THE SEVEN CHILDREN. 107 2 progress. This last takes place gently: it is imperceptible: it is the shadow of the sun-dial whose motion we do not see. 3 If, at twenty years of age, we could see in a mirror, the face we shall have at threescore, we should be shocked at the contrast, and terrified at our own figure; but it is day by day we advance: we are to-day as we were yesterday, and shall be to-morrow as we are to-day so we go forward without perceiving it: and this is a miracle of that Providence whom I adore. DEFINITIONS, &c.-Define imperceptible, sun-dial, mirror, contrast, igure, yesterday, to-morrow, to-day, miracle. SECT. CXVII.-THE SEVEN CHILDREN. 1 EARLY in the morning as the day began to dawn, the devout father of a family arose with his wife from their couch, and thanked God for their new day, and for their refreshing slumber. 2 3 But the red glow of morning beamed into the little chamber where their seven children lay in their beds and slept. Then they gazed at the children one by one, and the mother said, "They are seven in number: alas! it will be 4 hard for us to find them food." Thus sighed the mother"; for there was a famine in the land. 5 But the father smiled and said, "See: do they not lie 6 there and sleep, all the seven? And they have all red cheeks, and the beams of the morning stream over them, so that they appear lovelier than ever, like seven blooming roses. 7 Mother, that shows us that He who creates the morning, and sends us sleep, is true and unchangeable." 8 And as they stepped from the chamber, they saw at the door, fourteen shoes in a row: growing smaller and smaller, 9 two by two; a pair for each child. The mother gazed on them, and when she saw that they were so many, she wept. 10 But the father said, "Mother, why dost thou weep? 11 Have not all the seven received sound and active feet? 12 Why, then, should we be anxious about that which covers 13 them? If the children have confidence in us, should we not have confidence in Him who can do more than we can comprehend? 108 UNIVERSAL PREVALENCE OF PEACE. 14 "See! his sun rises! 15 Come, then: like it, let us begin our day's work with a cheerful countenance." 16 Thus they spoke, and toiled at their labors; and God blessed the work of their hands; and they had enough and to spare: they and their seven children; for faith gives strength and courage, and love elevates the soul. DEFINITIONS, &c.—Define devout, couch, refreshing, slumber, beamed, chamber, famine, smiled, cheeks, roses, creates, unchangeable, stepped, shoes, row, small, sound, active, feet, anxious, confidence, comprehend, faith, strength, courage, love, elevates. 1 2 SECT. CXVIII.-THE AFFECTIONS DETACHED FROM EARTH. I WOULD not live alway'; I ask not to stay, Where storm after storm rises dark o'er the way'; I would not live alway, thus fettered by sin'; I would not live alway'; no'; welcome the tomb: To hail him in triumph descending the skies. 4 Who, who would live alway, away from his God: Where the saints of all ages in harmony meet, SECT. CXIX.- UNIVERSAL PREVALENCE OF PEACE. Go read the history of the past on pages written with 1 blood! count, if you can, the slaughtered victims that have CORRECT VIEW OF EDUCATION. 109 found their last resting-place on the gory battle-plains which are so thickly interspersed throughout our earth; making it, as it were, one vast Potter's field! watch those drops of anguish and sorrow, that have gushed from affectionate hearts, broken by the fierce carnage of war, and see them, as a mighty river, swelling to an ocean of grief sufficient to drown all the warring hosts of every age! hearken to the wail of widows and orphans, deep-toned and terrible enough even to startle the myriads of hell, and make them cower 2 before the storm of anguish! But that storm shall pass away; and mountains that have interposed to make enemies of nations, shall be levelled before the advancing triumphs 3 of Him who came heralded as "the Prince of peace." The instrument of death, under the skill of the ingenious mechanic, shall turn the sod and prepare it for the seed, which shall present her "full corn in the ear" to the hand of man. 4 Happy! glorious epoch in the world's history! the Lord hasten its consummation! DEFINITIONS, &c.—Define victims, resting-place, (grave,) gory, thickly, interspersed, Potter's field, (graveyard in New York city,) gushed, carnage, wail, cower, levelled, heralded, skill, mechanic, ingenious, sad, epoch, consummation. SECT. CXX.-SPANISH REAL. 1 THE Spanish real, in Massachusetts, is called a ninepence ; in New York, a shilling; in Maryland, a levy; in South 2 Carolina, a sevenpence; and in Louisiana, a bit. The halfreal is known in Massachusetts, as fourpence halfpenny; in New York, as a sixpence; in Maryland, as a fip; and in Louisiana, as a picayune. 1 SECT. CXXI. -CORRECT VIEW OF EDUCATION. PEOPLE say of a man that "he has had an education," when they mean merely that he has been through college. "You are right, Maria, in believing this to be a commonly received meaning of the term 'education';' but it means much more; and as it is important to you to have right and fixed ideas on this subject, I earnestly beg you all to give me your attention, while I attempt to explain to you its full meaning. 3 "Whatever prepares you to be profitable servants of God, and faithful disciples of Christ'; whatever increases your reverence, and love of your Maker; all that in Scripture is called the 'nurture and admonition of the Lord';' is a part 4 of your religious education. Whatever you do to promote your health, to develop and improve the strength and powers of your body, is a part of your physical education. 5 6 "Whatever calls forth your affections, and strengthens them'; whatever directs and subdues your passions'; whatever cultivates your virtues'; and whatever improves your manners'; is a part of your moral education. "Whatever unfolds the faculties of your mind, improves your talents, and augments your stores of knowledge, is a part of your intellectual education." SECT. CXXII.-FRIENDSHIP. 1 ITT was not long after this, that being one day to visitt her, she seem'd to me more thoughtfull than ordinary. 2 I asked her what made her looke soe solemnly. 3 She told 4 me, she had never a freind in the world. Noe, said I, that's impossible: I beleive no body has more; for all that know you must love you", and those that love you are continually 5 your freinds. Butt I, who well knew where her heart att that tyme was, asked her what she esteemed a certaine gen6 tleman beyond the seas. Alas, says she, he is very ill; and that makes me very much concerned; butt I doe not speake to you of him, whome God will, I hope, be gratious to, butt 7 I would have a FREIND. In that name is a great deale more then I can express: a faithfull freind, whome I might trust with all that I have; and God knows, that is butt little; for him whome you meane does not care to meddle with my con8 cerns, nor would I give him the trouble. This, to my re9 membrance, were her very expressions to me. Madam, said I, doe you speake this to me, as if I were capable of serving you in any thing considerable? I beleive you the person in the world (replyed she) who would make such a freind as I 11 wish for, if I hadd meritt enough to deserve it. Madam, said I, consider well what you say, and what you doe, for it is such a trust, and soe great an obligation that you lay upon me, as I ought to embrace with all imaginable respect, and 10 acknowledgment for the greatest honour you could doe me. 12 Madam, to be called your freind were the most desirable in the world; and I am sure I should endeavour to acquitt me 13 of the duty with great chearfullness and fidelity. Pray leave your complimenting, (said she smileing,) and be my freind then, and looke upon me henceforth as your Child. 14 To this purpose was her obligeing reply; and there standing pen and ink vpon the table, in which I had been drawing something upon a paper like an Alter, she writt these words: Be this the Symboll of Inviolable Freindship: Mary Blagge, 16th October, 1672; and vnderneath, For my brother 15 E -; and soe delivered it to me with a smile. Well, said I, Madam, this is an high obligation, and you have allready paid me for the greatest service that I can ever pretend to doe you; butt yett doe you know what you have done? 16 Yes, sayes she, very well; butt pray what doe you meane? 17 Why, said I, the title that has consecrated this Alter is the Marriage of Souls; and the Golden thread that tyes the hearts of all the world. I tell you, Madam, Freindshipp 18 is beyond all relations of flesh and blood, because it is less materiall. There is nature in that of parents and kindred, 19 butt that of Freindshipp is of course and without election; for which the Conjugall State it selfe is not alwayes the most happy; and, therefore, those who have had best experience chuse their freind out of all these circumstances, and have 20 found him more lasting, and more effectuall. By this Symboll you give me title to all that you can with Honour and Religion part with in this world; and it is a topic I could adorne with glorious examples of what I speak; and the noblest things have been said vpon it; and the Laws and Measures of Freindshipp are the nicest and the most oblige21 ing; but you know them all. Well, replyed she, smileing, 22 be it soe:-pray what am I to doe? Nay, said I, I'll tell you first what you are to suffer. 23 The priviledges, I claime, (in virtue of that character,) are that I may visitt you without being thought importunate: that I may now and then write to you to cultivate my Stile: discourse with you to improve my Vnderstanding; read to you to receive your Reflections; and that you freely command me vpon all occasions without any reserve whatsoever. You 24 are to write to me when I am absent, to mention me in all |