timely end his family disgraced; his parents* hearts broken by grief; and relatives and friends plunged into the depths of lamentation, mourning, and woe. Yet, notwithstanding the influence of education, and the awful example of public executions, the misery, and wretchedness, and devastation that are the certain concomitants of forgery- the awful, death-ful crime is still practised.

CHAP. V.

1 venerate the man whose heart is warm, Whose bands are pure, whose doctrine and whose life, Coincident, exhibit lucid proof,

That he is honest in the sacred cause.

To such I render more than mere respect,

Whose actions say that they respect themselves.

A painful discovery

Cards

COWPER.

-A party

-Novels

Anonymous letters-Advantages of religionReading for amusement- Decision and consistency -Reflections thereon.

Ir is easy to imagine what consternation filled the minds of Le Monde and his clerks, at the discovery of a forged bill! Suspicion was now all alive; but whatever might be the secret conjecture, nothing was divulged. Le Monde himself was indefatigable in his pur

suit of the offender, but determined not to fix the charge upon the innocent. His first step was to take up the bill, and next to trace out those who had indorsed it. All that transpired he kept within his own breast, nor even mentioned any thing respecting the affair to any one in his own family. He had already seen four of the parties, through whose hands it had passed, but one of those whose name appeared, could not be found. Yet Le Monde had strong suspicions, which induced him to watch diligently, and to commence an examination of his warehouse goods. He discovered a vacancy in some of the shelves, and that many yards of superfine cloth was missing! While this was in agitation, he received a note one morning stating that all their attempts to discover the drawer of the bill would be in vain, for the delinquent was in his own house! There was no name to the note, the writer apologized for the omission by the circumstance of the delicate nature of his communication.

Anonymous letters are generally regarded as the resort of mean and cowardly spirits. Many an excellent character has been grieved by the reception of an abusive letter, fraught with unfounded insinuations, the production of one, who, like a base, evil minded assassin, sought an opportunity to stab in the dark. Some worthy ministers of the gospel have not

escaped an attack from this masked battery. An epistle of this sort was once foisted into the hymn hook of a minister, that he might read it at the commencement of the service on the Lord's day morning! as if the writer desired to distract the mind of God's messenger, and grieve his heart when about to deliver his solemn and important message!! There may be instances which may justify an anonymous epistle, but they are very rare! Such productions are for the most part badly received; the writer is supposed to be a secret enemy, who takes this method of expressing his malignant disposition towards the person addressed.

The mind of Le Monde was much agitated. He scarcely knew in whom he could confide. The property that had been secretly conveyed away was by no means inconsiderable, yet he knew not the exact amount. He maintained his resolution to take no further steps, but to observe carefully and diligently passing events. The storm that had arisen was at length appeased, and a calm succeeded; but it was the treacherous calm," which indicated the approach of a still more violent tempest.

Melville had much to try the nature of his principles, and the reality of his religion. Every method had been resorted to in order to

induce him to visit the theatre, and to form one of a party to Vauxhall. Sometimes a box ticket was forwarded to him at another time he was invited to spend an evening with a friend of Elworthy's, where there was to be a musical party. Melville accepted it, but to his utter astonishment, cards were introduced! "Come, Mr. Melville," said an interesting young lady, "I hope you will join us at cards. We mean to have a little music presently." "I never play, madam," said Melville. "Not at cards, sir?" "No madam." "Then I suppose you have some religious objection to them." "My objection is, that it occupies time without affording any remuneration, to which I might add, that it opens the door to a train of evils-excites bad tempers-produces quarrels and leads to gaming and other vices. Were there no other evils attached to it, this would be sufficient-that it induces a habit of trifling, and detaches the mind from solid and beneficial pursuits." "Well, sir, if you have serious objections I will not press you. Then I suppose you do not play at back gammon, draughts," &c. “No madam, I engage in nothing of the sort." "Oh ! dear, sir,' what a mopish life you must lead! I presume then you never go to the play, nor to any place of public amusement!" "No madam, Γ have no desire for such things."

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"Poor young fellow," said an elderly matrou, I dare say he would sooner go to hear preaching. I presume, sir, (addressing herself to Melville, your parents were very religious, and that you were brought up in that way."

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They were, and are still very conscientious in their profession of religion, and certainly taught me that one part of religion consisted in not loving the world."

"Oh! but my young friend, God Almighty designed these things for our recreation and happiness."

I have never read that in the Scriptures, madam."

"The Scriptures! my young friend, Oh dear, we must not read them too much, for they are very mysterious, and we must leave our spiritual guides to explain them to us, for my part I see no harm in an innocent game at cards. There are many who do not play that do worse. Better play at a friendly game than scandalize our neighbours."

"I see no necessity for scandal, madam; I believe you will acknowledge that there is more scandal at a card-table than in any other situation."

The matron made no reply, and a silence of some minutes ensued, which was at length interrupted by a young gentleman dressed å la