A LITTLE Boy, who went to school, stole one of his school-fellow's books, and brought it home to his mother, who was so far from correcting and discouraging him upon account of the theft, that she commended and gave him an apple for his pains. In process of time, as the child grew up to be a man, he accustomed himself to greater robberies; and at last, being apprehended and committed to gaol, he was tried and condemned for felony. On the day of his execution, as the officers were conducting him to the place of execution, he was attended by a vast crowd of people, and among the rest by his mother, who came sighing and sobbing along, and deploring extremely her son's unhappy fate; which the criminal observing, he called to the sheriff, and begged the favour that he would give him leave to speak a word or two to his poor afflicted mother. The

sheriff gave him permission; and the felon, while every one thought he was whispering something of importance to his mother, bit off her ear, to the great offence and surprise of the whole assembly. "What," say they, "was not this villain contented with the impious facts which he has already committed, but he must increase the number of them, by doing this violence to his mother?" "Good people," replied he, "I would not have you be under a mistake; that wicked woman deserves this, and even worse at my hands; for if she had chastised, instead of rewarding and caressing me, when in my infancy I stole the book, I had not come to this untimely end."

REFLECTION.

Youthful minds, like the pliant wax, are susceptible of the most lasting impressions, and the good or evil bias they then receive is seldom or ever eradicated.

A CALF, full of play and wantonness, seeing an Ox at plough, could not forbear insulting him. "What a sorry drudge art thou," says he, "to bear that heavy yoke upon your neck, and go all day drawing a plough at your tail, to turn up the ground for your master! But you are a wretched slave, and know no better, or else you would not do it. See what a happy life I lead ; I go just where I please; sometimes I lie down under the cool shade; sometimes frisk about in the open sunshine; and, when I please, slake my thirst in the clear brook: but you have not so much as a little dirty water to refresh you." The Ox, not at all moved with what he said, went quietly and calmly on with his work; and, in the evening, was unyoked and turned loose. Soon after which he saw the Calf taken out of the field, and delivered into the hands of a priest, who immediately

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led him to the altar, and prepared to sacrifice him. His head was hung round with fillets of flowers, and the fatal knife was just going to be applied to his throat, when the Ox drew near and whispered him to this purpose: "Behold the end of your insolence and arrogance; it was for this only you were suffered to live at all; and pray now, friend, whose condition is best, your's or mine?"

REFLECTION.

To insult people in distress is the property of a cruel, indiscreet, and giddy temper; for, on the next turn of fortune's wheel, we may be thrown down to their condition, and they exalted to ours.

A HERDSMAN, missing a young heifer that belonged to his herd, went up and down the forest to seek it. And having walked over a great deal of ground to no purpose, he fell a praying to Jupiter for relief; promising to sacrifice a kid to him, if he would help him to a discovery of the thief. After this, he went on a little farther, and came near a grove of oaks, where he found the carcase of his heifer, and a lion grumbling over and feeding upon it. This sight almost frightened him out of his wits; so down he fell upon his knees once more, and addressing himself to Jupiter, "O Jupiter !" says

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he, "I promised thee a kid to shew me the thief, but now I promise thee a bull, if thou wilt be so merciful as to deliver me out of his clutches."