A CERTAIN Hermit had scooped his cave near the summit of a lofty mountain, from whence he had an opportunity of surveying a large extent both of sea and land. He sat one evening, contemplating with pleasure on the various objects that lay diffused before him. The woods were drest in the brightest verdure, the thickets adorned with the gayest blossoms. The birds caroled beneath the branches; and the ships, driven by gentle gales, were returning safely into their proper harbours. In short, the arrival of spring had doubly enlivened the whole scene before his eyes; and every object yielded a display either of beauty or of happiness. On a sudden arose a violent storm. The winds mustered all their fury, and whole forests of oak lay scattered on the ground. Darkness instantly succeeded; hail-stones and rain were poured forth in cataracts, and lightning and

thunder added to the horror of the gloom. And now the sea, piled up in mountains, bore aloft the largest vessels; while the horrid roar of its waves drowned the shrieks of the wretched mariners. When the whole tempest had exhausted its fury, it was instantly followed by the shock of an earthquake. A Prince, who was at that time in the same neighbourhood, repaired to the Hermit's cave, laden with jewels, religiously hoping that the Hermit's well-known sanctity would protect him in his distress. He was, however, not a little surprised at the profound tranquillity that appeared in his countenance, "My friend," said he, "be not dismayed. Terrible to me, as well as to you, would have been the war of elements we have just beheld; but that I have meditated with so much attention on the various works of Providence, as to be persuaded that his goodness is equal to his power."

REFLECTION.

The goodness of Providence, apparent in his works, is a proper motive for our tranquillity amid every exertion of his power.

A COUNTRY Fellow took a Dove, and tied a String to its foot, and so gave it to a little boy to play with. The Dove did not much like his companion, and upon the first opportunity gave him the slip, and flew away into the woods again, where he was shackled and starved. When he came to die, he reflected upon the folly of exposing his life in the woods, rather than live in an easy servitude among men.

REFLECTION.

Men that are impatient under imaginary afflictions, change commonly for the worse, as the Dove did here in the fable, that threw himself into a starving situation, rather than submit to the tolerable inconvenience of an easy restraint. Nothing would serve him, but he must

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be at his own disposal, and so away he goes, carries his String along with him, and shackles himself in the wood, where he dies for want of food and water.

ONCE upon a time Death called upon an Old Man, and bade him come along with him. The Man excused himself, that the other world was a great journey to take upon so short a warning, and begged a little time only to make his will before he died. "Why," says Death, "you have had warning enough, one would think, to have made ready before this." "In truth," says the Old Man, "this is the first time I ever saw you in my life." "That is false," says Death; "for you have had daily examples of mortality before your eyes, in all sorts of people, ages, and degrees; and is not the frequent spectacle of other people's deaths, a memento sufficient to make you think of your own? Your dim and hollow eyes, the loss of your hearing, and the faltering of the rest of your senses, should mind you, that Death has laid hold of you already: and is this a time of day, do