ours. If a hole were dug quite through the earth, what would you see through it?

L. Sky, with the sun or the stars; and now I see the whole matter plainly. But pray, what supports the earth in the air?

P. Why, where should it go to ?

L. I don't know-I suppose where there was most to draw it. I have heard that the sun is a great many times bigger than the earth. Would it not go to that?

P. You have thought very justly on the matter, I perceive. But I shall take another opportunity of shewing you how this is, and why the earth does not fall into the sun, of which I confess, there seems to be some danger. Meanwhile think how far the falling of an apple has carried us !

L. To the Antipodes, and I know not where. P. You may see from thence what use may be made of the commonest fact by a thinking mind.

Nature and Education were one day walking together through a nursery of trees. See, says Nature, how straight and fine those firs growthat is my doing? But as to those oaks, they are all crooked and stunted: that, my good sister, is your fault. You have planted them too close, and not pruned them properly. Nay, sister, said Education, I am sure I have taken all possible pains about them; but you gave me bad acorns, so how should they ever make fine trees?

The dispute grew warm; and at length, instead of blaming one another for negligence, they began to boast of their own powers, and to challenge each other to a contest for the superiority. It was agreed that each should adopt a favourite, and rear it up in spite of all the ill offices of her

opponent. Nature fixed upon a vigorous young Weymouth pine, the parent of which had grown to be the mainmast of a man of war. Do what you will to this plant, said she to her sister, I am resolved to push it up as straight as an arrow. Education took under her care a crab-tree. This said she, I will rear to be at least as valuable as your pine.

Both went to work. While Nature was feed ing her pine with plenty of wholesome juices, Education passed a strong rope round its top, and pulling it downwards with all her force, fastened it to the trunk of a neighbouring oak. The pine laboured to ascend, but not being able to surmount the obstacle, it pushed out to one side, and presently became bent like a bow. Still such was its vigour, that its top, after descending as low as its branches, made a new shoot upwards; but its beauty and usefulness were quite destroyed.

The crab-tree cost Education a world of pains. She pruned and pruned, and endeavoured to bring it into shape, but in vain. Nature thrust out a bough this way, and a knot that way, and would not push a single leading shoot upwards. The trunk was, indeed, kept tolerably straight by constant efforts; but the head grew awry and ill-fash ioned, and made a scrubby figure. At length, Education, despairing of making a sightly plant of it, ingrafted the stock with an apple, and brought it to bear tolerable fruit.

At the end of the experiment, the sisters met to compare their respective success. Ah, sister! (said Nature) I see it is in your power to spoil the best of my works. Ah, sister! (said Educa

S

tion) it is a hard matter to contend against youhowever, something may be done by taking pains enough.

SCENE-A Road in the Country.-Arbury-Belford, walking.

Belford. Pray, who is the present possessor of the Brookby estate?

Arbury. A man of the name of Goodwin.
B. Is he a good neighbour to you?

A. Far from it; and I wish he had settled a hundred miles off rather than come here to spoil our neighbourhood.

B. I am sorry to hear that; but what is your objection to him?

A. O, there is nothing in which we agree. In the first place, he is quite of the other side in