1836.] MRS. MORE'S OBSERVATIONS ON HER BIRTH-DAY. 7 drink even beer, that their sole beverage, during all the hours of this hot and heavy labour, is water.—Jesse's Gleanings of Natural History. MRS. HANNAH MORE'S OBSERVATION ON HER BIRTH-DAY. 1 THE following notice appears in Mrs. H. More's diary:"February 2, 1803. My birth-day.-How little was my prospect, this day twelvemonth, that I should live to see it: I would enumerate some of the mercies of the past year;-raised up from a long and dangerous sickness from a broken state of nerves and spirits-restored to a serene and resigned frame of mind-able to thank God, not only for amended health and spirits, but for the many comforts and alleviations of my long and heavy trial itself. But it has shown me more of the world, more of its corruptions, more of my own heart, more of the instability of human opinion; it has weaned me from many attachments which were too strong to be right. Amongst other mercies, I have been preserved from injury, when my horse twice fell, under me. My schools' are not only continued, but God has raised up a powerful protector in the new bishop. He has enabled me to meet, without resentment, those whom I knew to be my enemies. He has given me a new and delightful habitation, and continued to me many friends; "Bless the Lord, O my soul." May I seriously renew my repentance for the sins of the past year, and enter upon a new course of holy obedience! I would also reckon it amongst my mercies, that I have so much time at my disposal. Oh! that I could spend it to the glory of the great Giver!"-Mrs. Hannah More's Life, vol. iii. p. 188. Let every Christian consider whether this may not be worthy of their imitation. D. I. E. 1 Number up, mention. 2 Schools which she had kindly established near her for the poor. MR. EDITOR. LETTERS FROM CANADA. Gresford, Nov. 16, 1835. THE following correct copy of some genuine letters from Canada were thought to contain passages which you might not disapprove of printing in your valuable "Čottager," and I hope they may not be wholly useless. The sight of the letters published in the last Quarterly Review has induced me to send these to you; but if emigration should not be a point which you wish to press, you will, I am sure, excuse the liberty I have taken. I am, Sir, your obedient servant, M. N. [We have certainly said little, in our numbers, on the subject of emigration, because we should be unwilling to urge any man to leave his native country, and encounter the risks and difficulties of a voyage to a distant land. These risks and difficulties are, however, far less than they were a few years ago; and there can be no doubt whatever, that an industrious, sober, and prudent family, may do far better in a country where labour is abundant, than in this country, where the number of labourers makes it, in many places, difficult to find employment. But let those who are desirous of emigrating bear in mind, that an idle, drunken fellow, will be ruined in North America quite as surely as he would in England; though an industrious and clever man may do better there than he can here. The remark of a hard-working man of our acquaintance does not settle the question as to the comparison between the condition of labourers in England and in Canada, but it is worth the notice of any individual: "Bless you, Sir, a sober man, who can work and take care of his money, may do well without leaving home, and he may save twenty pounds sooner than you'd think for. But an idle, drunken, careless fellow will do well nowhere."]-ED. To Mr. Thomas Devonshire. DEAR BROTHER AND SISTER, Colney, Herts. After so long an absence, I feel inclined to favour you with a few lines, which leaves us all enjoying a 1836.] LETTERS FROM CANADA. 9 good state of health, thank God for the same! and hoping they may find you in the same state. The last letter we received from you was wrote in the last month of the year 1830, we received it the last day of December, 1832. We learnt from the contents of that letter that you were not acquainted with the death of your sister Hannah, who died of consumption the 5th of October, 1832. She bore her long illness with Christian fortitude, and died in triumphs of faith, and we have no doubt but her soul rests in peace. She left a husband and four children, two boys and two girls, to lament the loss of an affectionate companion and a kind and tender mother. This may be unwelcome news to you, but it's a debt we have all got to pay, and the sooner prepared the better. You requested to know the situation of your brothers. John is married, and has two little girls; William is married, and has one little girl: and I am married, and have two girls and one boy. We all live almost in call of one another. Hannah's husband is married again to his second wife, and lives half a mile from us. The old people are in good health, mother in particular is hearty and fat. As it regards your coming to this country, we solicit you in the strongest terms to come, and that immediately, for it would be a consolation to us to once more see you on the shores of Time. We would advise you to turn all your property into money, except your wearing apparel, not to bring any unnecessary luggage that would be cumbersome or costly. I would inform you that when you come we will let you have what land you want to work, until you can situate yourselves to your liking. And I have house-room enough,—you can stop with me until such time as you can get a situation of your own, or longer. As it regards the country, I make no doubt but you will like it; the fertility of the soil, the clearness of the climate, and the cheapness of all manner of articles, and the state of government, is pleasing to the minds of all foreign travellers. You write, it is difficult to come on account of your family being so large; let that be no hindering cause. If you are able to come, your family can be supported here easier than there; and when your boys come to be men, they can get land here but not there; and when you come, if you stand in need of assistance we will all help you a little, which will help you a great deal, and not hurt us any. We would observe to you to come to New York, and from thence to Albany, and from that to Buffalo, and from thence to Port Stanley,-we live fifteen miles from there we live one hundred and fifty miles from Niagara, we hear from there three or four times a year. Uncle William is married to Betsey Donelson, and has five children; he is inclined to the consumption himself, the rest of them were all well the last time we heard from them. Mariah Corus is married to her second husband, and your uncle Corus still lives: your brothers' wives are all strangers to you. As you want to hear from your uncle Benjamin, Richard is married to his second wife, Frederic is married to his second wife, Nicholas is married, Joseph and James are married likewise. Your uncle Cudney is dead, and aunt Dolly still remains in the old homested. Aunt Susy and Hannah, grandmother Laurence, the old gentleman, and grandmother Clover, and the old man, and Polly Capp, are all dead, besides a number of our old neighbours. Your aunt Liddy still lives, and her family are all married. Dear Sister, I would further observe to you, that we are blessed with Gospel privileges in this country, and as many others as the kind hand of Providence bestows upon mortals. Dear sister, you must excuse my negligence for not writing to you before; this is on account of my not being long settled, and had no place to invite you to come to. Dear sister, I pray you to peruse this letter deliberately, remember it comes from him who feels all that fraternal affection that a brother can feel for a sister, and I beg you not to decline the invitation we give you to come to this country, but to make preparation with all possible speed to come. We wish you to dispatch an answer to this, immediately after receiving it, to know the state of your mind, whether it is possible for you to come. I add no more, but still remain your affectionate or not. brother, and will until death, Westminster, Jan. 7, 1833. THOMAS G. M'PHERSON. 1836.] LETTERS FROM CANADA. 11 P. S. Direct to Thomas M'Pherson, North America, Upper Canada, London District, Township of Westminster, North Street, &c. We invite you once more by all that is rational, to come if it is possible or in your power, if you have enough to bring you here; if it takes all you have got come, if you wish to come and share with us, THOMAS AND EMELINE M'PHERSON. My eldest girl's name is Phebe, seven years old and: three months; the second William, four the 20th of November last; the next Eve, one year nine months. DEAR SISTER, I remember but little of you, it is so long since I saw you, but I feel an ardent desire to see you once more; I therefore solicit, beg and entreat you, by that fraternal affection that binds me to you, by the ties of nature, to come to this country: I will lend you all the assistance in my power to make you comfortable, if you stand in need of it, and so will all the rest. I remain single, without an inclination to marry.-This leaves me in good health, and I hope finds you and your family enjoying the same. I have flattered my fond heart with the hopes of seeing you in the term of two years at the outside; may God confirm my hopes, and bring to pass what I am anxiously waiting for. I remain yours, HENRY M'PHERSON. (All the above under one date and in one sheet.) Westminster, Jan. 11, 1833. DEAR SON AND DAUGHTER, I take up my pen once more to write to you, hoping to find you both in good health, as it leaves us at present, thank God for it. We received your letter two years after date; it was delayed a year or more at Niagara, and then sent on by our place down to Sandwicks. Before we received it we had wrote two letters, and sent to you, which it seems you have never received, giving you a statement of our family, and the death of your sister Hannah; she died of the consumption, and has left four children, two boys and two girls, Margaret, Daniel, Amos, and Hannah Hulda; she gave Hannah Hulda to your |