without leaving any moisture behind. Then, it is muct. lighter than water, and 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 stupifies 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 everything that may be misused, we should have scarcely 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 de otherwise.

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

I. 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―gin especially 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. Still, at certain seasons, and under certain circumstances, they may be taken with advantage, medicinally, when diluted with water, and in small quantities.

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. Spirit of wine will dissolve many things that water will not. Apothecaries use it in drawing tinctures, and artists in preparing colours and making varnishes. They are also 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 abuseu, too, and rob many men of their health, as well as their money and senses.

G. Small beer does no harm, however.

T. No-and we will indulge in a good draught of it when we get home; that is, should we be thirsty.

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.

FOURTEENTH EVENING.

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 soll 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, none of his masters have hitherto done. He is now eleven, and yet can do nothing but read his mother tongue, and that but indifferently. We sent him at seven to a grammar-school in our neighbourhood; but his master soon found that his genius was not turned to the learning of languages. He was then put to writing, but he set about it so awkwardly, that he made nothing of it. He was tried at accounts, but it appeared that he had no genius for them either. He could do nothing in geography, for want of memory. In short, if he has any genius at all, it does not yet show itself. But I trust to your experience in cases of this nature, to discover what he is fit for, and to instruct him accordingly. I beg to be favoured shortly with your opinion about him, and remain,

"Sir

"Your most obedient servant,

"HUMPHREY ACRES."

When Mr. Wiseman had read this letter, he shook his head, and said to his assistant, "A pretty subject they have sent us here! a lad that has a great genius for nothing at all. But perhaps my friend, Mr. Acres, expects that a boy should show a genius for a thing before he knows anything about it -no uncommon error! Let us see, however, what the youth looks like. I suppose he is a human creature, at least."

Master Samuel Acres was now called in. He came hanging down his head, and looking as though he was going to be flogged.

"Come hither, my dear!" said Mr. Wiseman— "Stand by me, and do not be afraid. Nobody will hurt you. How old are you?

Eleven, last May, sir.

A well-grown boy of your age, indeed. You love play, I dare say.

Yes, sir.

What, are you a good hand at marbles?
Pretty good, sir.

And can spin a top, and drive a hoop, I suppose?
Yes, sir.

Then you

Yes, sir.

have the full use of your hands and fingers?

Can you write, Samuel?

I learned a little, sir, but I left it off again.
And why so?

Because I could not make the letters.

No! Why, how do you think other boys do ?--have they more fingers than you?

No, sir.

Are you not able to hold a pen as well as a marble? Samuel was silent.

Let me look at your hand.

Samuel held out both his paws like a dancing bear. I see nothing here to hinder you from writing as well as any boy in the school. You can read, I sup pose?

Yes, sir.

Tell me, then, what is written over the school-room door.

Samuel, with some hesitation, read—

WHATEVER MAN HAS DONE, MAN MAY DO.

Pray, how did you learn to read ?-Was it not by taking pains?

Yes, sir.

Well-taking more pains, will enable you to read better. Do you know anything of the Latin grammar? No, sir.

Have you never learned it?

I tried, sir, but I could not get it by heart.

Why, you can say some things by heart. I dare say you can tell me the names of the days of the week in their order?

Yes, sir, I know them.

And the months in the year, perhaps?

Yes, sir.

And you could probably repeat the names of your brothers and sisters, and all your father's servants, and half the people in the village, besides ?

I believe I could, sir.

Well-and is hic, hæc, hoc, more difficult to remember than these?

Samuel was silent.

Have you learned anything of accounts?

I went into addition, sir; but I did not go on with it.

Why so?

I could not do it, sir.

How many marbles can you buy for a penny?
Twelve new ones, sir.

Ard how many for a halfpenny?

Six.

And how many for twopence?
Twenty-four.

If you were to have a penny a day, what would that make in a week?