right to consider the poor, "being, as he was, so prosperous as to have enough for his own and something over.” When he had ten children, business still increasing, he found out that he had a right to adopt his wife's little niece; "for bless you, sir,” he observed, "I've such a lot of my own that a pudding that serves for ten-shares, serves for eleven just as well. And as for schooling, I would'nt think of it if my boys and girls were not as good scholars as I'd wish to see; for I spare nothing for their learning-but being they are, and money still in the till, why I've a right to let this little one share. In fact, when a man has earned a jolly hot dinner for his family every day, and seen 'em say their grace over it, he has a right to give what they leave on't to the needy, specially if his wife's agreeable.”

And so Mr Bryce, the baker, went on prospering, and finding out new rights to keep pace with his prosperity. In due time his many sons and daughters grew up; the latter married, and the former were placed out in life. Finally, after a long and happy life, Mr. Bryce, the baker, died, and in his will, after leaving five hundred pounds apiece to all his sons and daughters, he concluded his bequests with this characteristic sentence :

"And, my dear children, by the blessing of God, having put you out well in life, and left you all handsome, I feel (especially as I have the hearty consent of you all) that I have a right to leave the rest of my property, namely £700., for the use of those that want it. First, the village of Dbeing very

much in want of good water, I leave £400., the estimated cost, for digging a well and making a pump over it, the same to be free to all; and the interest of the remainder I leave to be spent in blankets every winter, and given away to the most destitute widows and orphans in the parish."

So the well was dug, and the pump was made; and as long as the village lasts, opposite his own shop door, the sparkling water will gush out; the village mothers will gossip as they fill their buckets there; the village fathers will cool their sun burnt foreheads there, and the village children will put their ears to it and listen to its purling down below; a witness to the rights, and a proof of how his rights were used by Bryce the Baker. ORRIS.

GOOD AND BAD MEMORIES.

IF a scholar have his rules laid before him, and he forgets them as fast as he reads them, he will never learn. (Jam. i. 25.) Aristotle calls the Memory the scribe of the soul; and Bernard calls it the stomach of the soul, because it bath a retentive faculty, and turns heavenly food into blood and spirit. We have great memories in other things; we remember that which is vain. Cyrus could remember the name of every soldier in his large army; we remember injuries, but, as Hierom saith, how soon do we forget the sacred truths of God! We are apt to forget three things-our faults, our friends, our instructions.— Thos. Watson

BOOKS.

DINNER was over, the dessert cleared away, the gas lighted, and the fire stirred till it blazed merrily at the clean swept hearth, when Dr. C. and his son, who were usually absent on professional duties at this hour, returned to their seats, as if establishing themselves for the evening. I wondered Mrs. C. did not ring the bell for tea, as was her ordinary custom when the gentlemen appeared, but she sat quietly knitting while Miss C. posted off as if she had suddenly remembered some important forgetfulness. Presently a pile of books, neatly covered with white paper, labelled and numbered in approved "book society" fashion, were collected from divers parts of the mansion, and compared with the list in the register, each member was required to keep, while Mr. William proceeded to inscribe the date of sending them on. "An Athenæum missing! Ah, Miss Kate" he continued, as his sister scampered back at the moment with the paper in her hand, "you always manage to have that in some of your private haunts at the last minute."

"Because," she answered, smiling gaily, "somebody else invariably pounces on it first, so that I wait modestly till it is at liberty."

"Fine excuse, Kate," said William, laughing; "who devours 'Chambers' first, so that one cannot see a word till you have read the whole journal ?"

"There is no chance of my getting anything deeper, till you and papa have culled all the wisdom to be found in the week's supply; and you would not like me to talk when you are buried in "Ruskin's Architecture,” or “Uncle Tom's Cabin," so I make the best of what you leave.”

Thus they chatted good humouredly, while an extraordinary air of expectancy stole over the group, which every knock at the door excited, and re-excited, till I began to marvel what was coming. "Only the bag with our next stock of mental food," said Dr. C., "and these young folks are so impatient to see what comes, that they make all this fuss."

"Of course papa has no interest in the matter," remarked Kate in an apologetic tone; "only think what self-denial for him to sit here so quietly."

"I am sure," answered Dr. C. with an arch smile, "you ought to be very grateful for my watchful care over your minds, lest you should pick up poison instead of food in your intellectual feast."

Just then came the right knock, with the real bag, and a goodly assortment was presently turned out, and the old ones sent on to the next party.

"Divinity, philosophy, science, history, biography, travels, fine arts, reviews, journals, and story-books. "Stay, good people," said secretary William, "till I have registered all, and then help yourselves."

The party speedily selected their favorite topics, and the profound silence was interrupted only by turning over leaves, and a gentle sigh of approval, or murmur of disapprobation which escaped involuntarily from the attentive students. I had taken a volume, but was too much interested in looking on, to be very diligent in my researches. A keen observer of human nature says, "tell me the company a man keeps, and I will tell you his character." With almost equal truth and precision may a man be judged by the class of books he habitually selects. Only in the group before me, Dr. C. had chosen the philosophical and scientific enquiries which were to aid him in his profession. Mrs. C. gradually declining towards the "closing scene," delighted in the biography detailing the steps of those who had already trod the same path; or refreshed her

timid spirit with the glowing description of glories to which she was hastening, sketched by some fervid pen dipped in the colours of inspiration. The young man compared opposing reviews, ere he purchased some long desired volumes upon history or literature, so that he might secure the very best. The young lady regaled herself with travellers' tales of countries she could never hope to visit, or amused a vacant hour with merry tale or jest.

At tea time we opened our lips, and discoursed upon our studies.

"What should we do without books?" said Kate, as she handed some tea to her brother.

"I suppose as well as our forefathers; but there seems no lack of promised books for the future;" answered William, pointing to the long lists of advertisements at the end of every periodical.

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"How many of these books will be approved at the final examination of works, I wonder!" remarked Dr. C., " Whether the millions now publishing will be a matter of joy or regret then, is an important question ?"

"I wish there could be some law against publishing any bad books!" said Kate.

"Amidst all the diversity of opinion," I ventured to observe, "it would be difficult to agree as to which were good, and which were bad."

'True," replied Dr. C., "each would contend for the excellence of his own sentiments As it is, we must be content to watch, and help the slow progress of truth supplanting opposing error."

"That will be a struggle lasting to the end of time, I suppose," interrupted William.

"Oh no!" said Mrs. C. "for when the knowledge of the Lord shall cover the earth, as the waters cover the sea, truth will have banished error, and peace and prosperity reign hand in hand."

"Happy will be the people in those days!" said Kate.

"Do you think so, my daughter? Now, judging from appearances, I fear you would miss the fun that seems so

essential to your enjoyment. Chastened mirth, and grave cheerfulness seem distasteful to you."

Conversation was here interrupted by the entrance of visitors. Two young men but lately arrived from a distant home to pursue their studies, had brought letters of introduction to Dr. C., who politely invited them to partake of the evening meal, and conversed with them in a familiar strain designed to draw out their sentiments, ere he promoted intimacy in his domestic circle.

After a while, something reminded one of the youths of a favorite writer, and he produced from his pocket one of the lighter volumes of the present day, and pointing to the passage, handed the book to Dr. C., declining to read it aloud. Dr. C., glanced at the open page,-then shutting it coldly, returned it to the visitor, remarking in a tone of stern decision-“Excuse me, sir, I never read profanity, it haunts me so unseasonably, and the infidel's views are so cheerless, I have no ambition to imbibe his sentiments. If you will take an old man's advice, my young friends, you will banish such publications from your library, and your recollection."

"But one must laugh, my dear sir, it does one good amidst our hard studies."

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'Fun and mirth refreshes, I allow; but you would not choose the struggles of a man hanging over a precipice as subject of laughter, would you? or encourage the sportiveness which sounds far more like the gnashing of teeth from the abode of misery and despair? One would think from such

pages as these, both writer and reader were anxious to prove relationship to, and acquire the language of, the Prince of Darkness, ere they were claimed as his lawful children."

"Would you banish all fiction, Sir?"

"No, but it is very desirable to lay aside all distorted views, either of life or character, especially when couched in such terms as you would hesitate even to hear, much more to use." "We cannot help hearing a great deal of such language in the streets."

"True, but you may hear unavoidably and untainted, things your soul recoils from in horror, but to choose deliberately to