that example, which it had been her constant aim to instil into the minds of her children. Oh may I, my dear Lucy, be faithful to the trust! I feel indeed I have been lamentably deficient both in precept and example, but I believe I can say I have endeavored to do my duty. Often the thought of my responsibility entirely weighs me down, and deprives me of sleep, but I trust I can say that my constant and earnest prayer to God for you is, that you may be saved.

"And now, my dear Lucy, I wish you to stop for a moment and take a retrospective glance of the year that is past. Did you not, on your last birth-day, make a great many solemn resolutions? Have you kept them, or have you broken them? Remember it is a sad thing to break a solemn resolution, for though you may forget them now, yet there is a time coming when you will remember them with dreadful certainty. Think, my dear, how many warnings in God's providence you have slighted during the past year; how many faithful sermons, faithful instructions, you have paid no regard to; and, although God laid his hand heavily upon you, and brought you to the dust, yet you have not acknowledged him. God has a right to your love and reverence, for he created you, and continually preserves you. He has given you all things richly to enjoy. Do you not owe him then the homage of a grateful heart?

O my dear Lucy, anxious as I am for your improvement in knowledge, I consider all the learning in the world as nothing, and less than nothing, compared with that knowledge which will fit you for the company of angels: and my dear Lucy, let me ask you, do you live in the habitual practice of secret prayer? Do you make a point of never closing your eyes at night, without first having commended yourself to God-the Father, Son, and Spirit? Are you careful, before you engage in the duties of the morning, afresh to dedicate yourself to the Preserver of your forfeited life? If you do not, you are living in the exercise of a known sin, which God cannot overlook.

"I cannot tell you all the anxiety I feel for you, both for your temporal and spiritual welfare. Oh, may that God who has promised to be a father to the fatherless, make you his own dear child by adoption into his heavenly kingdom, and then, come what will, you will be happy.

"The book accompanying this, I wish you carefully to read, and not then lay it aside. No, I wish you to make it your companion, to pray over it, and beg God's blessing on it. It has been the means of doing a great deal of good in the world. May God make it useful to you. It is an expensive book, and therefore I hope you will take great care of it; but oh be not a stranger to its contents, but pray God to make it useful to the salvation of your soul.

'Now, my dear Lucy, I must close. You are very dear to me, Lucy. My happiness depends greatly on you. Oh, forget not the precepts of your glorified mother, but live in the exercise of them; and then you will meet her in heaven, never more to part! which is the prayer of your most affectionate sister,

With equal affection, she again addresses her—

ANNA."

"Dorchester, 7th May, 1827.-My dear sister Lucy, I have just received your second letter, and I cannot tell you what pleasure it gave us all to find that you were really happy, and not merely obliged to appear so. Indeed, in the circumstances in which you are placed, it would be wrong to be unhappy.

"You have gone now, for the first time in your life, from home, and consequently have a different part to act, and new duties to perform. Much with regard to your improvement and happiness must depend on yourself, and the habits you now form will accompany you through life, and have a bearing on your future actions. How important then that you act circumspectly. You are, my dear Lucy, old enough to think and reason for yourself, and you should no longer allow yourself to perform any duty from mere habit, or because it has been recommended by the example and advice of friends. No, my dear, every duty should be performed from a conviction that it is reasonable and proper.

"You know for what purpose you were sent into the world. Your friends have been doing what lay in their power to help you to accomplish this purpose; but without your own cooperation all will be vain. Keep constantly in mind, dear Lucy, that this world is only a passage to another, that it is not our home. Have this idea firmly fixed in your mind, and

make all your calculations with this in view. Now, if we are soon to enter into a state of existence which shall never change, it is the dictate of wisdom that we prepare to be happy in that state. Perhaps you may say, "if this be the object for which we are placed in this world, why devote so much time to intellectual improvement?" Because, my dear, God has given to every one of us talents, which he requires to be improved to the utmost; and because, as has been said, 'Knowledge is power,' and he who has the most knowledge has the greatest ability to do good.

"The most valuable talent which has been committed to our care is Time. So much has been said to you on the inestimable value of time, that you may think it a useless repetition to mention it now. I would only say, moments make up the sum of human life; and if many moments are wasted, how much of our lives will be frittered away. Remember this when you feel disposed to fold your hands for five minutes, or a quarter of an hour.

"The importance of regularity and method is so great, that I hope you will devote much attention to this subject. By method, you will accomplish just as much again in the same time as without it, besides forming a habit which will be useful to you all your life.

"With regard to the choice of companions, I would say a few words. You will not have much time to devote to any companions. You must expect this summer to lean upon yourself; still you must necessarily see a good deal of some young ladies. Treat them all kindly, and endeavor to improve by their conversation, and set them an example of diligence. Be cautious of becoming intimate with any one in haste: such hasty friendships are seldom lasting, and generally do a great deal of harm; and remember, my dear, nothing is so foolish as the affectation of secrets. No sensible, well-behaved young lady, will have any subjects for conversation which it is not proper for her connexions and experienced friends to know, and they are the proper persons to whom you should communicate any circumstances which might not be proper to mention to every one; but such foolish things as are often the conversation of young ladies at school, and which they wish

to conceal on account of their weakness, you must give up altogether.

"Be careful, my dear sister, to guard against a feeling of superiority over any of your companions. Remember, however well you may rank in comparison with some of them, you are really far behind what you ought to be, considering your advantages; and, instead of being elated by a fancied superiority, you ought to double your diligence to make up for lost time. Never, my dear, make the conduct of any of your companions the standard by which to judge of your own. If you are deficient in any lesson, or in your conduct, think not Miss is worse than I am; but remember it is your duty to strain every nerve for the accomplishment of the purpose for which you were sent to Pittsfield.

"You have now, dear Lucy, great advantages in a religious point of view. Your responsibility is great, and I trust you may never have to regret that Providence has placed you in the midst of such privileges."

A third letter follows

"My very dear Lucy,-Here I am seated at my writingdesk, after a very fatiguing day spent in Boston, just to write a little something to let you know I am thinking of you; and if you were here I should feel very happy to tell you all I have seen, and where I have been to-day. (After describing her visit to a 74-gun ship, &c. and enumerating the contents of a package of clothes and books forwarded to Pittsfield) she continues-I hope you are very careful of your clothes. Remember you are, or rather used to be, a little deficient in this respect; and just think how easily a bad habit is formed, and how difficult to get rid of it afterward.

"With regard to the improvement of time I trust you look upon it as a bounden duty, and make a conscience of it. Think, my dear, of how much you are ignorant which it is necessary to know, and how short the time in which to acquire it.

"With regard to the letters you write to me, I wish to say a word. You write too hastily. I would rather you would keep a letter a week longer and fill it entirely, than to write only half a sheet; and besides, you will get into a habit of writing carelessly and slovenly. You must not, my dear Lucy.

Every letter you write so carelessly you hurt your hand writing, more than you would improve in two lessons from a writing master.

"I wish you, my dear, to read my last letter again, and remember that the advice I then gave you was very important. May you, my dear sister, ever make religion the one thing needful, and be a meek and humble follower of the Lamb: but the utmost degree of watchfulness is necessary. The moment you feel safe and easy with regard to yourself, in such a way as to lead you to remit your watchfulness of yourself, that moment you are going back. You are indulging a spirit of pride which will be a snare to you. Beware, too, of placing much confidence in your own feelings. You are in the midst of excitement, and it is easier for you to fall in with Christian habits and feelings than to withstand them, so that you should distrust yourself entirely; but spend much time in meditation and prayer. Pray earnestly the God of all grace may do for you what you are utterly unable to do for yourself.

"You do not give me particulars enough in regard to your studies: I shall be glad to hear about any difficulties you meet with in them, and what pleases you most. Human knowledge is necessary to make us useful here, and while Providence places the means in our hands we should improve them to the utmost.

"Grandpapa often speaks of you, and desires much love to you. He hopes, while attending to your studies, you will not forget the one thing needful."

WHEN David numbered Israel and Judah, it took nine months and twenty days to obtain a return of one million three hundred thousand men. In our own day, with a population many times as large, it occupies a single day, to say nothing of the elaborate and satisfactory character of the information obtained in the latter case, as contrasted with the crude data furnished to the captains appointed by David.