THE PASSENGER AND THE PILOT.

It had blown a violent storm at sea, and the whole crew of a vessel were in imminent danger of shipwreck. After the rolling of the waves was somewhat abated, a certain Passenger, who had never been to sea before, observing the Pilot to have appeared wholly unconcerned, even in their greatest danger, had the curiosity to ask him what death his father died.

"What death?" said the Pilot; " why, he perished at sea, as my grandfather did before him." "And are you not afraid of trusting yourself to an element that has proved thus fatal to your family?"

"Afraid? by no means; why, we must all die : is not your father dead?"

"Yes, but he died in his bed."

"And why, then, are you not afraid of trusting yourself in your bed?"

"Because I am there perfectly secure."

"It may be so," replied the Pilot; "but if the hand of Providence is equally extended over all places, there is no more reason for me to be afraid of going to sea than for you to be afraid of going to bed."

Faith is not a relative matter.

THE PLAGUE AMONG THE BEASTS.

A Mortal distemper once raged among the Beasts, and swept away prodigious numbers. After it had continued some time without abatement, the Beasts decided that it was a judgment inflicted upon them for their sins, and a day was appointed for a general confession; when it was agreed that he who appeared to be the greatest sinner should suffer death as an atonement for the rest. The Fox was appointed father confessor upon the occasion; and the Lion, with great generosity, condescended to be the first in making public confession.

"For my part," said he, "I must acknowledge I have been an enormous offender. I have killed many innocent Sheep in my time; nay, once, but it was a case of necessity, I made a meal of the Shepherd."

The Fox, with much gravity, owned that these in any other but the king, would have been inexpiable crimes; but that His Majesty had certainly a right to a few silly Sheep; nay, and to the Shepherd, too, in case of necessity. The judgment of the Fox was applauded by all the larger animals; and the Tiger, the Leopard, the Bear, and the Wolf made confession of many sins of the like nature; which were all excused with the same

lenity and mercy, and their crimes accounted so venial as scarce to deserve the name of offences.

At last, a poor penitent Ass, with great contrition, acknowledged that once going through the church-yard, being very hungry and tempted by the sweetness of the grass, he had cropped a little of it, not more, however, in quantity than the tip of his tongue; he was very sorry for the misdemeanor, and hoped

"Hope!" exclaimed the Fox, with singular zeal; "what canst thou hope for after the commission of so heinous a crime? What! eat the churchyard grass! Oh, sacrilege! This, this is the flagrant wickedness, my brethren, which has drawn the wrath of Heaven upon our heads, and this the notorious offender whose death must make atonement for all our transgressions."

So saying, he ordered his entrails for sacrifice, and the Beasts went to dinner upon the rest of his carcase.

It is easy to find fault with the helpless.

THE PARTIAL JUDGE.

A Farmer came to a neighboring Lawyer, expressing great concern for an accident which, he said, had just happened.

"One of your oxen," continued he, " has been

gored by an unlucky bull of mine, and I should be glad to know how I am to make you reparation."

"You are a very honest fellow," replied the Lawyer," and will not think it unreasonable that I expect one of your oxen in return."

"It is no more than justice," quoth the Farmer, "to be sure; but what did I say? I mistake it is your bull that has killed one of my oxen." "Indeed," said the Lawyer, "that alters the case; I must inquire into the affair, and if

"the business, I

"And if!" said the Farmer find, would have been concluded without an if, had you been as ready to do justice to others as to exact it from them."

Those who expect justice should be ready to
accord it.

THE FOX AND THE CAT.

A Fox and a Cat, travelling together, beguiled the tediousness of their journey by moralizing.

"Of all the moral virtues," exclaimed Reynard, "mercy is surely the noblest! What say you, my sage friend, is it not so?"

"Undoubtedly," replied the Cat, with a most demure countenance; "nothing is more becoming in a creature of any sensibility than compassion."

While they were thus complimenting each other

on the wisdom of their views, a Wolf darted out from a wood upon a flock of Sheep which were feeding in an adjacent meadow, and without being in the least affected by the piteous cries of a poor Lamb, devoured it before their eyes.

"Horrible cruelty!" exclaimed the Cat. "Why does he not feed on vermin, instead of making his barbarous meals on such innocent creatures?"

Reynard agreed with his friend in the observation, to which he added some very pathetic remarks on the odiousness of such conduct. Their indignation was rising in its warmth and zeal when they arrived at a little cottage by the wayside, where the tender-hearted Reynard immediately cast his eye upon a fine Cock that was strutting about in the yard. And now, adieu moralizing, he leaped over the pales, and without any sort of scruple, demolished his prize in an instant. In the meanwhile, a plump Mouse, which ran out of the stable, totally put to flight our Cat's philosophy, who fell to the repast without the least commiseration. It is a common habit to talk of what is right and good, and to do what is quite the reverse.

THE MISER AND THE MAGPIE.

As a Miser sat at his desk counting over his heaps of gold, a Magpie, which had escaped from