that affords another way of judging of its strength. A hollow ivory ball is set to swim in it; and the deeper it sinks down, the lighter, and therefore the more spirituous, is the liquor.

G. I have heard much of the mischief done by spirituous liquors-pray what good do they do?

T. The use and abuse of wine and spirits is a very copious subject; and there is scarcely any gift of human art, the general effects of which are more dubious. You know what wine is said to be given for in the Bible.

G. To make glad the heart of man. T. Right. And nothing has such an immediate effect in inspiring vigour of body and mind as wine. It banishes sorrow and care, recruits from fatigue, enlivens the fancy, inflames the courage, and performs a hundred fine things, of which I could bring you abundant proof from the poets. The physicians, too,

speak almost as much in its favour, both in diet and medicine. But its really good effects are only when used in moderation; and it unfortunately is one of those things which man can hardly be brought to use moderately. Excess in wine brings on effects the very contrary to its benefits. It stupefies and enfeebles the mind, and fills the body with incurable diseases. And this it does even when used without intoxication. But a drunken man loses for the time every distinction of a reasonable creature, and becomes worse than a brute beast. On this account, Mahomet entirely forbade its use to his followers, and to this day it is not publicly drunk in any of the countries that receive the Mahometan religion. H. Was not that right?

T. I think not. If we were entirely to renounce every thing that may be misused, we should have scarce any

enjoyments left; and it is a proper exercise of our strength of mind to use good things with moderation, when we have it in our power to do otherwise.

G. But spirituous liquors are not good at all, are they?

T. They have so little good and so much bad in them, that I confess I wish their common use could be abolished altogether. They are generally taken by the lowest class of people for the express purpose of intoxication; and they are much sooner prejudicial to the health than wine, and, indeed, when drunk unmixed, are no better than slow poison.

G. Spirit of wine is useful, though, for several things-is it not?

T. Yes; and I would have all spirits kept in the hands of chemists and artists who know how to employ them usefully. Spirits of wine will dissolve many things that water will not. Apotheca

ries use them in drawing tinctures, and artists in preparing colours and making varnishes. They are likewise very powerful preservatives from corruption. You may have seen serpents and insects brought from abroad in phials full of spirits.

G. I have.

H. And I know of another use of spirits.

T. What is that?

H. To burn in lamps. My grandmamma has a tea-kettle with a lamp under it to keep the water hot, and she burns spirits in it.

T. So she does.

Well-so much for

the uses of these liquors.

G. But you have said nothing about ale and beer. Are they wholesome ?

T. Yes, in moderation. But they are sadly abused, too, and rob many men of their health as well as their money and senses.

G. Small beer does no harm, how

ever.

T. No-and we will indulge in a good draught of it when we get home. H. I like water better.

T. Then drink it by all means.

He

that is satisfied with water has one want the less, and may defy thirst, in this country, at least.

THE BOY WITHOUT A GENIUS.

Mr. Wiseman the Schoolmaster, at the end of the summer vacation, received a new scholar with the following letter:

SIR,

THIS will be delivered to you by my son Samuel, whom I beg leave to commit to your care, hoping that by your well known skill and attention you will be able to make something of him; which I am sorry to say