spend in plausible illusions, and waking visions, planning a life of goodness which they never begin, and feats of heroic exertion which they will not so much as touch with one of their fingers. The time is wasted which is spent in doing things by halves. The world is full of towers which "men began to build and were not able to finish." The smallest cabin roofed in and finished is worth a hundred such Babels; and unless the idea be so good, that some steadier mind takes it up and completes it, the architect of a poor man's cottage lives to better purpose than the mere projector of a triumphal arch or a national monument. - - The time is wasted which is spent in habitual storyreading. Because he has a book in his hand, a man is apt to think that therefore he is not idle. But what are you reading?—A tale. And what was the last book you read? -A novel. And the book before that ?-A historical romance. And why do you read them? Is it for the useful lessons the fine sentiments the historical facts? Or, are not these the things you least care for, and which you are most apt to skip over? And were we to give you a book which contains as many fine sentiments, and useful lessons, and important facts, as any thousand of your favourite fictions, would you promise to read it? Are you sure that this daily dram-drinking is not hurting your mind? Is it not creating a nausea for wholesome intellectual food? Is it not sending leanness into your soul, and giving you a distaste for the Bible? By inflaming your fancy, is it not spoiling your temper; and by making you the denizen of a hundred fantastic and fairy worlds, is it not robbing the actual, everyday world of an amiable and useful citizen? Already have you not reached the brink of confirmed intemperance? Is there no craving? no crying, Give, give? no glistening of the eye as the wine gives its colour in the cup? no gloating over the badge and cognisance which marks the new brochure? Might it not make you a stronger man, a healthier soul, if you tried one year of total abstinence? But we hasten to mention how time may be well bestowed. And here we begin with saying that no time is so well employed as that which is spent in deliberate devotion. To acquaint ourselves with God, and to get true and scriptural views of His perfections; to acquire the right affection towards Him; to grow in faith and submission, in cheerfulness and thankfulness; in love to Jesus Christ, and in longing for the world's salvation: this is piety, and proficiency in this would be incomparably the best and most blessed progress throughout the remaining year. We say deliberate devotion; meaning thereby the deliberateness of one who in prayer seeks communion with God, and who considers what the mercies are which he ought to ask from his Father in heaven. You may possibly remember some occasion when, hastening off to your daily employment, in the hurry you forgot some essential document or implement; and for the want of it half the day's object was defeated; and, reminded of the want not once, but many times, you said, “I might as lief have stayed at home. Here is a day of fatigue and exertion entirely lost." And so we cry, "Stay; stop a moment! You who are rushing out to your daily avocations prayerless, how do you expect to prosper?" "I have said my prayers." Yes; but what did you pray for? Did you ask God to be your present help all day? Did you say that you would rely on His gracious aid to preserve your temper; to sustain you in truth and uprightness; to give strength to your arm, soundness to your judgment, serenity to your spirit, and prosperity to the work of your hands? For with His presence unbespoken you go out into the day bereft of its most essential provision; and just as there is an unproductive precipitancy which outruns God's Word and Providence, so will you find that to wait on the Lord is always a wise delay, and that calm devotion is a true economy of time. over. The time is well spent which, when actually engaged in your calling, is given to its thorough discharge. "Seest thou a man diligent in his business? He shall stand before kings, he shall not stand before mean men." Assiduity and energy in a man's proper employment are essential to mental health and a right social standing; and whether he be a principal or a subaltern, a servant of his country or a trader toiling on his own account, the conscience cannot be clear nor the spirit strong if official duties are slurred carelessly The young shopkeeper will teach his Sunday scholars all the better if he comes to them from a week of honest, cheerful industry; and in society, the government clerk, who makes a conscience of his duties, will move about a man of weight and worth, whilst his neighbour at the desk, who dawdles over plays and newspapers, is sure to take his proper rank as a trifler or a bore, a butt or a buffoon. Exemplariness in our appointed station is the pedestal on which Providence designs that each man's character shall stand; and no social charms, no civic patriotism, no service in public committees, can earn for the lounging trader or the bungling craftsman the homage of a profound and permanent esteem. The time is well spent which is devoted to some solid acquirement. In the last year's Report of the Manchester Free Library, it was interesting to find how the longest histories and the most massive works had been grappled by herculean readers among the labouring classes, who had perused them from beginning to end. And so amongst our own readers we venture to say that there are few who, even in the year's remaining months, might not master a modern language, or learn to read the Greek or Hebrew Testament; or, if they preferred turning to account the languages which they already know, they might obtain such insight to chemistry, or astronomy, or optics, or some one of the real sciences, as would shed over the Creator's works a light of unsuspected loveliness, and fill their own minds with a fund of lasting enjoyment. Or, if even this were deemed too formidable, these eleven months would suffice for perusing and for preserving in its abstracted essence some great master-piece, a history, a commentary, a system of divinity,― some work which, carefully conned, would add to the student a life-long staple of conviction and knowledge. But even better than this last is the time expended on some benevolent undertaking. And who need be at a loss for a labour of love? Not the merchant, whose countingroom or warehouse is full of young men, brought together from all corners of the kingdom, and who, a few years hereafter, may be a blessing or a bane at the farthest ends of the earth. Not "the little maid," who has charge of these children, and whose gentle goodness may guide them to the open arms of the holy and loving Saviour. Not the scholar, who, by popular lectures, may quicken the mind of a drowsy village, or who, by attractive Christian instruction, may purify the tastes and reform the habits of a vicious one. Not the errand-boy, who may teach his letters to the boy who sweeps the crossing, and so put in the way of welldoing a little British brother. Not the lady of the manor, whose gracious influence can convert hovels into homes; and who, in the industrial school and the brightened cottages and the smiling gardens, can multiply her own benignant presence through all the peaceful hamlet. Not the older sister, who to the rest can impart the lesson for which her parents have paid full dear, and who, in transmitting the costly attainment, will perfect her own proficiency, and who, whilst thus acquiring an art which masters cannot teach, will enjoy a pleasure which self-indulgence never knows. REVIEW OF THE MONTH. To begin, as Englishmen ought, with the weather: the year commenced most seasonably. Boreas shook hands with old-fashioned energy, and provided for his island subjects out-door amusements on a scale of unwonted profusion. What with sledging and skating, avalanches from the roofs and snow-battles, bursting water-pipes and storm-staid omnibuses, and the comical expedients called forth by the unusual emergency, aided by the exhilarating influence of the crisp, keen atmosphere, for the few days during which it lasted it was quite a merry masquerade. From the 2d to the 5th of January, there fell in the Midland Counties as much snow as would have measured twenty-one inches, had there been no drift. Early on the morning of the 3d, the thermometer descended to -3° at Melton Mowbray, and -4° at Nottingham. At Bury, in Suffolk, it fell as low as -7°, Jan. 9, 1841; which is probably the lowest temperature authenticated since the commencement of the present century. If our memory serves us right, it was noted as high as 96° in Buckinghamshire in July 1826, and was probably as high in 1852: so that our English temperature has an extreme range of more than a hundred degrees; although the ordinary annual extremes are little more than sixty degrees apart. But the year opens solemnly. Already the forty years' peace is virtually terminated; and, before the ensuing summer is far advanced, it is too likely that the fields of Europe shall have witnessed some scenes of fearful carnage. In the present state of Continental thrones, the possible embroilments of a general warfare are beyond the calculation of |