A Singular Advice-Embarassment-A Faction Defined.

Singular Advice.-A Greenlander was driving a merchant in a sledge across the sea upon the ice: a storm broke it in pieces. In such cases they save themselves by leaping from one piece of ice to another; but as the Europeans are not able to leap in this manner, the driver said coolly, "You are not to be saved, but you have pencil and paper in your book; write here upon my back that you are drowned, otherwise your people may think I killed you. The merchant begged him not to forsake him. Well," said the Greenlander," if you die, I He staid with him and saved him.

die likewise."

66

Embarrassment.-If a man unused to polite society is going into a superior company, the first thing that embarrasses him is his address—if a woman, her dress;—all the rest being either taken for granted or not worth a thought.

A Faction Defined.-A faction is a combination of men who do not act from any settled principles, from any just motives of national benefits, or from any generous sentiments of honour; but who, without regard to the public voice-without any compunctions of shame, or remorse of conscience, obstinately pursue their own private advantage, at the expense of every moral and social virtue; and often to the irreparable injury of their country.

Wisdom.-Wise is he who from a regard to public opinion abstains from evil: if he meets not with applause he shall escape at least from reproach. Virtuous is he who from constant attention to the Divine will, looks upon the first approaches of guilt with abhorrence: he shall enjoy what the world cannot give, the sweets of a good conscience, and the approbation of angels.

A Warning. Let not youth imagine that there is a line which divides innocence from guilt, to which we may safely approach, provided we step not over it. He that sports on the edge of a precipice may fall from it, in one moment of giddiness, and be irretrievably lost. The moth that plays around the flame, and is burnt, is the emblem of presumptuous and unwary youth.

Q

Patience and Perseverance.

Patience and Perseverance.-In China where learning confers titles of nobility, there was a young man who possessed courage, wit, and talents; but along with these he had the defects of his age, indolence, impatience, and understanding. In consequence of this assemblage, he went slowly on with his work, and foresaw with chagrin that he would scarcely be a mandarin at fifty years of age. He was on the eve of abandoning study, when one day at the gates of Pekin, he observed a workwoman, who was constantly turning a piece of steel on a grindstone," What are you about ?" said the scholar, are you a fool, poor woman?" "A fool! Nay, sir, I know my trade too well. Of this picce of steel I am going to make a needle, and please Heaven, I will do it; so long and so well will I sharpen it; there is nothing needed but time and patience. Patience I shall have, and as for time it comes without our thinking of it." These words opened the young man's understanding. He returned to school-resumed his labour with perseverance, and having laid aside frivolity, he also sharpened his mind, that he became learned, and rose to high eminence

A Mendicant.-Camerarius relates a story from Iodocus Damhoud in this manner:-" As I was sitting with some senators of Bruges, before the gate of the senate-house, a beggar presented himself to us, with sighs and tears and lamentable gestures, expressed to us his miserable poverty, saying, that he had about him a disorder which shame prevented him from discovering to the of men. eyes We all pitying the case of the poor man, each of us gave him something, and he departed. One amongst us sent his servant after him to inquire what his infirmity might be, which he was so loathe to discover? servant overtook him, and desired of him that satisfaction: and having inspected his face, breast, and arms, &c. and finding his limbs in good condition, "I see nothing," said he," whereof you have any reason to complain." "Alas! said the beggar," the disease that affects me is far different from what you conceive of, and it is an evil that has crept over my whole body in such a manner, that there is no member of it able to do any work: this disease is by some called Idleness and Sloth!

The

Laziness.—Laziness is dirty, covered with vermin, ragged and diseased. With difficulty she draws one leg after the other—

An Apparition-Superstition.

yawns and grunts-scratches her nitted hair-shakes her tattered garments-gapes-looks at the clock, surprised it is not latersighs, and wishes for night-yawns-stares strangers in the face-crawls to her kennel-eats, drinks, and falls asleep.

An Apparition. A gentleman, while travelling alone, in a remote part of the Highlands of Scotland, was benighted, and compelled to ask shelter for the evening at a small lonely hut.-When he was conducted to his bed-room the landlady observed, with mysterious reluctance, that he would find the window very insecure. On examination part of the wall appeared to have been broken down, to enlarge the opening. After some inquiry, he was told that a pedlar, who had lodged in the room a short time before, had committed suicide, and was found hanging behind the door in the morning. According to the superstition of the country it was deemed improper to remove the body through the door of the house; and to convey it through the window was impossible, without removing part of the wall. Some hints were dropped that the room had been subsequently haunted by the poor man's spirit. The gentleman laid his arms, properly prepared against intrusion of any kind, by the bedside, and retired to rest, not without some degree of apprehension. He was visited in a dream by a frightful apparition, and awaking in agony, found himself sitting up in bed, with a pistol grasped in his hand. On casting a fearful glance round the room, he discovered by the moon light, a corpse dressed in a shroud, reared erect against the wall, close by the window! With much difficulty he summoned up resolution to approach the dismal object, the features of which, and the minutest parts of the funeral apparel, he perceived distinctly. He passed one hand over it, felt nothing, and staggered by to the bed. After a long interval, and much reasoning with himself, he renewed his investigatien, and at length discovered that the object of his terror was produced by the moon-beams forming a long bright image, through the broken window, on which his fancy, impressed by his dream, had pictured with mischievous accuracy the lineaments of a body prepared for interment. Powerful associations of terror, in this instance, had excited the recollected images with uncommon force and effect.

Monthly Register.

Monthly Register.

A VAGRANT.

A few weeks ago, James Fitzgerald a stout bodied man, about 50 years of age, who travels on a sledge, passed through Ayrshire as a Vagrant: On his arrival at Kendal he was taken before the Mayor : during his examination he was extremely insolent-He acknowledged that he had been a member of "The Beggars Opera" St. Giles''That he had frequently got from five to ten guineas a week in London by begging-and that at Lord Nelson's funeral he had got twenty-five guineas! He has travelled through every part of the kingdom and has been committed for vagrancy upwards of eighty times-that beg ping now was above a hundred a year worse than it used to be! He was committed to the House of Correction.

POOR LAWS.-DR. CHALMERS.

On Monday the 26th July Dr. Chalmers of Glasgow 'delivered a most eloquent discourse in behalf of the Deaf and Dumb Asylum of Edinburgh, for which upwards of £100 was collected. The learned preacher took a faithful, and interesting view of the impolicy of the existing system of the poor laws, and displayed, in language of the most expressive conviction, the melancholy catalogue of evils which result from Legislative enactments for relieving the wants of the poor. Not only was he of opinion that compulsatory benevolence acted as a bounty to mendicity; that it promoted among its objects the grossest habits of indolence and improvidence, but he vehemently contended, that were the present laws erased from the pages of our statute books, and charity known in no other garb than that of private, and uncontaminated benevolence, a more powerful, and effectual impetus would be brought to bear against the formidable bulwark of mendicity than it can ever receive from the hand of the legislature.

Edin. Correspondent.

SIR JOHN MOORE'S MONUMENT.

The elegant monument erected in George Square, fronting Miller Street, Glasgow, was completed on the 16th of last month, on which is the following inscription :

TO COMMEMORATE

THE MILITARY SERVICES OF

LIEUTENANT GENERAL SIR JOHN MOORE, K. B.
NATIVE OF GLASGOW.

HIS FELLOW CITIZENS

ERECTED THIS MONUMENT.
1819.

Monthly Register.

It consists of a full length bronze statue of the hero about 8 feet, dressed in military costume, having a cloak thrown round. The left hand leaning on his sword, and the right placed in an easy position across the breast. It is supported by a pedestal of Aberdeen granite about ten feet high. The whole cost between three and four thousand pounds. The weight of the statue is upwards of three tons, and that of the pedestal ten. The whole confers the utmost credit on the taste and execution of Mr. Flaxman, the artist: the folds, wrinkles, and general appearance of the mantle is so like a real one, that an old woman viewing the statue was actually deceived-remarking to an acquaintance standing next her, "I see 'tis made o' pat mettle, but I wat na what's meant by puttin' a black claith cleuk about him!"

DANDY HORSE.

A few days ago the first Dandy Horse seen in Kilmarnock was introduced by Mr. Roger of the Turf Inn. The town is much indebted to this gentleman for novelties. He has lately rendered the communication with Paisley much more convenient, by the establishment of a Stage Coach, and we observe that another runs to Stewarton every Friday evening, which will be of great service to country people returning from market. The Inn, which is commodious, has lately undergone considerable repair, and is now in point of comfort and attention inferior to none in the West of Scotland.

BIRTHS.

July 13th, At Kilbride Castle, Lady Campbell of a son.

22d, At Green Bridge, parish of Lesmahagow, Mrs. John Semple, of a son, being her 18th child, 9 sons, and 9 daughters, who are alive. Aug. 3d. At Ayr Mrs M Whinnie, of a daughter.

13th, At Camis Eskan, Mrs. Dennistoun of Colgrain, of a daughter.

MARRIAGES.

July 26th, At Irvine, Mr. John Tennant Jun. Shields, to Miss Bryden, daughter of Mr. David Bryden late writer in Saltcoats.

Aug. 11th, At Maybole, W. B. Kennedy Lawrie of Woodhall, Esqr. to Antonia, daughter of Arthur Robertson; Esq. of Woodforddale in the island of Trinidad.

DEATHS.

May 31st, At Hope Estate, parish of St. Andrews, island of Jamaica, aged upwards 140 years, Roger Hope Elleston, a negro man. July 29th, At Kilmarnock, Mrs. Mary Ann Ashmore, wife of Mr. Hall, Greenholm Printfield.

31st, At Ayr, Mr. John Craig, Innkeeper.

31st, At Ayr, Mr. William Dunlop, sen. aged 78.

Aug. 3d, At Troon, Christina Reid, daughter of Mr. Adam Reid. At Ayr, a few days ago, John Lachlan, Shoemaker, known as an intelligent, lively, and facetious companion;-He was better known by the epithet Souter Johnnie, by which title he is immortalized by Burns in his exquisite poem of Tam o. Shanter.