenson, an engineer, who was one of the 'Royal Commissioners.'

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"This gentleman looked at the drawings very closely, and at last he said Wonderful!' but he thought it was a pity they had not been prepared before. However, he said he would show them to the Commissioners.

"You know, I dare say, whether the Commission used Mr. Paxton's plans or not. At first it was said they were too late, and then, that it was not usual to build with iron and glass. Some of the architects who had made the plans for the Commissioners said it was impossible for such a building to answer,

-that it would be blown down by the wind,-that hail-stones would break the glass,-that the glass would get loose, and fall in, and the people of all nations' would be bruised or killed. Others said, it would be too hot inside, and the unhappy visitors would be grilled. The public, however, soon heard of it, and began to speak for themselves. They saw the plans, and read about them in the 'Illustrated London News.' They read, and talked, and were pleased. The mighty million' shouted out their opinions again: 'It will be a famous place! a transparent palace like crystal. Let us have a CRYSTAL PALACE !'

"The Royal Commissioners said so too. They said, we can put it up in Hyde Park, and what is more we can take it down again, and that will be a very good thing. Then it was all agreed to. Thus, the idea of the Crystal Palace arosesuddenly.

"H. Well done, Mr. Paxton, this time!

We are glad to see this lively and natural style of teaching gaining ground.

The Rev. J. F. Sergeant, Diocesan Inspector, in an admirable little manual just published, entitled " Sunday School Teaching-its Object and Method,"* thus writes

"In the reading lessons, give them as much reality as possible. Some teachers have a peculiar facility of imparting touches to life to the subjects they handle. Nothing serves so much to enlist attention, and to engrave the lesson upon the memory; and nothing, therefore, is more to be coveted by a teacher who would do his work effectually. It consists of a happy talent of suggesting little descriptive points which, though not detailed, the narrative leaves the imagination to supply; and it is attained by an attentive consideration of what transpires around us, when scenes, similar to those we are depicting, occur. I will give a specimen of this life-like style of teaching.

"Speaking of our Lord's sitting in the ship and addressing the multitudes who stood on the sea-shore, and mentioning the probable effect his words would have on the different hearers, the speaker said, "Probably there were children there and while these words of wisdom and grace dropped from his lips,

* London. Nisbet.

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